From Nicene Creed to the Gospel of Water and Spirit: Pastor John Karanja’s Review on True Biblical Salvation

MY BOOK REVIEW: FROM THE NICENE CREED TO THE GOSPEL OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT

Thank you for sending me this book. Another door of knowledge was opened to me after completing HAVE YOU BEEN TRULY BORN AGAIN?

This book gave a historical background of the Gospel as it was preached by the Lord Jesus Christ and His early Apostles. Indeed the gospel of water and Spirit was preached by the early Church  as indicated in the book of Acts.

The book presents the gospel as presented by Jesus, describing Him as the One who came from heaven with a mission of coming to carry all the Sins of the world on His shoulders through His Baptism by John the Baptist. This was the baptism that fulfilled the law of sacrificial system that was found in Old Testament; and then He is the one who carried the punishment of our sins by the blood he shed at the cross during His Crucifixion.

The concept of sin transference to the sacrificial animal was fulfilled when Jesus was baptized and John testified  it next day (John 1:29) describing Jesus as the Lamb of God that  takes away the sin of the world

Then the book reveals that in the course of time, this gospel was deleted by the early fathers and the man-made creed (the Nicene Creed) which came eliminated the idea of the Baptism of our Lord. Over the years true gospel was hidden and was left to a few followers whom God has used return the truth to the Body of Christ in this age and time. THE BOOK IS THEREFORE A VOICE CRYING … FOR THE RETURN OF THE TRUE GOSPEL TO THE BODY OF CHRIST.

The book reveals this dilution of the true gospel seen in the present day church communities

⇒ Many struggle with sin even after confessing that they are born again.

⇒ Many remain without assurance of salvation.

⇒ Many have not believed in the Masters Work done for us and thus never met him personally as their Savior and as the Lord of their lives. Instead they are continually seeking Him with negative confession and repeated repentance that denies them total freedom.

This book clearly provides very important sermons which the Servant of Christ Paul C Jong outlines how the church lost the true gospel of water and the Spirit then historically the creed was established, expanded to the point where the church is today. This confession of faith I just learned how it was altered and key true Word deleted. It painfully reminds me of where I have come from! Having faith in Jesus whom I had no idea of what He did for me. Living without full assurance of my salvation. I lived wallowing in the religious recitals and routines not knowing that I was made righteous by Jesus  through the faith of His baptism. Without the gospel of water and the Spirit our Christianity is shallow, weak and we are lost.

Without the inclusion of how and why Jesus was baptized removes remission of sins all together. This shifted the church into believing a salvation centered on the cross alone suppressing the connecting link of the gospel of salvation. It emphasizes more on the sacraments which drives man into a salvation of works and self-efforts and keeping of traditions.

The book has important sermons which enriched me in the understanding of the gospel of water and the Spirit. I can now understand how the early Church stood firm in her preaching of the true gospel and the effect of losing the sharpness  of salvation by eliminating the gospel of water and the Spirit. I could now clearly understand the emergence of what Paul the Apostle called “Another Gospel” in Galatians 1:6-9 and also 2Corinthians 11:4. The book clearly shows how the gospel was perverted. Removing the truth about Jesus’ baptism by John at the Jordan makes His death alone become a weak foundation in understanding total remission of sin and total redemption. It leaves so many believers like empty shells when confronted with explaining how the sin problem was dealt with by God. What we remain with are large colorful services without the life of Christ. The truth of being born again is lost. Church needs to return to this very gospel of water and Spirit so that true saints are directed to the Lord by believing the gospel word of truth

I am so grateful to the Lord God because this has become my own return to the gospel Apostle Paul believed and preached. 

The book then expounds on how this gospel was enhanced and given power by the Holy Spirit. From the comparison of teachings of Watchman Nee, Roman Catholicism and the Now teaching of Rev. Paul C. Jong I could clearly understand our Pentecostal experiences and their fallacies.

Rev, Paul explains it beautifully by connecting it to the Jesus’ Baptism and the cross. He explains how Our Lord gave the Spirit as a gift to His Disciples as the indwelling Power of GOD to those who believed His Son Jesus’ baptism, blood of the cross and resurrection.

This is totally different from what we have been teaching in the churches. We are told just to believe in Jesus, pray, repent and then get to the experiences and manifestations.

Instead I have gotten it right.  Believe the transference of sins by water through Jesus who came to deal with our imperfections. Then His blood on the cross could bring the remedy by total removal of sins of the world placed on His shoulders. Through this valuable book I have a clear understanding of those who will receive the Holy Spirit of GOD as a gift. Great lesson here is that the Holy Spirit does not come to the following:

⇒ The magicians who cover themselves with outward Christianity.as the character mentioned in Acts 8.

⇒ Those guided by institutional procedures eg Baptism, confirmation or just to those  waiting for an event after salvation

⇒ Not to the highly respected maybe believers or the baptized ones.

⇒ Not to those with money or influence! Don’t we have men who are even selling the gifts of the Holy Spirit to others in the name of anointing oil, water or pieces of clothes?

⇒ Not to those who come with titles… the Great men of God, One in my country calls himself the mightiest prophet of God!

The truth is, the grace of God can’t be bought. When men fail to believe the true gospel of water and the Spirit; and the blood, they deteriorate and become sources of heretic movements arising in the name of churches or ministries.

It is only to those with pure hearts, seeking salvation by believing in Jesus; such the Spirit will indwell and empower. We have to lay our foundation on receiving the remission by believing the baptism of Christ and the cross of the judgment on Him.

There are several lessons I have gained through the sermons in this book

1. My hope is rekindled by entrance using the narrow gate Matthew 7:13-20. I believe that by understanding this book the gospel of water and the Spirit is the path to the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ baptism to Jesus’ cross is the route. His resurrection and indwelling and the power of Holy Spirit give us the confidence and assurance of salvation.

2. I have come to know that both ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were planned by God AND Complimented each another. John comes as a connector of the law and the Gospel. He became the lst prophet of old and a door opener of the New Testament. We see that clearly by his linage through Zechariah to the Aaronic Priesthood. He opens the era of God’s righteousness and sets man’s salvation into completeness. He prepared the way for Lord Jesus; a voice in the wilderness who would perform transferring work.

3. On the other hand, is the ministry of Jesus? He came as a Savior. A Carrier of the sins of the world on His shoulders. He was a divine sacrificial lamb to do the work once and for all. He came as a redeemer of mankind. In both, we see a representative of heaven meeting the representative of the earth. (Luke 1:76-79). With these we get the complete reasons why JESUS BAPTISED AND WHY IT HAD TO BE DONE BY JOHN.

4. I have learned how the church of God is built on a strong foundation of faith. Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:18-16 clearly shows the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ who came as Messiah, the Anointed one and the Son of God. He is our Savior, the Messiah and He is God.

5. I also learned of this Kingdom where Jesus is the designated The Ruler as well as being the Creator of the Universe. The King, the High Priest and the Prophet who is the Firm Foundation of the Church. The same has declared me a righteous one, without guilty and the Word of Life that sustains me here on earth. He speaks to us as we confess and declare the gospel of the water and the Spirit. And through me He is speaking to the world.

This brings me to this great decision of my life: to live in the things I have learned. I am convinced of this gospel of Water and Spirit is the reason for my being here today. Apostle Paul admonishes us thus in 2 Timothy.3:12-17 to restore the pure origin of the gospel. I am learning to start from where the gospel began. The gospel of water and the Spirit! I have to teach this truth and make sure that the people I guide receive the proper word of the Lord.

PST John Karanja, Kenya