"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10:23-25 KJV
"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
“Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? [Abraham lived approximately 2000 years earlier.]
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
“Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." - John 8:56-59 KJV
Why did the Jews take up stones to cast at Jesus?
Because they understood that Jesus was letting them know He is God - “I AM.”
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." - Exodus 3:14 KJV
It is actually very important to recognize that Jesus is God manifest in flesh, the image of the invisible God.
"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." - John 8:24 KJV
In this verse the word “he” is italicized, meaning that the translator added this word because they felt it made a better translation. (There is no Strong’s for this word in this sentence.) “Most authorities associate this with Ex 3:14, I AM WHO I AM” (NASB95), I AM.
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." - Exodus 3:14 KJV
Godly Sorrow
It is not enough to be sorry for sin. We must turn away from sin, and not continue in it. Godly sorrow brings about a change in our life.
Godly sorrow brings repentance, which leads to salvation. For a person who is turning to Jesus, after repentance we need to be born of the water and of the Spirit by being baptized in the name of Jesus for the washing away/burial of our sins and receiving the gift of His Holy Ghost.
For a person that has already been baptized in the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus cleanses us if we sin and repent of that sin. The Holy Ghost convicts us of sin so we can become more and more like Christ. The Holy Ghost also convicts us of sin that we have allowed into our life, enabling us to repent and stay clean before God.
The sorrow of the world results in spiritual death, because there is no repentance, no changed life. Because Jesus loves us and wants us to be saved, He wants our sorrow over our sin to lead us to change our actions.
"Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." - 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." - James 4:8
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18
"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
"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 KJV
"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 KJV
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." - Acts 22:16 KJV
Priorities: Water Baptism in the Name of Jesus and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost
"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, 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.
“And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized?
“And they said, Unto John's baptism.
“Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
“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; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve [in all]." - Acts 19:1-7
First question Paul asked, had they received the Holy Ghost?
When Paul found out no, his NEXT question was, Unto what then were ye baptized?
When he found out they had not been baptized in the name of Jesus, baptizing them in the name of JESUS was the priority!
AFTER they were baptized in the name of Jesus, THEN he laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.
How did Paul know that they had received the Holy Ghost?
It WASN’T because he laid his hands on them!
Paul knew the men experienced the infilling of the Holy Ghost, submitting FULLY to the power of the Spirit, because they had allowed God to even take control of their tongue, which resulted in their SPEAKING IN TONGUES as happened to the disciples on the Day of Pentecost!
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4
Peter first preached the gospel on the Day of Pentecost to all those that gathered when they saw the disciples receiving the promised Holy Ghost.
“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.
Baptized into Christ
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
How do we become a new creature (a new creation) in Christ?
"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
We are sorrowful for our past sins, and turn our back on sinful living. We are water baptized in the name of “JESUS” to wash away/bury our sins. We receive the gift of God’s Spirit, speaking in other tongues (words in another language we haven’t learned) as the Spirit speaks through us. (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:6) We are baptized into Christ by water and by the Spirit.
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting [wild parties] and drunkenness, not in chambering [sexual promiscuity] and wantonness [immoral living, lust], not in strife and envying [jealousy].
“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof [to indulge in evil desires]." - Romans 13:11-14
"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." - Galatians 3:27
"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:42
What is Repent?
Repent means, “to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins” (Thayer's Greek Lexicon). It is from the Hebrew word "shuv" which means "to turn."
We can change our mind, deciding to live right, in a moment. When we have repented, we not only have a changed mind about sin; the change can be seen in our actions.
We regret our sinful life, and tell Jesus through prayer that we are sorry for our sins.
As we praise and thank Jesus for His mercy and His love, He can fill us with His Spirit. When we totally surrender to Him, He can change our words of praise and adoration into another language, speaking through us.
This is the sign that we have given Jesus full control, putting aside our pride and trusting Him totally. Tongues is another word for languages.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 KJV
When we have repented, we can get baptized in the name of Jesus so that His blood can wash away our sins. By the name of Jesus in water baptism, we have remission [forgiveness] of sins. We can be water baptized before or after we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Acts 10:44-48].
"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 KJV
When we have been baptized in the name of Jesus and filled with His Spirit, we have a new life and a clean slate!
