Return from the Nicene Creed to the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit!

Hello, This is a review of the book entitled "Return from the Nicene Creed to the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit!" by Rev. Paul C. Jong. This book explains in extensive historical and biblical detail, why we must return from the Nicene Creed to the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit! It restores to prominence, a scripture centered teaching that had vanished from theological conversation.
The book delves into how the gospel of the water and the Spirit - the core faith held by the Apostles of the early church, was buried beneath religious tradition, as the Nicene Creed created at the council of Nicaea in AD 325, became established. The author draws the readers attention to the purpose as to why the Creed was initially created, providing vital insight into the state of Christianity at that time. We are reminded that the creation of the Nicene Creed succeeded in its purpose to formulate a correct understanding of the divinity of Jesus Christ within the Trinity and to bring about a single, organized standard of faith throughout the Roman Empire where there had previously been much theological confusion.
However, Emperor Constantine failed to include in the Creed, the connecting link of salvation - that is, that Jesus was first baptized by John the Baptist to take on the sin of the world. The sheer amount of research in this book is clear and detailed. It precisely documents the timeline showing how the establishment of the Nicene Creed in AD 325, ushered in the system of the seven sacraments and the institution of confession that we see today. And as a result, how the vital element of apostolic teaching, beginning with Jesus` baptism from John the Baptist, faded from historical and theological memory.
The readers are invited to reflect on the detrimental effect that the Creed had on Christians of that time whereby the discussion reversed from, "How did Jesus save us from all our sins?" to the question, "Do you agree with Emperor Constantine`s Nicene Creed?", shifting the focus from personal faith in the Word of God to the priest-centered religious system of the Catholic Church, and how this has affected the teaching of the Bible today. With careful exegesis, we are shown that by the end of the 4th century, when the Catholic Church was proclaimed as the state religion of the Roman Empire, the gospel of the water and the Spirit disappeared, leaving behind only religious rituals such as the sacraments of baptism and confession alongside the gospel of the cross alone, which continues to be emphasized today causing believers to remain trapped in their sins.
Therefore the call to Return from the Nicene Creed to the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit remains the decisive turning point for all Christians. At the heart of this book is the author`s acknowledgment of all those who fought to keep the faith united under one standard of truth, in particular the early Christians who risked their lives to preserve the gospel of the water and the Spirit as the core biblical truth of redemption. As a result of their perseverance to protect and preach the gospel, we also now know and believe that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the sins of the world were transferred onto Him, that He went to the cross to die for our sins and rose again the third day.
The central focus of the book is that the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist - where He took on the sins of the world, must be restored to its rightful place within the Creed, so that the Nicene Creed is realigned with the Bible and the faith of the early Church. The work of reformation begins with and is centered around Denominational leaders, presidents of general assemblies, and pastors becoming the first to realize this gospel Word of water and the Spirit, and with faith, proclaiming it boldly from their pulpits, as the Lord demands repentance first within the church as the Bible says, "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God" (1 Peter 4:17).
The discussion deepens with a careful examination of the faith of Watchman Nee, the Catholic Church and Paul C. Jong with the intention to urge the reader to discern their faith through the written Word of the Bible. The book implores the reader to consider the argument, that just as scientific advancements and space science have developed to form a deeper and broader understanding of the universe, so too should we flawed human beings recognize how much our thoughts could be wrong and limited concerning the doctrines that many people have viewed to be the truth.
For 1,700 years Christianity has been centered around belief in the blood and resurrection of Christ alone, but now, God is calling everyone to return to the gospel of the water and the Spirit which precedes the Nicene Creed as the Creed of the early Christians which sets the baptism of Jesus firmly as the first work of redemption by which the sins of the world were transferred onto the Lord through the laying on of hands from the high priest John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17).
The book also addresses one of the main topics in Christianity - The Holy Spirit; when and how one receives Him. But what we are urged to remember is that the Holy Spirit is a "gift" which comes upon those whose sins have been washed away through faith in the righteousness of God. The "gift" of the Holy Spirit can never be purchased as Simon attempted to gain it in Acts 8:14-24, and neither can it be earned through the sacrament of baptism or confirmation as taught by the Catholic Church, equally His presence cannot be equated to the evidence of speaking in tongues or prophesying as asserted by the Pentecostal charismatic movement. The book clearly attributes the receiving of the gift of the Holy Spirit directly with those who have repented and believed in the gospel of Jesus` baptism and blood for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38).
The author successfully expands our understanding of salvation citing historical records such as the Didache: a document of the early church showing the teachings of the gospel delivered by the Apostles and comparing the text with the Holy Scriptures. Each chapter gradually solidifies the necessity of faith in Jesus` baptism as the primitive point of redemption by contrasting the faith believed by each Christian denomination with that of the gospel of the water and the Spirit. We are shown how the failure of the church in removing the teaching of Jesus` baptism from the Nicene creed led directly to the gospel becoming symbolized and institutionalized within human understanding. And how even today, the gospel has shifted toward personal emotions, experiences and social ethics.
The author`s exploration of how Christianity has been diluted through the ages illuminates the necessity to return to the gospel of the water and the Spirit (John 3:5). The message within this amazing book, is a call to Return from the Nicene Creed and from human-centered religious structures to the gospel of the water and the Spirit while your heart is still pricked, your conscience not yet seared and the door of salvation is not yet closed. As the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:2, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." And, in Hebrews 3:7, "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
To download this amazing FREE book in audiobook or e-book format visit - www.bjnewlife.org God bless you all !