CASES of CONVERSION in Acts, Part 4

Cases of Conversion in ACTS, part 4

GOSPEL PREACHED

Acts 13:23-33 Paul preached Jesus crucified, but resurrected from the dead by God, 33 As written in Psalm 2, “You are my SON; today I have begotten/generated you”. JESUS—firstborn from the dead that He may have first place in all things, Col 1:18.

RESPONSE

Acts 13:48 Later, those destined to eternal life trusted. Surely this included repentance and rising from the watergrave of baptism, thus joining with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection into new life as children of God.
Gal 3:26-27 You are all sons of God thru trust in Christ Jesus; you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

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GOSPEL PREACHED

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Acts 14:1 Speaking at the Iconium Jewish synagogue...

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RESPONSE
Acts 14:1 ...a great number of Jews and Greeks trusted.

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GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 14:21 They preached the good news in Derbe and...
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RESPONSE

Acts 14:21 ...won a large number of disciples.

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GOSPEL PREACHED

Acts 16:14 The Lord opened Lydia's heart to Paul's words.

RESPONSE

Acts 16:15 Lydia and her household were baptized.

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GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 16:30-31 The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, Sirs what must I do to be saved? They replied, Trust on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to them.

RESPONSE
Acts 16:33-34 Apparently repenting, the jailer washed their wounds; then he and all his were baptized. They rejoiced, having trusted God. Trust included more than initial belief.

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GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 17:1-3 At Thessalonica Paul proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah.

RESPONSE
Acts 17:4 Some Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks.

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GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 17:11 The Bereans eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures daily to confirm Paul's words.

RESPONSE

Acts 17:12 Many Jews trusted as did also many Greeks.

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GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 17:31 Paul preached Jesus risen from the dead.

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RESPONSE
Acts 17:34 At Athens, a few followed Paul, and trusted.

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GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 18:4-5 At Corinth Paul reasoned every sabbath in the synagogue, testifying that Jesus was the Messiah.

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RESPONSE
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household trusted in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him trusted and were baptized.

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GOSPEL PREACHED

Acts 19:1-7 Paul asked some who had been baptized with John's baptism (in water), Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you trusted? They had not. He asked, Into what then were you baptized?

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RESPONSE

Acts 19:5 They were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came on them. They spoke in tongues and prophesied. Trust included water baptism.

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GOSPEL PREACHED

Acts 19:13-16 The seven sons of Sceva were overpowered and beaten by a man with an evil spirit.

RESPONSE
Acts 19:17-20 People were seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many who trusted came and confessed their evil deeds.

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(TO BE CONTINUED)

Cases of Conversion in Acts, Part 3

Cases of Conversion

in Acts, Part 3

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Jesus said

Unless one is born

out of water and Spirit

he cannot enter

the Kingdom of God.

GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 9:36-41 Peter raised Tabitha from the dead.

RESPONSE
Acts 9:42 Many people of Joppa trusted in the Lord.

GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 10:34-43 Evidently, Peter used the kingdom keys to open the door of salvation to Cornelius/Gentiles: Everyone trusting in Him/Jesus receives remission/forgiveness of sins.

RESPONSE

Acts 10:44 The Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius etc.; they spoke in tongues and praised God. It seems the early filling with the Holy Spirit was to show all that God was accepting the Gentiles into Christ equally with the Jews.

GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 10:47 Peter said, Can anyone forbid water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit as we also.

In John 3:4 Nicodemus asked Can a man be born out of his mother's womb again (a 2nd time)? Jesus replied: Unless one is born out of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God, John 3:5.

I John 5:8 There are 3 that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these 3 are into the one (agree as one), the NEW BIRTH?

RESPONSE

Acts 10:48 He/Peter ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Looks like Cornelius and household were born out of Spirit and water! It's not stated they were saved/born-again prior to water baptism.
To say otherwise is presumption.
It must not be concluded that Acts 10:43-48 contradicts or nullifies Acts 2:38, or gives the Gentiles a different way to be saved.

GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 11:20 They told the good news about the Lord Jesus at Antioch.

RESPONSE

Acts 11:21 The Lord's hand was with them: a great number of people trusted and turned to the Lord.

GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 11:22-23 Being sent to Antioch, Barnabas encouraged them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

RESPONSE
Acts 11:24 A great number of people were brought to the Lord.

GOSPEL PREACHED
Acts 13:8-11 Elymas, the sorcerer, opposed Paul and Barnabas, and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. He was struck blind.

RESPONSE
Acts 13:12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he trusted, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

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CASES OF CONVERSIONS IN ACTS, part 2

Go therefore into all the world and preach the gospel to all the creation. Preach repentance and remission of sins. Teach/disciple all the peoples/nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Cases of Conversion in Acts

part 2

Gospel Preached

Acts 6:7 The word of God spread.

Response

Acts 6:7 The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and many priests became obedient to the faith.

Gospel Preached

Acts 8:12 Philip preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

Response
Acts 8:12-13 The Samaritans trusted Philip as he preached Jesus and were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself trusted and was baptized.

Gospel Preached
Acts 8:35-37 Philip preached Jesus (evidently including water baptism) to the Ethiopian, who said, Look! Water! What hinders me from being baptized? Philip said, If you trust with all your heart, you may.

Response
Acts 8:37-38 The eunuch said, I trust that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They went down into the water and Philip baptized him. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing! If baptism is of water here, why not in these other cases?

Gospel Preached
Acts 9:1-18; 22:5-16; 26:12-18 Blinded upon seeing and hearing Jesus, isn't it likely that Saul now realized that Jesus was risen from the dead, and didn't he confess Jesus as Lord, 9:6? Did this fulfill Rom 10:9-10? Saul was 3 days fasting and praying (his sinner's prayer?). Saul was told to, Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord, Acts 22:16.

Response
Acts 9:18 Saul was baptized, washing away his sins in the baptism by the blood of Jesus Christ, Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, Rev 1:5. Don't you know that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death, Rom 6:3. His death-blood ratified the New Covenant (Heb 8-10). This is My blood of the New Covenant shed for remission of sins, Mt 26:28.

The one having trusted and having been baptized shall be saved, but the one having distrusted shall be condemned. Teach them to observe/keep/obey all things I have commanded you,

Mt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Lk 24:47 combined.

[to be continued]

HELLO from Elder Milton

Hello from Milton...

In these messages, you will hear a lot about Baptism... the vital heart of the Salvation message. It's been lost, ignored, and taught against for the last several, YES, SEVERAL, years. But first, a word about who I am...

Growing up in North Alabama, I later moved to Nashville where I worked several years in Social Services.

As a youth, I was quite worldly. Church was occasionally attended from my youth on. But although worldly, I did learn one thing back then: I LEARNED THAT BAPTISM WAS FOR REMISSION OF SINS.

However, I was slow to realize that a radical heart-change and Holy Spirit renewing is really INDISPENSIBLE to becoming a Christian. After being regenerated, I began learning to be led by the Spirit.

During all this, I soon found that many friends from similar backgrounds as mine were giving up some beliefs that I considered fundamental to our faith. ONE OF THESE WAS BAPTISM FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.

I began to try to understand why. I wanted to have full fellowship with them... yet stand for the truth. Many of my friends had just left churches where the Holy Spirit was not prominent although water baptism for remission of sins was.

In leaving the trappings of dead churchism, and wanting to blend with others from various denominations, my friends had tossed out baptism for remission of sins.

So, the sinner's prayer for salvation was increasingly used, it seems... yet, without post-Resurrection example or authority.

My mission over many years is to return the Church to the original pattern of entering the Covenant of Salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Lord laid down the way to enter into the New Birth by example and Word (John 3). The Apostle Peter confirmed this on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

There is no Scriptural authority whatsoever for doing away with water baptism (Gk: immersion). The whole package--- repentance, conversion, water and Holy Spirit baptism--- are required to enter into the New Covenant.

Here is where I stand. In the subsequent messages, I will be sharing the Scriptures which establish this truth and where I learned this.

Milton