Book 70

Hi, everyone. Once again, I feel so privileged to have read this new Book 70 by Paul C. Jong, Acts of the Apostles Seen from the Perspective of the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit. With all 70 of Paul C. Jong's books to date, his intention in writing them is always crystal clear; it is to help every human being be saved from all their sins once and for all so that they may enter Heaven instead of being sent to hell. He selflessly expresses this in the Acknowledgments: "I sincerely hope that the Lord will allow the gospel of being born again by water and the Spirit to be spread throughout the world through those who believe in Jesus." Amen. As I started reading the preface, I was ecstatic to see the words, "the already completed salvation" (the perfectly titled revised edition of Book 5), peppered throughout this book because it is a truth that everyone needs to awaken to and claim for themselves: God's salvation! The author perfectly states in the preface, "The descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost indicates not the day salvation began, but the day the already completed salvation began to be publicly proclaimed." Amen! Hallelujah!
I also have to include this next quote from the book because I personally love reading Peter's sermon in the Book of Acts! It is beautifully written, and it touches my heart every time. Paul C. Jong says, "The sermon of the Apostle Peter after the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was the work of the Holy Spirit testifying to the gospel word of Jesus Christ, who became our Savior by resurrecting from the dead after having the sins of the world transferred to Him by receiving baptism from John and receiving the punishment of sins on the Cross (Acts 2:37-42). The core of this sermon was the propagation of the gospel testifying to the baptism Jesus received from John, the death on the Cross, and the resurrection." Amen. The author provides a brief historical timeline of the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Apostles' preaching of the gospel, first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. I found this both interesting and informative. It was nice having the Bible open while simultaneously reading Paul C. Jong's explanations of the verses in Acts, his own sermons in between, and the Q&A sections. It was a thorough treat.
I liked this statement very much. It teaches a great deal and clearly reveals the purpose and power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, one can discern that if the sermon one is hearing does not eradicate all their sins, it is not of God. A very clear demarcation line can therefore be drawn from this statement: "The power of the Holy Spirit is always with the faith that believes in the baptism Jesus received from John and the Cross, and through this, makes one testify to the gospel of the removal of sin to the whole world." Furthermore, it reminds the born-again that it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we testify to the gospel of the water and the Spirit. It is our actual job.
This paragraph reminded me of how, after I read Paul C. Jong's Book 1 and learned that Jesus had washed away all my sins when He received baptism from John the Baptist, I was 100% convinced it was true! I didn't need someone else to confirm it for me. This was surprising to me because I personally did not possess such bold confidence! In time, I came to understand that it was, in fact, the Holy Spirit Himself who had convinced me that all my sins had indeed been washed away by Jesus' baptism. That's why I smiled when reading this: "The Holy Spirit testifying to the word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit in our hearts so that we become convinced that there is no more sin in our hearts—this is the very truth of the only word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit that the apostles of the early church preached."
Before reading Paul C. Jong's books, I didn't think that the Holy Spirit had anything to do with me. The topic of the Holy Spirit wasn't something I really thought about. But over the years, I came to realize that it is a major topic for perhaps the majority of Christians. I am therefore thankful that I did not have any confusing or conflicting thoughts on the matter. So, when I learned through Paul C. Jong's books that when one believes that Jesus was baptized to take away our sins, paid the wages of them with His blood on the Cross, and rose again from the dead, God gives that person His Holy Spirit, who seals them as God's own child and dwells in their sinless heart, I simply believed it and, in time, came to experience it realistically. So, when I read this passage, I thought, "Such a clear and easy-to-understand explanation as this will surely help many people who will be grateful for it and want to learn more by downloading the books." It reads: "The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not received by praying for a long time, nor is it received through fasting prayer, nor is it received through the laying on of hands received from people. It is receiving the Holy Spirit as a gift only by the faith that believes in the righteous ministry of Jesus, where Jesus Christ took upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John the Baptist and accepted the judgment of sin on the Cross."
Whenever I read Acts 2:5-13, I always strongly see the correlation between then and now; namely, how Paul C. Jong's books have been translated into more than 90 languages! Amazing! The passage says, "Acts Chapter 2 verses 5 through 13 record the event where the Holy Spirit caused them to speak in the language of each nation. The Bible records, “because everyone heard them speak in his own language.” The essence of these tongues is not a language of personal prayer or evidence showing spiritual superiority. This is a sign that the already completed salvation has been opened toward all nations. It is a scene where humanity, which was scattered by language at the Tower of Babel, is now being called again by one gospel."
"Those who have the assurance of the removal of sins can never remain silent." He adds that it is "a natural result of the Holy Spirit working within the one who is already saved." Amen, so true. It reminded me of the Scripture in Luke 19:39-40 where Jesus says, "And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.' But He answered and said to them, 'I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.'" I fully agreed with this statement from my own personal experience. Before I was born again, I would not have described myself as a "bold" person. If anything, I was extremely shy. But after I was born again of water and the Spirit, I did indeed become bold. Paul C. Jong explains the reason for this perfectly, writing, "Boldness does not come from personality but from the assurance of the gospel, and the filling of the Holy Spirit makes one remain as a witness revealing the completed salvation before the world." Amen. This, the author explains, is why the Apostles were able to be bold when preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit: "Jesus had the sins of the world transferred onto Jesus’ body through the baptism He received from John, and because He ended the judgment of sin by being nailed to the Cross, the apostles could stand boldly even before worldly authority and testify to the preaching of the gospel of the water and the Spirit."
This lovely passage resonated with my heart, and I found myself saying, "It's so true!" "Acts chapter 4 asks us today why we preach this gospel and why we cannot remain silent. This is because the gospel of the water and the Spirit is not a doctrine that can be compromised, but the gospel of life that God has already completed. A person who truly knows this gospel does not retreat before any threat and testifies by faith to the power of salvation accomplished by the baptism and Cross of Jesus Christ. This is exactly the true appearance of the church shown by Acts chapter 4 and the essence of faith we must recover." Amen. This next passage is so crystal clear. I thought to myself, "Truly, it is those who think highly of themselves, not knowing their fundamentally sinful nature, and who instead hypocritically love to show off their own self-righteousness, who reject God's salvation containing God's righteousness alone." It reads: "The following declaration, “Nor is there salvation in any other,” is never an arrogant monopoly but an inevitable conclusion that accurately penetrates the essence of the sin problem. Human sin is not something that can be repented of with words or offset by good deeds, nor is it a problem that can be covered up by religious acts. Sin is resolved only when it is surely transferred to someone and the judgment worthy of it is carried out. The One who can do this momentous task is only Jesus Christ, and because He alone had the sins of the world transferred to Him by receiving baptism from John and paid the price of that sin once and for all on the Cross, Peter boldly proclaimed this only way." Amen To sum it up neatly, the author says, "Because the gospel of the water and the Spirit completely excludes human pride and merit, it rather becomes a stumbling block to many."
In the Q&A section of Chapter 4, I emphatically agreed with these words because I have personally experienced both sides of this truth. Before believing the gospel of the water and the Spirit, my focus was on outward godliness, good behaviour, and religious devotion. However, even after being born again, there were times when I slipped back into thinking that my own godliness somehow needed to accompany the gospel of the water and the Spirit, despite believing that it had already completely removed all my sins. This is why I found these words particularly insightful: "Religion emphasizes godliness revealed outwardly, but the gospel of the water and the Spirit resolves the problem of sin in the heart." I was thankful for the gentle yet firm reminders throughout the book about preaching the gospel to others. He says; "The important thing is not who you are trying to beat, but who you want to save from sin. The goal of the one who believes in the gospel of the water and the Spirit is not winning a debate, but revealing the truth to save a soul. Maintaining love but not compromising the gospel of the water and the Spirit—that balance is the key."
Reading this paragraph reminded me that it was through the books of Paul C. Jong that I learned the correct and true meaning of the word "repentance." It is such an enormously important truth to learn! All Christians need to understand the correct meaning of repentance to bring them back from the very wrong and deadly path of thinking that repentance means asking for the forgiveness of sins whenever they sin, which is, if they are honest enough to admit it, a useless cycle that does not eliminate any sin whatsoever. This is the correct, Biblical meaning: "Repentance is not the amount of tears but turning the direction of faith toward God, and removal of sins is the result of the gospel of the assurance of salvation that comes from believing the fact that the sins of the world were transferred to Jesus’ body through the baptism Jesus received from John, and the judgment of sin was ended by the blood of the Cross." Amen. My sins disappeared immediately when I repented with the correct understanding and belief in Paul C. Jong's clear explanation. This statement is so true. Many people have been puzzled by my way of life and by the various ways in which I spread the gospel of the water and the Spirit. They automatically assume that I get paid for it. When I tell them, "Absolutely not," they are befuddled. But to the born-again, it is exactly as Paul C. Jong says here: "To those who know the word of the truth of completed salvation, the work of preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit becomes a natural ministry of testimony beyond duty."
The book says, "Perfect righteousness exists only in God's righteousness." This is so true. Since believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, never once, not even in the slightest, have I doubted whether I have truly been saved, or whether it is really true that all my sins were passed over to Jesus when He received baptism from John the Baptist. Not once. Nor have I ever felt that the gospel of the water and the Spirit that I believe needed "topping up," or that I needed to do something in order to sustain it! If anything, the assurance of my salvation has remained solid and steadfast. It has grown, and I have decreased, just as John the Baptist said in John 3:30: "He must increase, but I must decrease." To reiterate, Paul C Jong writes, "Salvation is faith standing 100% upon God’s righteousness. The moment self-righteousness arises, the assurance of salvation shakes, the grace of salvation diminishes, and a sense of merit arises. 
True faith lies in the confession, “I was a sinner and the Lord accomplished my salvation all alone.” The salvation that keeps that confession from shaking stands upon the faith believing the word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit given by the Lord." Amen. I am positive that the five guidelines Paul C. Jong writes about regarding God's Church will be enormously appreciated and helpful to gatherings of the born-again all around the world! I really loved this paragraph: "God prepared the gospel of the water and the Spirit that would end sin once and for all from the beginning. Jesus’ baptism and Cross are the completion and conclusion of the entire Old Testament." Because I truly love Stephen's testimony of the gospel of the water and the Spirit recorded in Acts 7, I especially loved this well-written passage in the book: "In conclusion, Acts Chapter 7 asks us whether we are holding onto buildings and acts, or believing in the completed salvation God has accomplished. God gave shadows through the promise to Abraham, the type to Moses, and the tabernacle and the Temple, and finally removed our sins forever through the reality of the baptism and the Cross of Jesus Christ. Stephen proved this gospel through the history of Israel and sealed its truthfulness with his own life. Today, we too must choose whether to become those who reject this gospel of the water and the Spirit, or those who testify like Stephen."
"God does not calculate suffering due to the gospel as a loss, but views it as a privilege to participate in the name of Christ. Also, the Apostle Paul expressed the tribulation suffered because of the gospel as light affliction which is for a moment, and testified that it cannot be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in the future. Here, suffering is not God’s wrath, but a natural result that appears when the value of the gospel collides with the world." How beautifully written and how true. Paul C. Jong goes on to write three powerful paragraphs about persecution being part and parcel of preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit from those who stand against this gospel. These paragraphs are powerful because they are true, yet they are wrapped in pure love and encouragement, which I believe will touch the hearts of all born-again readers and catapult them to press forward in faith and boldness. Praise God. 
Following on, in the question-and-answer section, there are wonderful reminders that all the gifts and talents the born-again possess are given by God for us to serve the gospel. They are not of ourselves. Therefore, we must use them accordingly and always have God's righteousness, not our own, as the center of everything we do with our God-given talents. I loved reading this next question and its answers, as I always need reminding because even though I have already been saved by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, my flesh is still weak and is not immune to slipping into complacency, and not just once. That is why I wholeheartedly believe that reading or listening to the books by Paul C. Jong every day is a necessary, non-negotiable must. His stern answer, written over several paragraphs, was very sobering for me, and I was truly grateful for it. 4. What does the Lord say about those who are born again by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit but do not do the work of preaching this gospel on this earth and follow their own fleshly desires? I chose just one paragraph from the reply as an example: "Apostle Paul distinguished between those who follow the flesh and those who follow the Spirit. He warned that a life following the flesh is a path to becoming an enemy of God. This is not a simple formula that salvation is cancelled immediately, but a word asking where the direction is heading. If one is a born-again person, he must advance toward a life that reveals the gospel following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If one continues to follow the lusts of the flesh and the greed of the world, the Bible describes it as a spiritually sleeping state, or a state of having lost the first love."
I am always grateful for the NLM books because they reach deep into my heart and make me clearly realize that I need to renew my heart and make changes in my day-to-day life. I never want to "lose my first love" or remain in "self-satisfaction." There are so many layers in Paul C. Jong's books, and that, I know, is the power of the Holy Spirit. For instance, when I read something that pricks my heart and conscience, and I am rebuked through the words I read, I am also comforted by God's love and encouraged by the Holy Spirit. It is hard to express in mere words. That is one of the reasons why I understand how important it is for us to write these book reviews: to encourage others, born-again or not, to read these books for themselves and partake in the heavenly blessings encapsulated within each one of them. These books are meant to be shared, not kept to oneself. They are far too precious and valuable for that. They are not like money, winning the lottery, or being left a ginormous inheritance of wealth, where one starts daydreaming and planning how to spend it all on personal desires. No, these books ignite the desire to share their contents—not merely the black-and-white words written on the pages, but the filling of the heart to the brim with, first and foremost, the love of God, along with other treasures such as guidance, knowledge, understanding, clarity, purpose, a sense of belonging, assurance, boldness, peace, tranquillity, help, and literally everything human beings need, whether born-again or not. This paragraph is one such example: "However, at the same time, the Bible presents a way of restoration of faith. 
The Lord wants the one who stumbles to turn back rather than completely abandoning him. There is rebuke for the one who followed the flesh, but if he repents and returns to the center of the gospel again, there is restoration. God does not look for a perfect person, but rejoices in one who turns his heart and follows the Lord’s will again." I pray that I keep these loving words deep within my heart. And these, too: "Ultimately, the core is this. The direction of a born-again person’s life must be toward the gospel of the water and the Spirit. There may be temporary weakness, but if one continuously follows only the flesh, the Bible treats it with words of warning. The Lord saved by grace, and He wants that grace not to be in vain. So when a born-again person stays in a life of turning away from the gospel and following only his own desires, the Bible awakens him with a warning of love." The book explains the account of Simon the sorcerer, who thought he could buy the Holy Spirit with money and whom Peter sharply rebuked for doing so. It says: "The Holy Spirit does not come for the greed of a person in whom sin remains, but comes solely to confirm the truth to those who believe the gospel that sin has ended through Jesus’ ministry." I am positive that by reading about this account in Acts chapter 8, many people's misunderstandings about how to receive the Holy Spirit will be cleared right up. 
I believe this teaching is very much needed by a large number of charismatic, church-going Christians today. They need to understand that: "The presence of the Holy Spirit is not adding a new method of salvation, but a work of sealing in the hearts of all believers that the gospel of the water and the blood already preached is the true truth coming from God." This following paragraph always reminds me of how, when I first encountered the gospel of the water and the Spirit many years ago after reading Book 1 that I had been given, I surprised myself by not feeling the need for someone else to confirm that what I had read and believed—that all my sins had been passed onto Jesus when He was vanished by John the Baptist—was true! The conviction I had within myself, within my heart, was rock solid. It was an assurance that I had never encountered before in any aspect of my life. It was so remarkable because, whenever I was unsure about something—especially regarding the Bible—I always, always needed my dad's validation. But that need was nowhere to be found when I encountered the gospel of the water and the Spirit, and since then, I have never had even a nanosecond of doubt or uncertainty in any way, shape, or form. To be 100% certain of anything in this life is something that I am sure many people would desire. Such certainty can only be found through believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit given to us by God. And it does not end there. No, that assurance, sealed within believers through the Holy Spirit, permeates every single aspect of their lives. It is truly beautiful and blissful, bringing true, genuine peace to the heart no matter what difficulties or struggles may befall us. 
I thank God from the bottom of my heart for this precious gift. "The Holy Spirit always testifies to the salvation completed by the water ministry, which is the baptism of Jesus Christ, and the blood of the Cross, and is God's seal that seals the truthfulness of the already accomplished gospel in our hearts." I have always loved the account of Saul becoming Paul in Acts chapter 9, and I thought this introduction to it was very captivating: "Acts chapter 9 is not simply a personal anecdote of the conversion of the persecutor Saul, but a decisive turning point showing how a human being who was at the peak of the law and religious zeal is completely dismantled and reconstructed before the ‘gospel of water and the Spirit’. God clearly reveals through the historical events of this chapter why He changed the most zealous legalist into the most thorough witness of the gospel." I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Cornelius in Acts 10. It made me stop and consider the mighty changes God was bringing about in people's minds and hearts! Teachings that people had previously held onto were being gladly cast aside, and the new yet already completed gospel of Jesus' baptism and blood was being accepted with deep thankfulness and awe. It was lovely to ponder just how exciting, powerful, and eventful a time it must have been. 
However, I also believe that all of this takes place individually for everyone who comes to hear the gospel of the water and the Spirit today. It is just as wondrous and thrilling! This passage expresses my thoughts much more eloquently: "Peter, who arrived at the house of Cornelius, confesses that his theological prejudice was broken, saying, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” Here, outward appearance means nationality, religious history, or life morality. The fact that God does not look at these human conditions, but pays attention only to whether the soul accepts the fact of the elimination of sin that has already been accomplished through the ministry of Jesus Christ, is confirmed through this meeting." I must say, I loved this statement and agree with it emphatically! I have paraphrased it while preserving its truth: The gospel of the water and the Spirit exposes all spiritual falsehoods that shackle humanity. I also agree with and have personally witnessed and experienced this next true statement over the years of preaching this gospel to others: "The gospel of the water and the Spirit becomes a stumbling block to those who hold onto their own righteousness, but it becomes life to those who long for the resolution of the problem of sin." It is extremely powerful either way. 
Once again, I found myself saying, "Yes!" aloud when I read: "The gospel does not allow people to remain in a neutral zone; it is a branching point of life that forces them either to accept the fact of that salvation and gain life, or to reject it and oppose it." And: "The gospel of water and the Spirit advances without stopping, following God's sovereign plan." I believe and witness this truth, not only through the many videos uploaded by The New Life Mission on their website and YouTube, and the many pictures I see on social media of brethren proclaiming the gospel of the water and the Spirit through book distribution, but also in my own life. Not a day goes by that I am not preaching the gospel in some way, shape, or form. It is all clearly of God! Everyone should be deeply grateful for the fact below because we are all utterly weak and insufficient. I know I am! "The fact that Jesus Christ was baptized by John at the Jordan River to have the sins of the world passed onto Him, received the judgment of sin on the Cross, and that the Holy Spirit testifies to this, makes our salvation perfectly complete without anything more to add. Actions are not the condition of salvation but only the result, because this gospel of the water and the Spirit is perfect." Amen!
"Salvation is not a result achieved by human persuasion, but a work where the already completed gospel is accepted by faith only when God opens the heart." This is absolutely true! It is perfectly put! I very much liked this statement: "The gospel of the water and the Spirit does not fear verification, and reveals the reality of its truth to those who deeply search the Scriptures." Towards the end of the book, there is passage after passage of extremely insightful and helpful guidance for the coworkers and Churches carrying out God's Great Commission. These passages are truly invaluable and, I dare say, very much needed. I always love how Paul C. Jong never fails to declare that the Word of God must be the center ... of everything. In the book, Paul C. Jong gives an excellent explanation of the difference between the baptism John administered to the people and the baptism he administered to Jesus. The former was a baptism of repentance, whereas the latter involved the transferring of the sins of the world onto Jesus. I am sure the reader will greatly appreciate the detailed Biblical knowledge presented here. Through its combination of lessons, Questions and Answers, and sermons, this book leaves nothing unsaid or undone in guiding readers, whether born-again or not, to gain a deep understanding of the gospel of the water and the Spirit and how to live within the already completed salvation. 
The following answers to a questions in the Q&A section regarding peace resonated with me so deeply that I had to share them, and I could not help but say, "Amen" to it.
"The ‘conviction of a righteous person’ obtained through the gospel of the water and the Spirit goes beyond abstract doctrine and becomes the foundation of unshakable inner peace (Inner Peace) in the actual field of life. In interpersonal relationships, we are often easily hurt and intimidated by the criticism or condemnation of others, but a person who has the legal conviction that all my faults were already transferred by the baptism of Jesus and completely resolved on the Cross comes to trust God's verdict much more than the judgment of people. In other words, the spiritual self-esteem saying, “God justified me, who is to condemn me?” is formed, so that one does not alternate between joy and sorrow at the gaze of others, and comes to have the composure of mind to be able to generously accept even the weakness of the other party."
"Also, even in the midst of fierce hardships or unexpected adversities of life, this gospel becomes a powerful tool of peace. When suffering hardship, many people are captivated by the retributive fear saying, “What sin did I commit to receive such punishment?”, but the righteous person who possesses the gospel of the water and the Spirit does not interpret his own hardship as ‘punishment for sin’. This is because he believes that all punishments for sin were already borne by Jesus through baptism 2,000 years ago and finished on the Cross. Therefore, even in the midst of hardship, he maintains peace within the conviction that “God sees me as a righteous child whom He loves,” and comes to have the spiritual sight to be able to look at that hardship as refinement for growth or God's good plan."
"Ultimately, the peace given by the conviction of a righteous person does not come from a temporary emotion arising because the environment is good, but from the fundamental sense of relief that the ‘problem of sin’ has been perfectly resolved. The love of God having been poured out through the Holy Spirit into the heart where the guilt of sin and the fear of judgment have disappeared, the practical ability to be able to confess “My soul is at peace” in any extreme situation appears. Like this, the gospel of the water and the Spirit is a practical power that makes us escape from the religious yoke, proudly enjoy the authority of a righteous person even before the conflicts of interpersonal relationships and the waves of life, and walk together with the Lord who is the King of peace." In a Q&A section, I very much appreciated Paul C. Jong's practical help and guidance on how to share the gospel with others, especially in response to the common misunderstandings people have about the gospel of the water and the Spirit. "Excellent guidance," I thought! The book says; "Because the gospel of the water and the Spirit does not allow human boasting even a little, it becomes the most unbearable news to those who hold onto their own righteousness." How powerfully true this statement is! I have experienced this with my own eyes and ears while sharing the gospel with certain people! "How powerless human skill and wisdom are in guaranteeing life. That place of despair where all sense of direction has disappeared becomes the stage proving that only the word of God becomes the only way." I adored that statement, and I believe it wholeheartedly. Truly, this book, and the way it is written, is undeniably skillful and beautiful. The number of times I had to re-read a paragraph or a sentence just to absorb the words into my mind and heart, I lost count. I give praise to God.
I read this book online, so I did not realize that I had come to the end of it when I had! I was so engrossed in reading the final three beautiful and most helpful guidelines by Paul C. Jong on how the born-again ought to live their lives as vessels, just as the Apostles and the Apostle Paul did. I am grateful to God once again for helping Paul C. Jong write yet another blockbuster book! His books always leave me excited to put into practice all that I have read in my life as one who is born again. I pray that you, too, will read this book and experience the same desire. God bless you. God bless Paul C. Jong.