You Have Filled Jerusalem With Your Doctrine ... And Intend to Bring This Man's Blood Upon Us - Part 1242

"Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence, for thy feared the people, lest they should have been stoned, and when they had brought them, they set them before the council and the high priest asked them, saying, "Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." ... And when they had called the apostles and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name, and daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:25-42)

What was the doctrine that concerned the societal authorities, to the point that these same would even beat the apostles, forbidding them to teach and/or preach in that name? The preaching of the good news gospel in the name of Jesus. Why was the name of Jesus such a concern?

Because "neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

But sadly, like in the days of the apostles, we continue to witness a move away from the name of Jesus. The man-made institutionalized religious community with its false trinitarian (or God in three persons) doctrine is intent on causing confusion amid the body of believers, attempting at every turn to muddy the waters. They do so in singing lyrics to Jehovah, or water baptizing people without actually using the name of our Lord. And, by separating God into three persons (instead of aligning church doctrine to Ephesians 4:5-6 which states: "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above you all, and through all and in you all") new believers stumble in their faith journey, not having been grounded in His Word.

Still, what we do with Jesus is the only question that will matter in terms of eternity. How we respond to the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and ending, will establish our membership in the body of Christ, Jesus being the Head. Indeed, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost -- the Comforter which will lead us into all wisdom and truth when we are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:36-42)

The first 3,000 souls baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost marked the beginning of the new testament church.

"Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection." (Acts 1:22)  This is why Acts 2 is significant, because Peter (standing with the eleven) preached the very "same message" to every man, woman and child including: "Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:8-11)

And that same message did not change throughout the scriptures. Indeed, every recorded baptism in the new testament was performed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet He was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they hands on them, and then they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:14-17)

"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And they said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." And he said unto them, "Unto what then were ye baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." Then said Paul, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 19:1-5)

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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." (Romans 6:1-4)

"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses ..." (Colossians 2:12-13)

According to II Timothy 2:15 "all scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness ..." but we need to study His Word to show ourselves approved unto God, as doth a workman. Until we do this, we will continue to be tossed to and fro by the false teachings of this world, missing out on the absolute blessings that only come from knowing Jesus personally, and desiring always to know more about the husband that the bride (believers in Jesus by faith, who have willingly clothed themselves in His righteousness through water baptism) will marry at the wedding feast.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For Thy sake, we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:35-39)

Only One Lord, and He Himself who knew no sin, came into this world so that we might have eternal life through Him. Accept His gift of salvation today. Repent and be baptized in the only name that offers salvation. Stand in the offering plate.