Apostolic Faith Home > Tracts > THE NEW BIRTH

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." (John 3:5)

As we have heard men from time to time instructing the people and telling them to get saved and have never told them how nor what they must do to be saved, we will endeavor to make it plain as the word of God has spoken. We will admit that after the death of the apostles, blindness and ignorance prevailed upon the people for more than fifteen hundred years. In the time of this darkness and ignorance of God's truth, many prepared ways of their own, but thank God, in these last and evil days we can say that the darkness is past and the true light now shineth. (See I John 2:8)

Repeating again the sayings of Jesus: "Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Here we will give a biblical outline of how the New Birth is obtained. Remember, Jesus Christ is our example. He was God manifested in the flesh. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him." (Matthew. 3:13) NOT to be sprinkled, NOT to have water poured on him, NOT to shake hands with John and join the church. NOT to raise his hands and say he accepts God as His personal Saviour. None of these things that false prophets are now teaching was ever practiced by Jesus, John, nor by any of the Apostles. After Jesus Christ himself was baptized he received the Holy Ghost. (See Matthew 3:13, 14 & 16)

Dear reader, this example was set for the whole world regardless to creed, color, nationality, where you were raised or what you were taught.

In all the world, we have only had three baptisms. Everyone had to accept the one baptism that God gave to Moses. (Exodus 14:22 and I Corinthians 10:1,2) There was not two or three ways to get it. There was one way for everyone. The Bible says they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

The next baptism was John's baptism, and every one that refused to be baptized with the baptism of John rejected the counsel of God against themselves. (Luke 7:28-30)

The third baptism was the baptism in Jesus' name which was administered by Jesus and the Apostles. (See John 3:22-26, Acts 2:38 & Acts 19:5) The entire world has been misled and has baptized wrong for more than 1500 years.

The preachers failed to understand Matthew 28:19. Note: Jesus said, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." He did not say names (plural) but name (singular). What name? The only name given by which we all must be saved. The name is Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:10-12)

The Apostle Paul said "And whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." (See Colossians 3:17) So when we baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we baptize in the only name, Jesus Christ. Father is not a name, Son is not a name, Holy Ghost is not a name, but titles. There are three titles but only one name. The name of the Father is Jesus, because Jesus said, "I am come in my Father's Name." (See John 5:43) The name of the Son is Jesus. (See Matthew 1:21) The Holy Ghost's name is Jesus (John 14:26) So you see, dear reader, there are not three names nor three different persons, but three manifestations. He was father in creation. (Genesis 1:1) The same one was Son in redemption. (Luke 1:68) In the church He is the Comforter. (John 14:26) So when Matthew 28:19, is obeyed the baptism must be done in Jesus Name. Notice, dear reader, the Apostles understood Matthew 28:19, for they received the revelation of who Jesus was. Peter acknowledged who He was by saying, "... Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (See Matthew 16:16) So you see, Peter saw him as God and man. On the day of Pentecost when the Gospel was preached in its fullness by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven and men were pricked in their heart, they said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter kept in mind the saying of Jesus by telling them to repent and be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (See Acts 2:38)

When the Apostle Paul met John's disciples he said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" They said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." Then he examined their baptism." By saying unto them, "unto what then were ye baptized?" "And they said unto John's baptism." Remember, dear reader, at this particular time John's baptism, which was the second baptism, had passed and was out of date. They were behind time.

The third baptism, which is the Baptism in Jesus Name, had been introduced to the Apostles and they in turn were making it known to the world as they went. Therefore, no one was exempted, whether he had been baptized unto John's baptism or not. He had to be baptized in Jesus name and be filled with the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues in order to have the New Birth. Therefore, said Paul unto them, "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. (Acts 19:4) When they heard this they obeyed by being baptized in water in the name of the Lord Jesus. "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them; the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied." (Acts 19:6) We see here once more the New Birth has been manifested. When Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them, the people were baptized, both men and woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 8:12-16)

Then the Apostles laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:17) We see again that the words of Jesus were still accepted by believers. For He said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." In the 10th chapter of Acts we find a man called Cornelius; one who feared God with all his house, prayed to God always, fasted and gave much alms to the people, but was not saved because he had not been baptized in Jesus Christ's name and filled with the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:38 and Acts 2:4. Therefore, God sent an angel from heaven and told him to send for Peter. When he comes he will tell thee what thou oughtest to do. (Acts 10:6) Peter came down and preached the gospel to Cornelius and his house. The Holy Ghost fell on all of them that heard the word, and they spoke with other tongues. "Then answered Peter: can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts 10:47-48) So you see, dear reader, Peter confirmed that you must be baptized in water in Jesus Christ's name and receive the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues in order to have the New Birth. John said: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire (Matthew 3:11) So you see, John preached water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which is the New Birth. (See Acts 2:38 and Acts 2:4) Paul preached the baptism of water in the name of the Lord Jesus and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which is the New Birth. (Acts 19:1-6) Philip preached the baptism in Jesus' name to the people, and they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and received the Holy Ghost, which is also the New Birth. (Acts 8:16-17)

Cornelius received the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues as the spirit gave him utterance, (Acts 10:44-46) but he had to be baptized in Jesus Christ's name after he received the Holy Ghost which, is the New Birth. (Acts 10:47)

So, my dear reader, if you have not been baptized in water in Jesus Christ's name and filled with the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues as the spirit gives you utterance as they did in Acts 2:4, you are not saved; you do not have the New Birth Jesus spoke of. Therefore, you will not enter into the kingdom of God. Now you may be a bishop, general overseer, presiding elder, preacher, pastor, deacon, missionary, usher or lay member, you may have been in a church for 75 years, but in the language of Jesus Christ, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

In my conclusion to those who claim to have the gift of the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues as the spirit gives them utterance, and refuse to be baptized in water in Jesus Christ's name, you are just as lost from God's Kingdom as one who has never heard it. Peter commanded those who had received the Holy Ghost to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts 10:48)

To hear more of this truth, visit the Church with a standard where the Gospel is preached in its fullness as it was in the days of the Apostles.