Heaven is a prepared place is for a prepared people. Much is said these days about accepting the Lord as one’s personal Savior, and of the need for repentance. Yet, many times it stops there. We need to go on to full obedience to the plan of salvation.
Jesus introduced this plan in Luke 24. Peter started preaching it in Acts 2. Let’s take a look.
“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).
“(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)” (Acts 8:16).
“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days” (Acts 10:48).
“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
Why did Jesus command to baptize in “the name?”
- His name is above every name (Philippians 2:9-11; Ephesians 1:21).
- There is salvation in no other name (Acts 4:10-12).
- Whatever you do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17).
- We are washed in the name of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:11).
The Apostle Paul was so convinced that baptism in Jesus name was necessary that he rebaptized some believers in the name of Jesus (Acts 19:1-5).
Baptism remits sin. The blood of Jesus Christ is necessary to remit sin (Hebrews 9:22; 1 John 1:7). The only biblical way to receive remission of sin is through baptism in Jesus’ name (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38).
We are privileged to be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. A sobering thought is this: “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). This Scripture implies that if we do not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit we do not belong to Jesus Christ.
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11). We will need the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to go in the rapture.
One day the Master will call our name. We will have no choice but to answer, “Yes, sir!” However, there is a choice you now have. Where will you spend eternity? The right choice now ensures your new home later.
James Poitras 