"This was the question of the Philippian Jailer. No
doubt this man was religious and had professed to have
known God. But when he faced the apostles who had the
only gospel, he found himself unsaved. Like many today,
when their religious experience is brought up against the
standard of the word of God, they find themselves unsaved.
I am sure that there are many people today who
have been in churches for years – no doubt have been great
church workers – may have been preachers, deacons, trustees,
missionaries, etc., and with all of that there is an unrest and
dissatisfaction until they are asking themselves the question,
“Am I really saved? And what proof have I, that I can know
of a truth, that I have a Bible Salvation? And if Jesus should
come would I be ready to meet Him, or am I deceived?”
Dear reader, the only way to know we’re saved is to
know according to God’s Eternal Word. I’ve heard many
times of ministers converting people and saying they were
saved without any Bible proof, telling people to bow their
heads and raise their hands, and accept Jesus right where they
are. And when they do that they say so many get saved
through our ministry. I want to say to you in the name of Jesus
Christ, and according to God’s Eternal Word that is just as far
from the truth and being saved as the East is from the West.
They never mention repentance or Baptism to the People,
didn’t mention receiving the Holy Ghost, yet say they are
saved.
Dear reader, let us now turn to the word of God, and
see what the word has to say about it. Romans 3:4 says: “Let
God be true and every man a liar.” Now we will hear outlined
the plan of salvation according to the word of God. John said:
“He indeed baptized with water unto repentance but Jesus
would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire.” John
didn’t tell them to raise their hands right where they were and
accept Christ. Jesus, who is our example came to John and
was baptized, and He received the Holy Ghost (Matt. 3:16).
Jesus said to Nicodemus, except a man be born again of water
and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God (St. John
3:5). Jesus said in Mark 16:16 “he that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved, and these signs shall follow them that
believe….in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall
speak with new tongues”. I heard an awful statement that
there was no such thing in the Bible as speaking in tongues.
But Isaiah prophesied seven hundred and twelve years before
Jesus came: “For with stammering lips and another tongue
will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11); Jesus spoke in
tongues, when He raised Jairus’ daughter. He took the damsel
by the hand and said unto her “Talitha cumi.” (Mark 5:41).
On the day of Pentecost when the foundation of the
Church was laid with and by them that walked and talked with
Jesus, and watched Him go up into the heavens, they also
spoke in tongues as the spirit gave them utterance (Read Acts
2:1-13). When the multitude heard the gospel preached by Peter
on the day of Pentecost, they were pricked in their
hearts. They said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles,
“What shall we do?” Peter didn’t say to them to raise your
hands and accept Christ as your personal Saviour, as it is told
to the people today. Neither did he say join the church but he
said unto them, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts2:38). And three
thousand obeyed. (Acts 2:41).
When Phillip preached to the city of Samaria, he
didn’t tell the people to sit right where they were, and they
didn’t need to be emotional. And when the people believed
the preaching of Phillip, they were baptized in Jesus’ name,
and received the Holy Ghost. Read Acts the 8th Chapter,
verse five to the twenty-second. When Peter preached the
same gospel to the Gentiles in Caesarea that he preached to
the Jews on the day of Pentecost, they received the Holy
Ghost, and spake with other tongues, and were baptized in
Jesus’ Name (Acts 10:44-48). Let us turn again to the word of
God Acts 19:5). When the Apostle Paul met John’s disciples
who had not received salvation under this dispensation, he
said unto them, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you
believed?” I want to say here, dear reader, there are thousands
of people who have some kind of belief but except they
believe as the scriptures have said (St. John 7:38), their belief
is in vain. They said unto Paul, we have not so much as heard
whether there be any Holy Ghost. Paul then said unto them,
“Unto what then were you baptized?” He goes on to explain
the truth unto them as I am explaining it unto you.
They obeyed and were baptized in Jesus’ name, and were filled with
the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues (Acts 19:1-6).
Now, dear reader, if you will take the word of God
for it, you will see plainly that the Apostles did not use the
methods men are using today, to get people saved. Nowhere
can it be found in all the Bible, that any of God’s ministers
told the people to bow their heads and raise their hands and
receive Jesus right where they are, without mentioning
repentance, baptism or receiving the Holy Ghost. The Apostle
Paul said: “If an angel from heaven preached any other gospel
except that which they have preached, let him be accursed.”
(Galatians 1:8-9).
I want to say in my conclusion to you, nobody is
saved regardless who he or she may be without having the
water, spirit and the blood. These three agree in one (1st
John 5:8). If you have the spirit and refuse the water you yet
aren’t saved. You can’t have the blood and refuse the water
and the spirit. The Bible says one Lord, one Faith and one
Baptism (Ephesians 4:5).
Dear reader, if you haven’t got it like the Scriptures
have outlined here, you too, need to cry out in the language of
the jailer: “What must I do to be saved?” May God open your
understanding that you may understand the Scriptures, is my
prayer ..."
Comentários