Christians come in all sizes and degrees of faith. Some go to church every weekend, some do not. Some believe to be a Christian, we must be baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; others of the view that circumcision of one’s mind and heart God-ward is sufficient. And, there are others who believe living a good life, and reading their Bible every Sunday is enough. The common trait, how do I make my salvation sure? But, there are fundamentals all who call themselves Christian must adhere to in terms of Holy Writ.
With the embarrassment of doctrines and opinion today, finding one’s way to the truth of Jesus has been made almost impossible. With apparently so many ways to worship, it is understandable why many are discouraged from actively seeking the truth of the LORD and His Christ. The diversity of churches from the traditional, to present day rock and roll evangelism and questionable multimedia hype is beyond comprehension when the message of Jesus and His Gospel is so simple.
To cut through the noise and confusion, here’s what Jesus said about being saved; He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)
There is no room for misreading here; if we believe and are baptized we shall be saved, if we do not believe we will be destroyed at the judgement. If we want to be saved, Jesus has given us a clear-cut choice and the means, belief and baptism. But, as we find in Matthew 28, He did not make the details of baptism clear. And He id it for an important reason. So, what do Peter and Paul tell us about baptism?
When Peter declared Jesus was the Christ, he was given the Keys to the Kingdom. A key is used to open or unlock something sealed or hidden. Therefore, what are the keys and what do they open?
– The first key is the Waters of Repentance, in other words remorse and atonement: true repentance for our past life and the re-setting of our mind and heart towards God. It is the first thing we must do prior to our baptism.
– The second key is the Blood of Remission that by Christ’s blood, and only His blood, we are redeemed. It is not about good works or supplication, it about Faith and believing. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.
– The third key is the Seal of the Holy Spirit declared by Peter when he gave the way of baptism at Pentecost.
Paul said; “for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal 3:27). It shows us the manner in which we are baptized.
When Peter opened the Key of David (Psalm 110:1) it was with these words. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) He then made clear the way in which we must be baptized following the command of Jesus to baptize into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matt 28:19)
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 2:38)
Therefore, any Christian assembly that does not baptize according to the instructions of Jesus, Peter and Paul is in error. Jesus did not declare His Name, instead giving the honour to Peter to reveal it when he affirmed Jesus was the Christ; (Matt 16; Mark 8; Luke 9) and after He told Peter three times to feed His sheep with the truthful Word of the bread of Christ. (John 21) We must be baptized into the name of Jesus Christ, to receive the Seal of the Holy Ghost. (See Romans 6:3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ…
Despite what your priest or pastor may tell you, the titles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are not enough. As Paul said, for us to put on Christ we must be baptized into Christ. This is the first step; sealed under the Name of Jesus Christ through baptism.
It is a great sadness to see good men, women, and young people, trapped in law laden church systems when the truth of Christ and His Gospel is so much simpler. So, what do I mean by this? How can we show our faith in Christ Jesus, by putting away Church creeds and ritual?
Jesus was born into a people who lived by the Standard of Truth; the LORD is one as declared by Moses and the Prophets. He did not come to change it but to confirm it, which He did when He gave us His two great Commands found in Mark’s Gospel. All of His disciples, Apostles and Evangelists lived by this rule until foolish men changed it in the 4th Century. They divided one indivisible God into three parts. The Trinity Creed became conflict-ridden dogma, causing division, conflict and death within Christian belief. It was the sowing of the strong delusion of unrighteousness that placed men above God. (See: 2Thes 2:11-15)
While we have been taught that Jesus is one component of a Triune God, according to the Prophets He is not. He is a singular omnipresence with many titles. Isaiah declared the Messiah shall be called; Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For truly I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matt 5:17-18)
This means that in terms of the Standard of Truth declared by Moses nothing has changed. The truth is Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we are baptised and sealed by. Paul declared: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever. (Heb 13:8) Being so, the question arises how could Paul place Jesus in the past? Let me show you just two of many examples in Scripture to corroborate this truth; Jesus with Abraham, and Moses.
First, Moses: confirmed by Paul when writing to the Church at Corinth.
(1) Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. (Numbers 20:8)
(23) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1Cor 10:1-4)
The second is Abraham, mentioned by Jesus when (yet again) in debate with the Jews and Pharisees.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews to him, thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:56-58)
These are two of countless examples throughout Scripture showing the oneness of Jesus Christ. That He has existed from the very beginning is established by Moses, Jacob, David, the Prophets, Peter and especially John and Paul.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:1-5)
You may find it helpful to look at Jesus in terms of Dispensation, or His Seasons as Father, Son and Spirit. In the beginning is the Father, the Creator who brought forth life. The second is the Gospel through the Son, the Word of God, the truth and the light; by His resurrection we are redeemed and reborn through Grace by Faith. The third is His season of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, within all who believe and are baptised into His Name; I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (Jn 14:18) On several occasions He conversed with chosen individuals like, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Peter, in His dispensation as the Angel of the LORD.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1John 5:7-8)
Then the second part to a clean Christianity is to believe the Scriptures ahead of doctrine, dogma and errant ideas, which since Nicaea have contaminated the Gospel and the Prophets. But, importantly, we must hold to a pure faith and keep these two Great Commands. Here are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ when He acknowledged His Prophet Moses.
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well asked him, which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him: The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: (Deut 6:4)
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
And the scribe said unto him, well master thou hast said the truth: for there is one God and there is none other but he. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly He said unto him: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that dared ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34)
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (Rev 14:12)
Now, I must share this with you; a hard thing and not easy to bear. It is the warning Jesus gave when He spoke directly to us who live in this age. It is a wake-up call for all who believe they are Christians that live in complacency; what a lot of Christians think about everyone else, apart from themselves. Without exception, all of us have been guilty of this offence at some time or other.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matt 7: 18-23)
Then, what is the Father’s will for us? We follow the example of those at Pentecost who were pricked to the heart and repent. We put away past beliefs and clean our tabernacle and resting place for Jesus in our heart. For Jesus will not know you if you refuse to know Him in all His glory and works. In His Revelation to the Apostle John, Jesus calls us out of doctrine and creeds to a clean faith in Him only.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Rev 18:4)
What Must We Do?
To be a Christian is to adhere to His Word. Learn all there is to know about the reason for our faith so we may see the true glory and righteousness of Christ Jesus, briefly glimpsed by Peter, James and John when they saw Him transfigured with Moses and Elijah. We must repent of past error and pray for His truth to be revealed, as with Paul, who said Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
To be a Christian in the true sense, we must be baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ. It is the only Name under Heaven given for salvation. There is none other in any belief or religion that can redeem sin and purge our spirit. Only Christ Jesus was resurrected from the dead and seen again in the flesh. It was witnessed and written about. Behold my hands and my feet that it is I: handle me, and see. (Luke 24:39) Jesus confirmed His ministry was the completion of the law and the Prophets.
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (Luke 24:44)
The thing required of all who claim Christ is a clean and simple faith. We must believe the Prophets, for it is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that inspired them. We must believe the Evangelists who wrote of His ministry and bore witness of it. We must believe Peter, Paul, James, John and Jude who saw with their own eyes, and whose testimony was guided by Christ’s Spirit. “For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal 1:12)
Jesus is the essence of all of Scripture concerning Him and his Works; he is the Word placed on the tongue of the Prophets. “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called the Word of God.” (Rev 19:13)
Jesus has given us a simple choice; we either believe Him or reject Him. There is no half-measure; there is no shaping the Gospel to fit our needs taking only the scripture that suits us. Jesus himself said these hard words to the Laodicean Church of this age: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, will I spew thee out of my mouth. (Rev 3:15-16)
Jesus has never changed, His Word has never changed, and His promise has not veered one jot to the left or the right. The prophets foretold Him; His birth, life, ministry, and the manner of His death. He came to redeem us and He did. He rose on the third day as He said he would. Satan with all his wiles is subject to Him.
Christ Jesus is calling you one last time. He wants you to clean the house of God; His tabernacle within you. He wants to be with you and you with Him. Consider the matter, but don’t leave it too long. Be it the age we live in or the years we have lived… time is against us all.
James,
a servant in Jesus’ Name.