THE NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE

WE ARE SINNERS!

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8; 19

They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Mark 2:17

Jesus Message to sinners was repentance:

"Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:45-47

TWO THINGS WOULD BE PREACHED: REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS

1. How? It would be preached in His name.

2. Where? It would begin in Jerusalem. This was fulfilled in Acts 2:38.

God Demanded Repentance of Mankind! Repentance means: "the act of turning about; an about face" (from sin to God). "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" Matthew 3:8. "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17

True Repentance Is the First Step to God! Repentance prepares our heart to obey the Scriptures further. Many have assumed that repentance is itself the new birth experience. It is said that if we "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" we need not go any further, because the new birth is complete.

Let's examine this idea first of all; it is true that believing on the Lord Jesus is the first step toward salvation. As Paul told the Phillipian jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31

Why is this true? "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." Hebrews 11:6

Let’s look at this issue even closer: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" Acts 2:21. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" Matthew 7:21. Jesus is very clear that church attendance and simple "easy believism" is not the new birth experience! ("But he that doeth the will of my Father.")

We are not all going to the same place, and we do not all believe the same thing concerning doctrine. Some wish to downplay doctrine as unimportant, but the apostle Paul had a different view: "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" I Timothy 4:16. (I Timothy 4:13, II Timothy 3:10, 16; Titus 2:1; and II John 1:10).

IF THERE IS A GOD, THEN THERE HAS TO BE A TRUTH!

Therefore, we have the responsibility to diligently seek for that truth. After repentance, the next step of obedience is water baptism.

Old Testament Typology:

"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" I Peter 3:20-21; I Corinthians 10:1-4.

The Tabernacle in the Wilderness:

"Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations" Exodus 30:18-21.

WATER BAPTISM HAS TWO DISTINCT MEANINGS

Washing:

"Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins" Matthew 3:5-6.

Burial:

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12.

The following verses reflect the fulfillment of the command in the early church:

"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.

"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" Acts 10:48.

"When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" Acts 19:5

HOW WAS THE EARLY CHURCH BAPTIZED?

The word baptism comes from the Greek word "Baptizo", meaning to dunk, immerse, or soak: John 3:23; Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:38-39.

WHAT ABOUT SPRINKLING?  

We simply do not find it in the Scripture! Sprinkling, pouring, or infant baptism cannot be found or substantiated in the Word of God. These are only human traditions. Therefore, we should reject them in the light of the scriptural truth.

WHAT FORMULA WAS USED?

The birth of the church in the second chapter of Acts made John's baptism obsolete. It was updated when a name was added to it: "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.

THE GREATEST LEGACY THE LORD LEFT TO HIS CHURCH WAS HIS NAME!

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" Acts 4:12

NO OTHER BAPTISMAL MODE WAS PRACTICED IN SCRIPTURE!

"For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" Acts 8:16.

"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" Acts 10:48.

"When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" Acts 19:5.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" Romans 6:3.

Jesus' name must be invoked verbally to have a proper baptism!

NOTICE THE THREE QUESTIONS PAUL ASKED THE CHURCH AT CORINTH:

"Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" I Corinthians 1:13

Jesus was crucified for us, so we should be baptized in Jesus' name! Look at Paul's own baptism: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16

WATER BAPTISM IS A COMMAND TO BE OBEYED FOR SALVATION!

"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" Acts 10:48. (Mark 16:15-16; Galatians 3:27; Acts 2:41; Ephesians 4:5)

WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW 28:19?

Matthew 28:19 was obeyed in Acts 2:38. Father, Son and Holy Ghost are titles, not names. Many simply repeat the Lord's command found in Matthew 28:19 instead of obeying it. Baptism using a threefold formula was not practiced by or taught by the disciples of Jesus Christ.

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE FATHER?

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." John 5:43

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE SON?

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John 20:31

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE HOLY GHOST?

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26

The Holy Ghost is not a name. It is a title for the Spirit of God in the church today.

THE REVELATION OF WHO JESUS REALLY IS!

The name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is Jesus! The disciples never had a conflict over baptism in the New Testament because they understood the oneness of God: John 14:10-11; 10:30; 14:8-11; 14:15-20; 14:25-27.

THE HOLY GHOST IS JESUS IN SPIRIT FORM!

Jesus said, "I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you."

These three titles refer to the different roles of the same One God! He is Father in creation; Son in redemption; Holy Ghost in His body, the church! (II Corinthians 5:19; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 9:6

THE WONDERFUL BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT!

"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, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Ezekiel 36:26-27

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." Joel 2:28

Then It Happened for the First Time: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:1-4

Jesus Prophesied This Also: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" John 7:38-39

You do not receive the Holy Ghost automatically when you believe. It is a separate experience that is part of the new birth! (Acts 19:1-6)

Paul found believers, but they needed their experience with God! Even though they had been baptized unto John's baptism, it was not enough. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus!

YES, IT IS THAT IMPORTANT

Is the Holy Ghost Necessary for Salvation?

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." Ephesians 1:13

The acts 2 Holy Ghost experience is part of the new birth! Some ask honestly, "But won't church attendance and being a good person save me?": "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Acts 10:1-4

He was led to full salvation by the apostle peter! The point is, being devout does not save you! You must seek truth! Seek and ye shall find!

The Single Common Sign of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was and is "speaking in tongues."

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY:

"For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people." Isaiah 28:11

Tongues were and are the initial or immediate evidence of the Holy Spirit baptism. Acts 2:4, 10:45-46, 19:6 all mention tongues as the sign when receiving the Holy Ghost.

"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." Acts 2:39