Dear Sir,
Greetings in Jesus name!
I am very much thankful for helping me before in sending your testimonies. I think I badly need your help again.
We are having a great fun of discussion regarding steps of salvation in one our subject. A question arises that causes our teacher to give us this assignment to interview someone like you. We believed that the only way for us to be saved is to be baptized in water in Jesus name and with the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:38 and except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The question goes this way: What if I have a brother baptized in water in Jesus name and died without receiving the Holy Ghost? Is he saved or not?
My wonderful young friend,
I would like to start my answer to you in a very open fashion so you will understand my heart. First and foremost we are not God and only God knows exactly how He will handle this individual who seems to be hungry, having a pure heart and is fulfilling the scripture but does not finish before he is taken from this world.
But searching through the scriptures all of these years I have to answer, that all people must be filled with the Holy Ghost to be saved.
I do believe the Holy Ghost is the difference.
Acts 19:1-2 (a) KJV,
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?
These disciples answered as most folks today still answer
Acts 19:2 (b) KJV,
And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Paul realized these men were very honest hearted and sincere in their spirituality. He asked them another question
Acts 19:3 (a) KJV,
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized?
Paul was simply saying to them, “Tell me about your experience.”
The men were proud of their spiritual experience and responded boldly,
Acts 19:3 (b) KJV,
…And they said, Unto John's baptism.
So many Christian religious groups can trace their experience back to John. They only follow the experience of the forerunner. They have not received the complete message of truth.
Acts 19:4 KJV,
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.
There is so much more than repentance. The majority of Christians never go beyond repentance. Every individual must go further. We must all receive the power of Christ in us that is our hope to glory.
Colossians 1:26-28 KJV,
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
This group of John’s disciples heard the words Paul was preaching to them. They were stirred, and convicted. They chose to go beyond their understandings and religious traditions. They moved forward to TRUTH and SALVATION.
Acts 19:5 KJV,
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Nowhere in the New Testament do we find anyone baptized except by submersion in the Name of Jesus Christ. Peter preached a very strong and emphatic message on the day of Pentecost and it is still the same message of salvation today.
Acts 2:38-40 KJV,
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.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Mode of baptism changed at the Nicean Council of 325 A.D. (Sprinkling and title of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Baptize means to submerge, plunge dip or make fully wet.
Yes, these twelve disciples of John saw the difference. They realized they needed more. They were re-baptized, Acts 19:5 KJV,
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Now these disciples of John were fulfilling the steps that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost. They had already repented and had now been baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins. But Paul did not let them stop there;
Acts 19:6 KJV,
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
The great Apostle Paul delivered the message of truth to these disciples of John. These twelve men were hungry-hearted, thirsting for truth. They heard the Word preached by Paul. They accepted the preached Word as truth. They followed the Word and received the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God dwelling within them.
It really does make a difference as to what you believe.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night.
John 3:2 (b) KJV,
…Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus responded, John 3:3 KJV,
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus asked how a grown man could be born again. He cannot enter into his mother’s womb again to be born the second time.
John 3:5 KJV,
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.
There is for the natural birth. For one to have spiritual life, there has got to be the second birth; one must be born again.
John 3:15 KJV,
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Jesus continues, John 3:16 KJV,
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Hebrews 11:6 KJV,
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Paul said, Romans 12:3 KJV,
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Paul is simply saying, “Do not think yourself to be somebody just because you have faith; because it is God that has given you the degree of faith you have.” Some Christian religious groups preach that all you need is faith to be saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ they say and you are saved. But if this is truth and if believing on Jesus were all it took to be saved, then the devils would also be saved.
James 2:19-20 New Living Translation ®,
19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
20 How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
James 1:22 New Living Translation ®,
22 But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
John 7:37-39 New Living Translation ®,
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!
38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'"
39 (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
After Jesus arose from the grave He spent about forty days with His disciples.
Acts 1:4 KJV,
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Acts 1:5 KJV,
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 1:8 KJV,
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
These disciples went back to Jerusalem. In the upper room they tarried with some brethren and women. Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers were there; the number being about one hundred and twenty in all.
Acts 2:1-4 KJV,
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This phenomenon happened during the Feast of Pentecost.
Acts 2:5 KJV,
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Acts 2:6-11 KJV,
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Acts 2:12-13 KJV,
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Acts 2:14-16 KJV,
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Peter then preached to them about Jesus Christ and Him that they had crucified.
Acts 2:37-39 KJV,
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.
Peter on the Day of Pentecost with the eleven standing with him and Paul preaching to the twelve disciples of John preached the message of salvation. “What men must do to be saved?” Both preached that one must repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and then they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Most Christian preachers, teachers and even the religious groups themselves do not preach this same message today.
Paul wrote, 2 Timothy 3:5 New Living Translation ®,
5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
I contend from my vantage point and what I see in the scripture. For a person to be saved, they have to have fulfilled the steps of Salvation that both Peter and Paul preached. That means they must repent; they must be baptized in Jesus Name for the remission of their sins; they must be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the power of God in them.
I would not want to take a chance on my salvation if I have not fulfilled all of God's plan.
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