How to be Saved Message:
~~ Steps to God ~~~
There are steps in our getting where we need to be with God. The first step is to believe on Jesus as the Scripture says.
The next step is to REPENT of sins. This is WHY your life can be changed and you now live a clean life. Repentance does that for a person. Without repentance coming first, one can not move on to the next step.
But if one STOPS there, they will never have what they truly need with God.
The next step is correct water Baptism. Read Peter’s instructions in Acts 2, when that crowd of people asked him what they must do to be saved.
He said repent, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and then you SHALL receive the Holy Ghost.
Now for proof of this, read Acts 19. Paul met several Believers, asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost SINCE they believed. They said we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Now if having the Holy Ghost had been common in the OT days, these people would have known about it.
Then what did Paul say? He did not say well you did not believe right. He did not say you did not repent. He asked unto what then were you Baptized?
See, he knew something was wrong with their baptism. For the promise of the Holy Ghost is given to those who obey this part right. He knew what Peter had said. He agreed.
They said, unto John’s (Baptist) baptism.
These people had been baptized by the great prophet John the Baptist, but the apostle Paul said this will not get you the Holy Ghost. He re-baptized them in the Name of Jesus and laid hands on them and they were filled with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
See, just as soon as they got the next step right, then the NEXT step came — that of receiving the Holy Ghost.
Now these believers were ALREADY living a clean life. They were believers. They had repented. But something was keeping them from receiving the Holy Ghost.
That is where a lot of people are. You need to take that next step of Baptism in water in the Name of Jesus. Not usurping the authority of Jesus and trying to let some man call the name of the Father. Only Jesus has this power or right.
It is in disobedience to the Word. Go back and read my message on why we baptize in Jesus name. Obey the Word. Don’t cling to man-made doctrine. I am saying exactly what Peter and Paul said. They were the two apostles to the whole word. If you can’t believe them, you do not have a chance of ever moving one step further with God. For your soul’s sake, take the time to open your heart and study this with an open mind.
It couldn’t be any plainer.
Jo Smith –Oct. 11, 2002