Greetings, my name is
Debra. I'm an Internet Tele-Evangelist for Jesus. I have lead many people to
true salvation through my Internet witnessing for 14 years now, and God has
been doing the increase. I have been married for 32 years. I have been a
Domestic Engineer for 31 years. My Hubby has been in Computer Programming for
over 34 years. I have two wonderful children. Both have received their Master's
Degree and furthering their education. I'm Apostolic Oneness Pentecostal. I
love Israel and the Jewish people. I love everyone. Most important I Love Jesus
Christ!
The reason I sent my
testimony so that if you like you may share it with others that are not saved.
I hope that it would encourage you to do the right thing.
I was raised in a
(missionary) Baptist Church. I attended service about every Sunday since I was
about 6 years old. Whenever I would listen to our pastor preach, I'd hardly
ever heard him speak about "joining the body of Christ" or
"taking on the name of Jesus." I never heard him preach about receiving
the Holy Ghost. Jesus was spoken of as if He was a "neighbor," rather
a than "companion." "God" was mostly referred to as
"the Father," or "the Lord," pending on which Testament the
subject was being taken from. It seemed that" Jehovah" was God's name
in the Old Testament, but no name was preached for God in the New Testament by
our ministers. When I was baptized, at the age of 11, I remember the minister
saying "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost". I began to wonder "what" the name of the Father
(?) was. I knew the name of the Son (Jesus). But what sort of name would the
Holy Ghost have? Would it be "Holy Spirit"? Isn't God "a
Spirit"? I began to learn what the name of the "Father" was, and
also the name of the "Holy Ghost" on the radio from a pastor of a
church that taught the "Apostolic Pentecostal Faith." My husband and
I only attended maybe twice a year, but each Sunday I would listen to the Apostolic
Pentecostal pastor on the radio. I heard him say that almost all other
preachers are baptizing people the wrong way. They merely "repeated"
the commandment of Jesus (Matt 28:19), instead of "doing" what the
commandment said to do (Luke 24:47), which is to "Baptize in the NAME
of..," and not the honorifics "Father, Son, & Holy Ghost."
He went on to say that the
book of Acts (of the Apostles) was the written history of the original
Christian church that Jesus founded on Earth. Of the seven or more instances of
people being baptized, nobody in the
Bible was baptized using the formula "Father, Son & Holy Ghost,"
but the Apostles always baptized by immersion using the NAME of Jesus Christ,
or Lord Jesus. He said that was because the name of the "Father" was
Jesus, the name of the "Son" was Jesus, and the name of the
"Holy Ghost" was Jesus. This reconciles Matt. 28:19 with Acts 2:38, and I began to understand why most churches
were baptizing people the wrong way...., that being because they misinterpret
the command of Jesus. He says to "use the name" that is shared by the
three "titles of the roles" performed by the (One) God of Israel.
Since it is known that only the name of Jesus can "cast out demons," and
heal the sick, why isn't it used by churches for the removal of sins? Since
only the blood of Jesus can "wash away" sins, how is "the
blood" ever applied, unless a person is baptized in the NAME of Jesus? On
the day of Pentecost, Peter didn't say "our sins are remitted when we
accept or confess Jesus"!! But only water baptism in the name of Jesus
gives us of remission of sins, when preceded by repentance. After a few years
of reading and wondering about it. I became disappointed that my Baptist
minister were misleading me about salvation, and never told me the truth about
receiving the "Holy Ghost" (Jesus). For many years I thought I was
saved, and then I found out that I was still in my sins. So I went to an
Apostolic Pentecostal church that would baptize me the correct way. I listened
to what the minister said to other people that he was baptizing, in order to
make sure that was what they always did. I heard him say "I now baptize you
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
That very night I received the baptism of the Spirit, for I heard myself (the spirit) speak in another language which I had not heard before, nor could I initiate or repeat what the spirit was saying. My whole body felt so wonderful, and my soul seemed to rejoice in the experience. I never knew any other language but English, yet I spoke with coherence but without knowledge of what was being said. I was told that it was the Holy Ghost (speaking in other tongues) "reporting back to God" in praise! In my case, I received the Holy Ghost (birth of the Spirit) before I was water baptized (birth of the water). It does not matter which one is first as long as you receive both the birth of the water and the birth of the spirit. If you have been baptized using (the titles) "Father, Son, & Holy Ghost" (or Holy Spirit), your water baptism was not valid, and Jesus will not recognize you as having remission of sin (Matt 7:23). Here are twelve examples of people being born (baptized) of the water in the book of Acts:
1. 2:41 4. 8:16 7. 10:44-48 10. 18:8
2. 8:12-16 5. 8:35-39 8. 16:14-15 11. 19:4-5
3. 8:13 6. 9:18 9.
16:31-33 12. 22:16
By reading those chapters and verses, it is concluded that baptism must be performed with complete water immersion (not pouring or sprinkling), using the name of Jesus. If someone tries to tell you differently, ask them to give you an example in the Bible as I have.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus
told His disciples to "baptize in the NAME....
"The name of the Father is
Jesus. The name of the Son is Jesus, and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Jesus.
Beware of the "modern doctrine" which preaches that water baptism is
not needed. Without the correct water baptism, we do not have remission of
sins, and will be lost. Matthew chapter 7 says: 13 Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 14 Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves.
The correct baptism is very, very important. For also in
Matthew chapter 7:
21 Not everyone that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The people in the above
two verses "spoke in tongues, cast out devils, and did many works "in
the name of Jesus"...., but they will have failed to be baptized in His
name, and will be thrown into torment. Before criticizing what you have just
read, what current "tag" (faith) would you put on the original
Christians as they were in the book of Acts? Would they be Baptists, Jehovah
Witnesses, Methodists, etc., or Oneness (Apostolic) Pentecostals? If we all had
AIDS and I found a cure, would you want me to tell what the cure was, and how
to get it? I'm telling you about true salvation. This is not
"judging" or being "narrow minded," but is an accurate
rendition of the doctrine of salvation, backed by biblical examples!!
I have not sent my
testimony to you to "argue," or to "debate scriptures," but
to save your soul from torment and to let you know that there is only one true
doctrine (gospel) of Jesus. ("You shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free". (John 8:32).
What book in the Bible
tells us how people were added to the Church? It is the book of ACTS!! The ONLY
place to see how sinners were added to the Church is the New Testament book of
History (Acts). Not the Gospels, not the Epistles (where false preachers want
to run to), and certainly not Revelation. How were sinners added to the Church?
Yes, I know I asked that again, for people refuse to accept the biblical
standard of salvation, and want to follow man's (Satan's) theology. The
Epistles were written to people that were ALREADY saved. You can't become a
lawyer by just reading "Law Review" or other attorney magazines. You
have to be taught, and then "pass the BAR exam". Else you are
"practicing law without a license". This is what most (so called)
Christians are doing..., trying to practice Christianity without experiencing
the correct "conversion process".
In Acts 2:37, the people
in Jerusalem asked "what shall we do to be saved)?" What was Peter's
reply? Was it "just ask Jesus into
your heart"? How about "just confess Jesus to be your Savior"?
No, Peter said none of those things. Modern theology tells people to listen to
Martin Luther ("no works"), instead of the truth. Read Acts 2:38 for
yourself. If reading Acts 2:38 is not good enough for you, I ask you
"why"? You mean to tell me that the "Chief Apostle" (Peter)
of Jesus was wrong, and modern theology is right? Come out of the darkness and
accept the ONE and true doctrine of salvation. Water immersion in the name of
Jesus is the "birth of the water." The receiving of the Holy Ghost
(Acts 10:44, 19:6), evidenced by the speaking of the Spirit, is the "birth
of the Spirit" (John 3:3-5), which Jesus spoke of, but was not available
until after He died, and rose again on the third day. False teachers will try
to point to the "thief on the cross." That is one of Satan's favorite
lies. The Church wasn't born yet, and Jesus had not died yet, so the "New
Birth" was not available (John 7:39). Please keep your questions and
comments on the correct conversion process, that being the birth of the water
and the birth of the spirit.
Thank you!
Have a blessed day
Love you, Tele-Evangelist Debbie
You can Email me at Email address removed or Email address removed
