Ladies and Gentlemen, beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, dear Friends,

This is Brother Frank speaking to you from the International Mission Center in Krefeld, Germany. It’s always a privilege to share God’s Word with God’s people in so many different countries. As you know, I do have a call from the Lord to go from city to city, from country to country to preach His Word and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with as many as possible. I look back to almost 50 years in the international ministry and, by the way, I crossed the limit of 150 countries, where my feet were walking and my voice was heard preaching the precious Word of God. 

I do believe that the promises of God are Yeah and Amen; I do believe that God has a plan of salvation, and I do believe that the time of grace has a beginning and will have an end. And the Holy Scripture speaks about the end-time and our Lord especially in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 speaks about what would take place before the time of grace would end, before the Lord returns to take His people home to Glory. And, Friends, one of the main statements is found in Matthew 24, verse 14, “This Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all nations and then the end will be.”

Today with all honesty I like to share with you on the subject about baptism, because last night I read an article written by a famous Lutheran pastor, using Romans, chapter 6, and on this scripture he referred to as to be a sacrament, that the infants who are sprinkled with a few drops of water that is baptism, that is salvation, that is new birth, and so forth. And I was so sad in my spirit, and I tell you why: because today everyone in all denominations knows English, German, Hebrew, Latin, Greek. All are learned and everybody seems to know, and when you look into the matter: unless God reveals His Word and will we walk in darkness, regardless of who we are. 

And, Friends, again to be honest: Why should I follow a church? If you go to one church, they have seven sacraments, and when this person who has received seven sacraments through the lifetime departs from here, they land in purgatory. I don’t need such a salvation! The others have three sacraments, but no divine assurance. These things are not placed on God’s Word, they are imagination and people are misled all over the earth. The other church has 93 points of belief, and Friends, I have been all over the earth. I have even preached in Egypt, in the different cities and different churches. I preached in 14 different Islamic countries to various groups of Christianity.

And, Friends, now coming quickly with a burden upon my heart to this subject of baptism. What does baptism actually mean? To whom was it administered? Who was baptized in Bible days? If you go to John the Baptist and to the Jordan River: first he preached, then people confessed their sins and then they were baptized by immersion. Even Jesus Christ, our Lord, said, “It behoves us to fulfil all righteousness.” And He was our example of obedience, and Friends, when He was baptized in the Jordan River by immersion and taken out of the water, the heaven opened and the Holy Spirit came down and rested upon Him, and a voice was heard, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Friends, we must go back to the Scripture. We must find our way to the apostolic teachings. I will never receive or accept anything that is not taught in the Bible.

Now, in Romans, chapter 6, we read in verse 3, “Know ye not that, as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?” You all can read on the other verses, what a scriptural baptism actually means. And the Apostle Paul speaks about being crucified with Christ, living no more his own life, but Christ lives His life through me. And, Friends, if we go back to Matthew 28, and we have to do it! We have to go back to the beginning, to the commission, to know precisely how things have to be done. This is our guideline. In Matthew 28 our Lord shared with His disciples the Great Commission. I read verse 19, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations …” First we much teach all nations. We must not baptize a child with eight days or two weeks. No, first we must preach the Gospel. We must teach all nations first, and then we are to baptize those who would believe. And after this in verse 20, “… teaching them to observe all things …” Can I teach a baby to observe all things? Does a baby know about God, even about father or mother or about anything? And then to administer salvation automatically? No, Friends, and again, No. That is misleading. And today we have the Protestant churches, the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and two billions and more are misled. And this hurts! This hurts! Friends, we have to tell people the Truth as long as they are living, because the moment we are gone, it’s too late. 

And then if you think about Mark 7:7, “… in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” So, Matthew 28:19: First we have to teach all nations and then we have to baptize those who believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. The same we find in Mark, chapter 16, from verse 15. You all know the Great Commission. Then in verse 16 we read, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved …” First, the preaching, then, the believing, and then the baptism. 

Who has the right on earth to put the divine order out of order? Who has the right to have their own teachings and then still cover themselves from top to bottom with scriptural verses, letting the people be under the impression that this is according to the Word of God, and it’s not? And therefore we have to share the Truth of the Word of God with all sincerity. 

Now, here we read again, “He that believeth …” And this is written after our Lord said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, to every nation, to every tongue, to every tribe … “ and then, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Is this not clear enough? 

And then when you go to Luke, chapter 24, here in verse 47 we read, “… and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”Is this not clear? To me it is! 

Then we go to Acts, the 2nd chapter, where the first sermon was preached. And then the Word of God pierced the hearts of the people. Not the infants were brought, but thousands gathered to hear the preaching of the Apostle Peter. And then we read in Acts 2, verse 37 and 38, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart …” And then came the question, “What must we do?” “What must we do?” And then the answer was, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins …” It is not a sacrament, not something a priest does or administer, but it is a personal experience of salvation with the Lord receiving the Word, the Gospel, believing, repenting, and then being baptized. 

And in verse 41 we read, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” First the preaching that Jesus Christ died on the Cross of Calvary, that God was in Christ reconciling the world with Himself, that Christ bore our sins, even took the curse from us, and we are now saved by the grace of God, by believing in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Not automatic salvation that a human being can hand over to another, but God! And there is no other name given among men by whom we must be saved, and that is Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Then again, if you turn with me to Acts, chapter 8; here we have in verse 12 – Acts, chapter 8, verse 12, “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” When they believed the preaching of Philip, then they were baptized, men and women. Friends, this is God’s time for God’s people! Let everyone walk in their own ways, but those who wish to be ready at the second coming of Christ must line up with every Word of God. Please listen carefully: You cannot make it to Glory in your own ways, with your own teachings! You have to come God’s way, and you have to enter the narrow gate to walk in obedience on this narrow way to meet the Lord when He returns. So, after Philip preached and the people heard and believed, they were baptized. 

Then you go to Acts, chapter 10, and here actually from verse 38 to verse 48 you find the precise pattern, the description of what and how things have taken place. Here in the sermon the apostle referred to Jesus Christ who was anointed by God. And then in verse 39, “And we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land and in Jerusalem …” And then, Friends, the testimony, “Him God raised up the third day from the dead …” and giving the testimony of what happened. And then in verse 43, “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” How clear the message of salvation addressed to the people! 

And therefore the same pattern applies today: First we share God’s plan of salvation, we let the people know that there is a way to meet God. And Friends, I usually say this: God’s way to us is our way to God. And there is only one true manifestation, personal revelation of God in Christ. There is no other person on the face of the earth, no prophet, no religious founder, but only Jesus Christ could say, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” Only in Christ we have salvation; only in Christ we have the forgiveness of sins; only in Him we have eternal life, because only in Christ God personally visited us. 

So again, verse 44 in Acts, chapter 10: and then the Holy Spirit came upon the whole congregation. And in verse 48 we read, “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Is that not wonderful? Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, all in harmony presenting to us the plan of God. 

And then in Acts, chapter 19, here the Apostle Paul found a few friends who believed the ministry of John the Baptist, and comes to the climax of his sermon in verse 5, “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Friends, we could go to Colossians, chapter 2, verse 12 and 13, we could go to the different scriptures, and then, of course, to 2 Timothy, chapter 4, that many will turn away from the Truth, and because they turned away from the Truth they believe their own lies, they believe their own interpretations, they believe their own fables. 

But, Friends, I don’t think we are meant to believe something men has invented. I believe that God waches over His Word. And I say this again: Before the Return of Christ all true believers must return to God, must come to Jesus Christ, must believe as the Scripture says. And this also includes repentance, baptism, being born again, being led by the Holy Spirit, believing all the promises God made in His Word.

Please, my dear Friends, search the Scriptures and come to the understanding that this is God’s blueprint, this is God’s pattern. Come back to the Lord and you will say “thanks” to God and to Brother Frank, because you heard the Truth and decided to follow Jesus Christ. And repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you and be with you. Amen.