What Must We Do?
STUDIES & DOC
What Must We Do?
by Dan L Baxley
At the first the Pentecost, after our Lord's crucifixion, a few believers gathered (120 in number) -- these were people that had met with, touched, and heard the voice of the resurrected YaHshua, and even ate with Him - Acts 1:1-5. The original 12 were joined by a few others for this gathering at the time of Pentecost (The Hebrew, Feast of Weeks). This 120 people were eye witnesses to the Resurrected Messiah. The Spirit came on them, as promised, and these Disciples spoke out in different languages (tongues), and the people of Israel/Jews, from various parts of the Roman Empire, heard the Disciples in their home town tongue, or language. They marvelled at this. Most were hearing these disciples of YaHshua, speak in their regional tongue, and were amazed, but others heard only babbling, and accused the Disciples as being drunk -- Acts 2:6-13. This is when Peter stood up and correct those confused by what they were witnessing. Still, enough heard and understood that these uneducated men, all Disciples of YaHshua, were indeed speaking to them in a language they could understand. Peter then presented the prophecy of Joel to all.
The first people to hear what was to come, were not hearing something NEW, but something they had never considered. Peter's first sermon, if we can call it that, came right out of the Old Testament writings of the Prophets -- Joel (YaHel - God is YaH) 2:28-32. Let's read, what Joel had to say, and then what Peter quoted. First the Quote from Joel, and then the quote from what Peter said.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Joe 2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Peter changes this to "...My servants...", and "...My handmaids..." -- in other words, both male and female followers of YaHshua)
Joe 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the YHWH come.
Joe 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the YHWH shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the YHWH has said, and in the remnant whom the YHWH shall call.
Now, Peter stands up and is inspired to preach this message to all Israel, and the people of Judah (YaHudah) from all of the provinces of the Roman Empire -- the whole of the known civilized world, and this is the FIRST Message, right out of the Writings of Joel.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all you that liven at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Act 2:15 For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Act 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:Act 2:18 And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy:Act 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.
Act 2:22 You men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God (The Father) did by Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know:
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24 Whom God (The Father) has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be held by it (The grave and death).
Act 2:25 For David speaks concerning Him, "I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:Act 2:27 Because you will not leave my soul in hell (the Grave), neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.Act 2:28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You shall make me full of joy with your countenance."
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre (grave) is with us unto this day.
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ (The Anointed) to sit on His throne;
Act 2:31 He (David) seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of (The) Christ (Anointed), that His soul was not left in hell (the Grave), neither His flesh did see corruption (YaHshua was raised on the Third day).
Act 2:32 This YaHshua has God (The Father) raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this, which you now see and hear.
Act 2:34-35 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he said himself, The LORD (YaHWeH) said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make Your foes your footstool.
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same YaHshua, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ (Messiah - The Anointed One).
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
And what did Peter say?
Act 2:38-39 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of YaHshua the messiah (Anointed) for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the Promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." (His Name restored)
Special Note: The King James and other translations say the name, Jesus, pronounced as Geezus -- a completely bogus name, a false name to replace the one Name that has salvation and eternity attached to it by Identifying the ONE who can give us the gift of eternal life. This false name, even in some Western cultures pronounce as, HeyZeus, that is to say, The Zeus -- not even remotely close to the name He was given at Birth)
How many Christians do you know have been baptized in His Name, the Name that Peter and all of the original Disciples taught and baptized in? His Name is not JESUS, not at all, but this is the false name, a name made up, a name that never existed until around 400 years ago, a name promoted by the King James translators, a Government Authorized version, expressly commissioned by the King of England -- thus, the Authorized version of the Word of God -- Authorized by the King of England, not by the God of Heaven, as some suppose. The Name was Change, no, REPLACED, but not totally hidden -- you see His Name throughout the Old Testament. Names like Isaiah, for example, contain His Name -- ISA YaH, which is to say, YaH Saves, or Salvation is YaH. There are others many others - Jeremyah, Zecharyah, Obadyah, and more -- click to this link for a list -- Shouting His Name. This is so important that thousands upon thousands of misguided people, pastors, and preachers have been baptizing people in a name that is total fiction. Once confronted with this truth, the usual response is, "Well, it does not really matter, it is what is in your heart that counts".
Is this important, or is it not? You bet it is --
Act 4:12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other Name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!"
(Mat 15:9) But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Because of this, it is a massive correction to be baptized, even re-baptized into His Name, the Name given to Him by God the Father. YaHshua is God the Son, the First Born, and being the First Born, means that there are others to be born. You have heard the term, Born again Christians, but how can these be truly those He has called when they have been baptized into a false Identity. How can you call on a Savior whose Name you do not know? I call on the God of the Bible, some will say, but there are many gods, even in the Bible of the Hebrews, and the Christians, the warning is to watch out for the many gods and lords, whether in Heaven or on the Earth --
1Co 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.1Co 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord YaHshua the Christ (Anointed), by whom are all things, and we by Him.Special Note: From this knowledge, and we see our Lord's Name changed, that is, replaced, in the very teaching about there being many fakes, or things called gods or lords, we see His Name Changed -- In the Very Verse Warning against such abuse, we can see how His Holy Name, the Name connected to Salvation itself, is CHANGED. This verse should read, "... and one Lord YaHshua the Anointed..." Now, restore His Birth Name as you read, and see what Paul, in his day, takes for granted, ends up revealing to you and me the wickedness of those working for the enemy, by changing the Name, a Name Paul and all of the other Disciples and Apostles of the First Century used, and how it is now, since then been changed for another -- John 5:43, 2 Cor 11:4 -- YaHshua, and the Apostle Paul saw this coming.John 5:43 I have come in my Father's name, and you don't receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.John 8:42 Therefore YaHshua said to them, "If God (El) were your FATHER, you would love me, for I came out and have come from the FATHER. For I haven't come of myself, but he sent me.Serious Business:Mat 24:24 For there will arise false the messiahs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones (those called to this Truth).2Th 2:8-10 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.2Th 2:11 Because of this, the FATHER sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;
Special Note: This has been in the works for some time. Still, the name that is accepted today, is relatively new. This false name, a name so many signs and wonders have been claimed is but a delusion. The Apostles of YaHshua never heard the name and names used to replace His Name, a Name given to Him by His (our) Heavenly Father. All good comes from our Creator, our Savior, and our Heavenly Father whose mercy toward mankind is endless. He was so angered at one time that He destroyed all of mankind, save one man and his family, but has promised never to do that again. In His great mercy He has granted healing and miracles of the heart, knowing our weakness in the flesh. He does answer the prayers of those in need, but this is not proof for what is here and now, used by greedy people to entangle, or chain captive the weak. Read those warnings again. There are such things as "lying wonders", and "powers" exhibited to deceive. But, when we come to this truth, and know it to be true, then we must be willing to adjust to this truth and reject the lie and the lies we have been living under, no more the child of error, but called of the Living God and Father of us all.
The word, as delivered by Peter, in The Acts of the Apostles, does not say, Be baptized into whatever name you want to call Him, of course he does not say that, does he? Our Lord, our Savior has a name, a Name given to Him by His Heavenly Father, a Name delivered to Mary and Joseph to name Him, and it was not the name being professed today, how could it be, when the name being promoted and confessed today never existed until around the time the King James Bible was being produced.
After Baptism into the Correct Name, the Name given our Savior at His birth, a Name all of His Disciples knew and baptized others in, we find the New Covenant writings filled with admonitions about how to live, along with a record of the First Converts, first Jewish and later Gentiles, into the one New Covenant body. We find instructions, as well as history, a record of what happened in those first years, as the body of believers transition from the Old Covenant to the New. In these letters to the ecclesia, meaning body of believers, we find instructions about how a believer should conduct themselves, along with many other revelations. But for now, let's have a look at what Paul told to the Romans, a people seeking truth, but steeped in pagan idolatry.
Our Spiritual Service
Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of the FATHER, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to the FATHER, which is your spiritual service.
Rom 12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of the FATHER.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man (or woman) who is among you, not to think of himself (or herself) more highly than he (or she) ought to think; but to think reasonably, as the FATHER has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
Rom 12:4-5 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in the messiah, and individually members one of another.
Rom 12:6-8 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy (teaching), let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Rom 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.
Rom 12:10-13 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another; not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.
Rom 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don't curse.
Rom 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don't set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don't be wise in your own conceits.
Rom 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.
Rom 12:19 Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says YaHWeH."
Rom 12:20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."
Rom 12:21 Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
There are other things to consider as well. But this should be a start. Do these things and find favor with the one who calls you to the Father. Read the words left for us, as words passed on to us as true, words to live by. But first, be you baptized into His Name, the only Name that is found among men by which we must be saved. We read about those first converts, and their question, What must we do? And Peter's response was to be baptized in His Name. Why baptism? For in His death we live, and a baptism is symbolic of our dying with Him to be raised a new person, a sign of our acceptance of Him as our Savior, and the Promise of a Resurrection, a rebirth into eternity. Note this -- anyone can baptize anyone. That is right, it is not the person helping you to be baptized, that person, whether a preacher or a friend is but a tool helping you.
If you happen to have a fellow believer who is willing, or a pastor who is willing to help baptize you in the name of YaHshua, our Savior's birth name, great. You will notice, in the Acts account, the people went immediately to the water, they did not hang around waiting for months or years to learn more, or wait for a better time, or hesitate at all, they went immediately to the water and were baptized. We are not told, but I am guessing that in such a mass baptism many, maybe most, went into the water without help, virtually going under water, after a confession to be with YaHshua in death and raised in life, on their own. Imagine, 3,000 going to the water for a symbolic burial all at the same time. Maybe, too, they helped each other. It was not until later that the laying on of hands became part of the baptism ritual, but notice, this laying on of hands was done as a proof of the Holy Spirit acceptance. Later, the laying on of hands would be used to bless someone as a worker in the field. All of this would come to an end with the people called to YaHshua would go underground, so to speak, nearly vanishing from the historical landscape for nearly 200 years, and even then, what reappeared was something different. Down through the centuries, there has been several, "somethings different" versions of the Christian religion. But for us, for you and me, now, it is a personal connection, a personal calling, as it was even then, so it is now. The called have always been few, while the Gospel went out into the world, it has always been the few whose true Head has been the Messiah that died on the Cross, in whose Name we confess, above all others -- for this is the work of the living God. When YaHshua was asked the very same question that the Apostles were ask -- What must we do, He too had an answer.
John 6:27 Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him."
John 6:28 They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"
John 6:29 YaHshua answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
This is not for everyone, not yet, anyway, just as our Lord, YaHshua tells us --
Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.
There is a call to come to Him, and those who do will be introduced to the Father, the Ancient of Days, the One by whom YaHshua is given all authority. But what we see today, is a body of those who have repented, mostly, but have not seen or accepted, due to blindness, in part, and have been deceived, being kept away from a true confessing in Him. If we can Identify Him, then we can or will also be able to Identify our Heavenly Father, no long strangers, but children, and what child does not know their father? Very few, but in this world, in spiritual matters, and lives, no one seems to know and like pagans calling on everything but the one and only one by whom we must be saved. Most professing Christians, who claim the Holy Book as their guide, are in the Baptism of John, which is the Baptism of repentance, failing, however, to enter into the Baptism of YaHshua. See more on this in the article on Baptism.
Comments and Questions to -- dan@servantsofyahshua.com