Repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38)

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

When I was approximately 15-years-old, I went forward at church and was baptized.

I thought I was a Christian,

Nothing changed.

When I was approximately 37-years-old, God said to me, "Joan ... you know those mistakes you've been making.  Those weren't mistakes.  Those were sins."

"Sins?"  I was shocked and horrified.  (I thought they were mistakes.)

Everything changed immediately!

It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin.  Until we see our sin,  how can we repent of our sins?

Therefore salvation is of God who sends HIS Spirit to HIS chosen to convict them of sin and bring repentance of sin.

Acts 2:36-41   Peter speaking said by the Holy Spirit ...Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

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 realized they had done wrong by killing Jesus.)

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.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

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Acts 2:47   And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

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You hear the word and are convinced of your sin and then are baptized.

It does no good to baptize anyone until that person realizes he has sinned and repents.

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My mother had always followed horoscopes.   When I was a child she would buy the monthly horoscope magazine and read to me my daily horoscope.

After I was born again, I was visiting her at her house.  I opened the cabinet in kitchen and saw a set of horoscope mugs I had given her before I was born again.

Without saying a word, I began removing each mug from the cabinet and placing it into a garbage bag.

My mother was watching.  

When she realized what I was about to do she became very agitated and said:  "NO!  Stop.  I want to keep those mugs.  You gave them to me."

I didn't say a word.  I just kept putting the mugs into the garbage bag.

I took them to dumpster in back and broke them and returned to house.

Still not saying a word, I went to get a Bible, I took the Bible and read the following scripture aloud to my mother.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14    When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.

For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

After my mother heard these words, she said, "Well ... I guess we'd better not do that any more."

I believe she knew she had done wrong according to Bible and now repented.

I believe she was born again at that time.

My uncle wrote me and said, "Your mother has changed!  She has really changed!"

That is what being born again is about … change.

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She was not baptized in water after that.  But when she was 97-years-old and about to die, I asked her if she wanted to be baptized.  She replied, "Of course."

I had a cup of water in my hand at that time and I just poured it over her head and said something like, "I baptize you in the name of Jesus."

I believe she would have been saved even if I hadn't done this but it seemed to make her feel good.

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In the 1980's I had a dream that I baptized my dad.

He had a stroke and lived about 3 more years.  I gave him many of my radio broadcasts which I had recorded on tape.  

Then I received a frantic call from my mother telling me my dad had collapsed.  She was very frightened.  They had taken him to hospital.  

I flew home immediately and was picked up at airport by a relative.

I was sure my dad would still be alive because  I had dreamed that I baptized him.

But when we got to the town where he lived, he had already died.

My mother told me he listened constantly to those tapes I had sent.

The Holy Spirit showed me that I did baptize him with the Word of God.

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John 1:19-27   And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? 

And he saith, I am not.

 Art thou that prophet? 

And he answered, No.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

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

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

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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.

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After I was born again in 1975, I was enroute to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, to buy merchandise for my business.  My cousin, Church of Christ, was meeting me at airport.

As the plane was landing, I heard, "Be baptized."

I said to my cousin, "Jeanne ... if you can arrange it at church, I will be baptized this afternoon before I return to Dallas."

My cousin replied, "But you've already been baptized."

I said, "But I wasn't born again until now."

(I'm sure she didn't understand but she did arrange for me to be baptized that afternoon.)

About 20 of my relatives gathered at the church building.

The minister asked me if I would like to say anything before being baptized.

I began telling how I was baptized many years earlier but was not born again.  

I told how God spoke to me saying, "Joan ... you know those mistakes you've been making.  Those weren't mistakes.  Those were sins."  And now I am born again and the Holy Spirit told me to be baptized.

When the minister lowered me into the water, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being buried with Christ."

When I came out of the water the Holy Spirit said, "This is like being raised with Christ."

After I dressed and came back to the congregation area my uncle was crying and said, "I've never heard anything before like you spoke.  Could you write that out and send it to me?"

I replied, "I guess I can."  (I did write it and sent it to him after I returned to Dallas)

I think my uncle was born again at the time when I spoke before I was baptized.

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I'm persuaded baptism is identification with Christ ... but water baptism does not save us.

God saves us by Jesus, The Word, which HE gives us by His Spirit.

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