Where is all of this coming from? (sort of long)

CK4Hair@aol.com (CK4Hair@aol.com)
Thu, 28 May 1998 12:39:15 EDT


I have been reading through some of the posts dealing with salvation lately.
I am not fully understanding what all the discussion is about.  I cannot
understand why people who have had the wonderful experience of being baptized
in the name of Jesus and being filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost are now
starting to argue, question, and doubt what was apparently good when they got
it.  

I think first of all, we need to stop all of this "Apostolic salvation" talk.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am from an Apostolic church and I am proud to be,
but this salvation is Christ's salvation.  He is the main focus here.  I think
sometimes we do tend to get so caught up in being Apostolic, we forget who we
really belong to.  No matter who this salvation comes to, they are saved, not
necessarily Apostolic.  The whole thing is all about having a close, very
close, personal relationship with Jesus.  I started out in a Baptist church
and back then, you could not tell me I was not saved.  I was a strong
believer.  I prayed earnestly and sought the Lord day and night for what I
felt was missing from my spiritual life.  If anyone, no matter what church
they are in, seeks the Lord the way I did, the fulness of the truth will come
to them in some form or fashion.  I was 17 years old and received the Holy
Ghost in the highschool auditorium at our Christian Club Gospel Concert we
had. 

 Not long after that, I met a young man who came to me with the Acts 2:38
message and I fought him tooth and nail because although I received the Holy
Ghost, I was told that it was just an extra "boost" of power and that I was
already saved prior.  But, after we talked for hours about the subject, I got
off that phone and I prayed and prayed and asked the Lord if this is true what
he said, please, please, reveal it to me.  Afterwards, I read those scriptures
he gave me concerning the Holy Ghost and baptism in the name of Jesus and it
hit me like a brick right upside my head.  So, I was baptized and now that
young man is my husband of 9 years.  I said all of that to say this; there are
alot of denominations and religions out there and it is very wise to feel
compassion for them and to pray for them; not fight them.  We know that all
will not be saved, but the truth is coming to those people everyday.  Whether
they choose to accept or reject it is on them.  I could have easily gotten off
that phone and said, "he is wrong" and left it at that.  But there are truly
saved people all over.  I have a friend in a Church of God in Christ church
who has been baptized in Jesus' name and been filled with the Holy Ghost.  Is
she unsaved because she is not in an Apostolic church?  I think not.   (I know
we all want to believe that salvation is in our long skirt or our long-uncut
hair, or in our plain faces.  Can anyone truly say if a person has received
salvation that if they do not adhere to those things they are going to hell?
I guarantee if any of you got saved in a more liberal church that didn't care
what you wore or how you wore it, you would not dress as you do today.  You
would dress according to how you were taught or not taught.)   I also know of
a C.O.G.I.C. pastor who brought his family and entire congregation to an
Apostolic church out here to be baptized in Jesus' name. 

But, as for those who are saying we limit salvation to Acts 2:38; of course
other scriptures lead into that verse or back it up.  But in Acts 2:37, what
did those men ask Peter?  They said, "Men and brethern, what shall we do?" and
in verse 38, Peter answered them with a very short, to the point, answer.
It's as simple as that.  Those men didn't say, "well, what about this and what
about that"; they just DID IT!  Jesus said," If you continue in my word, then
are you my disciples in deed.  You shall know the truth and the truth shall
make you free".  Continue in it, not try to analyze or dissect it.  Just do
it.