
Our Father's Heart
These podcasts are intended to nurture, instruct, and help you understand what the Lord has said in His Word that you may walk in the manner worthy of your calling in Him. We pray that you are blessed, not merely in the hearing, but more so in the doing. Simply put, our utmost desire is to be in the Father's heart, to know the Father's heart, and express the Father's heart to you.
Our Father's Heart
Do We Really Need to Get Baptised Twice? | Ep. 161
Is water baptism is just a symbolic ritual or something more essential? This thought-provoking episode tackles the controversial question: "Do we really need to get baptized twice?" – revealing powerful biblical truths that many contemporary churches have overlooked or diluted.
Through a careful examination of Scripture, we uncover the inseparable relationship between water baptism and Spirit baptism. Beginning with the foundations of Paul's gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15 – that Christ died, was buried, and rose again – we trace how our response must mirror this three-part reality. Just as Jesus didn't merely die but was also buried and resurrected, our baptismal experience must encompass both water (taking part in His death and burial) and Spirit (living and walking by the indwelling Spirit).
The evidence builds as we journey through Scripture: from Jesus' own baptism "to fulfill all righteousness," to Peter's Pentecost instructions to "repent, be baptized... and receive the Holy Ghost," to Paul rebaptizing disciples who had only experienced John's baptism. A consistent pattern emerges – the apostles never separated water baptism from Spirit baptism, and neither should we.
This message directly challenges much of today's Christian teaching that treats baptism as optional or merely symbolic. The biblical pattern shows that authentic discipleship requires both baptisms.
Whether you've been baptized before, are considering baptism, or simply want deeper biblical understanding, this episode will transform your perspective on what it truly means to fully obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Message Our Father's Heart a Question or Response"
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The vision received was that of blood cells traveling throughout the body, supplying the much needed oxygen and other nutrients to the differing members of the body to fulfill their purpose. Once the blood cells are spent, they must return back to the heart to be refilled before being sent out again and fulfill their purpose. Let's see, we've got Rebecca going to get baptized today, and by her very action she is stating a question Do we really need to get baptized twice? Is that necessary? I want to look into that a little bit and I want to see if this is a necessary thing. I want to look at first the gospel of Jesus Christ. We find that in 1 Corinthians, 15. And Paul is speaking to the Corinthians. He's saying Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand by, which also ye are saved, if we keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you believed in vain, for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and that he rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. And right there Paul encapsulates what the gospel is. It is a message of what Jesus did for us he died for our sins. He didn't just die, he died for our sins, he was buried and he rose again on the third day. And he says later on, in verse 14 of the same chapter and so I'd like to start off with the gospel, because the doctrine that we talk about of baptisms is found in the principles of the doctrine of Christ, in Hebrews 6. And it says baptisms, zisms, plural. It's not one. It doesn't say the doctrine of baptism, baptisms. It's interesting. It says, therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on into perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God and of the doctrine of baptisms. That's found in Hebrews 6, 1 through 3.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Paul declared unto them the gospel and it was received by them. It was something that, if they maintained their way in the gospel that he preached unto them, it would continue to keep them in a state of salvation, in a state of being saved. And Paul told them, if they hold fast to it and abide in it, it would ensure their salvation. Unless they believed, in vain, unless they believed, and then let it go and let it go away and didn't bother with it anymore. But the gospel of the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you notice, it wasn't separated, it was inseparable. He didn't just preach how Jesus died and then that was it. He didn't preach that Jesus died and he buried in a tomb. He preached that Jesus died, was buried, and the key was that he rose again. He rose again, alive forevermore, unlike anyone else had, unlike anyone else, because he was the first fruits of the resurrection.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So now think about it, because in this day and age, we hear the gospel being preached and it sounds very similar to that about how Jesus was died, about He was buried and about He rose again and He hung on a cross for our sins, and we hear that from all the denominations. But something that was expected of Paul, something that was expected of Peter, something that was expected of Philip, something that was expected of all the apostles and the disciples of the first century, is not what is being expected today. So think about what you hear preached today. What supposedly represents the gospel? Is it different than what we just mentioned now? Because Paul just put it in a nutshell. Has something been added to? Has something been taken to? Has something been taken away from it?
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Whatever you have experienced, whatever you have heard preached from other denominations that are out there, you need to look no further than the scriptures. And what does the word of God say? Not what does that popular televangelist that's lived and it's about 80 something years old has said? Not what that man, that holy man from England, what he preached and how fiery he was and how he lays on people and they heal. I don't wanna know what he preached. I don't wanna know what Luther had said when he left the Catholic church, because the only person that I know is that there were 24 elders seated around the throne and they seem to have represented the throne and they seem to have represented the apostles, they seem to have represented the tribes of Israel. There seems to be a cornerstone that is founded, that is connected to Jesus Christ, where it says the apostles and the prophets, of which Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. So there is one gospel, and this is it that Jesus Christ died for our sins, fulfilling many, many, many prophecies from all throughout the Old Testament. He was buried for three days, yes, and he most assuredly rose again, and the book of Acts has so many examples of how the gospel was preached and what the apostles said and, moreover, what did the people do when they heard the gospel preached? You can read about Peter's messages, you can read about Paul's messages, you can read Stephen's messages, you can read Philip's messages and you can compare them with what gospel you have heard today. And I encourage you to stick with what the apostles have said. Stick with what the apostles have said.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Over the centuries, many, many, many things have been added to, some things have been taken away from the simplicity of the gospel. And the simplicity of the gospel has been clearly recorded. It is undoubtedly the power, the power of God unto salvation. There's power in this gospel. It is not just a good news message, but there's power that brings salvation unto any man that believes. It says in Romans 1 16,. And Paul was not ashamed to preach this particular gospel, of which Peter agreed and Stephen agreed and Philip agreed and all the disciples agreed, because all the disciples abided in the doctrine of the apostles.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Now, the response of a believer to that gospel is just as simple. It is just as clear. Jesus said that a man could not see the kingdom of God unless he were born again. It says he could not enter into the kingdom of God unless he was born again. And so one must be born again of the water and of the spirit, as it says in John 3, 1 through 5. Notice, the born of the water and the Spirit are both required, the water and the spirit, not just the death and alone, but the death and the burial and resurrection. They're inseparable. And so for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be applied to our lives, to be relevant, to be a reality that we could see the power of God unto salvation, we need to experience something, because it just doesn't listen to it, and just be a hearer of the word. But we must be what Doers of the word. Fortunately, we have had the privilege of hearing the gospel, and we must respond to hearing the gospel by obeying the gospel. And we must respond to hearing the gospel by obeying the gospel.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:What does it profit a man to hear the word and do nothing? What does it profit a man to know that a furious hurricane is coming into his town, into his city, and he doesn't board up and he doesn't move to a more secure location if necessary? What does it profit to know all of these things? What does it profit to know the 10 commandments? The Israelites knew the 10 commandments and they died in the wilderness. What does it profit to have knowledge if you don't do anything with it and mix it with faith?
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:If we turn to Luke 7, verse 28,. Jesus is speaking to all the people. He's speaking to the Pharisees, he's speaking to the harlots, he's speaking to the tax collectors, he's speaking to all those lowly sinners that are in the place and all those high uppity Pharisees and religious and political leaders. He said there was not a greater prophet to have lived than John the Baptist. He said specifically, for I say unto you, among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. But he that is least in the kingdom of God is even greater than he. And all the people heard him and all the publicans justified God.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:What does it say? Read it Justified God. What being baptized. That's how they justified God, because John the Baptist came to earth with a word from heaven. It was a word of God, and they justified God by being baptized, which is exactly what John the Baptist preached Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. And then it says further, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves. How do you know? They rejected the counsel of God Because it says not being baptized, not being baptized. So, except for the religious leaders of the day, all that heard John the Baptist words, they justified God, they got baptized and they prepared the way, because John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. And preparing the way started with repentance, repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. It was given to John the Baptist to baptize unto repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Not only did the religious leaders not hear Jesus, but even in what they heard, they did not do. They did not obey the word of God and it resulted in their judgment. So, instead of submitting to the word of God, which results in obedience to the word, they came back again Another time to talk to Jesus and to try to trip him up. And it says in Matthew, chapter 21,
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And when he was coming to the temple, the chief priest and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and said by what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee this authority? Because he's nearing the end of his ministry and they see that he's performing miracles and none can say not about it, because it's genuine. They can't say that the blind man doesn't see because he sees. They can't say that the lame man is not walking, because he's walking right before them and he's there daily. So they want to know what authority do you come here doing these things, Jesus? And they recognize his authority and ask him where did he get it from? So Jesus, remembering this earlier account in luke 7, Jesus thinks back how should I respond to them? And Jesus answered and said I also will ask you one thing which, if you tell me, I, and likewise will tell you by what authority do I do these things? The baptism of John. Whence was it? From heaven or from men? He goes right back to John the Baptist.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And so he confronted them concerning John's baptism. Why? Because they had rejected the counsel of God and they would not get baptized. So Jesus asked them about the baptism Was it from heaven, meaning, was it from God, or was it just some man-made idea that he just concocted and he wanted people to do it because he wanted some sort of sign of control over the people. And it says and they reasoned with themselves saying if we shall say from heaven, he will say unto us, why do we not believe in him then? But if we shall say of men, we fear the people, for they hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus and said well, we cannot tell. And he said unto them oh, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. The religious leaders counseled among themselves, and they would not be honest with themselves. They were afraid of the people and they really couldn't gainsay what John the Baptist was doing. So, in other words, if they had believed John, if they had said well, it was from heaven, then why didn't you get baptized? And if they will say it was from men, then all of the people around them, what are you crazy? You Pharisees? We'll stone you. This is a holy man. How could you say anything against John the Baptist? The people recognized that John was a prophet of the highest. It says in Luke, chapter one, verse 79. So sheepishly, they answered well, we don't know. And for their cowardice, Jesus did not tell them by what authority he did these things. So these events alone, to me, testify the significance of baptism in water.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And what does baptism mean? Well, it consists of being totally immersed, submersion, emergence. The verb means. It's like they take a garment, they wanna dye it purple. They don't just dip it, they don't sprinkle it, they don't pour anything on it, they literally submerge the garment in the purple dye so that when it comes out and it dries, they have purple clothing. And that's what that word means to be baptized. And so I wanna look at some precedents of baptism in water and in spirit.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So we're going to turn to Matthew 3. It says in those days, John the Baptist came and he was preaching in the wilderness of Judea. And in verse 6, it says, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. This was a natural part of what John the Baptist was preaching. Yes, they went into the water, yes, they got baptized, but they were confessing their sins. He said I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, in verse 11, 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. And why do I read this? Because from the beginning, the inseparableness of baptism in water and baptism in the Spirit was always there. Jesus died, yes, but he rose again. It was connected, and so what we see is that clearly there's a necessity of both baptisms. John the Baptist was affirmed by what Jesus had questioned the Pharisees about what he did was right, but also in what he said would come after him should also be expected. Do we really need to get baptized twice? Think about where I'm going right now.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:The spiritual baptism refers to being immersed in the Spirit of the living God to such an extent that he indwells you. That never happened before. He was upon people, He walked with them, He talked with them, but He never indwelled them. Baptism in the water is about being baptized in Jesus' name and being totally immersed in the water in his death. Romans 6 explains to us that, in the water in his death. Romans 6 explains to us that we are baptized into his death and we are raised again in the newness of life. So at this point, with John speaking about I indeed get baptized, indeed confess your sins, but there's one after me that's going to come with Holy Ghost and fire. We really don't know why. We know baptism is of water, it's about repentance, it's about confessing your sins. But what is this? Holy Ghost and fire part. So we're going to continue reading in Matthew and go to chapter 3.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And Jesus is coming from Galilee to Jordan, to John, his cousin, to be baptized of him, and in verse 13, 14, 15, and 16, john forbade him, saying I need to be baptized of thee. I've been preaching to all the people, you're supposed to come and baptize me. And Jesus answered and said unto him Suffer, it. Be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. So John acquiesced and Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him. Jesus said that He needed to be baptised to fulfill.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:The key word is to fulfill all righteousness. He did not come to break the law, he did not come to destroy the law. He came to fulfill the law. And baptism was part of fulfilling the law. That is the first and foremost important reason why he needed to be baptized to fulfill the law, if we are going to attain the righteousness of God in Christ by faith. Then it says he needed to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Then baptism should be viewed as a baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Then baptism should be viewed as a requirement to obtain the righteousness of God that only comes through Jesus Christ to mankind. Because you're not doing it in and of your own self, you're not doing it just because you made some crazy idea Well, let me get dumped in the water. You're doing it because you're following an example set forth before you.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:It says in 1 Peter 2.21,. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his footsteps. It says in Philippians 2, he took upon himself the form of a servant. God took upon himself the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men and found fashion as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Now, Jesus did not need to be baptized in water for the forgiveness of his sins. He didn't have any. There was nothing to confess. He simply took part in the act of being baptized in water. He did not need to be baptized in the Spirit in the act of being baptized in water. He did not need to be baptized in the Spirit, the Spirit of God descending upon him like a dove, is a type of being baptized in the Spirit.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:But we don't see Him speaking in tongues, do we? And there's a reason for that, because from the day that he was born, dwelt all the fullness of God within him, all the fullness of God. It says in Colossians 2.9, in him dwelt all the fullness of God. It says in Isaiah 9:6, unto us prophecy of Jesus Christ. Unto us. A child is born, a son is given. It says in Isaiah 7: 14, that virgin she's going to conceive, she's going to bear forth a child and call his name Emmanuel. And Matthew then interprets that being God with us. From his birth he had the indwelling Spirit of God in him. So when the Spirit of God came upon him as a dove, it is a type of the spiritual baptism that was the come. But He didn't speak in tongues. And there's a reason. He already had the fullness of God indwelling him, had the fullness of God indwelling him.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:He, as the Son of man, set an example unto us of what is expected of man, what is expected of mankind in his response and relationship to God and his word. He was an example of a man that was completely and totally dependent upon God. We see that in his humility, we see that in his obedience to the Father, for he learned through his suffering, obedience even when it meant his death. And some still say today that water baptism is unimportant, it's just an outward side of an inward work. However, Jesus set the example for us to follow.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So am I going to listen to what they say today is important or not important, or am I going to go by the example set forth in the word of God? What is our authority here? What is we're going to submit ourselves to His opinion, his commentary of what the scripture says, or am I going to go into the scriptures myself and be a Berean, which is, I believe, what you've been doing for the last few months? You've been being a Berean. You haven't taken anybody's word for anything here, and nor should you, because even the Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica, because, when Paul preached the word, even they went back to the scriptures to verify and confirm what Paul had said, and so there's nothing wrong with that.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So, Jesus, after he was died, after he was buried, after he rose again, after his resurrection, he was for 40 days teaching and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. He ascended and right before his ascension, He told his disciples don't depart Jerusalem, wait for the promise of the Father, wait for the blessing of Abraham, wait for the gift of God in Jerusalem. So if we turn to Acts, chapter one, verse five, and he says again regarding John the Baptist, for John truly baptized with water, there's no problem there. But ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. So even Jesus is connecting the two. They're not separable and just, oh yeah, you just have to do this, or only you just have to do that. They continue to be inseparable even before Jesus ascended. And it says in verse eight but ye shall receive power after that Holy Ghost has come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto other most parts of the earth. The promise of the Father was the baptism in the Holy Spirit. When they received the indwelling, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the inner man, they received power and were able to be witnesses to all nations, starting from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, throughout all their most parts of the earth. So in Acts, chapter 2, we see their obedience to his word.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:120 disciples were waiting in the upper room, not just the 12 disciples, 120, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers and his sisters. They were there as well. It says so in Acts, chapter 1. And when they received the promise, they began to speak in tongues. It was the first time the Spirit of God indwelt mankind. It's the first time the spirit of God Took reign over the heart Of a man who willingly submitted himself to them. And because there was an old nature, when he came on the scene, in his presence, in his power, and he sanctified them, there became a new nature being created within the man that received the indwelling presence of God. They even look like drunken people, it says in Acts, chapter 2.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And Peter was the first man to preach the gospel in the anointing of the Spirit of God. And during his preaching he testified of the man named Jesus, that God raised from the dead, who has now been exalted at the right hand of God. And Peter explained that, when everyone is now seeing and hearing, amongst all these 120 people here, this noise that's abroad that you're coming to question about, this is the promise, this is the prophecy, this is that which Joel prophesied would come to pass and he would pour out his spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and daughters shall prophesy and dream dreams, and old men shall have visions. It says then, this Jesus, that God raised up from the dead, that we're all witnesses of, therefore being at the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost which he has shed forth, which you now see and hear. He was explaining to them what they are experiencing right now. So the Holy Spirit is the Spirit that raised up the man Jesus from the dead. This was the Spirit that now indwelled the 120 disciples and quickened them and made their mortal bodies alive, to live for God. Because it says in Romans 8: 11, that when He quickens your mortal bodies, it is to live for God. It is that your members would become righteousness unto him. They can now do something they could not do before. They can now walk in the spirit, because the Spirit of God now indwelled them.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Paul said if you do not have the Spirit of Christ, which is the Spirit of God, you are not His, he says in Romans 8, chapter 9. So Peter then spoke to them, saying that the promise was also for them. But what they needed to do was obey the gospel that they just heard preached. And the listeners asked Peter and the apostles because they were convicted. And they said men, brethren, what do we do? How do we fix this? We just crucified the promised one, the Messiah, the Lord of glory. How do we fix this? And Peter said unto them repent.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Same message as John the Baptist. Be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Same message as John the Baptist, except it's including now the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Same message as John the Baptist, except it's including now the name of Jesus, because you're being baptized into his death. But it doesn't end there, does it? It says and it says and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Again. The baptisms are inseparable.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So the promise was not only for the disciples who turned into apostles of Jesus Christ. The promise was for all men who would obey the gospel. Peter answered them to repent, turn from their sins, turn from their wicked ways. Same thing John the Baptist preached Turn toward God, get right with him, get baptized in the name of Jesus so that your sins would be forgiven. Same thing John the Baptist preached Turn toward God, Get right with him, get baptized in the name of Jesus so that your sins would be forgiven and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. This was the fruit of their response.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:It says in Acts, chapter two, verse 41, they gladly received the word and were baptized. How is it that the listeners of John the Baptist's message justified God? They got baptized. Why would it change for the new covenant gospel message? It would not, because he's expounding on what John the Baptist's gospel was, which was called the gospel of the kingdom, which Jesus came and it said was called the gospel of the kingdom, which Jesus came and it said he preached the gospel of the kingdom and the apostles came and were sent to preach the gospel of the kingdom Gospel has not changed. That is the gospel that will be preached until the end has come, until the last soul needs to be saved. It says they gladly received the words, they were baptized and that day added 3000 souls into the kingdom of God. And the Holy Spirit is the kingdom of God that now indwells his people and is manifest to the rest of the world through his people.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:We are witnesses of Jesus Christ. I know I've said this before, but I wasn't there the day that he was crucified, and I wasn't there the day that he resurrected. But because I have received the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, I can now testify and witness that, yes, He is alive. Yes, He is alive, and yes, He did resurrect. Because I just received him, I experienced him, I spoke in tongues, and now I'm able to walk in the Spirit like never before. I have words of wisdom, I have words of knowledge, I have interpreted tongues, I have given the gift of tongues, and I have a love in my heart like I've never had before. So I have his gifts, I have his fruit, and now I'm walking in his Spirit. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. It says in John 20: 29. Reminding you of Acts 1:8, we are witnesses to the whole world, and so, reminding you in this first official account of what one does when they hear the gospel preached, we see that the baptism of the water and the baptism of the Spirit are inseparable.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:If we go to Acts 8, we see Philip preaching the gospel to the half-Jews. They were the low type of Jews because they were mixed with other blood. So, yeah, there was even racism back then. But anyways, he went down to Samaria. He preached Christ unto them. And it says when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ. What does it say? Is it up there? Acts 8, verse 12, maybe 14. Oh yeah, I'll read it. And they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ. They were baptized. Message hasn't changed, and neither has the response. Second time now. And now it's to the half Jews. They're not fully Jews, they're half Jews, but they had to do the same thing that the Jews did. So they got baptized, both men and women. So it's not a gender thing. And Philip preaches Christ, they receive it. We see here that even baptism in water in Jesus' name is still required. And now we go to verse maybe 14 through 17.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Now, when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God sent to them by Peter and John, they received the word of God. How did they know? Wow, they responded to it. They got baptized in Jesus name. Okay, so Peter and John were who, when they were, come down, prayed for them that they might receive what the Holy Ghost? What the Holy Ghost? You see, philip didn't stop there and just preach to them the word of God and baptize them. When the word got back to the disciples or the apostles in Jerusalem, they didn't just stop there and say, oh well, wait, they got baptized in water. No, it's not complete, the baptisms are inseparable. So they go and they lay hands on them and they receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Notice that the required response did not end at water baptism. Peter and John were sent all the way from Jerusalem to pray and lay hands on them to also receive their spirit. And they did, received their spirit and they did so. No one right now at this point was exempt from responding to the gospel in the very same manner that the Jews on Pentecost had to respond. They repented, they were baptized in the name of Jesus, and the promise of the Holy Spirit was also given unto them and to their children and to all that are afar off who call upon. The name of the Holy Spirit was also given unto them and to their children and to all that are afar off who call upon the name of the Lord, calling upon the name of the Lord, in what Baptism Inseparable.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:We can go to Acts 10, and now we see the first time that the gospel is preached to those that are the Gentiles, those that are supposedly not supposed to have anything to do with God. They're unclean. And Peter saw a vision and God said don't call them unclean. When I've called them clean, I'm calling them out. I'm calling them out of their darkness into this marvelous light. Don't call them unclean and go with these people. And I want you to preach to this man named Cornelius.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And while Peter was preaching the gospel unto them, preaching Jesus, he died, he was buried. He rose again before he even got to finish, he didn't even lay hands on them, he hadn't even baptized anybody in water. The Spirit of God fell upon them, it says, while he spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word, and they of the circumcision. The Jews that followed him, which had already believed, were astonished, including Peter, because on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them, for they heard why did they know? For they heard them speak with other tongues and magnify.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:God Then answered Peter. So now they received the Holy Spirit already. Did it end? Is it inseparable? No, he says, can any man forbid water? That these should not be baptized. And what did he do? He commanded them to be baptized. In the name of the Lord, do we need to get baptized twice? And he says, as he recounts this whole story to the Jews back in Jerusalem, who are wondering Peter, what have you done? How dare you do what you did to the Gentiles? And he's explaining I didn't do anything. I could not argue with God. He baptized them in the Spirit. I can't do that. So John indeed baptized with water. He remembered. John indeed baptized with water. But ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Ding dong, rail start, oh, oh. He didn't have all revelation. He started getting it as God started moving and started realizing, and then he began to walk in agreement with it. Agreement with it. The next account is a very important account If you look at Paul, Aquila and Priscilla in Acts, chapter 18 and 19.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Sorry, excuse me, oh, 11:16. That's where it was. If we look in Acts, chapter 18 and 19, we look at a certain Jew. He was named Apollos and it says that he was born in Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, he was mighty. In the scriptures what scriptures, the only scriptures there was at the time, the Old Testament. Those scriptures, yes, he was mighty in them, he knew what he was talking about and he preached fervently. But the man was instructed in the way of the Lord, being fervent in the spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John, only his baptism. But he spake boldly, synagogue to synagogue. He was preaching about the baptism of John, so he was continuing the gospel of the kingdom that only John knew, but for some reason he didn't know anything about the Holy Ghost. Why do I know that? I'm gonna get to that in a second.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:But Aquila and Priscilla were disciples of Jesus Christ and they got to travel with Paul. Where he went, and they heard him preach from synagogue to synagogue, and so they took Apollos aside. And it says in a very vague sense, in a very general way they instructed him in the way more perfectly. Now, what exactly did they say? I have no idea. It doesn't say they just described Luke. Luke's the writer of Acts. He just describes it. Well, they instructed him in the way more perfectly. Who's the writer of Acts? He just describes it. Well, they instructed him in the way more perfectly. And when he hears what they preach, he was mightily convinced and he went out to mightily convince the Jews and he then began to speak publicly, showing the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. He had the missing link now he knew about John the Baptist, he knew about repentance, he knew about baptism, but he didn't know about the one who was to come, because then he started speaking about Jesus Christ. I still don't know exactly what they said, but they convinced him and he changed and he began to speak of Jesus Christ.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So now, if you read Acts 19, it goes back to Paul, and Paul is. He ran into some apparent disciples and he really didn't know where they were coming from. So he begins to have a conversation with them. He was, it says, while Apollos was in Corinth. Paul passed through the upper coast of Ephesus and he found certain Pharisees or, excuse me, certain disciples, and he said to them, as he's talking with them, something was said, don't know exactly what it was, but it prompted him to say have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Now, if you ask that to somebody, there's probably a good reason why you're asking that. It's maybe because you're discerning. There's something off there. What have you been taught. So he asked them did they receive the Holy Ghost? And they said unto him well, we haven't heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Now they were apparent disciples walking in the doctrine of John the Baptist. Is it too much to stretch descriptions and think that maybe that's where Apollos was, because that's all he knew, the doctrine of John the Baptist. So he was probably in the same boat? They were.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So Paul begins to say hmm, let me ask you another question. He said unto them what were you baptized into? You haven't received the Holy Ghost. Okay, what were you baptized into? You haven't received the Holy Ghost. Okay, what were you baptized into? And they said unto him, unto John's baptism.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Then it dawned on Paul ah, I know what kind of disciples You're, disciples of John the Baptist. Okay, that's good, because, remember, even Jesus did not put down John the Baptist for his ministry. He affirmed John the Baptist's ministry. So Paul's not going to put down John the Baptist's ministry. He's like okay, well, John definitely baptized with repentance. And he said unto the people that you should believe on him, that should come after me, that is, on Christ Jesus. So if you think about Apollo and Aquila and Priscilla, and here Paul is ministering to these people about did you receive the Holy Ghost? Did you get baptized? Oh, okay, you're in John's baptism. Well, let me tell you about Jesus Christ, because that's who John also preached about. Maybe you didn't hear that part, but John also preached about that. The one was gonna come after him that was gonna baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire. So when they heard this, they justified God. How? So they got baptized in the name of the Lord. And after they got baptized in the name of the Lord, when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with tongues and prophesied Do you think it's too much of an assumption to make that if Paul preached this to these apparent disciples of John the Baptist and Aquila and Priscilla were underneath the teachings of Paul that they probably taught Apollos the same thing?
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:I don't think it's too far-fetched. I think it's pretty linear. It's pretty consistent with the scriptures. There's no stretching of it to make it say something entirely different. But notice Acts. Chapter 18 was the story of Aquila, Priscilla and Apollos. The very next chapter is Paul doing this? Do you think Luke may have had it in his mind. Actually, the Holy Spirit had it in his mind. Let me confirm to them what was taught, what was preached. So during their conversation, have you received the Holy Ghost, since you believed, answered they never heard of such a thing. What were you baptized into?
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Just looking at those two questions, Paul is showing that he is in complete agreement with what Peter already did. From Acts 1 to Acts, where are we at? 19. The message didn't change. The gospel didn't change. The expectation didn't change, didn't matter who was preaching, Peter or Philip, or now Paul. Peter, Paul, Philip would not separate baptism in water in Jesus' name, nor baptism in the Spirit. They were essentially important to Paul in identifying what kind of disciples are you? He asked those two questions. You ask those two questions today and you might get a cat fight, you might get an explosion of turmoil. But my pastor and that televangelist hey, let's just go with what Peter, Paul and the rest of the apostles said. It says they abided in the doctrine of the apostles, not popular televangelists here or there.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So at this point, this account of Paul's encounter with the apparent disciples sheds light on what Aquila and Priscilla expounded to Apollos. This is the way. More perfectly. Paul then said to them that the baptism of repentance which John carried out was good, it was well, but he preached to the one coming after him. So I think it's safe to assume that the way of God more perfectly is how did you respond to the gospel? Did you receive the Holy Ghost and did you get baptized in Jesus? Not John's baptism in Jesus.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:So the testimonies to me, to me are overwhelming in favor of the inseparableness of water baptism and spirit baptism. Jesus didn't die and stay dead. He didn't die and remain buried. Jesus died, was buried and rose again.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:To obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, you must obtain for yourself the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died in your place. He paid the penalty for your sins. He paid the penalty for your sins, not for his own. And all he requires of you is trust and obedience. That's what he requires of you Trust in his work that he did for you in your place.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:And now just walk in obedience. Walk in my spirit, walk in the things that I lead you to say. Walk in the things that I lead you to do. I left you an example. When I came in the flesh, I submitted myself to the eternal Spirit, my Spirit. I even then submitted myself to them so that whatever I said, it was what the father said. Whatever I did, it's what the father did. And I expect you to do the same, and I've given you power to do the same, because back in the Old Testament you only had the law. The law did not give power to man to overcome his sin and his carnality. It only told him what to say or what to do, what not do, what shall not say, and all of these things. The knowledge doesn't matter. It matters is did you be a doer of the knowledge of the word of God?
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:From the first covenant gospel preaching, it was expected that you must repent, that you must be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive, and ye shall receive, the gift of the Holy Ghost. The initial willingness to repent is a beautiful thing, but repentance in your own strength is doomed to fail if it remains in your own strength. However, God has made a way If you will die with him and in him, as is described in Romans 6, since he already died in your place and if you will resurrect with him and in him since he's already resurrected in your place then you can obtain mercy. You can obtain forgiveness of sins and grace, the power of God unto salvation to walk free from sin and death and walk according to the new life of the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus in Romans 8. In contrast to your previous manner of life of walking in the flesh, you can now do something you can never do before, and that's walk in the spirit, a life completely and utterly dependent upon the Spirit of God.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:Do you need to get baptized twice in your life? Absolutely? I say Absolutely. The scriptures say and Rebecca's gonna get baptized twice today. She got baptized when she was eight, I heard so she's getting baptized again, but I really wasn't playing on that. I hope you understand that you do need to get baptized twice. Everybody needs to get baptized in Jesus name unto his death and receive his Spirit, which is the baptism of Spirit unto the newness of life, so that you can walk in the power of his resurrection. So I say yes, let us get baptized today twice and let's get it all done, because it was inseparable in Jesus name, amen.
j - Jesus M. Ruiz:If you were blessed and appreciate listening to this podcast and you would like to support us in our efforts, consider lifting us up in prayer first. Then remember these four social media buzzwords share, like, subscribe or follow. Share this podcast link with someone else by text, email or word of mouth in the hopes that they might be uplifted, as you were Like by leaving a positive rating or review with whomever you listen to our podcast. With Subscribe to support the show monetarily with the link in our podcast description. Follow us on all our social media platforms. May God bless you and make you prosperous in Him as you listen and obey His voice.