This is a very reasonable question, and perhaps the most important that could be asked by any human being. But to whom shall we look for a truthful answer?

            If we should ask this question today in a dozen different churches it is obvious that we would receive as many different answers. And if we take our Bible and endeavor to fathom the mysteries of God by our own human understanding, we may become even more confused. Perhaps there are many honest souls in the world today who have had this very same experience. Some may have accepted a form of worship which has never quite satisfied their hunger, and thirst for truth and righteousness. Blessed are they that hunger, and thirst, after righteousness, for the promise is that “they shall be filled”.

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            Dear Reader — do you wish to know the truth? Do you desire a personal acquaintance with the Living God and a knowledge revealed from Heaven that you are accepted of Him? This is not only your privilege but your duty to God. Nowhere does He tell us to trust in any man nor follow any man’s teachings. The arm of flesh will fail us and the human mind is not subject to the Laws of God. Unless we have Divine Guidance and Inspiration to begin with, how are we to know if the Scriptures are being rightly interpreted to us, or if the one who teaches us received his wisdom from Heaven. Yes, there is a saying that the Bible is like a fiddle, you can play any tune on it. Some resent this, but I

am sure that we have heard many different interpretations of God’s Word. Do we believe in a God who answers prayers? Is there any thing of greater importance to us than our soul Salvation? God gave His Son, and He, in turn gave His life to redeem us. So if we heed the instructions He has given us, we might stop right now and look to God in earnest prayer, “Our Heavenly Father, wilt thou look into our hearts at this time and see that we desire only Thy truth. Our minds may be confused without Thy wisdom. We do so wish to choose a way in which we might please Thee, 0 God, and we only desire to learn of Thy truths that we may walk in the Light. Reveal Thy truths and point out all error that we may not be deceived nor serve Thee in vain. In Christ’s name. Amen.”

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            James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Now let us proceed to reason these things out with our hearts uplifted to God in faith believing that He will not leave us in doubt or confusion. We must start seeking, and finally serving God in faith because faith, or belief, is that which motivates our whole Christian life from the very first step until the end. Paul said in Hebrews 11:6, “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.” Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?” Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Yes, faith starts as a small seed sown in our very soul and conscience, and develops into a living knowledge of God, and the mysteries of His Kingdom. This knowledge is eternal like itself, for Jesus said, John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only True God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent.” Belief alone was sufficient to cause those lowly fishermen to leave their nets and follow Christ; but it required a knowledge of God and His Purpose in their life to face the persecution and cruel death that befell them later. Not one of them chose the way he would go, but all sought God’s Way for man’s redemption, and followed in it. All taught the same thing as we will see later on. What did they do, and what must we do to develop this faith? I think the next step must be quit clear since Paul tells us in Galatians 3:22, “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” Verse 26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” James 2:19-20, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” So our next step is very clearly seen as that of Repentance. How simple and clear is God’s Plan. Each step is more beautiful than the one before.

 

REPENTANCE

 

            But we cannot consider one step as of more importance than another. Each step must be taken in its turn. Our most important step is always our next step, and each in their order. Jesus taught a rebirth and a new life. We have considered our conception (which was faith). Therefore we must next consider our travail before we can be born again. Have you any sin? I John 1:8-9, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 2:3, “And hereby we do know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Verse 6, “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself to walk, even as He walked.” So if by faith we seek God, and draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. We will be sorry because of the way we have treated our Lord and Savior. II Corinthians 7:10, “For Godly sorrow worketh repentance ...” Acts 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” James 4:7-8, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.” And verse 10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.”

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            Without God’s help we cannot repent. But if we through faith seek His Truth and Will, He will not only make it known but help us to accomplish it. Some have asked, “What must I give up? Is it wrong to dance or go to shows?” To this I reply, we must give up self and Satan. And it is no more a sin for you to be at a show or dance than for your heart to be there. “Wheresoever a man’s treasures are there will his heart be also.” If our heart is in God’s service, then we are also in His service. We will never serve two masters. Our treasures will never be in one place and our heart in another. Jesus said in Matthew 23:26, “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” He also said, Matthew 16:24, “... If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” So, as Peter said, Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

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BAPTISM

 

            Jesus said, Saint John 12:26, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; ...” The steps of Jesus lead us first to the river where John was “... baptizing with the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.” (Mark 1:4) Not that He had sin, but leading the way for others that all who would follow Him through the waters of regeneration might have remission of sin through the shedding of His blood. For it is written, I John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Mark 1:10-11, “And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him: And there came a voice from heaven saying, Thou are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” We notice that Jesus did not receive the Holy Spirit before He was born of the water. Jesus said John 10:2, “But he, that entereth by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.” Verse 11, He said, “I am the good Shepherd: …” John 3:5, Jesus points Nicodemus to the very steps that He Himself had taken, saying, “... Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Soon after, we read in John 3:26 John’s disciples came to tell him that Jesus was also baptizing beyond Jordan.

 

Let us turn to Matthew 28:18-19,”... All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Let us listen to Peter preach about ten days later at Jerusalem. Acts 2:38, “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.” Then in Verse 41 we read these words, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added three thousand souls.” How could the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanse from all sins except they come in under It by obedience to Christ’s commands and examples? After Saul had been healed of his blindness by contacting God’s true servant, he was told, Acts 22:16, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

 

”Truly Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailer to “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and he would be saved.” They knew the results of faith and how it would move one to obedience. It must have, for they went the same hour of the night and were baptized. How beautiful God’s Plan wherein we die to sin, are buried by baptism with Christ in the likeness of His death and arise from that death to walk in newness of life, led and protected and enlightened by that Holy Spirit of promises, as explained by Paul in  Romans the 6th Chapter.  And again he said in Galatians 3:27,  “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Need we say more in regard to baptism? There are many more things we will need to know as we follow on and develop in the likeness of Christ. But once we receive that abiding comforter and teacher we are told by Peter that we shall be neither barren or untrust in Him to convey that knowledge as we prove fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord. So we may be worthy of it. But just as God had true servants, who knew His Will and Gospel, and whom He inspired to preach His Truths, He also recognized their works and by the laying on of hands the sick were healed and the Holy Ghost was given. Let us see.              Christ appeared to His eleven apostles in the evening after His Resurrection and said, Saint John 20:21-22, “... Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” They received the Holy Ghost just fifty days hence as they tarried at Jerusalem awaiting the promised gift from Heaven. From there they went out preaching and practicing the things that Jesus had taught them, and as the Holy Ghost directed. 

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Let us follow them in some of their preaching and practice. In the eighth chapter of Acts we find Philip preaching Christ unto them (fifth verse) and when they believed Philip they were baptized both men and women (twelfth verse).Acts 8:14-17, “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet He had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Meantime, Saul was persecuting the Church, but God struck him blind while on his way to Damascus. He was told to go to Ananias who lived at Damascus, where he would be told what he must do (Acts 9:6-10). In verse 17, we find this servant of God putting his hands on Saul that he might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Verse 18, he received his sight and was baptized at once. Now in the 19th chapter of Acts we find this same Paul preaching and laboring for Christ as a minister.  He is talking to twelve men who had been baptized with all sincerity by someone who was not called of God, for they did not have a right understanding of baptism and had not even learned of the Holy Ghost. Acts 19:5-6, “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them ...”

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            In II Timothy 1:6, Paul writes Timothy thus, “Wherefore I put thee in rememberance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” So Paul must have laid hands on Timothy for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

            Was this sacrilege? Had Peter and John and Philip and Paul and Timothy departed from the true doctrine and practice received from Jesus Christ? In Hebrews 6:1-2, Paul said, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

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            Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, “... Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Truly Christ’s Kingdom (which was His Church) was not a visible Kingdom except to those who were born again, receiving Life and Light from on High, and having entered by the door. For Jesus again said, Mark 4:11-12, “... Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand ...”

           

            Christ’s Church or Kingdom was a real organization but its identity was obscure to non-members for even the King, Jesus Christ, had to be identified by Judas for which He received a reward. By the Holy Spirit, which was the Life giving Light, its members and their leaders were identified and no other. Without this Spirit none could identify or be identified. They had their names on no church record, neither could they be removed from their membership, or ministry by any other than God. Romans 8:9, “... Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” This Spirit is Life, Light, and all that pertains to man’s redemption. For by this we receive all that we can ever expect to know or have. It supplies food to the soul (or Spirit) of man that he may grow in the likeness of Jesus Christ, and a knowledge of Spiritual things revealed from Heaven (Read I Corinthians). Our efforts continually should be to seek this kind of a life. When God draws us into this Life and Service our continual aim should be to please Him in all things that there be no end to our growth, adding daily such virtues as the Life of Christ reflected.            II Peter 1:5-8, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue: and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience Godliness; and to Godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”           

 

Whether you are Jew or Gentile, Catholic or Protestant, we want you to understand that the Lord God of Israel is now sending the long awaited Elijah Messenger as it was foretold by the Holy prophets and promised by Jesus Christ. Malachi 4:5-6, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”