Swimming Up Stream
Home | About The Author | In The Beginning | Welcome To The USA | The New Religion | Rocking The Family's Religious Boat | Contact Me | Family Photo Album | My Pets | Vacation Photo Album | My Resume | Favorite Links
The New Religion

An Eye Openning Experience - A Family Divided

          In November of 1984, while assigned to a small US Army Test Base near King City California called Fort Hunter Liggett, Patrick met Truth!

 

          He often went to pray at the Chapel on the hill during his lunch hour, at his Temporary Duty Station (Fort Hunter Liggett).

 

          Patrick was soon invited to the weeknight Bible Studies held at the chapel.  Since he was very interested in the things of the kingdom of God, Patrick decided to attend.

 

          After the first few studies, he realized that something was different about this group of people at this Bible Study.  No, it wasnt the fact that ninety eight percent of them were military, nor was it the greatness of the lieutenants in charge; it was however this New Teaching.  It was as though this was a New Religion.  

 

          All his life Patrick had been told that You must Accept Jesus Christ in Your heart to be saved; but here was a bunch of weirdoes saying something totally different.

 

          The most startling thing was that they were using the Bible to back up their theology.

 

          Patrick was totally confused.  He went to the barracks one night after Bible study and tried to figure out how he could prove these people wrong.

 

          First things first, Patrick thought!  Let me show them that Accepting Christ will save you.  Patrick could not sleep that night.  No scripture in the Bible was backing up his life long theology.  But wait, he thought, the thief on the cross.  Yes, thats it!  He accepted Christ just before he died, and he went to heaven.   And Romans 10:9 says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved..  Patrick had used this passage in many occasions back in his church in his home country, to bring people to Christ.  He could remember how as the Youth Leader of his Church, he had laid his hands upon some in the Youth Service, as they Accepted Christ. 

 

          One of the most terrible things that Patrick was grappling with that night, was that if all he had preached and taught in his young life as a minister was not the Full Truth; then he had lied to these people.  They wouldnt be ready for heaven after all, as he had told them.  This was hard for him to accept.  Thats okay though he tried to convince himself, because I am right, and these weirdoes are wrong.

 

          A few days later, at the Chapel on the hill, Patrick had to make a decision.  Lieutenant Paterson, the man in charge of the Bible Study, had answered Patricks questions and doubts.

 

          The Lieutenant had proven that the book of Romans was not written to the Unsaved, but to the Brethren at Rome.  This factor opened Patricks understanding more than words could explain.  You see, if Romans 1:7 addresses the Saints at Rome, and Romans 10:1 addresses the Brethren, then Patrick could NOT continue holding on to this Roman scripture for salvation.  This meant that he himself was not saved.  The only way for him to apply the book of Romans (and even Corinthians and Colossians and the other Epistles Paul had written to the churches) to his life, was for him to first become a member of the church.

 

          As the Lieutenant had explained it, No one in the Bible had ever accepted Christ in their lives for salvation.  John 3:3-5 kept on haunting him day after day.  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.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 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.  Why wasnt this scripture explained to me as a child, he thought.  It is so clear!  Jesus himself declares that there are no exceptions.  Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  These two elements are of complete necessity if one is to be saved. 

 

          Even the fact that being born of water symbolized baptism in water in the Name of Jesus Christ, was foreign to him.  He was baptized at the age of sixteen in the titles Father, son and Holy Ghost; obeying (as he thought) Mathew 28:19. 

 

          His theology was torn to bits when he realized that NOT ONE person in the Bible was baptized like he was.  Could it be that the religious leaders were right, and (as many of them had declared) Peter made a great mistake when he declared to the repented community on the day of Pentecost, that they must be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

          Every single hint towards water baptism in the New Testament, eluded to the fact that it must be performed in the Name of Jesus.  Finally, he got more proof.  He got scriptures and encyclopedia to back up those powerful scriptures.  This was more than enough!  He must be re-baptized, just as the disciples of John were in Acts 19:1-7.

 

The proof:

 

ü     Acts 2:38-41---3,000 souls were Baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

ü     Acts 8:12-16---The Samaritans were baptized in Jesus Name.

ü     Acts 10:44-48-Cornelius and his household were Baptized in Jesus Name.

ü     Acts 9:18; 22:16- The Apostle Paul was Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.

ü     Acts 19-1-7---The disciples of John, were re-baptized.  Now in Jesus Name!

ü     Gal. 3:27----The Galations were baptized in the Name of Jesus.

ü     1 Cor. 1:12-15--The Corinthians were Baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

ü     Col. 2:12; 3:17--The Colossians were Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.    

HISTORIC PROOF:

ü     Encyclopedia Britanica (Edition 11 vol.3 pg. 365-366) -- The baptismal formula was changed from the Name of Jesus Christ, to the words: Father, Son and Holy Ghost by the Catholic Church in the 3rd Century.

ü     Encyclopedia Britanica (Vol. 3 pg. 82)--In all the ancient writings it is declared that baptism was performed in the Name of Jesus Christ.

ü     Encyclopedia Canney  (of Religion pg. 53)--The early church always baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, until the doctrine of the trinity was developed.

ü     Encyclopedia - Catholic (Vol.2 pg. 263)--Here the catholics concede that the baptismal formula using the Name of Jesus Christ, was changed by their church.

ü     Encyclopedia Hastings (Vol. 2 pg.. 375 & 389)  The Christian baptism of the early church, was administered using the words In the Name of Jesus Christ, until the time of Justin Martyr when the Trinitarian formula was implemented.  According to the Catholic encyclopedia, Justin Martyr was one of the first fathers of the Catholic Church.  Vol. 8.

ü     Encyclopedia Hastings (pg. 377)---Name was an old synonym for person.  Therefore by being baptized in the name of Jesus, the person was made his property.  We belong to Jesus Christ.

 

It is NOT a coincidence, that all the baptisms registered in the Bible since the birth of the church, were made in the Name of Jesus.

 



Enter supporting content here