Baptism #1

1983-0417 #1 Baptism

Shall we pray.

Heavenly Father we’re grateful that You are here with us, the form of the Holy Spirit, having descended with a shout, and not having left us but guaranteed to be here to raise the dead, and then to take us up to the wedding supper, to Your own great incarnation where we crown You King of Kings and Lord of Lords, becoming All and in All. It’s going to be marvelous.

We know this, Lord, by Your Word. We have nothing in ourselves to go by. We would not have thought of it. We would not at all have considered ourselves a part of it, but because of You, Your Revelation, Your kindness, to the invitation to the wedding supper. We are so happy to be a part of it, Lord, and to know we shall sit with the great King, and not simply sit with Him as though we were part of a throng that we’re looking on, but sit with Him, who is the Husband of the bride. And we’re appreciative of that, Lord. We really do appreciate it. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Now we look to You, Lord, for Your Word, to bless us, to guide us, to show us those things that we surely, although are aware of, ought to be even more aware of, at this time. So we give ourselves to You, in the study of the Word, and have confidence that You’ll just give us exactly the right thing to say.

In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen. You may be seated

1 Now there's a lot of sickness around, but I’ve always taken great consolation, you know, even in sickness. As Brother Branham said, something’s got to take you out of this world. I never could understand how Elisha was sick wherewith, of the sickness, wherewith he died. And you know, he had twice the miracles that Elijah had. You know, many, many people, I guess, find it hard in the face of the promise of healing and all those things, to reconcile how that we can get sick. Well ever since Brother Branham said something has to take you out of the world, it’s made me very happy and I keep thinking well, as I told you, diseases come and diseases go till the last one comes and I go with it. And I was thinking along maybe this will be my turn to get out of it but, no luck! This, evidently, is not it.

So, even disease can be very friendly. You know, like the Bible says, make friends with the unrighteous mammon. Maybe we should make friends with disease, so to speak, as long as it’s the right kind, and gets you out of here in a hurry like a good heart attack or something. I said heart, not hard, attack. Because most of our attacks are hard but they are not hard enough to get us out of here. So, we survive colds and I’d imagine that's what's going around everywhere. In my phone calls from different parts of the country, I find people aren’t too happy with whatever it is that is going around.

2 Now this morning, I want to bring a message on the importance of water baptism. You notice that every now and then I feel a little pastoral message with the subject which we are considering which is immortality at this time but we are going to look at water baptism.

3 Before we read the scripture that really pertains to the subject, I want to let you know, or to advise you that, many people think that water baptism actually is not tremendously weighty and vitally important spiritually, even though it is commanded. There are so many people view water baptism as something which should be done and it’s fine, it’s there in the Bible, but they don’t really appreciate the weight of it and the place that it has in the consummate plan of Almighty God. Now I think perhaps this is due in part to the wresting of scripture, which is a misunderstanding or deliberately putting a wrong meaning on it. It’s due to this wresting of scripture that Peter gives us on this subject of water baptism in a sort of indirect way.

Now let’s go to that first, just to get you set up with my thinking--why I’m taking this subject or, this certain thing in mind.

Now, 2 Pet 3:14-18. No, not what I want there. Third chapter. Second Peter--I’ll get there later on. [1 Pet 3:18-22:]

(18) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

(19) By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

(20) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

(21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

(22) Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

4 Now, that’s a tremendous statement, but many people just sort of use that as not really denigrating water baptism, but putting a meaning on it that is less than the meaning that Peter puts upon it.

Over here in 2 Peter, I was going to read it first but I read this other. 2 Peter 3, it mentions there, just look at verse fifteen:

(15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

(16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, (That is, they do wrong by it, they change the meaning of things.) they wrest as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

5 Now, Peter here, understood that people many times do not put the right meaning, emphasis, and position and understanding on scripture. When he wrote this over here, about how that water baptism is actually an answer of a good conscience toward God, many people actually take that and they say, “well hey, there’s really nothing much to it. See? This is just an answer of a good conscience.”

When you begin looking at Scripture in that light, we’re too prone to just begin to move it into a position that God never put it into. Now, we look at that twenty-first verse again, 1 Pet 3:21:

(21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (Now that’s a good strong statement, see? Then cutting in parenthetically.) (not putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)

6 Right away that little thing comes up, well, just a minute. The putting the filth of the flesh away is not involved there, and really all it amounts to is just an answer of a good conscience to God. And He talks about the resurrection there, and it looks like this thing is more or less, at the best you might say it’s sort of symbolic, and there isn’t just too much to it.

7 You see, it’s that little parenthetic statement in there that caused people to wrest the literalization and the strength and authority of water baptism. So they take it completely out of context, because so much of modern religion puts the wrong meaning on water baptism and when you begin getting away from the actual meaning, the actual reality, the actual part that water baptism has in the place of God, pretty soon you become denominationalized and you say, “well hey, we baptized this brother into our church, and it’s water baptism no matter how we do it in our church. And this is the thing that does it.” And they get away with scripture entirely.

Even some people go so far as to go to Acts 22:16, and they build an entirely fallacious doctrine upon it, they take it so far as where Paul is saying to this one, who has been converted, he’s got a real journey to God. And it said here, in the case of… It’s really Paul himself. [Acts 22:16:]

(16) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

7 Now you notice in here that these people don’t heed what Peter said. They say, “hey, I want to tell you something. Water Baptism actually cleanses me from sin.” You can just make the scripture say almost anything you want it to say.

So, there is a problem with actually everything that’s in the Bible--I don’t care what it is. You talk about Marriage and Divorce. There’s fifty answers, and forty-nine are wrong, if not all fifty, and we’re looking for the right one. You talk about birth control, and that’s got answers. You can go to the Bible and find a dozen statements that you might want to look at, and work at, and you could be wrong. There’s hardly anything in scripture that people can not wrest--that is, twist and take out of its context or take out of its true meaning. But even water baptism goes from the place that “well, it really doesn’t mean anything.” And then it means too much! Well look, there has got to be a middle of the road, and we’re going to try to see what the middle of the road is.

8 Now what happened is that many people don’t understand first of all there are two baptisms. One is the baptism in water, and one is the baptism with the Holy Ghost. And they are both spoken of in scripture, and both of them have two different things entirely to accomplish in the plan of Almighty God.

9 Now, when it comes to water baptism, it means the entering in to water, for immersion, which we will discuss. The baptism with the Holy Ghost is the entering in to Christ--not by water, for one does not enter into Christ by water. There is no way. For those who believe therefore that water baptism placing you into any church, and I don’t care if its sprinkling or immersion or any way that you ever employ, and think that you are in Christ, that is a hundred percent fallacious. You can only get into Christ by being baptized by the Holy Ghost. The baptisms are two different things entirely.

Now, many do not realize that Romans 6:3-10, refers not to water baptism, but being literally being baptized into Jesus Christ. Now let’s just take a look at this. [Rom 6:3-10:]

(3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Now you say, well now that sounds all right, that’s being baptized into Christ. Now what is that? Well, that’s not water. But let’s read a little further and it begins to look like water.

(4) Therefore as we are buried with Him by baptism into death.

Now you see, there you are. You go right to a place where you could say “hey that’s water.”

10 Because water symbolizes the person dying and coming up anew. So that’s got to be water, and you’d be surprised that people make that water. There’s all kinds of them. There’s a whole great denomination that is based upon that. And then remember that there are many people who understand one God, not as we do, but they believe in one God, and they have regenerational baptism. And this very scripture:

(4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

(5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

(6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

(7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.

(8) Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

(9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

(10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Now, that is not water baptism. No way, shape, or form. That is the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Alright.

11 What we are really after is to show is that water baptism is very, very important and wonderful, and absolutely necessary, because the consequences of it naturally lead to the rebirth or the baptism of the Holy Ghost which we are speaking of. This is the baptism with the Holy Ghost, but water baptism actually precedes it. Water baptism is literally the second step in the plan of God to a complete regeneration and redemption. Now the Bible warns you can not put anything in that’s not in there already, you can’t take anything out.

12 Water baptism is step number two. One, two, three. Now, let’s just look at the one. That’s the one person we are told to look to and to consider and when we do because it is a command to consider him, let’s see what he had to do with water baptism. Now that’s fair. I’m taking my time working around to get right where I want to go. Heb 12:1-2:

(1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, (That’s unbelief.) and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

(2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

13 Now it tells you and me that we are to consider him who was here in physical flesh and walked as a man on this earth. So there it is. Now, what about this one, that we are to look to, is there something concerning water baptism that we can see in his life and apply to ours? Well let’s just go to the book of Mark, and we’ll begin to see what I hope we will see this morning. Mk 1:1-11:

(1) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

(2) As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger (servant) before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Now that’s concerning John the Baptist, who came before Jesus Christ. And John is:

(3) The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

(4) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

[Bro Vayle skips verse 5]

(6) And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

(7) And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

(8) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Now notice, John baptizing in water, Jesus is going to baptism with the Holy Ghost. Now watch:

(9) And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

(10) And straightway coming up out of the water...

Now, not out of the water to the river bank, but he was plunged into the water, and as he came up out of the water, and stood upon his feet.

...he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

(11) And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

14 Now, let’s go to John 1:24-34. We’re getting some history here now because here we see we’re supposed to look to Jesus and he’s baptized in water. And we’ve got to find out about his baptism. [Jo 1:24-34:]

(24) And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

(25) And they asked him, (that’s John) and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

(26) John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

(27) He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

(28) These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

(29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (Now notice what he called Him.)

(30) This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

(31) And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. (Now you keep those things in mind. He said He’s the Lamb, He’s got to be manifested.)

(32) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

(33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

(34) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

And that’s as plain as the nose on your face. He tells you exactly what was going on. And he tells you what happened.

15 Alright. It is very evident that the one we are admonished to consider, to gaze at sincerely, was baptized in water. Now, he did not miss it nor neglect it, it was part of what he was to do. Now notice. He who was that--who he was, notice who it was that was baptized, is revealed to us in John 1:1-4:

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

(2) The same was in the beginning with God.

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

(4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (And then verse 14:)

(14) And the Word (that one,the logos, became 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.

Now that’s the one that is spoken of also here in Philippians the second chapter. Now just bear with me as I put it together for you. [Phil 2:5-11:]

(5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

(6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not… (a prize to be grasped and retained) …to be equal with God: (that word robbery is entirely out of line.)

(7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

(8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

(9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

(10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

(11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That tells you who He is. We also go to Hebrews 2:14-18:

(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might (bring to nothing) him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (That’s bring him low where he loses his power entirely and is thrown into the Lake of Fire.)

(15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

(16) For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (He became a man like you and me.)

(17) Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

16 Now all I’m doing this for is to show you that Jesus, the one that we talk about, the one that we claim to be the Lamb, the Savior, and everything else. This one was baptized in water for a very special purpose, and it was not omitted. He had to do it. And you can play it down all you want and say why was it really necessary? What is there to it? Well, there is something to it, it was necessary.

17 Alright. Now, see how Jesus told them why he must be baptized. Let’s go to Matthew 3:13-17. We have to put all the scripture we know on this subject--well, not all of it! We’ve got to get enough of it so we can see just where we see in this subject, what water baptism is all about, because we ought to know.

See the reason I preach this way--I knew nothing! I was told so much ridiculous things about water baptism that, well, it really didn’t matter, but it was sort of the thing to do. Oh yes, it really did matter, but… And it was a long time before I began to realize hey, this is part of God’s plan, and you don’t fool with it. You obey it. You walk just according to that word. Now, Matt 3:13-17:

(13) Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

18 Now this one we know to be the Son of God. This one that was pre-incarnated. This one who had the glory shared with the Father, because he was the physical manifestation of the attributes of the Father. Now I know that’s tough but I’ll get into that someday and explain it all out very, very clear.

And he was there. He’s the one that said, “lo a body has thou prepared for me.” This is the one of whom it was said “this is my beloved son in whom I’m please to dwell.” And he’s coming to a prophet to get baptized in water. No you can’t get away from it. No way you can get away from this scripture right here.

18 John said I have need to be baptized of thee. Why? Because this is the one that baptizes with the Holy Ghost and Fire. Now John said he’s preferred before me, because he is before me. He said, “why are you coming to me?”

(14) But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

(15) And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness…

This is something I’ve got to do that is right to be done, and I can’t get away from it. And if this isn’t fulfilled, it just doesn’t add. Do you follow me? Okay.

(15) …Then he allowed him.

(16) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

(17) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (The other scripure says I am pleased to dwell.)

If we quickly go to John 1:29, we are going to see something here.

(29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith…

19 Now, he doesn’t say this is the Son of God. This is the one that I know is the Son of God. What does he say? He says, this is the Lamb of God.

(29) …which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is a sacrifice designated to take away the sin of the world.

20 And Jesus said, “not now.” Listen, this is prior to when he went into the water. It was after he went in and came up, that the Holy Ghost came in and the voice said, “this is my beloved Son.” In the meantime, this was the voice of God in John that says, “this is the sacrifice.”

Now, it’s at this time of the sacrifice that Jesus came to John and said “baptize me.”

And John said, “Hold it. You should baptize me.”

And he said, “No. because as the sacrificial lamb it behooves me to be baptized in water.”

21 Now, Brother Branham didn’t know the answer. And the theologians didn’t know the answer. So being a prophet he went to God, and he said, “why was it that Jesus had to be baptized in water?” And the answer came back, it’s the washing of the sacrifice.

22 Now let’s look at the washing of the sacrifice. Leviticus 1:1-13. Then we’ll bring it all together for you so you’ll understand water baptism, why you are baptized in water, and why everybody has to get baptized in water. And why there’s nothing in the Word of God that’s sinful or trashy, or that you fool with it, that you don’t exalt...

See, we’re here for one reason, that we exalt the Word of God. That’s why I have a face like a flint, and a heart like an old maid. You know she won’t have a man around her. You aren’t going to get around me! I’m hard-hearted on these things because look, I was cheated. And I’m not going to stand before any group of people on judgment day, by the grace of God they’ll say, “well Lee Vayle, you didn’t preach everything you could preach, you cheated us.”

23 No let’s look at the Leviticus sacrifice here. Lev. 1:1-13

(1) And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

(2) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.

(3) If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

(4) And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

24 That means simply, when he put his hand on it, that was the same as him dying for his sins. In other words he said, “this is my substitute. Personally, this is my substitute, it’s mine.”

Are you getting what I’m saying? Because we are talking about a type of Jesus Christ. This is my substitute. Now alright.

(5) And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD:…

Now, do you understand what he is saying? I am going to kill him! Your sins put Christ on the cross. See? Your sins keep take him from being King, because he has got to be High Priest, mediator and intercessor. You’re gumming up the works! Put my hands up say yes sir! That’s right. I do that freely. No one’s coercing me.

(5) …(you kill the bullock) and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

(6) And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.

(7) And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:

(8) And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

(9) But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

(10) And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.

25 Now I want you to notice something. This male is without blemish. You hear what I said? It’s a male without blemish. Yeah. Nothing wrong with it. It’s the Lamb. Now, okay.

(11) And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.

(12) And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

(13) But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Now, we don’t have to read any further about the fouls and all, but you can pretty well go to the same thing there.

Now, alright. Thus we see the Lamb, the sacrifice was baptized or washed in water. And then notice John 1:32-33:

(32) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

(33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me.

26 Now he said, “this is the Lamb of God, this is that one, that after he is gone down in the water, identified, you’re going to see the Spirit of God fall.”

Now, you ready? John 7:37-39:

(37) In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

(38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

(39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus (Christ) was not yet glorified.)

Alright, you’ve got the sacrifice. You’ve got the washing of the sacrifice. You have got the actual symbology of the death and resurrection, and then comes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the people.

27 Now notice Jesus himself went down under the water, and came up before the Holy Spirit came upon him. It was incumbent upon him that he go into the water.

28 So here is what we are seeing, and don’t fail to get the simplicity. Jesus was first of all baptized in water, then came upon him the Holy Spirit, filling him, or the baptism with the Holy Ghost. If he is our pattern, and we know that he is our pattern, water baptism is a must, or the right preceding step to the rebirth, or the baptism with the Holy Ghost.

29 Now there you are. Now somebody says, “well, I think maybe I don’t have to do it.”

Then you want a better example than Jesus! The very person that you would claim to be your savior you are denigrating. Something doesn’t add up! See? It doesn’t add up.

It is baptized in water, and then it is Spirit filling us. That is exactly what was said by Peter on the day of Pentecost. Let’s go to Acts 2:37-39:

(37) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

They were pricked in their hearts, conviction had fallen upon them, see? I’m wrong, something has to be done about me.

(38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent,…

30 Which means be having a change of mind. Get your thoughts lined up. Get right with the Word of God. Get God’s thoughts instead of your own thoughts.

(38) …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.

It tells you right there. Repent, be baptized, be filled with the Holy Ghost. Now that’s absolutely what happened there on the day of Pentecost. It’s what it says in John 7:37-39:

(37) In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

(38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

(39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

And Peter said God has glorified him, the Holy Ghost has fallen. They said what will we do? He said, “Simple! Change your mind!”

31 Change your mind about what? You’re not under law anymore, you are under grace. There is a new era ushered in. Be baptized in water and come and get what God has for you. Now that’s exactly what he said.

32 Now people want to put it this way, they want to put it that way, they want to put it here, they want to put there, and by that I mean they want to put a little delaying tactic over here, a delaying tactic over here, a condition over here--shut up! If you can’t say what the scriptures say, shut up!

I’ll tell you why, because by your words you are justified and by your words you are condemned. If you say opposite to God, you make God a liar. You’ll go to the Lake of Fire. So have fun!

I’m a rough preacher and a tough one, and you know it and I know it. But we are not here to fool. I got no time for this hogwash I was taught years ago. We got a vindicated Word in this hour--not that it wasn’t always vindicated. There it stood. But people thought they could fool with it. And you know, they fooled with it. It’s brought the place we’re right today.

33 And you know where we are? We are in a church, a church world that denies the very Word of God, that set their hearts to destroy what they are supposed to build up. You’ve got doctors that are supposed to keep the people healthy and well, and they’ve got a union to destroy the very people and precepts they are supposed to work on and help. We’ve got a government that’s supposed to run right, and they destroy the very precepts of the land …?... that we are in. Everything is gone to destruction.

Then people say, “well, you should be nice, Brother Vayle, and talk about this love.”

I can’t wait for the fire of judgment to fall! You say why? Because he can’t wait, either.

I’m not blood-thirsty. I’d run at the sight of blood, especially mine! Don’t worry. But I tell you what, there’s something happening this last couple of years.

Alright, we’ve got the pattern. It’s wise to go back then to study the water baptism of Jesus.

34 To begin with, water baptism simply means immersion. In this case it is placing into and placing under water. Immersion means placing in water, placing under water. Not to sound sacrilegious, but it’s the actual truth of the matter, it’s like taking a dish to a dishpan that is full of water. You put the dish into the water and you take the dish out of the water. It’s that simple.

Now that’s too simple. People want to put a lot of ideas about it. Like when you were little kids, little girls especially, boys worse than ever. They don’t want to do dishes, so the parents teach them little songs about the dish in the water, they get you doing little things you know… Ha!

We are not playing washing dishes, brother/sister. It’s just what it says. Water baptism is immersion. It’s going into the water, under the water, coming out of the water, going to the bank.

35 Now, here is what I am getting at. This baptism of Jesus, though it corresponded to the washing of the sacrifice--now listen--and it was the washing of the sacrifice, did not do one thing for him, except to identify him as the sacrificial Messiah.

Now listen, in plain English. This washing or baptism did not clean him up! He was already clean. Now listen, they offered clean animals, clean animals in the sacrifice. See? He was clean! It did not make him acceptable as though he were not already acceptable. It didn’t!

Let’s go to John 1 again, 24-29 Let’s get this down flat now, because we have got to understand just what the scripture is all about.

(24) And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

(25) And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

(26) John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

(27) He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

(28) These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

(29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

36 Now listen, remember, the Word of God said provide your own oxen, provide your own sheep, provide your own turtle dove, and now God is providing His. Alright, let’s go to Isaiah 42:1 to see it.

(1) Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him…

37 There’s not one thing said there that Jesus needed cleaning up. He was already clean. Alright! Let’s just show that a little further. He’s called the sacrificial Lamb. He’s called the one that God ordained. The one in whose soul He is pleased. He is pleased with him.

Let’s go to Exodus 12:1-11. We want to get the picture right, brother and sister, so we understand what we are doing here. [Ex 12:1-13:]

(1) And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

(2) This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

(3) Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

(4) And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

(5) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

(6) And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

38 In other words He said, you are going to get a certain one that’s absolutely healthy and perfect, and you are going to watch it for fourteen days to see that there is nothing brewing it in that could make it unhealthy. In other words, fourteen days of incubation.

And Jesus was given his lifetime to prove, and he said which of you convinceth me of sin, or finds me wrong in one word? He was the perfect Lamb of God, so the washing didn’t add to it. The washing didn’t add to this lamb that was killed. The washing did not add to that oxen or whatever it was that was a burnt sacrifice. [Lev 1:10-13:]

(10) …He shall bring a male without blemish.

(11) And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.

(12) And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

(13) But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar:

Now then, there’s the washing with the sacrifice. Okay, in the tenth verse notice:

(10) And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.

39 It’s without blemish. In other words, it has already been approved of God. See? So the washing doesn’t make it approved. The washing doesn’t cleanse it. I hope you are getting what I am driving at here, because this is the whole thing we are dealing with. That’s what Peter said. It is not anything but the answer of a good conscience towards God, but it’s there. It doesn’t wash away your sins. This washing of the sacrifice did nothing to make Jesus perfect. It did nothing to make the sacrifice perfect. But it was there in a type when he would be baptized.

And just hold your thoughts, because I’m going to bring you to them. I haven’t brought you to it yet, so don’t get all puzzled and wonder about it. I’m going to take you right to it. Alright, He was already approved of God.

Let’s go to Acts 3:12-15:

(12) And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, (this is the lame man who was healed and everyone wondered) ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

(13) The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

(14) But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

(15) And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

40 Now he was already approved. If he was already approved, the washing in water did not further approve him. Alright. So we see it wasn’t water baptism that approved him or made him fit, that is a fit person, not fit into the scheme of things, but fit.

His baptism in water was a public display or witness to his fitness, to be what he came to be. That’s exactly... I am coming, baptizing, and this one that is going to be baptize is the one that is making the public display that he is the one. It’s a public display! It’s a witness.

His baptism in water was a public display, a witness to his fitness, to be what he came to be which is our redeemer by his own blood. Then when he came up out of the water the Holy Ghost filled him. It was the witness that he witnessed to God, and God witnessed back, by filling him with the Holy Ghost. It was the public display. Now he came up out of the water and the Spirit filled him. Actually, God incarnated Himself in Jesus at that time.

So let’s go back to the book of Peter. Sorry, but people have taken and either made too little or too much of Peter and they miss the point entirely, and it’s a pitiful thing that they do, because my, my! They should leave it as it is! [1 Peter 3:18-21:]

(18) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

(19) By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

(20) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

41 Now he is talking about the people in the ark, where the water saved them, but took away the rest. So therefore, they were saved by water, and they were saved also, to coming down on the new land, which God had renovated. The water saved both them and the land. Now let’s watch carefully what he says in here.

Now

(21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

42 He is telling you you’re making a witness to the public that you believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for your sins, that you’re going to come back and take the world over. That’s exactly what you are doing. Because that is what the resurrection is about. If Christ be not raised then we don’t rise, we are of all men most miserable. I’m coming back to take over.

See, I’m a part of the resurrection, I’m a part of the new setup. I’m looking forward to it. That’s what your water baptism is all about. See?

43 So, we see then in verse 21 that Jesus stood there before God in that water, that’s what we are looking at. That figure. Jesus stood there in that water before God and he was answering back to God, before men and women who looked on, that he was now ready to identify with God, to the baptism with the Holy Ghost. He stood there, as a witness that he was that one and identifying with God to the baptism with the Holy Ghost, because when he fully took his position to witness...

Do you understand what I am saying? When he fully took his position before the people in that water, and came up out of the water, God came right down on him and identified him and said, “you’re the one that is going to take over.”

Now look it, you’re not going to deny the truth, because that’s the truth. And he said the light figured in Noah’s ark. Now they didn’t die, they didn’t go down in the water, the water carried them up.

44 It doesn’t put away the filth of the flesh. Jesus had no filth of flesh to put away. It doesn’t put yours away. It is an answer to the fact that you have repented unto justification, and you’re already forgiven, and the blood has made you perfect before God. So that now you can be filled with the Holy Ghost, just the same as he was, and come and take over.

45 So we see then in verse 21 that Jesus stood there before God in that water, and he was answering back to God, before men and women. He was literally answering back to God as a witness to them. Those men and women looked on, and they saw that he was now ready to identify with God, through the baptism with the Holy Ghost. And you can see this perfectly, in Matthew 3:13-17. So let’s go back and look at it. Matthew 3:13-17, we read it already.

(13) Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

(14) But John forbad him, saying, (he held him back, look, he said:) I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

47 Now people say hey, “I need the Holy Ghost. Who needs this water baptism? Ho, it really doesn’t matter too much, my brother my sister, as long as you get the Holy Ghost, hallelujah.”

What Holy Ghost do you get outside of proper baptism? Tell me. You get anointing, that’s all you get.

Ho, ho, ho, listen, I thank God today for revealed word. I’m an angry preacher. I’m angry at all the junk and the hogwash, the corruption I’ve been taught. What might I have been as a saint of God had I had the right teaching? False doctrine and false dogmas destroy.

Oh sure, John pushed it to one side.

48 He said, hold it, suffer it to be so, I’ve got to make a witness here. There’s a witness involved you.

Listen, in the first church age, they put much on that witness. The minute you got baptize you were stigmatized. Now, it’s well, it’s, “which church are you baptism in, honey? Were you baptism in a Catholic church? Well, which Catholic church? The eastern branch or the western branch or the middle branch? Oh, you are Protestant? Which of the several hundred?”

49 I went down south to Florida years ago. And this man was of Church of Christ, but he saw the Baptists had more business. So he said, ”I’ll become a Baptist.”

I said then, “you were baptized?”

And he said, “yes, I was baptized in the local church.”

I said, “hogwash!”

He was baptized for a buck, for the price of a few gallons of gas!

50 What were you baptized to? Come on! You’re sitting here and you tell me you have the Holy Ghost, and I have no doubt that that you have. But did you hear preaching like this before this message? No, you didn’t hear preaching like this, because it wasn’t open to us. Everything was played down.

“Well, nothing really matters as long as you love Him.”

Well, what makes you think you love Him?

51 I want to tell you something. John the Baptist made a very big mistake here by saying to Jesus, he said, “why do you come to me when I ought to be coming to you?”

And yet it wasn’t a big mistake, but it was a big mistake. John was wrong! John got so wrong when the chips were down, after screaming behold the Lamb of God, that’s the one, I know him! That’s it, that’s it, that’s it!

When the chips were down and the going got rough, he sent his secret believers to Jesus to ask “hey, were you really the one, or did I make a mistake?”

52 I don’t care two bits about any prophet in the sense of the word, it’s the Word that counts. It never was the prophet per se. It was the Word in the prophet. Oh, John was as human as anybody. And I loved that about Bro Branham, I knew him as the human being. I thought that was the tops.

You say Brother Vayle you are nuts! I thank you, you paid me a compliment! Nicest thing anybody could say, because they usually say a whole lot worse than that.

He said listen, why do you come to me and Jesus said hold it. He never argued, he never explained it. He said, “just let it go this time. Just let it go and do it.”

53 Even John didn’t have the full revelation. Do you know we are getting it? Oh, you know that I’m a mess. I never pretended… But look it, he takes the beggars off dung heaps and make them--I mean if you don’t smell like a manure pile you ain’t going to get to Glory, face it. You may as well just admit it… I just get so thrilled at times. I could scream, just scream. All I want to do is scream because there are no words to express it.

54 But we have what nobody else ever had. We’re going to walk into immortality. He just said don’t try to figure it out. He said just, just do it.

55 People looked at the Bible under the seven seals and they try to peek under the seven seals, they couldn’t figure it out. He said just wait, just wait, just wait, and people couldn’t wait. One day a prophet, vindicated, came and ripped the seals off to our understanding, yours and mine. And now they say they are not ripped off. People can’t stop for anything. Huh?

Can you let your own thinking go this morning? That’s what really counts. He said let it ride, let it ride. There’s something in here that’s got to be fulfilled. A righteousness. In other words there’s something that has got to be done, complying with the law so that everything in the law is fulfilled.

56 I am the sacrifice and the sacrifice was perfect or it couldn’t be accepted. The washing is the witness. And somebody had to wash it. So John takes Jesus and immerses him in the water, and there is your witness right there to this sacrifice, to the whole thing.

57 Jesus came out of the water, baptized. The heavens were open. The spirit of God came upon him and a voice from Heaven said, this is my beloved Son and I’m pleased to dwell in him. And that’s after water baptism, when you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and identified with him, and you’ve said, “that’s my savior. I stand with him and go down in that water and come up.” It says God will baptize you with my Holy Ghost.

58 See? So we come to the place of the most definite and the definitiveness of the understanding of water baptism. Exactly as it says in 1 Peter 3:21. It is not the putting away of the filth of your flesh, no. No way! That’s been taken care of through justification, through your repentance. Not the putting away of the flesh, but of the answer of a good conscience towards God. I can go into the water now, because I know in who I have believed.

59 I wasn’t baptized as a kid, I was sort of… the preacher came by, sure I was baptized, Lutheran style, as a tiny baby, you know, zap, zap or something. Then I go to this Methodist, this combination Methodist/Presbyterian, and the worst thing tin the world is a hybrid. Methodist should stay Methodist and Presbyterian Presbyterian, but they got together. What a mess we had. Sixteen years of age now when I was supposed to join the church, and so he does a little cross on my head with a couple of drops of water. Hogwash!

How would you like to baptism your cat that’s dead. In other words I’m talking about burying it. And you put three drops of sand on the dead cat and you say he’s buried. Oh brother/sister, if you deal with idiots, you have got to talk their language.

They put three little drops on my head. Then they said now we are going to take communion, and I was scared stiff. Why was I scared stiff? Something inside me not yet born unto God, but that little germ in here, that little gene, “was saying hold it, boy. You better not do it.”

I was praying to God that I wouldn’t do it, and that guy didn’t like communion anyway so we didn’t have it. And I never ever took it in an unbaptized--at least in an unregenerate state. Now I can take it today wholly, because I am one of his. I have followed every step, proper baptism, everything, foot washing. We’re in it. It’ a witness to God. Oh yeah, I am glad.

60 Now it said here, the Heavens were opened, the Spirit came down, and he was full with the Holy Ghost. That is what Peter said. He said repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Why? Because, brother and sister, the blood has made you perfect.

Let me look at that sacrifice. I’ve got too many scriptures and time is running out. I don’t want to take too much more time. You have got the picture anyway. Let’s see what we can do with Romans 5. we’ll go to Romans 5 and a couple more. Let’s look at it. Now says here in the 6-9th verses

(6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

(7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

(8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood…

61 That means declared righteous. Now listen, God justifies the ungodly, he calls the ungodly righteous. Now he couldn’t do that with his own son, because he had to be Godly to take our place. See? That is why there had to be a lamb without blemish. See?

And the washing identified him from all the others out there. This was the sacrifice for sin, so it couldn’t be just burned, it had to be identified. They said wash it. Now here comes Jesus the perfect Lamb of God, wash it. Now you can burn him. Now, therefore God called the ungodly just, and if you are not ungodly you can never be just.

You say I don’t believe I was born a sinner. That’s fine, you can never be born again. I didn’t write the Bible, but believe me, I can read it. I have a pretty good vocabulary, too. I used to understand words a whole lot better than I do now, but I still understand them pretty good because I am not completely ignorant. See?

62 In due time He died for the ungodly. But God commended his love towards us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us. Much more then being now justified by His blood, called righteous by His blood, we should be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His son, much more being reconciled, we’ll be saved by his life. And He tells you flat, if the Blood did it and you go to the water, then He fills you with the Holy Ghost.

63 And if the blood did this much, what does the life of God himself do? Oh man! You’re locked in and you’re sealed in, it’s all over, forget it. Just love him and glorify him and get rid of your own thoughts and ways and say who cares about anything but Him? That’s all that’s left.

64 Let’s go to Hebrews 10. I won’t read too much, but I want you to get this on the Blood. I want you to understand why you go to water baptism. Why when you repent and you believe on him for your savior and you lay your hand on him, so to speak, and you say this is my sacrifice, this is the blood that was shed for me. What does it do for you? Let’s find out. Hebrews 10:4-14:

(4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

(5) Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (In other words, not bullocks and this and that.)

(6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

(7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

(8) Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

(9) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

The first sacrifice is gone, the second is this. Blood of goats and bullocks are gone, the blood of Christ is in. Alright.

(9) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

(10) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

65 In other words we are separated entirely unto God. The next thing is to be sealed unto God. Alright.

(11) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

(12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

(13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

(14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (By the blood.)

(15) Whereof the Holy Ghost… (Comes in upon us and says that’s right, it’s all over.)

66 Now what’s the steps. Repentance, then get in the water, and expect God to fill you. He went back in our day, they said, “you’ve got to go to tarry.”

Find me that in scripture. They’ll tell you a lot of things. But I want to find one person, find one scripture that contradicts Peter: repent and be baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

67 Back there in the book of Acts they went down and had a revival in Samaria. They preached about Jesus Christ and his blood. The people got wonderfully saved, they saw the miracles, and they knew that Christ was risen, and they said we accept this One as our sacrifice, and they baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles came down and laid hands on them. They all were filled with the Holy Ghost.

Repentance. Be baptism. Be filled with the Holy Ghost.

68 How in the world can you escape? See? That’s what we look at. Alright. Your repentance or change of mind, brings you to the need of help for salvation. That can only come by blood. Because it says over here in the book of Hebrews, the same book, in the ninth chapter verse 22.

(22) And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (of sins)

Then if the blood has been shed and you stand there and say that’s my sacrifice, your sins are gone. Then you are baptized in water, and God said okay, I’ll seal him with the Holy Spirit.

69 Alright. Once you repent, which is actually to receive Christ and his blood for remission of sin, that’s your change of mind. You say alright, “I don’t depend on the church, I don’t depend on a record, I don’t depend on anything. I’m depending on him and his blood.”

Then that blood cleanses you and brings you to the spot where the Holy Ghost can come upon you because you have been made perfect in God’s sight. Now you see, the water didn’t do it. The water was the testimony. The sacrifice was already perfect. Before you go in that water you are already perfect, as far as what the blood does for you.

70 The next thing you are baptized. The next thing the Holy Ghost comes in, seals you back to Almighty God. See? Alright.

71 Thus we see Acts 2:37-39 never changes, no way, shape or form. But let’s go back and look at it and read a little further. For he said, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you--Jews--and to your children--Jews--and all that are far off--that’s Gentiles, even as many as our Father shall call. That’s Jew and Gentile.

The promise is to everyone. What promise? The baptism with the Holy Ghost. On what grounds, there’s a sacrifice been offered? Identify yourself with it. Stand in the public and let them know by water baptism.

Now I’m going to close. I’m not going to worry about any more notes. If you haven’t got it by now, we’ll come back again. We’ll hit it one more time, or two or three more times.

72 Listen to me. Way back in the old days they had these Christians, they were Godly people. And they had the spirit of the oxen upon them, which meant sacrifice. And when the Romans persecuted them terribly--now this was not the Roman Catholic church per sec, but this was Rome itself, and the heathen nations.

And they persecuted these people. And they had them in a lake in Switzerland, I think it was, or up near Germany. And the lake was completely frozen over. And they took all the clothes but a little light garment that the people had on. There was forty-two of them. Forty-two people who were going round and around on the ice, knowing they’d fall dead one by one, frozen to death, of frost and malnutrition. And the soldiers were there to see that they kept moving.

They began crying, “forty-two saints marching unto Glory, forty-two saints going unto God.”

And the guard stood there and watch them, and something began to happen in his soul. One of them fell dead upon the ice and they said, “forty-one saints marching to Glory, forty-one saints marching unto God.”

And he threw down his sword, he threw down everything, and he embraced Christ. He raised his hands and he said, “now, forty-two saints!”

72 See, listen. I want to tell you something brother and sisters. Enough people don’t realize you have to identify with him. That’s the whole thing is what it’s all about. Water baptism is your public testimony that Jesus Christ died upon Calvary. But he just didn’t die upon Calvary, he died for you personally. He died for you personally.

73 That you receive Him and His blood, is the only way to salvation. Knowing that water baptism is your witness and when you are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that’s literally saying I belong to him and him alone. And when you say that and you mean it, and He knows that you mean it, the next thing that He does he fills you with the Holy Ghost, which is that ring, that signet, that seal. Let me read it to you.

It says over here in the book of Ephesians, which we’ve read so many, many times, because you know I’ve preached out of that. It’s a very important last day message, which is ours. And he said here, in Eph 1:13:

(13) In whom ye also trusted (hoped), after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, (and of course were baptized in water to show your witness) ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory and like our good friend Noah, who was sealed into the ark, after the waters were about to come. Now look, let’s face it, it’s a good thing he was sealed in.

74 Now that’s not a true type of the baptism with the Holy Ghost, but let’s just change it just a little bit without hurting anything because I don’t want to hurt scripture and violate any of it. But let’s just understand this one thing, that old Noah at the time of the flood, as which we could say represents the great destruction coming on the earth which is true and all that sort of stuff. But he was sealed in there by God, so that he couldn’t get out if he tried to get out, and nobody could get in if they tried to get in. Now let me tell you something, when you are sealed in with the Holy Ghost, there is nothing else can get in and nobody can get out.

That Saturday night I preached on Easter eve, concerning we were once padlocked unto sin and death, when God ripped that padlock off, He turned around and put another padlock on it. Yeah. But this time it is a good one. This time it’s where we are sealed into him.

75 Listen brother and sister, don’t ever forget it. Understand this perfectly, completely. Understand it now and don’t let it get away from you. It is simple as ABC: Christ died for the ungodly.

Paul said this is the gospel that you believed, that Jesus Christ died for your sins. There is one step left for you to do. Go and get baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ. You have done everything you need to do. The next thing he will do, which is to fill with the Holy Ghost.

76 Brother Vayle, what will I feel like that? Forget you feelings. I don’t know what you’re going to feel like. You could have a feeling and be entirely wrong. What do you care what you feel like? It’s His Word that said he would do it.

I don’t have any feelings anymore! Everything I believe is against feeling! I’m feeling rotten! It’s time to die! I want to get out of here, but I can’t even tell you that!. I want to be out of here by tomorrow morning. If I don’t, I sure have to get to my dear friend Dr. …?… because I’m getting that same thing back in here again. Maybe I’ll die with it. I’m not dying from a bad arm, but I could die having a bad arm and a lot of other things.

I’d like to get out of here but I’ve got more news for you. I’ve got to tell you what the Word of God says. I shall not die but live. You say, who are you? I’m simply the one who tells you what the Word of God says. I’m not going to make Him a lair.

You say Brother Vayle, aren’t your feelings against it?

77 How good did Abraham feel at a hundred years of age, crotchety old cane and God said “hey, you are going to have a son?”

“Yeah, me and who else?” He said, “Hallelujah, you hear that, Sarah?”

She said, “ha ha ha! You said that before, too.”

People say yeah he said that years ago, that He’s supposed to be here. And, yes, they said that back in 1876, but he wasn’t. But he’s here now! Oh, I’m not excited, I’m just really excited. Yes sir. Oh listen, forget your feelings. Forget your feelings.

78 If you don’t know where you stand, I’ve got news for you. We got one to be baptized today, let’s have some more. If you don’t know where you stand, you can only go as far as your faith has taken you. And if it haven’t gone any further, maybe you summon your faith because I don’t know your hearts. That’s just where you stopped. Get baptized anew in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and say God. If you don’t know if you have the Holy Spirit, get down in that water and say “that’s your Word, Lord,” and forget your feelings, they’ll destroy you.

I don’t have any feelings on the subject anymore, because I know I have the Word. You say Brother Vayle, I don’t think you are much of a Christian--I don’t either! That makes us unanimous! But God does so that makes us both out!

Hallelujah! You love him today? I love him with all my heart! Let’s rise.

[Sings: Oh How I Love Jesus, Come Into My Heart Lord Jesus, Let Him Breathe on me]

Heavenly Father we are here in Your presence, and just keep mentioning we are here in Your presence does so much. As the prophet said if we really believed, we would all be laying prostrated at Your feet on the floor, literally is the word groveling is a sense of our own unworthiness, and yet we have lost that in the fact of the adoring of Your wonderful person. We know we are one with You.

We respect that, honor it, oh God, love it and appreciate it to no end. We can’t tell You enough how we love You and how we are willing to stand Lord on your word. We are not worried any more about feelings and manifestations and experiences, but we’re leaning on the one experience of Him, who stood there and said, suffer it to be so now. I’ve got to be identified before the people, identify myself.

Then hanging there on the cross, was able to give his life blood. Lord you raised him up for our justification. Oh the blood of Jesus! Oh the blood of Jesus makes me white as snow. And the Holy Ghost seals us. Lord we know that’s true and we stand on it. Thank God!

We’ve passed away from this idea of emotions and all of these other things that don’t mean any thing but roadblocks and detours and problems. We’re right back to the word of God and there isn’t any problem because you stand behind it.

Lord I--For those that are baptized, or that one, Lord. I’ve got the faith today to believe that there must be the infilling of the Holy Ghost. There has got to be the passing not of life from death only, but a filling, a sealing, of a dynamism, Lord. Not going any more by experience, but going by the Word of God.

Lord I thank You for that privilege today, thank You Lord that You should so honor a people, Lord, that make Yourself known to us. It’s just too much, Lord, it is just too much, but we accept it. Hallelujah!

Not upon the strength of a feeling, but upon the definite identification in this hour. We praise Thee, oh God. And give You the glory. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.