Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!
Repent - Be baptized - Be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Here is something that I found from an unknown author that I wanted to share.
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Believing produces obedience:
Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. We must conclude that believing produces obedience which leads to repentance in response to the Word of God. You must believe that you need to repent.
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? Rom 10:16 From this verse we see that believing produces obedience. If you believe, you’ll obey.
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Obedience leads to repentance and baptism:
Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Believing produces obedience which leads to repentance in response to the Word of God. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Apostles Peter and Paul all preached first to repent - believing comes first of course because the hearer had to believe before they could obey the need to repent.
Believing is powerful, setting in motion a chain of events that leads to salvation. Believing activates faith. Believing opens up revelation. When you believe, you’ll obey.
The only prerequisite it seems to be baptized is to believe with all of your heart. But that’s not just a believing heart, but a repentant heart. The eunuch asked If he could be baptized, Phillip responded, “if you believe with all of your heart you may.” Believe what? What Phillip just explained to him. He preached unto him Jesus. When you preach Jesus, you preach repentance, you preach baptism, and you preach being filled with the Holy Ghost. Faith without works is dead.
We are begotten by the Word and repentance is the first response after believing. Repentance is powerful, but not complete without being baptized, yet powerful enough to prepare one to receive the Holy Ghost.
Part of the response to the gospel is this: Jesus now commands all men everywhere to repent. I believe when men believe and obey that command, which is inextricably linked with baptism, revelation and real change takes place.
Repentance is a commandment to be obeyed as well as a response to the Gospel. Conversion is repentance and baptism. While one can receive the Holy Ghost before baptism, but not the Holy Ghost before repentance, baptism is the NT circumcision which completes the conversion that began with repentance.
Repentance begins the process that isn’t completed until one is baptized - putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by being buried with Jesus Christ in baptism - yet one can receive the Holy Ghost before this takes place - which to me is a beautiful picture of grace - it doesn’t mean someone is sinning while being filled with the Holy Ghost - but while those past sins are still present and not yet washed away - you can be filled with the Holy Ghost.
If you haven’t repented, you’re not ready for baptism. To repent is to want to be baptized. It’s why Paul asked the believers how were you baptized. Catch this: Paul knew that believers would be baptized. He just didn’t know how they were baptized. Believing and baptism goes together like peanut butter and jelly.
To repent is to make a conscience choice to turn around from the direction one is headed. To repent is to change one’s mind for the better, to heartily amend with abhorrence of one's past sins.
When you repent, you are biblically ready to receive the Holy Ghost, but you must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Gospel is good news:
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15 - This is the gospel.
Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
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God gives the Holy Ghost to them that obey Him:
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Acts 5:32
This prophecy by Joel as told by Peter would be fulfilled starting in Acts 2:4 - before Peter started preaching
Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again. That’s the good news. That’s the gospel. Not only did He rise again, but he was seen of many witnesses, 1, 12, and over 500 at one time.
Acts 2:23-24 - Jesus was crucified and rose again just as it says in 1 Corinthians 15. And that’s good news. That’s the Gospel. You obey it by believing, and you believe it by obeying.
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.
William James Roop
