[29-4] In this age, who are the ones who will receive the Holy Spirit of God as a gift? (Acts 8:14-24)

 

The Appearance of Simon and the Challenge to the Early Church

“Simony” — A Warning Word of the Church

The Seed of Heretical Thought

         According to the records of the early Church Fathers (for example, Eusebius and Irenaeus), Simon did not stop at a mere personal mistake but is known as a figure associated with the early form of the later Gnostic movement.
He claimed himself to be “the Great Power” and deified himself, and by combining this with Gnostic ideas, he was evaluated as having become the root of a heretical movement.
Because of this, Simon can be seen as one who exerted influence outside the Church in spreading spiritual confusion and heretical thought.

         Simon left a clear lesson within the early Church that “the grace of God cannot be bought with money.”
Furthermore, his attitude became an example that later warned of the corruption of the Catholic Church (such as the selling of offices and the pursuit of power), and at the same time, he was seen as the starting point of heretical thoughts such as Gnosticism.
Therefore, Simon was not a positive model for the early Church but rather a figure who had to be thoroughly guarded against in order to preserve the Church’s identity and purity.

         In Acts 8:14–24, we can see that when Peter and John heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
However, this man named Simon, who had made magic his profession, wanted to become such a person himself when he saw the work of the Holy Spirit manifested through Philip.
Simon ultimately tried to give money to Peter and John to receive that power. The magician Simon also wanted to become a person who believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit.
His heart was not pure, seeking salvation by believing in Jesus.
Rather than being interested in believing in Jesus in his heart to obtain salvation, he was a man who sought to receive the Holy Spirit of God to gain material wealth.

         The Book of Acts records the work of the Holy Spirit together with the disciples of Jesus. We also call the Book of Acts “the Acts of the Holy Spirit.”
At that time, the people of Samaria accepted the word of God that Philip preached and received Jesus as their Savior.
However, they were ignorant regarding the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, Peter and John went down to them and laid their hands on their heads so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 

         The Servants of God Preached the Word of the Gospel about Jesus Christ Even in Samaria.
At that time, the people of Samaria were accepting the Word of God.
This could be said to have been a miraculous event, because the Jews were those who had kept their distance from the people living in the region of Samaria.
However, when Philip went to the region of Samaria and preached the Word of God’s gospel, they opened the doors of their hearts and became those who accepted Jesus as their Savior.

The Catholic Church Says That One Receives the Holy Spirit Through the Sacrament of Confirmation

         Is the Sacrament of Confirmation Related to the Pentecostal Church Today?
The Sacrament of Confirmation and the Pentecostal movement today do not have a direct institutional continuity, but they can be seen as having parallels and connections surrounding the “experience of the Holy Spirit.”

         1. The Catholic Sacrament of Confirmation
After the sacrament of baptism, the Church institutionalized the experience of the Holy Spirit and established it as one of the sacraments.
In that process, the bishop would lay hands and pour holy oil on the head, teaching that the believers thereby receive the “fullness of the Holy Spirit.”
Thus, the presence and guarantee of the Holy Spirit came to depend on the institutional act of the Church — namely, the procedure of receiving Confirmation.
As a result, the experience of the Holy Spirit came to have the characteristic of being given only in a limited way within the institutional process called the sacrament.

         2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Pentecostal Movement
In the early 20th century, especially starting with the Azusa Street Revival of 1906, the movement of the Holy Spirit began to spread in earnest.
This movement, unlike the baptism Jesus received from John or the traditional institutional Confirmation of the Church, emphasized the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a direct personal experience.
The presence of the Holy Spirit was understood to be manifested through charismatic phenomena such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing, and through such experiences, believers came to have the assurance that the Holy Spirit had come upon them.
In this stream, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was not simply identified with the event of salvation but was often considered another special experience given after salvation, a “second experience.”

         3. Commonality
In emphasizing the experience of the Holy Spirit after the Sacrament of Baptism, traditional Church Confirmation and the early 20th-century Pentecostal movement show structural similarities despite taking different paths. 
Confirmation was established as a sacrament where the Holy Spirit is received through the laying on of hands by a bishop and anointing with holy oil within the institutional framework of the Church. The Pentecostal movement, on the other hand, adopted the direct personal experience of Baptism in the Holy Spirit and charismatic phenomena like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing as evidence of the Spirit’s presence. 
Although one is an institutionalized sacrament and the other is an experience centered on spiritual gifts, both traditions share the common structural feature of separating ‘Salvation (Baptism)’ and ‘experience of the fullness of the Holy Spirit,’ thus understanding the experience of the Holy Spirit as a separate stage in the journey of faith.

         4. Differences
Both Confirmation and the Pentecostal movement emphasize the experience of the Holy Spirit after Baptism, but they show significant differences in their basis and context. 
Confirmation was understood to be received through the anointing with oil and the laying on of hands administered by the bishop, relying on the authority of the Church and the sacraments. This was a normative method for guaranteeing the presence of the Holy Spirit within the Church institution. 
In contrast, the Pentecostal movement emphasized individual faith experience, taking charismatic phenomena such as speaking in tongues as evidence of having received the Holy Spirit. 
That is, it prioritized the direct experience of the Spirit’s work rather than relying on the institutional authority of the Church. 
Despite these differences, both traditions possess the structural similarity of separating Baptism and the experience of the Holy Spirit, understanding it as “another experience after salvation.” 
Therefore, Confirmation and Pentecostalism can be described as two different contexts that present the experience of the Holy Spirit: Confirmation within the institutional and sacramental tradition of Catholicism, and Pentecostalism within the stream of revival movements and charismatism.

         5. Theological Connection
From a historical perspective of church history, the Pentecostal Church’s understanding of the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” did not suddenly appear out of nowhere in the revival movements of the 20th century, but rather shares the same lineage as the continuing longing for the experience of the Holy Spirit that had persisted since the Middle Ages.
After the Reformation, as Protestantism gradually weakened the sacrament-centered pneumatology — namely, the understanding based on baptism and confirmation — the neo-evangelical and Pentecostal movements developed as faith movements that sought to fill that void by directly experiencing the Holy Spirit.
Ultimately, just as confirmation institutionally speaks of the “second experience of the Holy Spirit after baptism,” the Pentecostal movement shows the same structure on an individual level.
In other words, in emphasizing the experience of the fullness of the Holy Spirit through the experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit after receiving salvation through baptism, the Pentecostal understanding of the Holy Spirit can be seen as having inherited the Church’s confirmation in a personal and experiential way.

         Conclusion:
The doctrines of confirmation and the Pentecostal Church’s baptism of the Holy Spirit do not have a direct line of succession, but they are similar in that they both have a dual structure that distinguishes between “salvation” and “the experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The difference is that the institutional sacrament also involves the experiential gifts of the Holy Spirit.

         In Catholicism, it is said that receiving confirmation strengthens one’s faith with the help of the Holy Spirit.
However, the Word of the Bible does not say so. The Bible says that one receives the Holy Spirit as a gift at the same time as the remission of sins.
They established the doctrine of “confirmation” based on the event in which Peter and John laid hands on those who believed in Jesus and they received the Holy Spirit.
This doctrine is based on the words of Acts 8:14–24.
However, the practice today of anointing the heads of those who believe in Jesus and performing confirmation is a foolish act that misunderstands the original meaning of the Bible.
Those who believe in such doctrines are not limited to the Catholic Church but are spread widely even within Christianity. In the end, we must realize that people like Simon the magician continue to appear even within Christianity today.

About the Faith of Receiving the Holy Spirit Spoken by Paul C. Jong!

         The Word of the Bible clearly testifies about the faith of receiving the Holy Spirit. It is the faith that believes in the gospel Word of the water and the Spirit.
It is the fact that through the Lord Jesus Christ, who was baptized by John and thereby took the sins of the world upon His own body, was crucified and died, and then was resurrected, we not only have had our sins washed away but also have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38–40)

         The Old and New Testaments consistently say that the way for a person to receive the remission of sins is when he believes in the gospel Word that Jesus was baptized by John, bore the sins of the world, and went to the Cross.
And it is written that at the same time as receiving the remission of sins, one receives the Holy Spirit as a gift. (Acts 2:38)
Therefore, we must believe that Jesus was baptized by John, took the sins of the world upon Himself, and was crucified to become the Savior of sinners. The Holy Spirit of God is a gift that comes upon those who have received the remission of sins in their hearts.

         In order for us to receive the Holy Spirit as God’s gift, we must believe that Jesus, by the baptism He received from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world and was crucified, shedding His blood for us.
Then we will receive the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift. (Acts 2:38–39)
In other words, for us to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift into our hearts, we must once again believe that Jesus, by being baptized by John, took the sins of the world upon Himself, was crucified, shed His blood, and was resurrected from the dead as our Savior.

         Nevertheless, today’s Christians mistakenly believe that they must receive the laying on of hands in prayer to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We must reform such mistaken beliefs and believe in the true Word of truth testified by the Bible.
Such people, without knowing the truth of the gospel that Jesus was baptized by John and washed away the sins of the world, are still those who try to receive the Holy Spirit by human methods.

         What we must know is that the Holy Spirit is a “gift” that comes upon those who believe in Jesus, who was baptized by John and washed away the sins of the world, as their Savior.
A gift means receiving something that is given without a price. When we, in our hearts, believe the baptism that Jesus received from John and the work of His blood as the gospel Word that has washed away our sins and receive the remission of sins, God gives us the Holy Spirit as a gift.
It is precisely this faith of believing in the gospel Word of the water and the Spirit that is the faith by which we receive the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift.

         At that time, the Samaritans lacked knowledge of the truth. So when the apostles examined their faith of receiving the remission of sins and laid their hands on their heads, they were able to see that the Holy Spirit had come upon their hearts.

         Even today, in the 21st century, among those who believe in Jesus as their Savior, there are many who suffer confusion in their hearts because they lack knowledge about the truth of receiving the Holy Spirit.
They think, “Why is my life of faith not going well?”
“Why can I not follow the Lord’s Word with faith from all my heart?” — and many such people think that because their faith is lacking, they have become those who have not received the Holy Spirit as a gift.

         In order for us to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift, we must be those who have received the remission of sins by believing that Jesus, by being baptized by John and taking upon Himself the sins of the world onto His body, became our Savior through the blood He shed, His death, and His resurrection on the Cross.
We must know the fact that when we have received the remission of our sins, we then receive the Holy Spirit as God’s gift. Therefore, even if you desire to become someone who receives the Holy Spirit, without the knowledge of and faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, you cannot receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.

         There are many people on this earth who claim to perform the gift of healing. However, even if you desire to receive the laying on of hands from them to receive the Holy Spirit, if the state of your own heart has not received the remission of sins, it is of no use at all.
In order for you to receive the Holy Spirit, you must have the faith that believes that the Lord, by being baptized by John and thereby taking upon Himself the sins of the world, became our eternal Savior through the blood He shed on the Cross.

         In order for us to know and believe in the righteousness of Jesus and become those who have received the remission of sins in our hearts, we must have encountered the Lord who was baptized by John, took the sins of the world upon Himself, died on the Cross, and rose from the dead.
We must know and believe in the connection between the laying on of hands and baptism spoken of in the Old and New Testaments through the Word of God.
However, receiving the laying on of hands from those who claim to perform the gift of healing today is no different from the superstitious beliefs spoken of in the world.

         We can become people who are born again by believing in the gospel Word of the water and the Spirit.
Those who can know that the Holy Spirit dwells within their hearts are those who know and believe in the truth that Jesus was baptized by John, took the sins of the world upon Himself, and washed them away.
You and I must not become those who are deceived by the delusion of false ones who possess evil spirits.
This is because the devil is already powerfully working in those who do not believe in the gospel Word of God’s righteousness.

What is the meaning of what is said in Acts 2:36–38, “Receive the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”?

         “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).
Hearing these words, the Jews were pricked in their hearts and were trembling, saying, “What shall we do?” At that time Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

         This means that Jesus Christ, who received baptism from John and thereby took upon Himself the sins of the world, was crucified and rose again from the dead, has enabled us to receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
It means that by believing in the truth that Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John, we have come to receive the remission of sins.
Therefore, when we are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, it means that we have accepted the remission of sins by faith in this truth — that Jesus received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, was crucified, died, and rose from the dead — and that we are baptized by believing in this truth.

         As we know, this is a promise that the Holy Spirit is given as a gift to those who have received the remission of sins. 
The Holy Spirit comes to reside in the hearts of those who believe the gospel message of water and the Spirit, because they have received the remission of sins, and the Holy Spirit provides the final confirmation of salvation.
In other words, the remission of sins is the assurance of salvation, and we can say that it is the qualification to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

How should those who have received the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit live?

         The question, “How should those who have received the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit live?” speaks of the life of faith of the saints who have been saved from the sins of this world.

         It is an unchanging truth that the Holy Spirit comes upon those who have received the remission of sins.
According to Acts 2:38, it is said that those who have received the remission of sins receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
Therefore, we must know the fact that the Holy Spirit comes upon those who believe that the Lord received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, was crucified, and became our Savior.
Therefore, the saints must examine themselves, asking, “Do I truly believe that Jesus received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, and went to the Cross to shed His blood and become the Savior?”
We must know that at the same time we receive the remission of sins, we have become those who receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.

How did Jesus’ disciples become those who received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost?

         The reason why Pentecost had to be exactly the fiftieth day contains a deep spiritual meaning beyond simple date calculation. First, the word ‘Pentecost’ itself originates from the Greek word “Pentekoste,” meaning ‘the 50th day.’ In the Old Testament, God commanded them to count seven weeks, that is, 49 days, from the day after the Passover (the Feast of Firstfruits), and to observe the next day, the 50th day, as the “Feast of Weeks” or Pentecost. 
This was a feast for giving thanks to God for the first fruits of the grain, and also, in Jewish tradition, this day is regarded as the day when Moses received God’s Law on Mount Sinai after the Exodus event.

         However, this point in time, the fiftieth day, precisely coincides with a very important redemptive historical event in the New Testament.
Before the Passover came, Jesus received baptism from John, whereby the sins of the world were transferred to His body, thus becoming our Savior through the faith that believes in the Lord who was crucified, shed His blood, and was resurrected from death.

         Because Jesus received baptism from John and had the sins of the world transferred to Him, He told the disciples in advance that He would be crucified and rise from the dead, and promised to send the Holy Spirit. “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father’” (Acts 1:4).

         Exactly 50 days from the day Jesus received baptism from John and was resurrected from death on the cross, while the disciples were gathered and praying in the upper room of Mark, the Holy Spirit descended like tongues of fire. 
This became the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost mentioned in the New Testament.

         In the Old Testament, Pentecost was the day for offering the first fruits of the harvest, but in the New Testament era, it became the day for the Holy Spirit to descend. 
Also, if the Old Testament Pentecost was the day the Law was given, the New Testament Pentecost became the day the Holy Spirit was given. 
The law of salvation, which is not the Law engraved on stone tablets by God, was now engraved on the hearts of people through the Holy Spirit, and this speaks of the transition from the covenant of the Law to the new covenant of the Spirit. 
The 50th day, which is the day after seven times seven, or 49 days, signifies a new day of grace. Therefore, God made this day the Feast of Pentecost in the Old Testament, and by choosing that day to send the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, He spoke of a new era opening in God’s timetable—the Age of the Spirit.

         Ultimately, the reason Pentecost had to be on the 50th day is that God’s history of redemption is completely fulfilled only when two decisive events—the giving of the Law in the Old Testament and the descent of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament—occur precisely on that day. 
This day, therefore, connects the first fruits of the harvest with the first fruits of salvation, the stone tablets of the Law with the heart tablets of the Spirit, and the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, showing it was a providence of salvation meticulously aligned with God’s plan.

         God kept His promise precisely. 
Thus, on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to boldly preach the gospel. 
From that day onward, the era of preaching the gospel of water and the Spirit has continued. 
We have been able to receive the remission of sins by believing that Jesus is the Savior who took the sins of the world upon His body through baptism by John, was crucified, shed His blood, and resurrected from the dead. 
And we must remember that those who believe the gospel message of water and the Spirit became recipients of the gift of the Holy Spirit at the same time as they received the remission of sins in their hearts.

         And on the Day of Pentecost, there was the work of the Holy Spirit, who descended upon those gathered in the upper room. 
However, today, we must know the fact that the Holy Spirit is poured out as a gift upon those who believe the gospel preached by the apostles—that is, upon those who have received the remission of sins by believing in Jesus, who received baptism from John, had the sins of the world transferred to Him, and was crucified. 
Those who live today in the 21st century must receive the remission of sins by believing in the Word of the gospel that Jesus received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, and washed them away. 
We can become the recipients of the gift of the Holy Spirit when we receive the remission of sins by believing the gospel message of water and the Spirit. We can become those who receive the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit in our hearts by believing in Jesus’ baptism and His work on the cross.

         In the New Testament era, God gave the Holy Spirit as a gift to those who received the remission of sins by believing in water and the Spirit. 
And the Holy Spirit became the one who dwells in our hearts as our Master. 
This work of the Holy Spirit has continued from the time God saved us from the sins of the world once and for all and gave us the Holy Spirit as a gift, up until this 21st century.

The gospel message of the remission of sins is absolutely necessary for those who believe in Jesus to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift

         For all of us to receive God’s Holy Spirit as a gift, we must realize that Jesus received baptism from John, had the sins of the world transferred to Him, was crucified and shed His blood, and resurrected from the dead to become the Savior of those who now believe. 
At that time, the Lord grants us the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit in our hearts simultaneously. 
We become recipients of the Holy Spirit as a gift when we receive the remission of sins by believing in the righteousness of Jesus. This is the truth. 
We can only become recipients of both salvation and the Holy Spirit as a gift simultaneously by believing in the work of Jesus, who received baptism from John and had the sins of the world transferred to Him, and by believing in Jesus as the Savior who suffered the penalty on the cross.

Peter is speaking to us about the gospel of truth through which we receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit

         Look at the message Peter is delivering through Acts 2:38: 
“Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” The background of this verse is the event where the people of Israel did not recognize Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and shouted, “Crucify him!” 
However, upon hearing Peter’s sermon, they were pricked in their heart and were seized by fear and lamentation, asking, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:1–37).

         At that time, Peter said to them, “You did this in ignorance, but now repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped away.” 
Peter preached precisely, saying, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38).

         The truth of the gospel that Peter is testifying to is that Jesus received baptism from John, had the sins of the world transferred to His body, was crucified, shed His blood, and resurrected from the dead, thereby granting the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who believe. 
Peter is saying that we receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit by believing in Jesus Christ as the Savior. 
Therefore, those living in the 21st century must receive the remission of sins in their hearts and the gift of the Holy Spirit by believing in the baptismal work of Jesus, whom Peter believed in—Jesus who received baptism from John and bore the sins of the world—and by believing in the blood of the cross.

         We can receive the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit in our hearts by believing in the work of the Lord, who received baptism from John, took the sins of the world onto His body, was crucified, shed His blood, and said, “It is finished.”
Here, the fact that remission of sins and the Holy Spirit were given as gifts and are received by faith teaches us an important truth of salvation even now.
The Holy Spirit is a gift granted only to those who have received the remission of sins.
Therefore, we were able to receive remission of sins in our hearts by believing in Jesus as our Savior, and thus we were able to become those who could receive the Holy Spirit as a gift from God.
The Holy Spirit is the gift of remission of sins that God gives to those who believe in Jesus, who received baptism from John, bore the sins of the world, and went to the Cross to pay the full price for sin.

         “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” — this was precisely the faith of the Apostle Peter.
The Holy Spirit was given as a gift along with the remission of sins to those who believe in the fact that the Lord received baptism from John, took the sins of the world upon Himself, and shed His blood on the Cross.

         We must become those who believe that the Lord received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, and by shedding His blood on the Cross has become the Savior of those who believe now.
Only those who believe in the baptism of Jesus and the blood of the Cross as their salvation can enter the ranks of those who are born again.
Because we have received remission of sins in our hearts, we are able to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
The Holy Spirit is a precious gift from God that is granted only to those who have received remission of sins by faith.

         Jesus received baptism from John and thereby took the sins of the world upon His body, was crucified, shed His blood, died, and rose from the dead, and thus has become our Savior now.
Therefore, those who believe in this amazing work of salvation of Jesus now become those who have received the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift.
We must become those who, by faith in this Word of the gospel of salvation, receive remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift in our hearts.
Therefore, we are no longer sinners before God, but must become righteous people who please God by believing in Him.
At this very moment, we must ask the Lord to give us such faith.

Has the Holy Spirit come as a gift into your hearts now as you believe in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit?

         Yes, that is correct. The Lord has given the Holy Spirit as a gift to those who have received the remission of sins. Therefore, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit have now become the One who always dwells together in our hearts.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20).

         The Holy Spirit is the One who always dwells together with Jesus.
Peter said in 1 Peter 3:21, “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”
The faith of the Apostle Peter was clear. Jesus received baptism from John and thereby took the sins of the world upon His body, was crucified, died, and rose again, and by this gave eternal remission of sins to those who believe.

         We now need faith that Jesus has become our Savior through water and the Spirit.
“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).

         The truth of salvation accomplished by Jesus—who received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, and was crucified—is not a gospel Word given only in the age of the Early Church.
This gospel is still God’s eternal Word of salvation that applies to us today in the New Testament era, in other words, to those of us living in the 21st century.

Peter said, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”

         In Acts 2:40 it is written as follows: “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’” 
Peter said, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 
If you want to become someone who receives the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit in your heart, you must abandon the faith of believing in the Nicene Creed that has deceived us for as long as 1,700 years.
And you must have faith that our Savior Jesus received baptism from John, thereby transferring the sins of the world onto His own body, was crucified and died, and rose again from the dead. (Matthew 3:13–17)
You must believe that the Holy Spirit is the One who comes as a gift from God into the heart of the one who has received the remission of sins by believing in the ministry of the baptism that Jesus received from John.

         In the New Testament, Acts 2:41 records as follows: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” 
Just as this Word says, even today you must know the fact that those who believe in the Lord who received baptism from John to bear the sins of the world and was crucified are arising in various places all over the world.

What if you are still those who do not know and believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit?

         If you are still those who do not know and believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, the responsibility lies with you because you have only been believing in Jesus crucified on the cross, as presented in the Nicene Creed. 
We must all believe in Jesus’ work of washing away our sins by being baptized by John. 
And we must be those who believe that because Jesus took upon Himself all the sins of the world through the baptism by John, He went to the cross as the price, shed His blood, died, and was resurrected from death to become the Savior of those who now believe.

         You must know the fact that there are many in this world who believe only in the cross, as presented in the Nicene Creed, and thus live as sinners without having their sins resolved. 
Therefore, in order for us to be saved from our sins and receive the Holy Spirit, we need the faith that knows and believes in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. 
Salvation must be received through the faith that believes that Jesus washed away the sins of the world by having them transferred to Him through the baptism by John, and took the judgment for sin on the cross in our place.

         You must know the fact that the gospel Jesus gave to humanity is the gospel of the water and the Spirit, not the “gospel of the cross presented in the Nicene Creed.” 
If you only know Jesus who suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified, without knowing the baptism Jesus received from John, you are those who do not understand Jesus’ words, “You must be born again of water and the Spirit.” 
The Bible clearly testifies: it testifies that Jesus became our Savior for us who now believe by receiving the sins of the world transferred to His body through the baptism by John, being crucified, dying, and resurrecting. Therefore, we must believe this fact. 
We could know and believe through the words of the Bible that because the Lord was baptized by John, He went to the cross and shed His blood to become our Savior.

         Are you currently trying to wash away your transgressions with a prayer of repentance, like those who receive confession in the Catholic Church? 
However, you cannot be washed of your transgressions with such religious faith. 
You must know that you cannot be washed of the sins in your heart through confession or a prayer of repentance with the faith that believes in the man-made Nicene Creed.

         The one who has washed away all my and your sins is Jesus Christ. 
If Jesus had not taken upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John, been crucified, shed His blood, died, and resurrected from death to become the Savior of those who now believe, we could never receive the remission of sins. 
We received the remission of sins through the faith that believes in the gospel word that Jesus Christ bore the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John, was crucified, and resurrected from death.

         All of you must become those who long to receive the remission of sins through the faith that believes in Jesus’ righteousness. The reason is that Jesus became the Savior of sinners by receiving the sins of the world transferred to His body through the baptism by John, being crucified and dying, and resurrecting from death.

         Acts chapter 2 verse 41 tells us this: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” 
The apostles, with faith in the Lord—who became our Savior by receiving the sins of the world transferred to His body through the baptism by John, being crucified, and resurrecting from death—preached this gospel to others as well. 
The Bible records that after hearing this gospel, the word of truth that Jesus bore the sins of the world by receiving baptism from John and went to the cross, three thousand believers were added on that day alone. 
We must remember the fact that people came to believe in Jesus’ baptism and the blood of the cross as the gospel of salvation.

         Today, we are preaching the gospel all over the world by believing in the gospel word of the water and the Spirit.
If so, how many people in this age are being born again, receiving the remission of sins by believing the gospel of the water and the Spirit in their hearts? Only God knows that.

         Let us look at Acts chapter 2 verse 42 together. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” 
This verse means that the saints of the early church all united and put their efforts together to live a life of proclaiming the gospel word. 
They received the apostles’ teaching, fellowshipped with one another in faith, shared food, and became those who devoted themselves to prayer. 
They lived a life of proclaiming Jesus’ gospel word of righteousness on this earth, and now they have returned to the Lord and are resting.

         The early church saints received the remission of sins in their hearts by believing that Jesus is the Savior who took upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John and was nailed to the cross, and they were embraced by the Lord after living a life of gospel proclamation through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Since the early church era was a time when transportation was inconvenient, those who preached the gospel walked on foot to proclaim God’s gospel word, that is, the gospel of the water and the Spirit. 
However, today we live in an age where we proclaim the gospel word of the water and the Spirit throughout the world through literature ministry.

         Today, many people in the 21st century are in deep spiritual confusion. 
The reason for that is that they first knew and believed the Nicene Creed. 
The Nicene Creed was made in AD 325, and the gospel word of the water and the Spirit—that Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John, was crucified, died, and resurrected—is the gospel word that was made in AD 33.

         So even now, those who believe in the Nicene Creed say, “I believe in Jesus,” yet they are living in a sinful state.
This is because they only know the Cross of Jesus and have not known that the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit is the true gospel of salvation.
Those who believe in the Nicene Creed say with their lips, “I have received the remission of sins,” but since sin remains in their hearts, they have become people who live in fear of standing before God.
These people, too, if they want to receive the true remission of sins and the fullness of the Holy Spirit as the Bible speaks of, must become those who have received the remission of sins by faith in the Lord who received baptism from John, took the sins of the world, was crucified, died, and rose again.

         However, today many people, after the establishment of the Nicene Creed, claim to believe in the gospel of the Cross, yet they continue their religious lives while remaining in a sinful state.
Many people, having not encountered the true salvation — that is, the gospel of the water and the Spirit — live as those who have not received the remission of sins in their hearts. They are practicing a vain religious life like the religious people of the world.
God wants these people to turn away from the faith that remains in the Nicene Creed and return to the true faith that believes in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit.

         This is why today many people go to fasting prayer centers, trying to wash away their sins through prayers of repentance. Why is that?
The reason they fast like that is to receive the remission of the sins in their hearts. And it is to receive the Holy Spirit.
They desire to receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, but as time passes, they come to realize that all their efforts are in vain.
The reason is that their faith is a religious faith dependent on emotions.
Therefore, they must no longer be those who believe in Jesus emotionally, but must believe that the baptism Jesus received from John, by which He took the sins of the world, and His crucifixion, death, and resurrection are the works for our salvation, and thereby receive the true remission of sins in their hearts.
Therefore, we must carry out not a religious reformation, but a reformation of true faith.

         Those who want to achieve the true reformation of faith must become those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ — who received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, and was crucified — as their Savior.
To such people, the Lord has given the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift in their hearts.
These people still exist even in the 21st century, and they are the born-again children of God who shine like the stars in the heavens. 
Since God has given them the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift, we too must live following the path of faith they have walked.

         The will of God the Father toward us is clear: that we become the people of God by being saved through faith in Jesus Christ, who received baptism from John, took the sins of the world, was crucified, died, and rose again from the dead.
Therefore, we must become people of faith who believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, which is the will of God. 
We must remember the fact that even in this age, those who believe in the gospel of salvation are rising up in various places and giving glory to God.

         Jesus wants there to be many children all over the world who believe in Jesus Christ — who received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, was crucified, died, and rose again — as their Savior.
Therefore, we must become those who believe in the fact that Jesus received baptism from John, bore the sins of the world, and went to the Cross.
Also, as those who have received the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit from God, we must become those who spread this gospel to the world.

         When we believed in the righteousness of Jesus and received the remission of sins, the Holy Spirit came into our hearts as a gift.
The Holy Spirit remains in our hearts until the day of the Second Coming of Jesus, causing us to devote our bodies and hearts to the proclamation of the gospel so that we may not be stained by the world.
Therefore, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts, we come to feel even more deeply how amazing and precious the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit — the truth of the gospel of salvation that we have believed — truly is. 

         One thing we clearly know is this:
When a person receives the remission of sins from his sins, he must believe in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
There is only one way for us to receive the remission of sins in our hearts. That truth is the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
We must become those who believe in this fact — that Jesus Christ received baptism from John, took the sins of the world onto His own body, was crucified, shed His blood, and rose from the dead, and has now become our Savior.
By believing this truth of the gospel of salvation in our hearts, we become those who receive the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as a gift. When we have faith in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit, only then do we become those who are saved from their sins and those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.

         Within the Word of God that we believe and preach, there is clearly contained the Word of truth that has saved you from the sins of the world.
Therefore, we must firmly believe the truth that we can receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit within the faith of believing in the Word of God.
When we abide in this faith, we will fully enjoy the blessings of God.

         However, today most people around the world think, “If I believe in the Cross of Jesus, I will be saved,” and then believe, “I must receive the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.”
Such a faith is not the true faith spoken of in the Bible but merely a superstitious faith commonly found in worldly religions.
Therefore, we must bring about a reformation of faith in our hearts — a faith that believes in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit.

         We must know that God is the One who gives the Holy Spirit as a gift to those who have received the remission of sins, and we must become those who believe this fact in our hearts.
This is because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who comes into the hearts of those who have received the remission of sins.
Jesus received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, shed His blood on the Cross, died, and rose again.
It is into the hearts of those who believe in that Jesus as their Savior that the Holy Spirit comes.
The Lord is still the One who gives the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as gifts to those who believe in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit.

         We must clearly know what it means to believe in the Nicene Creed in this age, and the faith of believing in the Word of the gospel of the water and the Spirit given by the Lord must take root in our hearts.
We must become those who believe in the gospel — that Jesus received baptism from John, took upon Himself the sins of the world, and was crucified — in our hearts now, and thereby bring about a reformation of faith.

         Also, as those who believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, we must live in this world while hoping for the day when we will stand before the Lord and waiting for the Lord’s second coming.
All of us, as true reformers of faith, must fulfill the mission of being evangelists of the gospel of the water and the Spirit, transforming people’s hearts in the remaining days of our lives.

         I will conclude today’s message here. Hallelujah!
We give thanks by faith to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has saved us from the sins of the world and given us the remission of sins and the Holy Spirit as gifts. Hallelujah! Amen!

⬇ 📖 This sermon is also available in ebook format. Click on the book cover below.