“…All Power is Given Unto Me, In Heaven and Earth.”
(Matthew 28:18)
A Bible Study About God
By: Pastor Maurice R. Gordon
Lovingway United Pentecostal Church, Denver, CO
Introduction
To every sincerely honest seeker of truth, this is a lovingly presented message of revelation directly from the throne of God. We pray that you will open your heart to the one, and only faith once delivered to the saints.(Jude 3) It might be shocking to realize that many of the modern Christian teachings do not even resemble what the Bible-era church taught and practiced, especially the fact that so much of the Bible is ignored when someone is searching for salvation. Since salvation is a matter of eternal life and death, we hope that you will be compelled to open your Bible and take a second look at the first church!
Religion cannot save someone from hell. Creeds and traditions have created a slippery slope sending seekers away from truth. Popular religion’s easy believism with its vain, …teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, (Matthew 15:9) tiptoes around sin and its awful consequences, offering free and easy salvation with little or no expected change in one’s behavior. They teach that one can accept the Lord as their personal Savior, without accepting and obeying his commandments. Unfortunately, this saves no one. (Luke.6:46, John 14:23)
Billions of unwitting souls are being deceived by the spiritually blind, who are using the media to steer people away from the old time religion as was practiced in the New Testament church. To many, religion has become a money-making business. But the true gospel is free! Jesus paid for it with his shed blood. Only Jesus saves!
The title of this Bible study comes from a portion of Matthew’s account of the gospel. Just like Matthew 28:18 cannot be understood without its context, neither can Matthew’s account of the commission be understood and obeyed unless it is analyzed along with the other three inspired gospel writers who also recorded his words. Jesus said, in Matthew 24:4…take heed that no man deceive you. Deceivers create…cunningly devised fables…(2 Peter 1:16) and come up with doctrines, by taking bits and pieces of scriptures while ignoring the context. Beware!
Read on, to understand:
* Why the first disciples (proto Christians), worshiped Jesus as their God after the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1, 2)
* How the first disciples baptized all repentant converts in Jesus name for remission of sins (since the blood is in his name)
* That all believers spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance when they were baptized with the Holy Ghost! (See Acts 2:4)
* What does the Bible Say about who God is?
Let’s start our study by opening our Bibles to Matthew 28:16-20. Every verse is an integral part of Jesus command to his disciples, who had not yet received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. In verse 18, Jesus reveals to them who he was when he said… all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Let’s stop and examine other related verses to understand how and why he made that declaration. When we do, we’ll understand what the name referred to in verse 19 is!
Jesus Christ’s True Identity
1. God with us. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)
2. The mighty God, the everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)
3. Jesus Christ, this is the true God, and eternal life. (I John 5:20)
4. The great God and our savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
5. My Lord and my God. [what doubting Thomas said when he saw
Jesus after the resurrection (John 20:26)]
6. Jesus (the word made flesh) was in the world, and world was
made by him, and the world knew him not. (John. 1:1-10)
7. …the Lord of glory, the crucified one. (I Corinthians 2:8)
8. ..and who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is
the King of glory. (Psalms 24:10)
9. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which was, and which is, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8) [Do you realize that the Almighty mentioned in this verse is the only one who could have all power as mentioned in Matthew 28:18?]
10. …Lord God almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come: because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. (Revelation 17:14) [That’s where Jesus got all his power!]
11. Jesus: The Lord your God is God of gods and
Lord of lords which regardeth not persons. (Deuteronomy 10:17)
12. These shall make war with the lamb, and the lamb shall
overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings…(Revelation 17:14)
Please keep reading! There’s more to come.
So what about the doctrine of the Holy Trinity? I’d like to pause momentarily to comfort and encourage the millions of our God-loving friends, who are wondering why they have never been taught that there is only one God as these scriptures affirm. Instead, they have been accepting the three-person mystery called the trinity (which some believe has as many as nine persons!) It is not my wish to depart from the theme of this Bible study, which is God revealing himself through his infallible word, but I need to make a few comments concerning the classic false doctrine, spread by the cunning…author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33)
Ever since Satan was expelled from heaven, he has hated Jesus and his friends. (Luke 10:18) Lucifer had been created perfect,…till iniquity was found in him…(Ezekiel 28:15) and…fell from grace. (Galatians 5:4) Now he is the father of lies. (John 8:44) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4: 3,4) And what better way is there to blind and manipulate minds, as he did Eve and billions more, than to conceal the true identity of the eternal God.
The Apostle Paul sounded the alarm: For I am jealous over you,with Godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, [not three] that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11: 2,3) And again, the watchman sounds his trumpet, Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [That should help you understand John 3:16] That he might sanctify and cleanse it… that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: But that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5: 25-27)
Now he gives a wake-up call. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, [Satan] preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1: 6-9)
I feel a blessed assurance from the Holy Ghost, that, as the marvelous light of the Holy Scripture is revealed, you will escape from the…abomination that maketh desolate…(Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15) (any manmade doctrine that is given the status of scripture) and flee right into the loving arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Bible says that even in the New Testament church, false doctrine was a growing menace. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith,giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.(I Timothy 4:1)
Apostate leaders of the Catholic Church created the doctrine of the trinity. Cunning demons inspired Gnostic paganism from Athens […totally given to idolatry…(Acts 17:16)] and collaborated with Rome [mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots Revelation 17:4] to come up with the doctrine. By clever policies, they incorporated the popular teaching of heathen philosophers with Christianity, and behold, a miracle evolved! Not three Gods in one, but one God in three yet all separate and distinct persons.
What an irony! That’s the identical miracle Satan used to deceive Moses’ brother Aaron when he lied and said in Exodus 32: 23-24, For they said unto me, make us Gods, which shall go before us… and I said unto them, whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me; and I cast it into the fire and there came out this calf! James 2:19 adds an ironic twist, Thou [the saints of the most high God] believest there is one God: thou doest well; the devils believe also, and tremble. Yes, Satan will never forget who demoted him. He knows exactly who Jesus was, is, and will be. But Satan wants you to believe that Jesus is the second person of his trinity!
Dear searcher, heed the warning of the prophets and the apostles: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…(2Corinthians 5:10, 11) Just be sure that you end up with the sheep and not with the goats in the final judgment. (Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 20:10-15)
Hear the apostle in Colossians 2:8-10, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead [deity] bodily. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power.”
What else does the Bible Say about God being One?
Now it is becoming easier to understand how and why Jesus said what he did in the title of this study. But before we return to that passage, in case there is still a trace of doubt in your mind about true, scriptural monotheism, here are a few more revealing passages from God’s infallible word.
The most quoted verse in the Bible is Deuteronomy 6:4, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Unfortunately that verse is usually taken from its context, which includes verse 5 as well. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Knowing the truth is one thing but knowing it and living it creates the faith that God rewards.
There are some other awesome and absolutely profound passages from Isaiah, we should look at before we leave this subject:
* “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Sayeth the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25)
* “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard,that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?” (Isaiah 40:28)
* “Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me, there is no God. And who, as I shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: Have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? Ye are even my witnesses.Is there a god beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any.” (Isaiah 44: 6-8)
* “Tell ye, and bring them near; let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Have not I the Lord? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” (Isaiah 45: 21-23)
* “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no god beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun,and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7)
* “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hathestablished it, he created it not in vain, he formedit to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:18)
Also take note of Philippians 2:9-11. “Wherefore God has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Now what?
So, have you been misled by false prophets? What can you do? God himself (now that you understand who he is,) will show youthe way: Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, andbroad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
(Matt. 7:13,14)
Don’t be afraid to follow “God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2: 3,4) One more comforting promise will be encouraging:”The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (I Peter 3: 9)
And speaking of repentance, let’s return in our Bibles toMatthew 28:19-20, since you now understand verse 18.
So, what about The Great Commission? “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name,[remembering that whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father, by him. Colossians 3:17] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. [Those are just three of the hundreds of prepositional phrases that could be used to describe Jesus since they all modify name.]
Verse 20 is also vital to understanding the context of Jesus’ statement. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.This statement is not called “The Great Commission” by the Bible. If you follow what the Bible calls,…the first and great commandment, “which is”…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all soul, and with all thy mind,(Matthew 22: 37,38) you will most certainly want to understand and be obedient to all of the commands of the Lord. Verse 20 concludes with these comforting words: and lo, I Am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
The Gospel According to Mark
Now we will proceed to Mark’s words concerning Jesus’ great commandment.
Before we do, however, let me say that, even though some of the modern,
eclectic Bible translations have omitted, or relegated to a footnote,
the last portion of Mark, chapter 16, I have unending faith in God’s
“Good News”: I have studied it, I have believed it, I’ve tried it, and
it worked. So, I preach it, all of it. And I teach it, all of it.
Now let us take a closer look at Mark’s account recorded in Mark 16: 15-18.
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be [future tense] saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Since “salvation” is the opposite of damnation, it is obvious that baptism is an essential component of salvation.
Verse 17, like Matthew 28:19, invokes the name. Changing the added punctuation makes the meaning clearer. If you move the semicolon that is after the word believe, [in the King James version] and place it after the word name (so that it agrees with the Greek manuscript it was translated from,) you will have a correct understanding
of the verse. “And these signs [proofs, validations] shall
follow them that believe in my name [Look at Acts 4:12] Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved,] shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. Since the day of Pentecost, mentioned in Acts 2: 1-4, all spirit-filled believer shave spoken in tongues as the first, and continuing evidence of the indwelling Christ.
Verse 18 continues: they shall take up serpents; [Paul did in Acts 28:3] and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands onthe sick, [we still do] and they shall recover. [they still do]
And verse 19 says: so then, after the Lord had spoken with them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. This is a typical Hebraism found many times in scripture. It almost never refers to the opposite of the left hand position. This is no exception. Here it indicates the position of supreme authority. Note the parallel verse in Acts 2:25, For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
Finally, verse 20 concludes: “and they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following: Amen.”
What we’ve learned from Mark’s account is that Jesus, though taken up into heaven, still worked with the disciples left on earth. He fills all space.
Now let’s take a close look at Luke’s account.
The Gospel According to Luke
Luke 24: 45, 47-49. Verse 45: “Then opened he their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,” After three and one-half years of being eye-witnesses of the miracles, signs, and wonders, plus hearing his teaching, they still did not know who he was, nor did they understand that He had all power in heaven and in earth. The Holy Ghost is the revealer of the mysteries of his word!
Verse 47: “And that repentance, and remission of sins, [two vital elements for salvation, not mentioned in Matthew and Mark’s accounts] should be preached in his name, [there it is again] among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem…”
Verse 48: “And ye are witnesses of these things.”
Verse 49: “and behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: [the Holy Ghost] but tarry [wait] ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” They were not baptized with the Holy Ghost yet. Slowly but surely, the blank spaces are being filled in!
Now let’s head to the book of John.
The Gospel According to John
Not surprisingly, John has a different approach to the gospel narrative. We will consider what he said on the subject in both chapter 3 and inchapter 20.
In John 3:3 “Jesus answered [Nicodemus] and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, [a new phrase, but not a new concept] he cannot see the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? Romans 14:17 explains: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Unfortunately, the term born again, has become a catch-phrase among neo-Christians. But the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Christ refer to one spiritual life-experience. Until the new birth transforms us, we cannot really see [know intimately] the kingdom of God. Nor can we see someone’s heart and be in a position to judge them. (So we shouldn’t.)
Sincere, but carnal Nicodemus questioned Jesus in verse 4,…how cana man be born when he is old? Verse 5: Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water [water baptism in Jesus name] and of the Spirit, [Holy Ghost baptism evidenced by speaking in tongues] he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus Christ is the door to the sheepfold. (John 10:7) “Verily, verily,I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door of the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1) Remember what happened to the man who came to the marriage without the wedding garment?
Only the foolish think Jesus’ words can be modified or that thelatest religious fads and catch-phrases can be substituted for simple obedience. Consider Matthew 22: 9-14. “Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered togetherall as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to the the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou hither not having a wedding garment?And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Mark 16:17 indicates that all those believers who are baptized in Jesus’ name will speak with tongues (after their Spirit baptism, of course.) John, in chapter 3 verse 8 expresses the same truth in terms that only those who see are able to understand. The wind [breath of God, John 20:22] bloweth where it listeth,[chooses] and thou hearest the sound thereof [This refers to the life-changing language from heaven that each truly born again believer experiences when they receive the Holy Ghost. It signifies a live birth, just like the cry of a newborn baby.] but canst
not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth, so is everyone that is born or the Spirit. That unique phenomenon has not been supplanted since it was first experienced on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2)
John 20:21 “Then said Jesus unto them again, Peace be unto you; as my Father [Spirit] hath sent me, even so send I you.” Eternal consequences are involved in this statement.
Verse 22: “And when he had said this, He breathed on them, and
saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Jesus did not say
here that they had already received it. He was commanding them
to receive it, which they did in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost
when it was first poured out with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Verse 23 is pivotal. Don’t miss the force and weight of it. “Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained. Stop! If you are not born again according to John chapter three, carefully consider and understand what Jesus was saying here. If you think that sins can be forgiven by a man, as many do, you may be condemning yourself by accepting the teaching of a false priest or prophet. In Luke 5:20, the question was asked by the scribes and Pharisees who can forgive sins but God only? That is a valid question.
Revelation 1:5 says, “Jesus Christ…loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Matt. 26:28 says, “For this is my blood of the new [not the old] testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” It is for all those who are, buried with Him [Jesus] by baptism. (Rom. 6:4) Being born of the water applies the blood, which remits or paysfor, (like ransom money does,) our sins. But, unless the baptism is in the name of the one who shed the cleansing blood, it is only a liturgical exercise that accomplishes nothing. The poor, deluded person goes to baptism a dry sinner, and leaves it, a wet one!
So, how are sins taken away? For more scriptural proof on how one’s sins are remitted, consider the following:
* Matthew 16:19 “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
* I Corinthians 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
* I Corinthians 1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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.” The key that opens and closes the doors to heaven is the gospel. And God choose preachers to preach the good news.
* Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each had vital insights into,…all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. (Acts: 1: 1, 2) As he had commanded, they went to Jerusalem to wait for the promise. In just a few days time, Jesus established his glorious, and miraculous church….built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself [having all power in heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18] being the chief corner stone. (Ephesians 2: 20)
No one wants to spend eternity alone, in indescribable agony and torments, falling helplessly, and hopelessly, in a bottomless pit, filled with deadly, choking brimstone fumes….into the [hell] fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not…(Mark 9: 43, 44) Sadly, many who will spend their eternity in this horrible place of doom, will be religious. Both the deceivers and the deceived will be be there. We are all responsible to search out the truth for ourselves like the Bereans did. We should,…searchthe scriptures daily, [to see] whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:16)
Jesus Christ, the almighty God himself, inspired this revelation, as a last resort, to open the eyes that Satan has blinded. We dare not be like the Laodiceans, who were blind and naked and didn’t know it. (Revelation 3:17) II Corinthians 11: 13, 14 sounds the final warning: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself, is transformed into an angel of light.
“…If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness.” (Matthew 6:23) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 6:4) See, Jesus is not in the Godhead but the Godhead is in Him. He alone saves from darkness.
What should I do?
For over half a century, I have lovingly reached out, sharing the scriptures with many people. I have counseled and prayed with them. I have fasted and shed tears on their behalf. Many did surrender to the love of Jesus Christ, but others were like the story of the seed falling on stony ground and among thorns, and they didn’t continue to grow in the Lord. They were like Demas. “Demas hath
forsaken me, having loved this present world.” (I Timothy 4:10)
The apostle warned us 2000 years ago about what we see happening today: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” (I Timothy 4:1-3) Does my heart ache for them? Yes. Am I discouraged? No. I will never stop declaring the “glad tidings.” (Luke 2:10)
Conservative estimates reveal that in the midst of this “crooked and perverse world” (Philippians 2:10) there are approximately half a billion who have received the scriptural baptism of the Holy Ghost. They speak in tongues just like Cornelius’ household. “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell in all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord..”(Acts 10: 43-48)
The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ, all refer to the eternal Spirit, that is also called: “the Spirit of truth, that will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13) So, if you have, like Cornelius and his household, been filled with the Spirit, you are commanded by the Bible to have the blood of the spotless lamb applied by water baptism in the name of Jesus. By having your sins washed away [remitting them] through water baptism in the name of Jesus, your new birth will be complete and your name will then be entered (and not before) in the lamb’s book of life (Revelation 20: 13-15)
Only you can cause your name to be blotted out of that book. (Revelation 3:5) I am urged by the Spirit of truth to warn you: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward: how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?…” (Hebrews 2: 1-3) This is only one of the scriptures that disproves Satan’s doctrine of unconditional eternal security! Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Zechariah 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Where did that crimson steam of blood come from? Does it still flow? Can we still go there? Is it possible to be released from sin with its guilt and shame? Is his blood really the ransom that was so freely given, to save me from death, hell and all the curses that sin brings?
Look closely at what a former murderer said, after he was washed in the blood when he was baptized in Jesus’ name, and received the Holy Ghost. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
When did God shed his blood? At the cross when…God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself (II Corinthians 5:19) and when he was manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16) and when he gave (John 3 :16). I John 3:16 says hereby perceive [experience, see] we the love of God, because he laid down his live for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
And many have laid down their lives! You would shudder if you knew how many millions of Jesus’ name baptized, Holy Ghost filled Christians, were slaughtered in Catholic inquisitions, crusades, purges and genocidal cleansings. They died because they refused to renounce the scriptural baptism in Jesus’ name (accepting Rome’s trinity, and triune baptism, which the Catholic Encyclopedia records was changed from the apostolic formula about 325 AD).
In Revelation, chapters 17 and 18, God judges them. “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. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, an am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Revelation 18:4-8)
Protestants carried out persecutions as well. John Calvin had Michael Servetus burned at the stake for writing a scholarly book: The Errors of the Trinity, of which two copies remain. Many others were hunted down, as well. Martin Luther, who taught that baptism should be by sprinkling and invoking the titles of the trinity, (a doctrine he took from the Catholic church) commanded that any one caught baptizing (by immersion) should be drowned. “He who dunks. shall be dunked. Islam, and the other man-made religions also have hands full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15)
If you are guilty of the innocent blood (Deuteronomy 19: 10-13), I have good news for you! Blood cleanses blood guiltiness. (Psalm 51:14) But the blood of bulls and goats (Hebrews 10:4) could not remove my bloodstains. The avenger of blood (Deuteronomy 19:12) himself, laid aside his royal robes, and came down from heaven to the scene of the crime, took flesh, (John 1: 10-14) and became the Passover Lamb. (I Corinthians 5:7) Jesus loved us and washed us from sin in his own blood. (Revelation 1:5) (which means: in his own name!)
Every water baptism after John the Baptist’s baptism, in the New Testament, was in the name of Jesus. There is no record of anyone in the New Testament scriptures or before the 2nd century who was ever baptized using the titles: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Such a baptism purposely omits the blood which can only be applied in the name of Jesus. (It was his blood that was shed.) And when they had brought them [the apostles who were under arrest] they set them before the council; and the high priest asked them, saying, did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem, with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us. (Acts 5: 27, 28)
If you haven’t been baptized in Jesus; name, please contact the nearest United Pentecostal Church or a church that preaches the New Testament doctrine of one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Ephesians 4:5 They will bury you with Jesus (Romans 6: 1-4) day or night. And since all the churches in the New Testament were baptized in Jesus; name, the Jews first (Acts 2:38) and all the Gentiles, (Acts 8:16, 35-38, Acts 10: 43-48, Acts 19: 1-6, Acts 22:16, Galatians 3:27, I Corinthians 6: 9,11, I Peter 3:20, 21,) upon whom my name is called. (Acts 15:17)
Avoid compromising preachers who will baptize you any way you wish.
They are dishonest.
Why would anyone think it strange that the bridegroom expects the bride to take his name? After all, it’s our Jesus who’s coming soon! He said in John 14:3 And if I go [he did] and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be also and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17) and who is the Lord? The one who said: All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. (Matthew 28:18)
Amen!
Lovingly,
Pastor Maurice R. Gordon
Lovingway United Pentecostal Church
999 South Colorado Blvd.
Denver CO 80224 USA.
Telephone: 303-777-8888
