Jesus answered and said Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom Of God. (John 3:5).
As we have heard men from time to time instructing the people and telling them to get saved or receive Christ, and have never told them how to get saved, nor what they must do to be saved, we will endeavor here to make it as plain as the word of God has spoken it. We will admit that after the death of the Apostles, blindness and ignorance prevailed upon the people for more than fifteen hundred years. And in the time of this darkness and ignorance of God's truth, many prepared ways of their own. But thank God, in these last and evil days we can say that the darkness is past and the true light now shineth (1 John 2:8).
I want to repeat again the sayings of Jesus: “Except a man is born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." We will here give a Biblical outline of how the new birth is obtained. Remember, Jesus was our example. He was God manifested in the flesh. “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee of Jordan unto John to be baptized of him." Not to be sprinkled, not to be poured, not to shake hands with John and join the church, not to raise his hands and say he accepts God as his personal Savior. None of these things that men are now teaching was ever practiced by Jesus nor by John nor by any of the Apostles. After Jesus himself was baptized he received the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:13-16).
Dear reader, this example was set for the whole world. It does not matter what creed, what color, what nationality, where you were raised or what you were taught, or what you were brought up under. This is truly the world's example. Now we will outline the different baptisms that were administered by God's people. In all the world we have only had three baptisms. The baptism that God gave unto Moses—everybody had to accept that one baptism, (Exodus 14:22; 1 Corinthians 10:2).
There was no two or three ways to get it. There was one way for everybody; for the Bible says they were all baptized unto Moses in the clouds and the sea. The next baptism we have was John's baptism, and every one that refused to be baptized with the baptism of John rejected the council of God against themselves. (Luke 7:30). The next baptism we have was the baptism in Jesus' Name which was administered by Jesus himself. (John 3:22-26). I have said and I now say again that the whole world has been misled, and has baptized wrong for more than 1,500 years.
• The first baptism was Moses' baptism. (Exodus 14:22).
• The second baptism was John's baptism. (Matthew 3:11).
• The third baptism was administered by Jesus and his Apostles. (John 3:22-26; Acts 2:38, Acts 19:50).
The world has failed to understand Matthew 28:19. Note Jesus said: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Note, dear reader, He did not say names (plural) but name, singular. What name? The only Name given by which we all must be saved. The Name is Jesus. (Acts 4:12).
The Apostle Paul said whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus. (Colossians 3:17). So when we baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, we must baptize in the only Name Jesus. Father is not a name, son is not a name, Holy Ghost is not a name, but titles. So there are three titles—one person and one Name. The name of the Father is Jesus, because Jesus said, I am come in my Father's Name (John 5:43). The Name of the Son is Jesus. (Matthew 1:21). The Holy Ghost's name is Jesus. (John 14:26).
So you see, dear reader, there are not three names nor three different persons, but one person and three manifestations.
• He was Father in creation.
(Genesis 1:1).
• The same one was Son in redemption. (Luke 1:68).
• In the church He was the Comforter. (John 14:26).
So, when Matthew 28:19 is obeyed the baptism must be done in Jesus' Name. Notice, dear reader, the Apostles understood Matthew 28:19, for they got the revelation who Jesus was. Peter acknowledged who He was by saying, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16). So, you see that Peter saw him as God and man. On the day of Pentecost when the Gospel was preached in its fullness by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven and men were pricked in their heart, they said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles: Men and brethren, what shall we do? Peter kept in mind the sayings of Jesus by telling them to repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38).
When the Apostle Paul met John's disciples he said unto them, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? They said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Then he examined their baptism by saying unto them, what or how were you, baptized? They said unto John's baptism. Remember, dear reader, at this particular time John's baptism which was the second baptism had passed and was out of date. They were behind time. The third baptism which was the Baptism in Jesus’ Name had been introduced to the Apostles and they in turn were making it known to the world as they went. Therefore nobody was exempted whether he had been baptized unto John's baptism or not. He had to be baptized in Jesus' Name and be filled with the Holy Ghost in order to have the new birth. Therefore said Paul unto them, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance,” saying unto the people that they should believe on Him (Jesus) which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this they obeyed by being baptized in water in Jesus' Name. And Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake in other tongues and prophesied. We see here once more the new birth has been manifested.
When Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them the people were baptized, both men and women, in Jesus' Name. (Acts 8:12-16). Then the Apostles came on after they were baptized in Jesus' Name, laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:17). We see again that the words of Jesus were still accepted by believers. For He said, “Except a man is born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." In the 10th chapter of Acts we find there a man called Cornelius; one that feared God with all his house, prayed to God always, fasted and gave much alms unto the people, but was not saved because he had not been baptized in Jesus' Name and filled with the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:38 and 2:4. Therefore God sent an angel from heaven and told him to send for Peter and when he comes he will tell thee what thou oughtest to do. Peter came down and preached the gospel to Cornelius and his house. The Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word, and they spoke in other tongues. Then answered Peter: Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? Then he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 10th chapter). So you see, dear reader, that Peter held as I hold that you must be baptized in water in Jesus' Name and get the Holy Ghost and speak in other tongues in order to have the new birth. John said: “I indeed baptize you with water but one cometh after me who is mightier than I. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." So you see, John preached water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Ghost which is the new birth. (Matthew 3rd chapter). Jesus preached the baptism in water and the baptism of the Holy Ghost which is the new birth. (Acts 2:38; Acts 2:4). Paul preached the baptism of water in Jesus' Name and the baptism of the Holy Ghost which is the new birth. (Acts 19:1-6). Phillip preached the baptism in Jesus' Name to the people and they were baptized in Jesus' Name and received the Holy Ghost, which was the new birth.
(Acts 8:16-17). Cornelius received the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues as the spirit gave him utterance, Acts 10:44, but he had to be baptized in Jesus' Name after he received the Holy Ghost which is the new birth. (Acts 10:47). So, my dear reader, if you have not been baptized in water in Jesus' Name and filled with the Holy Ghost speaking in other tongues as the spirit gives you utterance as they did in Acts 2:4, you are not saved, you have not the new birth Jesus spoke of. Therefore you will not enter into the kingdom of God.
Now you may be a bishop, General overseer, presiding elder, preacher pastoring millions, deacon, missionary, usher, or lay member, you may have been in church for 75 years, but I want to say to you in the language of Jesus, “Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
I want to say again in my conclusion to those who claim to have the gift of the Holy Ghost speaking in other tongues as the spirit gives them utterance, and refuse to be baptized in water in Jesus' Name, I want to say unto you, you are just as lost from God's Kingdom as one that has never heard it. Peter commanded those that had received the Holy Ghost to be baptized in Jesus' Name. (Acts 10:48).
To hear more of this truth visit the Church with a standard, where the Gospel is preached in all its fullness as it was in the days of the Apostles.
-Written by Bishop S.C. Johnson
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