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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

Look there in the Bible to the Book of John chapter 3, 3, the Gospel of John, and chapter 3. John chapter 3, and you’ll notice there in verse 22, after these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judea. There He carried with them and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Anon near to Salem because there was much water there, but because we just sprinkle we only needed a bucket. They didn’t say that, didn’t. And they came and were baptized.

So John was baptizing. Now look there in chapter 4, look in verse 1. Now therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John. Though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples. So if you had to be baptized in order to be saved then Jesus didn’t save anybody because he didn’t baptize anybody. His disciples saved him because they baptized him. So evidently maybe being baptized has nothing to do with being saved.

It doesn’t save you. So there’s another reason for being baptized and that is the truth. Definitely there is something else that it means. Water baptism doesn’t get you to heaven, doesn’t wash away your sins, so it doesn’t save you in any way. Whether you’re a little infant baby and somebody wants to baptize you or sprinkle you or whatever it is, water baptism cannot save anybody or preserve anybody, confirm anybody had nothing to do with it. So did Jesus save anybody?

Of course he’s the only Savior there is. We’re saved because of Him. But water baptism has nothing to do with saving you. It is a picture of your salvation. It’s not for your salvation. Me and Betty got married. We hate to say it but we didn’t even have a picture when we got married. 25 years later we had another mock wedding and we had pictures galore. I was dressing in tuxedo, oh I look sharp. She had on a white dress and she come walking down the aisle.

My daughter did this for us for a surprise, but it would be surprised. And I picked her up and I carried her out and you know they threw the rice we used to have so many weddings out there we had to go to minute rice so you have people taking pictures and it was a picture of the wood but none of those pictures saved us or married us it was just a picture of our that’s what water baptism So understand this, when you believe that Jesus died and paid for your sins, was buried and rose again, then you’re supposed to be baptized because of what you believe.

Christ died for me. Water baptism is a picture of your death, your burial and your resurrection. So you do that for a good conscience. Why? Because your heavenly Father wants you to do it. It was a command, the last command ever given in the Bible by Jesus Christ before He left. When He said in Matthew 28, going to all nations and teach all nations and baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Ghost.

So is it the will of God that we be water baptized? you were yes it is. That command has never been rescinded. It’s still there. Go into all the world. Well, if you don’t have to be baptized, then you don’t have to go into all the world either. Preach the gospel. You don’t have to do that either. So if we’re going to pick and choose, let’s just don’t do anything. But if you’re going to do it, do all of it.

And that’s why it is God’s will that his children are water baptized, not to be saved, but because they are saved. It’s a picture of what you believe. It’s your way of saying, I believe Christ did this for me, and you’re supposed to really understand it. Because today, see, most people don’t have a clue what the gospel is, what it’s about. You see, Christ was alive, but He took our sins and died, was buried, came back from the dead.

For me, Christ died for me. So therefore, when I believed that his death, his burial and resurrection was put to my account as though I did it. So when I am baptized, I am recognizing the fact I was once alive. I died. I paid for my sins. I was buried, came back again from the dead. I didn’t really do it. Christ did it for me. And he says, now if you believe that I did that for you, being baptized is your sin.

is your way of really having a good clear concept. I understand what he did, because you have a lot of people, they have no clue they get water baptized to have a clue why they did it. They think it helped save them. Or they hear about the gospel, and they hear the death, the death, the resurrection of Christ, and they haven’t got a clue where they goin’ when they die. Their words without meaning, and those are acts without meaning.

And when it boils down to it, doesn’t mean anything. So God wants us to know and to understand. So take your Bible and look in the book of Acts. Acts in chapter two. If in Acts chapter two and verse 38, if it really does mean to turn from your sins and to be water baptized in order to be saved and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, it contradicts all the other verses that says you don’t have to do that.

Is there a verse in the Bible that simply says something along the lines of, for by grace are you say through faith that not of yourself. It is the gift of God. It’s not of works list. Any man should boast. Now if that verses in the Bible, and this verse means that you’ve got to turn from your sins and you’ve got to be water baptized, it contradicts Ephesians 2, 8, and 9. And John 3, 16 and John 6, 47.

And a whole host of other scriptures. So evidently, Acts 2, 38 doesn’t necessarily mean what people like to say it means. Now look at it. And then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. Now if you took the word baptize, you’d understand that baptize is not a translation, it’s a transliteration, and it comes from the word baptismal and baptismos. And there are two different words, cling to wash to wem.

In the book of Mark it explains that and shows you that the same word is used to wash pots and pans in the book of Mark. And it was for the purpose of cleansing. So he said be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. That’s what cleans you. Water doesn’t clean you. So if you took the meaning of the word you’re all right. But you have most people see the word baptize all the way. That means you got to be baptized in water.

No, there’s a lot of different baptisms in the scripture and they’re baptism of fire. You want that one? You can have it. The baptism of fire, people say, I want to get the baptism of fire. It means hell. That’s hell fire. It’s not talking about you and I. We ought to desire that. But anyway, there’s different ones and that’s another sermon at another time. But what I want you know as this. You see, they didn’t believe that when Jesus came, he was who he claimed to be.

And yet it was, its scripture said he was delivered by the determinant counsel of God. See there in chapter two, look there in verse 22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by signs and miracles, which did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know, Him been delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

This is what you did. That man that you just crucified put on the cross God showed that he was the one by all the miracles and so forth that he did. And you have by wicked hands have taken and slain him. And then he says, their hearts were pricked. What shall we do? And so there in verse 36, know therefore assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts.

And they said, Peter and John to the rest of the Apostles, men of it, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, repent change your mind about who he was. He was the Lord. He is the Lord. God in the flesh. He was the Messiah that was to come and explain into him the purpose of him coming, the purpose of him dying. And he says, and repeat, change your mind, think different, reconsider and see that he is who he claimed to be and be cleansed in the name of the only begotten son of God.

And as you go through the book of Acts, you’ll say that this man was healed in his name and had had power in his name, and he was saved in his name, and he is cleansed in his name. So when I believed on Jesus Christ 52 years ago in a little old living room, I was clean, made white as snow. From all the sins I’ve ever done or ever will do, all because I believed in Jesus Christ. I trusted him as my Savior, and I was able to receive that very moment, the gift of the Holy spirit.

You say, have you ever spoken tongues? I’ve been speaking with the only one that I’ve got for 52 years. And I don’t know what I’d do if I could speak in all the other languages, but I wouldn’t mind it. But no, I’ve never had the gift of so-called the fire stuff they want to talk about. No, I’ve never done it. I have no desire for it. I don’t believe it’s a God. Nobody has ever spoke in some gibberish like that and cut it.

That’s not what this This is a literal language that people were able to speak. A known language, not unknown. So no, I don’t believe all that. I believe that when you trust Christ as your Savior, God gives you the Holy Spirit and your baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. Once and for all, it never happens again. That’s why there’s no commands and scriptures to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. Being baptized by the Holy Spirit is something that Christ does.

He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit as John the Baptist says. So he’s the one that takes me and by the Holy Spirit places me in Christ. Done deal. Now as a child of God there’s commands to be filled with the Spirit. So as I walk with the Lord I should be controlled by the Holy Spirit in my life and some days you’ll be controlled and some days you won’t be controlled because you got an old sinful nature and sometimes He controls you.

So the scriptures are here and the scriptures are here. Look there in Matthew and now we won’t go there because of this time. But the book of Acts in chapter 8, let’s just look at that one right quick. The book of Acts in chapter 8, this is the story that you’re very familiar with I’m sure. So the question is why, why be baptized? So here in Acts in chapter 8, if you’ll look down there in verse 30, 36, Philip was preaching to this guy that’s riding along there in the desert and he was ahead honcho from Ethiopia.

He had great position, probably great power, and he was reading the book of Isaiah. And here comes Philip after about a hundred mile trek, runs up to him and says, understand what thou readest? And he says, how can I unless a man guide me? So he explained to him the scriptures and man says, who is he talking about himself or somebody else? And he preached unto him Jesus, took Isaiah 53 and explained to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then he says, this in verse 36, and as they went on their way, there came unto certain water, and the eunuch said, see here is water.

What does hender me to be baptized? There’s something that will keep you from being baptized, or heaven the right to be baptized. Well, what do you got to do? He says in verse 37, Philip said, if thou believe it with all vine hearts. This is why you can’t baptize babies. Babies don’t believe. And it gives them a false sense of security because they think, well, I’ve been baptized. No, baptism is only for those who believe with all their heart that what Christ did on the cross was for them.

Now, children can learn that knowledge. And when they get old enough, baptism is always after you’re saved, Never before you’re saved. I’ve had people to say, well, I’m trying to trust Christ in my Savior, but I was baptized as a kid. If you just got saved, you’ve never been baptized. You can only get baptized once because you can only get saved once. Now you might have been under the water and it may be unassembled. It might have been done with sincerity.

It’s just there’s nothing to it. It wasn’t real. It didn’t have true meaning. You see, it represents what you believe. And that means if you believe something, you have to understand it. If you don’t understand it, how do you know what you’ve done? done. You go through the motions just like there’s people who go to church and they think going to church is going to get them to heaven or giving money that’s going to help get you to heaven.

It has nothing to do with going to heaven. You don’t have to give anything in the offering plate. You can even take some out if you want to it’s for the heathen anyway. No, no, don’t. But you see, giving money and doing all these things will not save a person. So he says there in in verse 37, Philip said, if thou believe us with all of thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and he said this, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

He’s talking about the one that was in Isaiah 53 that was taken and crucified. That was buried and that rose again and he knew that was Jesus Christ. And he knew what it was talking about. He understood that. And that’s why he says, what hinders me to be baptized? Because he baptism has to be for a reason. It’s our understanding. I was baptized after I was saved. Some people they don’t get baptized for six months later. Some don’t do it for four or five years.

Some people never get baptized. But it gives you a cling conscience. I did what he said do. If Jesus Christ walked into this room and says, this is what I want you to do, would you argue with him? I don’t think it’s that important. Jesus, I don’t think God ain’t to do that. one day you will face the Lord. You’re going to face Him. Did you do what you should have done? It should mean something to a person. Now, as you go through these things, it’s very simple, very clear, but I want to give you one more very quickly.

Look there in the book of 1 Peter in chapter 3, 1 Peter in chapter 3. You’ve heard of Noah? Well, of course you have. You heard about the art? Oh, of course you’ve heard about Noah in the art. Everybody’s heard of Noah in the art. But did you know that Noah in the ark and all has a picture of salvation? Well, everybody knows that the world was wicked and God was going to destroy it by a flood. So we told Noah build an ark and those that got inside the ark were safe.

And then the trouble came, the flood came. And then after so long they came out of the ark. You see there was life and then there’s death and then there’s like a resurrection. And those that were in the ark were safe. So the world died they’re in the ark of safety and then it’s like new life. He started over again. So there was a death barrel in resurrection. It’s a picture. Now look there in 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 18, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, only one time.

He doesn’t do it twice, he’s only done it once. Why did he do it? He was the just for the unjust. We’re unjust. That means we’re not justified, we’re all condemned, we’ve all sinned. He had never sinned, he wasn’t. So it says, He suffered for us the just for the unjust. Now get this. Why did he do it? That he might bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh. He was put to death. And the next part, quickened by the resurrection.

Quickened by the spirit. If you look down there, you’ll also see this word, the last few words in verse 21, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So you have here the death, the burial, and the resurrection. But there’s also a pipe that was given in the Old Testament. And if you look there in verse 19, by which also he went and preached into the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedience when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few that his eight souls were saved by water or saved through the water because the water destroyed everybody else.

and days that were in the art. We’re safe. So Jesus is our art of safety. And so when we trusted Christ as our Savior, we were like put into the art. We were placed in Christ. We’re in the art. And we’re in the art because it’s a type of our death barrel in our resurrection. Now because we have been placed in the art, we are to have a newness of life. So you and I are supposed to live like we have already died.

been given a new life, a new chance, a new hope. And it’s totally new, it’s totally different. And he says in verse 21, the light figure we’re unto even baptism doth now save us. And then the last part by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now get what he has in parenthesis here. Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Not talking about you putting away the filth of the flesh, cleaning up your life. Baptism doesn’t do that.

This is so you have a good conscience between you and the Lord. So there’s somebody who says, why did you do that? Why did you get baptized? There should be an answer. And if you look up there in verse 15 where he says, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is within you in maintenance and fear. In verse 16, having a good conscience, having a good conscience.

And if you’ll look down in verse 21, where he talks about but the answer of a good conscience toward God, there’s reasons why we do what we do. God has given us illustrations and this is a picture of one of the greatest things in the world. I believe Christ died and was buried and he rose again for me. So when I stand in the water, it’s like a picture of Christ on the cross. When I’m buried, I’m going under the water, and when I come back as a picture of my resurrection, to now walk in newness of life.

So that has a meaning to it. My baptism is the picture of the most important precious thing that ever happened to me in my life, and I don’t belittle it. That’s why I believe it’s a good thing to do. I have a clear concept why, because I only had to do it one time, but I did it. Probably some of you have already trusted Christ as your Savior years ago, but have you ever been baptized? You don’t have to be baptized to go to heaven, but it will give you a clean con.

You said it didn’t bother me until the day, but it could give you a clean conscience that you did what God says to. It’s a testimony to others of why you did it. What do you believe? So I believe that, but I don’t have to do that. and you don’t have to go to church, you don’t have to read the Bible, and you don’t have to support missions, and you don’t have to live God, either. But should you? It’s your decision.

See, why are you preaching this? Because we’re going to have a baptismal service coming up soon. And if you have not been baptized and you need to be, I want you to see Dr. Paulson, and then we’ll give a date down the road. And he’ll do it on a Saturday, and I’ve never lost anybody yet. But see the reason that’s so important is because there’s only two things that God has given to the church as ordinances of the church.

One is the baptism, the other one is the Lord’s Supper. See the Lord’s Supper deals with something totally different. You see the one, yes the dearth bell in the right direction, but this is called the communion. This is communion. It means our getting along with our Father. This is more about our fellowship with the Lord, me and him and nothing between. So when we talk about the communion service we’re talking about, see, there would have been no death, no resurrection if there hadn’t have been a body.

And that’s why his body, he was born of a virgin. See, all of us is important, because you see without being virgin born, he wouldn’t have had a perfect body, he had a body with a sinful nature. He had no sinful nature. He was planted by the Holy Spirit. And then his blood was precious blood and his blood had to be shed for the sins of the world. And we’re supposed to look back to what he did and And until He comes again and realizing that we’re supposed to examine our life, this is for the fellowship that we should have with our Father.

We see baptism as one. That’s one time you do that. The death, burial, and resurrection. He only died at one time. But he says, I want you to, for communion with me, as often as you do, as often. This we can do often. The baptism one time. But this is different. This is the time for you to examine your own life and say, Lord, I’m your child. I believe you died for me. Pay for my sins. And I realize what you did was for me.

And I want to live as somebody that has come back from the dead. I want to walk in newness of life. And if there’s something in your life that’s not right, things that you know you’re doing and your father knows you’re doing, you’re not going to have a good conscience, a clean conscience. You’re going to have a defile conscience. And a conscience is going to bring you great trouble and a rob you of your peace, a rob you of your joy.

When you know you’re not doing what your heavenly father wants you to. So for good conscience sake, confess your sin to the Lord and yes, first sake it and live godly. And God says, if you will examine yourself and judge yourself, he won’t have to. But if you don’t, your heavenly father will. I hope you understand now. Look up here very quickly. This is you and me. This is sin. We all have sin on us. God loves us, hates our sin.

And the Bible says for us to pay for sins, eternal separation from God in hell. But He loves us and wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven. We have to be perfect. None of us are. So the Bible says that we cannot save ourselves by anything that we do. Go in the church, give in money, be in baptized, all those things. They may be good, but they can’t save you. This man represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh.

A body has stopped, prepared Him. He had no sin. So He was willing to give His life. And to give his life, he gave his blood because the life of the flesh is in the blood. So he shed every drop of blood to pay for our sins so that we could have everlasting life and go to heaven. And he said, all that we had to do is believe he did it for us and he would give us that free gift and we could know that we’re going to heaven.

So now I want you to have a good conscience about why Why you do what you do. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed, and every eye closed, no one looking around. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, and you say, that made sense to me, I want to be certain of going to heaven. I’ve been trusting my baptism, get me to heaven, or my good deeds, and I realize that I can’t save myself. I believe Christ died and paid for my sins, and I will trust Him as my only hope of going to heaven and preach out life for you to know it, and I life for you to pray for me.

And I’d like to have prayer for you. So it hit by nice clothes. I’m not going to embarrass you. I’m not going to have you forward, but right where you’re sitting. So that made sense to me and I’ll trust Christ as my Savior and I’d like for you to pray for me. Anyone at all before we close, just slip your hand up very quickly and put it right back down. Anyone at all. If you have never trusted Christ, you need to trust Him and Him alone.

No one else. Our Father, we thank You so much for this time together. We’re thankful for the body of Christ because He came into this world and took Him on the body and bore our sins on the cross. We thank you for that incredible Christ name. You’ve been listening to another great message from Pastor Arnold, and we at Bibleline thank you for tuning in. In appreciation to those who support this ministry financially, we would like to send to you a copy of the Jim Tingen story.

The Jim Tingen story is a true story about a young man that just couldn’t explain the gospel clearly. He wasn’t the type of kid that most people made friends with, but he knew that people needed to hear the gospel to be saved. Believe me, you’ll be affected by this story in a profound way, and this book is offered to you as a gift for your donation in any amount. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, and don’t forget to include your mailing address as well.

So for this month, receive a free copy of the Jim Tingen story with your donation of any amount. It’s a small token of our appreciation for your support of Bibleline because without your thoughtful gifts and prayers from listeners like you, we would not be able to remain on the air. Thank you once again for your continued support. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4011 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Cut up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon, and just keep looking up.