THE BIG MYSTERY

(Rev 1:11 KJV)  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

(Rev 1:12 KJV)  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

(Rev 1:13 KJV)  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

(Rev 1:14 KJV)  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

(Rev 1:15 KJV)  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as

 the sound of many waters.

(Rev 1:16 KJV)  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

(Rev 1:17 KJV)  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

(Rev 1:18 KJV)  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

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(Heb 2:3 KJV)  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

(Heb 2:4 KJV)  God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

WHAT DID HE BEGIN TO TEACH IN THE AREA OF SALVATION?

LET'S GO TO THE NIGHT HE SPOKE TO NICODEMUS!

(John 3:1 KJV)  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

(John 3:2 KJV)  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  

THE MIRACLES WERE NOT ENOUGH!

(John 3:3 KJV)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

(John 3:4 KJV)  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

(John 3:5 KJV)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

(John 3:6 KJV)  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

(John 3:7 KJV)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

SOME PEOPLE ARGUE THAT THIS SCRIPTURE DOES NOT PROVE WATER BAPTISM IS ESSENTIAL – IT DOESN'T MATTER, OTHER VERSES DO!

•                     DID JESUS EXPLAIN HOW TO RECEIVE THE SPIRIT. –   NO

•                     DID HE EXPLAIN THE PROCESS?  – NO

•                     IF THERE IS A PROCESS IN A NATURAL BIRTH – THAN THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF PROCESS OR SIGN IN A SPIRITUAL BIRTH

HE DID NOT EXPLAIN IT –

•                     HE ONLY TOLD NICODEMUS THAT IT WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!!!

AS HEBREWS 2:3 CONFIRMS HE WAS BEGINNING TO TELL THEM ABOUT SALVATION.  THEY WERE NOT READY FOR THE BIG PICTURE!!!

(Isa 28:9 KJV)  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

(Isa 28:10 KJV)  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

(Isa 28:11 KJV)  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

(Isa 28:12 KJV)  To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

(Isa 28:13 KJV)  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. { THIS IS SPEAKING OF SALVATION}.

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JESUS BEGAN TO TEACH THEM OTHER THINGS THAT WERE NOT CONFIRMED OR FULLY UNDERSTOOD UNTIL LATER.  THEY SAW THE WORD OF GOD – SALVATION COME TO PASS.

1.  WHO HE WAS:(Mat 16:15 KJV)  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 

(Mat 16:16 KJV)  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.  CONCEIVED OF GOD!!!

(Mat 16:17 KJV)  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Ø        (1 Tim 3:16 KJV)  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

(Mat 16:18 KJV)  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

(Mat 16:19 KJV)  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

FIRST OF ALL HE WAS THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD

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THEN HE REVEALED TO PHILIP WHO THE FATHER WAS  (John 14:1 KJV)  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

(John 14:2 KJV)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

(John 14:3 KJV)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

(John 14:4 KJV)  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

(John 14:5 KJV)  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

(John 14:6 KJV)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

(John 14:7 KJV)  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

(John 14:8 KJV)  Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

(John 14:9 KJV)  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

(John 14:10 KJV)  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

(John 14:11 KJV)  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

NOW I HAVE A FATHER AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE HIM I'LL TAKE YOU TO HIS HOUSE.  WHEN YOU HAVE SEEN ME YOU HAVE NOT SEEN MY FATHER.  IN SOME WAYS POSSIBLY, BUT NOT IN EVERY SINCE.  JESUS SAID HE IS IN ME.  INSIDE OF HIM LITERALLY.

THE FATHER WAS :"in Him

(Isa 9:6 KJV)  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(John 1:1 KJV)  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(John 1:2 KJV)  The same was in the beginning with God.  THESE THREE ONLY APPEAR IN ORIGINAL GREEK.   – "WITH" DOES NOT APPEAR .  IT WAS ADDED FOR THE INTERPRETATION'S SAKE BY THE WRITERS OF THE KING JAMES VERSION.

SO THIS CAN BE INTERPRETED THE SAME WAS IN THE BEGINNING – GOD

(John 1:3 KJV)  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

(John 1:4 KJV)  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  THIS IS THE ONE WHO BLEW THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO ADAMS LUNGS – ""THE CREATOR""

John 1:5 KJV)  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

THIS IS WHY JESUS TAUGHT IN PARABLES – LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT. 

(John 1:6 KJV)  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

(John 1:7 KJV)  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

(John 1:8 KJV)  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

(John 1:9 KJV)  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

(John 1:10 KJV)  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

(John 1:11 KJV)  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

(John 1:12 KJV)  But as many as received him, to them gave he power   {HOLY GHOST

POWER – TO BE WITNESSES} to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  WHOSE NAME? – WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE__________JESUS

(John 1:13 KJV)  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  {WHY HAVE I BEEN BORN INTO THIS  –  IT WAS THE WILL OF GOD}

(John 1:14 KJV)  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

JESUS WAS THE FATHER – HE TOLD PHILIP – "HAVE I BEEN SO LONG WITH YOU AND YET YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE ME" -"IF YOU SEE ME YOU SEE THE FATHER"

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n         SO – JESUS TELLS NICODEMUS THAT HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN

n         BUT HE DOESN'T EXPLAIN HOW.

n         THEN HE TELLS PHILIP IF YOU SEE ME YOU SEE THE FATHER.  BUT HE NEVER COMES OUT AND SAYS I AM THE FATHER!

WHY NOT?

HERE A LITTLE THERE A LITTLE -LINE UPON LINE -PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT.  HEBREWS TELLS US HE IS BEGINNING TO TELL THEM

THEY WEREN'T READY FOR THE BIG PICTURE YET!!!

HE GIVES US ANOTHER LINE OR PRECEPT IN JOHN 28:19

(Mat 28:18 KJV)  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

(Mat 28:19 KJV)  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

•                     NOT NAMES – FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRIT – {ONE NAME PLURAL}

•                     NOT TITLES – TO BAPTIZE IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER SON AND HOLY GHOST IS TO BAPTIZE IN THE TITLES.

•                     NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE WAS ANYONE EVER BAPTIZED USING THE TITLES FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST.

•                     THIS DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE COUNCIL OF NICEA IN 325 A.D.

•                     JESUS DID NOT INTEND FOR PEOPLE TO LITERALLY BE BAPTIZED IN THIS MODE.

•                     TO BAPTIZE USING THE TITLES FATHER SON AND HOLY GHOST IS TO GROSSLY IGNORE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF THE NAME OF JESUS.  THIS NAME HOLDS ALL THE POWER OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.  IT IS THE ONLY NAME THAT CAN FORGIVE SIN.

JESUS WAS SIMPLY LAYING DOWN A PRECEPT THAT WOULD LATER BE BUILT UPON BY PETER IN ACTS 2:38 WHEN HE SAID:

(Acts 2:38 KJV)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

AFTER ALL IT WAS PETER THAT JESUS GAVE THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM TO:  THE KEYS THAT WOULD UNLOCK THE DOORS TO THE KINGDOM.  JESUS DID NOT UNLOCK THOSE DOORS – HE GAVE THE KEYS TO PETER.  PETER TURNED THE TUMBLERS OF SALVATION WHEN HE SAID THOSE WORDS.

JESUS IN JN 28:19 WAS SIMPLY LAYING DOWN A FOUNDATION THAT HIS HOLY APOSTLES WOULD LATER BUILD UPON. 

(Heb 2:3 KJV)  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

(Heb 2:4 KJV)  God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

·          PETER UNDERSTOOD WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY GHOST.

·          HE KNEW THE NAME OF THE FATHER – JESUS – HE TOLD PHILIP HAVE I BEEN SO LONG WITH YOU AND YOU DON'T KNOW ME

·          HE KNEW THE NAME OF THE SON WAS JESUS – "THOU ART THE CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD!"

·          HE KNEW THE NAME OF THE HOLY GHOST –

(Mat 1:18 KJV)  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.   I THOUGHT THE FATHER WAS HIS FATHER, COULD IT BE THAT THE HOLY GHOST AND THE FATHER ARE THE SAME PERSON?!

(Mat 3:11 KJV)  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

(John 14:26 KJV)  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

IN MY NAME – BEARING MY NAME

·        (John 4:24 KJV)  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

·        (1 Sam 2:2 KJV)  There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

PETER KNEW THE scripture:  IF GOD IS A SPIRIT AND THERE IS ONLY ONE THAT IS HOLY, THAN IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE OUT THAT HE IS THE HOLY GHOST – AND IF THE NAME OF THE FATHER {CREATOR} IS JESUS THAN THE NAME OF HOLY SPIRIT IS JESUS!

GOD APPROVED PETERS THEOLOGY BY THE GIVING OF THE HOLY GHOST.  NOT ONLY ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, BUT ALSO MANY OTHER TIMES IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.  INCLUDING CORNEOULOUS HOUSE WHEN AS HE SPAKE TO THEM ABOUT JESUS THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON THEM ALL"!