Believing Alone is NOT Enough!

This easy believism is not enough to get you to Heaven. Believing alone does not save you. You must be born again. “Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is NOT being born again. Believing is the prerequisite for being born again. Jesus taught how to be born again. The Apostles taught how to be born again. This “Roman Road” salvation doesn’t get you much farther than what the Roman Catholic Church teaches. Salvation did not begin in Rome. The Church does NOT have its roots in Rome!

This most popular phrase regarding getting saved is NOT found in the Bible

“Accept the Lord as your personal Savior”

This is a man made term to describe a salvation experience without the new birth. Sure, those that use it say they are born again if asked. The Christian Church world is getting farther and farther from true Biblical ideals, acts, lifestyle, standards and salvation!

To be saved you must be born again as Jesus said in John 3:3

John 3:3

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. KJV

How does one get born again? Does he jump straight to John 3:16? The answer is Yes! Before you can be born again you must believe on the son of God.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. KJV

Now any good student knows you cannot take one statement or one verse in the Bible and make a doctrine. That is how false doctrines begin.

Believing within its self is not salvation but you must be born again. Believing brings us to Christ. Believing is synonymous with repentance. If one truly believes he will repent of his sin. Repentance alone is not enough to get you to Heaven.

In a moment I will tell you about the man in the Bible that was given the keys to Heaven’s gate.

Let us finish what Jesus said about being born again. Look at John 3:5.

John 3:5

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. KJV

Jesus talked about being “born of water and the Spirit”. In verse three He said “born again” and in verse five He said “born of water and the Spirit”. These are synonymous terms. They both mean exactly the same thing. In studying the Apostles in Acts we find they taught this same thing. They taught being born again of the water and the Spirit.

What is this “water and Spirit” Jesus was talking about? Jesus said you cannot go to Heaven without it! If you cannot go to Heaven without it than we had better understand it and make sure we have it!

Notice the small “w” in water and the capital “S” in Spirit. The water is h2o. It is water baptism by submersion. The Greek word for baptism is “baptizo” which means to submerge. These so called baptisms of sprinkling and pouring water are not baptisms. You must be submerged in water.

God used an earthly element and a Heavenly element for the new birth. The “Spirit” is the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost as the New Testament usually refers to it as. You must receive the Holy Ghost to be born again. Jesus said you must be born of the “Spirit” to go to Heaven. We find in Acts how that individuals and groups of people were being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost experience.

You might ask “how then was the thief on the cross saved”? That is a good question. This born again experience did not begin until the New Testament era. The Old Testament era ended when Jesus died on the cross. When He died the veil of the Temple was torn in two pieces. This indicates the end of all sacrifices. Jesus was the final sacrifice. The Old Covenant of salvation ended by Jesus’ death and His resurrection began a new covenant dispensation of which we are in until the second coming of the Lord.

The thief on the cross was promised salvation in Old Testament era! He did not have to be baptized. He did not have to receive the Holy Ghost. He got saved before the requirement of the new birth was sealed. Jesus spoke of the new birth to Nicodemus in John but it was not administered until Acts when the man with the “Keys” began preaching it.

Jesus did not give Nicodemus a new way to be saved “during” the old covenant. The new covenant was right in front of them and Jesus was preparing Nicodemus for it. Nicodemus’ hunger allowed him to see into the new covenant salvation by Jesus himself revealing it to him. No one in the Gospels was born again. It was not the way to get to Heaven. The old covenant of Moses was still required in everything. When Jesus healed a leper He told him in Matthew “go show yourself to the priest”. This proves again that the four Gospels were Old Testament era. The new birth was not required until after Jesus death when the “man with the keys” preached it.

Here is when Jesus promised the “Keys” of Heaven to Peter.

Matt 16:18-19

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. KJV

Now let us look at the first sermon preached in new covenant era which is Acts. We see here that this first sermon was preached by the man that had the keys to Heaven. Peter knew how to get to Heaven. Peter knew how to get saved.

Acts 2:37-38

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

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. KJV

We find here about being born of water and the Spirit. When you are baptized you must be baptized as Peter said in the savior’s name. You must be baptized in Jesus name. When you receive the Holy Ghost as Peter said you will speak in tongues. You will see this happening in its beginning in Acts 2:1-4. Speaking in tongues is the evidence and sign of being born of the Spirit.

Here is a list of more new covenant proof found in the New Testament regarding being baptized in Jesus name and receiving the Holy Ghost with tongues.

Acts 8:12-17

12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. KJV

Acts 10:44-48

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. KJV

Acts 19:1-7

19:1 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,

2 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.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 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.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

7 And all the men were about twelve. KJV

The Bible says the devils believe and tremble and they are not saved. You also need to go farther than believing. Be born again of the water and the Spirit.