There are three steps into possession of this gift of God. Have you noticed how much we have used the number "three"? God is perfected in "three" - Father, Son and Holy Ghost; the Believer comes to perfection in "three" - Justification, Sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost; and our Lord Jesus set "three ordinances in the church - Water baptism, the Bread and Wine, and the Foot-washing ordinance. Therefore, God has ordained three steps of faith into possession of His Gift of Salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Of course the moment you genuinely believe and "choose" to obey God's Word - Salvation has come to you and God goes to working out that Salvation in your daily life. Philippians 1:6 says, "...he which hath "begun" a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:" But first, let's take the steps necessary to get on the highway to glory.
Acts 2:37-38 sets forth clearly the three steps to entering into the Salvation of the Lord. This was definitely preached by the early church and most definitely preached by William M. Branham, the Prophet to this last age. Let's refresh our minds again with the words of Peter:
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Here, the Apostle outlines the three steps we're speaking about - (1) Repentance, (2) Water Baptism and (3) Receiving the Holy Ghost. In today's modern church this first step is mentioned less and less. Yet, without the first step the second is in vain and the third impossible. But if we sincere in receiving God's Justification in our lives we will take this absolutely necessary first step of "REPENTANCE". In Luke 13 Jesus warned the religious leaders, saying, "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." In Mark 1:15 Jesus preached saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." In Revelation 3:19 the Church was commanded to: "be zealous therefore, and repent." Therefore, repentance is not an option, it's a must. In a world where very little emphasis to put on repentance we must be careful to "make our calling and election sure, by the Word, because when it comes to the modern day teaching of "just believing", remember, the Devils also believe and tremble (James 2:19); but the Devils are NOT saved - they cannot experience Salvation. And True Salvation is an "experience" with God, after which we are NEVER the same again. Inwardly, in the realm of the soul, we're born again by the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God (1st. Peter 1:23). Because of the importance of this subject, let's take the time to seriously consider these three "steps" which leads the believer to Salvation. Most "Salvation-preaching" today is so "watered-down" from the original that the difference is like night and day. It's been watered-down so as not to offend certain individuals and/or groups of individuals. One of the "key" elements of Salvation-Preaching is left out or white-washed, and that "Key" is "Repentance". Without this first step of repentance there is no Salvation. And we're not just talking New Testament here. Repentance is found throughout both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament thunders, "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." (Ezekiel 18:30). Again the Old Testament commands: "Repent, and turn.....from your idols.....and all your abominations". Jonah took a message of Repentance to the people of Nineveh. The Old Testament prophets came screaming "Repentance" to the Nation of Israel. In the New Testament the Gospels begin with a message of repentance..... In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:1-2 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 When Jesus sent out the disciples to preach the Gospel, the Bible records, "And they went out, and preached that men should REPENT" (Mark 6:12). The Bible commands "repentance", our wickedness demands it, justice requires it, Christ preached it and God expects it. The Divine unalterable edict is still valid, "God commandeth all men everywhere to REPENT." (Acts 17:30). As much as one professes to believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Saviour, without genuine "repentance" from the heart, all of your believing is in vain. But there is a generation of preachers who are afraid to include the element of "Repentance" in their preaching; because they would then be under obligation to identify the "sin(s)" for which men and women need to repent; and because "sin" is so rampant in the church and among the clergy, the idea of putting emphasis on "repentance" is out of the question. Almost one hundred years ago, William Booth, the Founder of the Salvation Army prophesied of this time, saying, "In the twentieth century they will preach forgiveness, but no repentance; Heaven, but no Hell; producing a form of Christianity with no Christ." At the end of his age he saw the direction in which Christianity was headed. In fact a recent Gallop poll indicated that only 14 percent of Americans 'associate the Name 'Jesus' with forgiveness'. What William Booth said is also confirmed by the Scriptures in Revelation 3:14-22. Herein we find a description of the Church in these last days....... I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: .....be zealous therefore, and REPENT. Revelation 3:15-17,19 This is absolutely amazing to discover that the Lord Jesus Christ is commanding the church in this last Age to bring forth "Zealous Repentance". Why? Because, at the judgement seat of Christ (The WORD of GOD), they have been found "guilty" of "[drawing] nigh unto Him with their mouth, and honouring Him with [their] lips; but their heart is far from Him; And in vain they do worship Him, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8-9). Equally amazing is the fact (which we may have already mentioned) that according to Rev. 3:20 Jesus Christ is on the "outside" of the Church, knocking trying to get back in. Bro. Billy Graham in his message on "Repentance" stated..... I was shocked to find that this theme [repentance] proclaimed so emphatically in the Bible by prophets and apostles is scarcely mentioned by contemporary preachers. The clear trumpet blast calling men to repentance is conspicuous for its absence from the modern pulpit. He went on to say..... We have preached the dignity of man rather than his depravity. we have declared his goodness rather than his wickedness. We have vindicated ourselves rather than confessed our guilt. We have made of ourselves, despite all of our inherent sin and evil, little cherubs of perfection with halos on our heads, harps in our hands and wings on our shoulders. Modern preachers - men of the cloth - preach a modern doctrine of exoneration which was expressed by Byron in his "Bloody, But Unbowed" sonnet: "...the spirit burning, but unbent, May writhe - rebel - the weak alone repent! Who is right - God or Byron? God COMMANDS Repentance! So let it be as Paul said in the Romans 3:4, "...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;". Continuing with his message on "Repentance", Bro. Billy Graham said..... The word "sinner" has all but been deleted from our vocabulary. The drunkard is no longer looked upon as a wayward selfish man; having failed to adjust to society, he is now just an alcoholic and a sick person. The criminal is no longer a law-breaker...but rather a psychopath in need of treatment. The juvenile delinquent is no longer looked upon as an incorrigible; he is just an unfortunate child, the victim of circumstance. And so it goes; no one is to blame for his sins. In upholding the theory of the dignity of man we have vindicated all, condemned none, and provided alibis for each and every offender...Thus every offender of God's moral law - is found "not guilty" in the court of public opinion, there is therefore no need of repentance. But either the Bible is wrong or the modern pulpit is wrong. When we look at the fruits of this unrepentant generation, I am convinced that we need to blow a loud blast of the trumpet of biblical repentance.