YOUR PASS KEY TO HEAVEN

Tonight I want to lay down for you, once and for all, HOW you get to Heaven. With NO if, ands or
buts about it. This is a paper on baptism and the way of God more perfectly.

You can only go as far as you have been taught. The Ephesians had this problem in the first century
and we are still faced with the same issue today.

The Ephesians were good, honest sincere people. Their instructor at the time was a silver tongued
orator, named Apollos, that was giving his all for Christ, but, he hadn’t been taught the greatness
of the revelation given to the Apostle Paul.

We are going to start our journey in Acts.

Acts 18:1-4 (KJV)
1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife
Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation
they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

So, Aquila and Priscilla spent time with Paul. While they spent time with Paul what do you think
they talked about? The revelation of the Gospel of Christ given to the Apostle Paul, that’s what
they talked about! Talk about an education, Wow! This couple was on the fast track to the knowledge
of the Grace Administration. Some of the points of that administration are; We are saved by grace
not of works lest any man should boast. The Christian is a child of God. Greater
is he that is in you than he that is in the world. To name just a few.

Acts 18:18-21 (KJV)
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren,
and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea:
for he had a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and
reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem:
but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

So, Aquila and Priscilla travelled with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus and then Paul left, leaving
Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus.

Acts 18:24 (KJV)
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the
scriptures, came to Ephesus.
You’ve got to see this in your mind! This couldn’t be better if it were written today. Aquila and
Priscilla are there. Apollos is there. The tension is building! What is going to happen? This is
so… so human!

Acts 18:25 (KJV)
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and
taught
diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

What is the baptism of John??

Matthew 3:1-6 (KJV)
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and
his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

John’s baptism was a baptism of water! Good ole’ fashion dunkin! I was sprinkled… Ha! You know
there are three types of John’s baptisms around today. Dunking, sprinkling and what I call dry
cleaning. Dry cleaning is where you sit and think about getting dunked. The Quaker religion does
this.

So, here is an eloquent orator, a spiritual man, but, all he knows is John’s baptism.

Acts 18:26 (KJV)
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they
took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

They “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” What a statement. They didn’t interrupt
him. They didn’t tell him he was wrong. What they did is invited him out for coffee or over for
lunch and then they shared the greatness of the Christ administration with him. This is just so
fantastic! Just a couple of believers teaching a man that was MIGHTY in the scriptures. How many
men, that are mighty in any walk of life, do you know that are humble enough to listen to two
simple little people? I tell you this man, Apollos, was a great man and a humble man.

So now the question begs what is the more perfect way of Acts 18:26?

Well let’s look at Acts 19. You see, Paul did a circuitous route and ends up back in Ephesus and he
meets some believers that were taught by Apollos.

Acts 19:1-7 (KJV)
1 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,
2 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.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 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.

If you look back at John’s baptism you will see that they were confessing their sins and being
dunked in the Jordan. But, Paul is teaching that that time is over because what the Jews were
looking forward to in Matthew chapter three was accomplished and now we are looking back at Jesus
Christ’s accomplishments.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with
tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.

All of this is wrapped up in Romans 10:9,10.

Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.

Who wrote the Book of Romans? Paul did! This is the Way of God More Perfectly!

The word “saved” is the Greek word – sozo. This word means completely whole. Mentally, physically
and SPIRITUALLY whole!

There is another record involving Peter that we should look at, also. It is in Acts chapter 10.

Acts 10:1-48 (KJV)
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the
Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people,
and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him,
and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy
prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou
oughtest to do.
7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household
servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon
the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a
trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet
knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping
things, and fowls of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou
common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the
men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,
18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am
he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good
report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into
his house, and to hear words of thee.
23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and
certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called
together his kinsmen and near friends.
25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped
him.
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep
company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man
common or unclean.
29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for
what intent ye have sent for me?
30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I
prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of
God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the
house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now
therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is
Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from
Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing
good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in
Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and
drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained
of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy
Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry
certain days.

What this says is that after the people in Cornelius’s house were born again of God’s spirit they
were to be baptized with John’s baptism. Well, hold on a minute. Didn’t Aquila and Priscilla
expound unto Apollos the way of God more perfectly? Is Peter reverting to the old ways? Yes,
actually he is. This is the first time that Gentiles were born again of God’s spirit. This was all
new to Peter. In Acts chapter ten, that we just read, GOD had to teach Peter the same lesson three
times over for it to stick. Peter was a Jew. Up until this point in time nobody outside the pail of
Judaism was allowed near God. So, Peter had some quick catching up to do. What God had Peter do in
Chapter ten was open the way for ALL WHO WILL- to be born again of God’s spirit. Heaven bound and
all hell can’t stop them from going!

Let’s get back to the issue of water and Peter. Peter goes back to Jerusalem and he is called
before the other apostles and he expounds unto them exactly what took place and in Acts 11:15-
17 Peter tells the leadership a little more.

Acts 11:15-17 (KJV)
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but
ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus
Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

Whether Peter dunked them in water or not doesn’t matter. What happened BEFORE he thought about
immersing them is what matters. What happened was that they were already FILLED WITH THE HOLY
SPIRIT.

There is one more record that we must look at and that is in Acts chapter eight.

Acts 8:26-39 (KJV)
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the
way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under
Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem
for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest
thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would
come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his
life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of
himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here
is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said,
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both
Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that
the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Phillip definitely baptizes the eunuch with water. There are a lot of things that men of God do by
revelation that makes no sense to those looking in from the outside. Jesus making clay with his
spit and putting it on a blind man’s eyes and telling him to go wash it off. Or, Paul who preached
the end of circumcision and confronted the Christian leadership because they wanted to start
circumcising the Gentiles. Yet, he takes Timothy, his understudy, out and circumcises him.
Why? Because every situation is different and only God knows what is required. That is why most
people can’t understand the Bible because they don’t see the greatness of men of God walking by the
spirit, by revelation.

Let me ask you some questions. What did Phillip preach? He preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Where did Phillip tell the eunuch to believe? In the inner most part of his being – his heart.
Where does Romans 10:9,10 tell you to believe? In your heart! So when was the eunuch born again of
God’s spirit, before or after being immersed in water? BEFORE! He already confessed Jesus as Lord
and believed in his heart that God raised Him from the dead. So, WHY, if the eunuch was already
born again did Phillip immerse him in water. Because God is an individual God and knew what it
would take to solidify this concept in this man life.

Does the Bible ever say that John’s baptism is wrong? No. But, what it does say is that there is a
more perfect way, a way into the spiritual realm of God’s love and Grace and that is Romans
10:9,10. By confessing with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believing in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead YOU, yes, you reading this article are made spiritually whole. You are
sealed with that holy spirit of promise.( Ephesians 1:13) and you are sealed unto the day of
redemption (Ephesians 4:30.) You are a child of God (I John 3:1,2.)