This is my text that I used for tonight's 10/02/2004 sermon
It should be available in audio format at
http://www.pentecostal.biz/audio
Basic Bible salvation, what subject could be more important in this hour in
which
the last moments in the history of mankind fill the headlines with their fury.
What subject angers the sweet talking false preacher like the subject of basic
Biblical salvation? There is a reason for that, you know.
Some would teach you that the Bible is not comprehendible so you might as well
not try, but I believe that the Bible is there for us to understand.
Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The
way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those:
the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
God declares did not give his Word to confuse or alienate people. He gave it to
show us the way and give us true light and understanding. Even a fool will stand
before God without excuse.
Psalms 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
How many have ever walked in an unfamiliar area without any light, yet so many
choose to exercise their God given free will to do just that with their
spiritual path?
If we want true salvation then we need to reject the man made fables of the
worldly man made religions, we must instead look at what was taught by Jesus
Christ, then preached upon His authority by Peter, and then practiced by the
Apostles faithfully. If we do that then we see two essential elements that make
up the Christian new birth. Those elements are water and spirit. These truths do
not contradict the scriptures regarding belief but provide the foundation upon
which to exercise true Biblical belief, which is based upon obedience (another
concept that
the false-christians really hate).
The false-christian needs to face reality. Was Noah saved by grace through faith
by the mercy of God? Would not he have drowned if he had refused to obey and
build the ark? Was Noah somehow waterproof? Don't let your false preacher take
you down, friend.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Those essential elements are: WATER and SPIRIT. We should take note that a grown
man was told by God manifest in the flesh that he had to be born of water and
that he had to be born of the Spirit.
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him;
How can you continue to believe your false preacher that grace means nothing to
obey?
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.
Why would a real man of God try to talk you OUT of putting on Christ as so many
of the false-christian preachers do when they fight against Jesus Name Baptism?
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.
Yes even with that verse we still have the devil's crowd deceiving souls. Look
at that verse. Is it telling you to do one thing or to do two things? What part
of
the word "and" do you not comprehend?
If you pay good money for a wash AND wax for your car, what do you expect?
Jesus Christ gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of God. What will become of
those who reject what Peter did with those keys. It has become common that the
devil's workmen try to teach people that Peter disobeyed Jesus. They say
something like, "Well I will take Jesus's words over Peter's any day."
If we can't trust the Apostles we have a big problem. Was it not the Apostles
who told us what Jesus said?
Some attack me for being less than tolerant towards the devils's deceivers, but
what does Paul tell the Christians to do?
2 Cor 11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them
which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Notice also what role that Satan's servants will play. They will pretend to be
teaching righteousness. They will get jobs as preachers.
Can we reject Peter without rejecting the One who sent him?
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock
I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Are those false-preachers who want you to disregard Peter's salvation message
really your friend? Are they telling you the truth?
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will
do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he
is a liar, and the father of it.
So we don't need to be surprised when the devil's servants lie, OK?
I hope and pray that all can see that one can't reject Peter without rejecting
the Lord Jesus Christ who gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven. So let's
study what Peter taught.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath
made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar
off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
How can anyone, even in their wildest imagination, believe that they are among
the "called of God" when they reject the Acts 2:38 salvation that Peter preached
on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ?
We need to take note that water baptism is to be done in Jesus Name. Monotheists
have no problem with that, but polytheists really stumble on that and thereby
expose themselves that they truly are polytheistic and really are teaching three
god squad members. In the Bible when people received the Holy Ghost, they spoke
with other tongues.
The devil's servants have found that the best way to keep people from seeking
the real Baptism of the Holy Ghost is to convince them they already have it and
then just hold them by their religious pride. But why would anyone desiring and
claiming a true Biblical experience be so adamantly against such a basic Bible
principle.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on
them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied
Paul also said:
1 Corinthians 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
There are examples in the Bible where people received the Holy Ghost before they
were baptised in Jesus Name. There are also examples where people were baptised
in Jesus Name before they received the Holy Ghost. Both are valid salvation
experiences since the Bible documents both scenarios as valid.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Whenever either ingredient of the Christian New Birth was missing, the Apostles
of Jesus IMMEDIATELY added the missing one. If a person was baptized in Jesus
Name then the Apostles prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. (that also
proves that people don't automatically receive the Holy Ghost when they
"believe" as some of Satan's ministers teach. When people received the Holy
Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, the Apostles immediately
baptized them in Jesus Name.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the
kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and
women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with
Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
14 ¶ Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the
Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Note how they had been baptized.
Acts 10:44 ¶ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the
Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have
received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed
they him to tarry certain days.
So how did the Apostles know that Gentiles had received the same Holy Ghost they
had?
Those who had even been baptised personally by John the Baptist were re-baptised
in Jesus name for the remission of their sins. John's baptism was only for a
temporary period of time. Jesus Name baptism does remit sins by the POWER of the
shed blood of God.
Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having
passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they
said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto
John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying
unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him,
that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and
they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
So with that verse 2 up there, how are Satan's ministers still convincing people
that they automatically receive the Holy Ghost when they first "believe"?
Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
How does a person have their sins washed away? Clearly it is by being baptized
in Jesus Name which is the METHOD whereby one calls on the Name of the Lord.
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him
through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Note the essentiality of both WATER and SPIRIT:
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his.
The Bible speaks of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ as EXACTLY the
same Spirit.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.
How could Jesus have been more clear regarding the essentiality of Jesus Name
baptism?
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
selves.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Remember here that Jesus was telling a grown man what he STILL needed to do in
order to be saved. The grown man still had to be reborn of WATER and of the
SPIRIT.
This is totally consistent with the plan of salvation that Peter, the "man with
the keys to the kingdom" preached on the birthday of the New Testament Church.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock
I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are
afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Acts 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save
yourselves from this untoward generation.
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.
If your false-preacher has told you that you don't need to obey Acts 2:38, I
want you to consider these next verses.
2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
How can people be so gullible that they don't think they need to obey the
Gospel?
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:
and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the
gospel of God?
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord,
who hath believed our report?
See in the above verse how the Apostles considered a "non-obeyer" to be a
"non-believer"?
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.
Pastor Steve Winter