One of the first things that God created, in creation, was water. Genesis l:l in the beginning God created heaven and earth. 2. And the earth was without form, and void: and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Beloved, in the beginning before the sun, and the moon was created, God created water. I am of the opinion that the reason that Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, created water in the beginning was : that without water nothing can live. If scientist hope to find life in space, they should look for planets that have water, for without water there is only death. Spiritually water is of the utmost importance, for in the body of Christ there are two substances blood, and water. St. John l9:33 but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs. 34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. Holy children, I know that many false prophets say that baptizm is not necessary to salvation, but except a man be born of water, and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. St. John 3:l there was a man of the pharisees, named nicodemus, a ruler of the jews. 2. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, 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. 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. 4. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 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. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. 7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. Saints of God, except a person be born of water, baptized, and of the spirit, receiving the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Where is eternal life? Eternal life is in the body of Christ. 1 john 5:ll and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life,andthislifeisinhisson. Since eternal life is in the body of Christ, the question must arise as to how the children of God get into the body of Christ. The children of God get into the body of Christ, through the water of baptizm. We as children of God are baptized into the body of Christ. Galatians 3:27 for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Beloved of God, satan is a crafty enemy that would, if he could, send all mankind into flames of hell. Satan uses the word of God, the commandments of God as a weapon, to have the children of God destroyed. To transgress the commandment of God is sin. And sin when it is finished brings death. Romans 6:23 for the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord. Brothers, and sisters in Christ, the wages of sin is death and pay day comes to every man. Satan found all mankind in adam, and with one transgression caused both the physical death, and the spiritual death to reign on all mankind. For thousands of years men, women, and children were without hope of eternal life. From the time that adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, until moses' death reigned upon all mankind. Romans 5:l2 wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: l3. ( for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. L4. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. Children of light, as Satan used the serpent in the garden of Eden, to deceive eve, Satan uses the false prophet today. The false prophet preaches sermons that if you believe them, will bring destruction upon you. For example, false prophets preach that all a person has to do is believe. They say that faith plus nothing equals salvation. If a person believes that sermon: when they stand before God, they will stand before God with a dead faith. For faith without works is dead. James 2:l7 even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. The false doctrine that "faith plus nothing equals salvation" will bring destruction on the person that believes it, for when a person stands before the lord Jesus Christ on the day of judgment, they will not be able to enter into the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is not meat, and drink but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For a person to enter the kingdom of God they must be born of water, and the spirit. Romans l4:l7 for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Beloved of God, if you are a new convert to the Christian religion you may not know where eternal life is located. Eternal life is in Christ Jesus. Outside of Christ, is death. When a person is baptized, they are baptized out of the world and into the body of Christ. The only way that I know to get into Christ is through the water. Galatians 3:27 for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Little children, after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he came to his disciples and breathed on them, and said "receive ye the Holy Ghost. This was probably the greatest happening since the creation of the world. When Christ breathed on his disciples and said, "receive ye the Holy Ghost" the kingdom of God came, love came, the inward man the soul came to life, the earnest of our inheritance came, God and man was reconciled, power came : the power to live a sin free life came, the greatest teacher came to dwell within them to teach them the scriptures, and to bring them into all truth. It is absolutely necessary that all of God's children receive the Holy Ghost. And God by the mouth of the apostle peter make us, the children of God, a most precious promise. And that is if we would repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin, we would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. In these verses of scripture peter has just preached the life, the death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and when the men came into the knowledge that they had crucified the son of God, they came to peter, and the rest of the apostles, and said, "men and brethren, what shall we do ". Acts 2:37 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. Beloved of God, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? If the answer is no. Then it may be that you were not baptized properly. The apostle john said that he recorded what he recorded in the scriptures, for three reasons, first that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, secondly that you might believe that Jesus is the son of God, thirdly, that you might have life through his name. Now the inward man the soul comes to life when we receive the Holy Ghost. The outward man of flesh, and blood shall perish. But, the inward man the soul is renewed day by day. When we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ we come into the promise that we shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts l9l 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? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3. And he said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, unto john's baptism. 4. Then said paul, john verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should which should come after him, that is on Christ 5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the lord Jesus. 6. And when paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them: and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7. And all the men were about twelve. Children of light, there are many men that baptize only in the name of Jesus, because they do not be in the trinity: they only believe in Jesus, and deny that he has a father. But except a man believe in both God, the father, and in Jesus Christ, the son. They are not a Christian at all they are antiChrist. 1 john 2:22 who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antiChrist, that denieth the father and the son. Now, beloved concerning the baptizing of children. There are many men that preach that a child is in a sanctified condition unto the age of accountablility, therefore they do not believe in baptizing children. But saints of God, that is not necessarily so. Children are sanctified by believing parents. If a man believes, he will sanctify his wife, and his children. If a woman believes she will sanctify her husband, and her children. But if neither parent believes, then the children are unclean. 1 Corinthians 7:l2 but to the rest speak i, not the lord: if any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. L3. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean: but now they are holy. Beloved, let me make this very clear:to stand before God on judgment day unclean, will be a terrible thing. Uncleanness is listed among the works of the flesh, as the number three reason why people will not inherit the king dom of God. Only adultery, and fornication precede it. Since we know that a person cannot enter into the kingdom of God, except he be born of water, and the spirit: would it not be to the child's advantage to be baptized? What does the water of a person's baptizm do? It washes your sins away. When ananias came to the apostle paul and laid his hands on him that he might receive his sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. After scales had fallen from paul's eyes. Ananias said to these words. Acts 22:l6 and now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the lord. I believe that a child that is baptized, especially one that has unbeliev ingparents;willhaveabetterresurrectionthantheunclean child. Now as to sprinkling a person to baptize them. If you are in a position that you cannot get a person to enough water to baptize by immersion. Would you sprinkle baptize a person? Knowing this that a person cannot enter into the kingdom of God except he be born of water, and the spirit : I would sprinkle him. And I base my opinion on these scriptures. In these scriptures God is speaking to ezekiel, speaking about israel,and he says. Ezekiel 36:24 for I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: form all your filthiness, and from all you idols, will I cleanse you. 26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. 27. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Holy children, in this present life many men, women, and children are called to work in the harvest. But few are chosen to spend eternity with Christ. In these verses of scripture Jesus Christ is speaking, and he says st matthew 22:l4 for many are called, but few chosen. Stmatthew 20:l6 so the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen. Saints of God, you can make your call, and election sure: if you will take faith, and add to that virtue, and add to virtue, knowledge, ll peter l:4 whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the devine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue: and to virtue knowledge: 6. And to knowledge temperance: and to temperance patience: and to patience Godliness: 7. And to Godliness brotherly kindness: and to brotherly kindness charity. Verse l0. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. Ll. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Listen carefully, have you had a love one to die outside of Christ? Come into this knowledge: it is scriptural for you to be baptized for your love one, that they might have a better resurrection. 1 corinthians l5:29 ( God inspired the apostle paul to record these words that they might comfort you ) and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all ? Why are they then baptized for the dead?
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