The Bottom Line

The bottom line is this: Do you believe in a Gospel that really takes sin out of the heart and soul, or do you believe that Jesus suffered and died for a Gospel that in reality does nothing more for the soul of man than the sacrifices of the old testament; of which the scripture says, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins”? (Heb. 10:4) We need only go back one chapter to see what the scriptures say about the true Gospel of Christ: “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: HOW MUCH MORE shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 10:13,14). Friend, the only way your conscience can be pure is if you just plainly do not have sin, literally. And that clear conscience is obtained by only one means, and that means is the only thing that truly takes away sin: “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 Pet. 3:21). That is correct, it is the baptism that does NOT cleanse the outer man, but does indeed cleanse the inner man from sin, leaving one with that ‘good conscience’ toward God. And as Peter stated, it is the baptism that came to us as the result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That would be the holy Ghost baptism which Jesus administers to all who come unto him fully repentant from their sins and trusting him fully to take their sins away and join them to himself (Gal. 3:27; I Cor. 6:17). Water baptism was implemented BEFORE Jesus died and rose again, and in fact was only given for the purpose of leading up to Christ and his baptism being manifested (Mk. 1:7,8; Jn. 3:30; Acts 1:4,5). It is that same Spirit baptism whereby we literally “put on Christ,” whom the scripture says “is that Spirit” (Gal. 3:27; II Cor. 3:17).

It is the baptism of the Spirit that raises us out of a sinful state into “newness of life" in Christ, by means of being quickened by his Spirit (Eph. 2:1; Rom. 6:3,4; I Pet. 3:18; Col. 2:12). Yes friend, it is in truth the "one baptism” which alone puts us into the one body of Christ (Eph. 4:4,5; I Cor.12:13). That is the baptism that Peter said saves us, or delivers us from the sinful nature and thereby gives us a truly clear conscience because of the literal absence of sin. All that is left to choose from apart from this holy experience, or this experience of holiness I could say, is a religion that finds every way possible to keep its adherants in sin; while providing a word-only righteousness that actually is only a “form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (II Tim. 3:5). If we trust in doctrine that does not provide for a true, literal, ongoing deliverance from the state of sinning, then by all means we are surely “denying the power thereof.” The scripture clearly says to believers in regard to the powerless Gospel; “from such turn away” (IIi Tim. 3:5). The conscience never lies, but the mind that isn’t willing to come fully clean before God will block the conscience out and receive a lying doctrine that allows for sin, while at the same time promising salvation (II Tim. 4:3; II Pet. 2:19; Jude 1:4). You see, the true “gospel of the kingdom [of God]” is one of power to do all things, very much including delivering from the sinful state that we were all born with (Acts 1:8; Rom. 1:15; I Cor.4:20; Philip. 4:13). For the scripture plainly states, For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Lk. 1:37). Surely you don’t believe that being literally cleansed from sin is the only exception to that rule, even though the traditions of men would have you believe that it is. This is as serious of a matter as we can possibly face because of the fact that if sin remains in us until we die, it will surely keep us in the grave at the resurrection of the just when Jesus comes from heaven (Lk. 14:14; Heb. 12:14; Rev. 20:6). That is something that we just cannot afford. Amen.