Amos Ministries

Water baptism is an exciting decision that many followers of Christ make in their journey of faith. Many believers think that once they have been baptized by water, they have reached the end goal. However, water baptism is the first step towards reaching the ultimate goal of being baptized by fire, which is the Holy Spirit. 

In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist says:

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

In Acts 11:16, Peter recalls the following:

And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

In Acts 1:5, Jesus said: for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Baptism By Water or Holy Spirit: What’s The Difference?

There is a difference between baptism by water and the Holy Spirit. Oftentimes, we see examples in the New Testament where believers were baptized but they did not receive the Holy Spirit. We also see examples of believers who received the Holy Spirit without being baptized!

Water Baptism Without Receiving The Holy Spirit

Apollos, an extremely learned Jewish teacher, who believed that Jesus was the Messiah and spoke about the Lord with great fervor, did not understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Apollos, needed to be instructed on this.

Acts 18:24-26 – Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor  and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

In Acts 19, Paul explains this to new disciples in Ephesus whom Apollos had taught.

Acts 19: Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” 

Notice Paul asks whether they received the Holy Spirit when they believed – not when they were baptized.

And they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 

By becoming fully repentant in your own spirit and completely accepting Jesus’ teachings without compromise or manipulation, Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. 

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

Baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus means into his teachings without compromise.

6 And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

When the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized by Philip, the Bible does not say that he received the Holy Spirit upon being baptized either.

Acts 8:26-40 – Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Although he was a Gentile, the Ethiopian eunuch was already a believer in the Old Testament Jewish way.

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

The scripture states that Philip was carried away by the Holy Spirit- not that that Holy Spirit descended upon the Ethiopian eunuch once he was baptized.

Receiving The Holy Spirit Before Water Baptism

In the case of Cornelius and his family, the whole family received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. This proves that baptism is merely a symbolic act representing a repentant spirit. And since Cornelius and his family were already repentant, the Spirit fell upon them before they went through the symbolic ceremony of baptism.

Acts 10:25-48 – As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

30 Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues[a] and praising God.

Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

The Holy Spirit came upon all of them before they were baptized with water.

Baptism is a symbolic act representing your spirit becoming repentant. Now in this repentant state, you can hear the words of Jesus and then believe. Your spirit cannot believe Jesus without first being made repentant.

This is the purpose of Jesus changing the water into wine. It signifies that Jesus can change a repentant spirit into the Holy Spirit. Water signifies repentance and the wine represents the Holy Spirit.

John 2:1-11 – On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Becoming Repentant To Receive The Holy Spirit

Jesus teaches Nicodemus that a man cannot see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again of water and the Spirit.

John 3:3-6 – Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

‘Entering into a womb’ means to become repentant. To do this, we must acknowledge that our ways, thoughts and beliefs about the scriptures are wrong. We cannot receive righteousness or salvation using our own interpretation. Then we must believe and have faith in Jesus’ understanding of the scriptures without compromise. When we do this, we enter into a ‘fetus’ like stage where we are in a ‘womb’; surrounded by repentance. We will continue to develop in this state through the teachings of Jesus until one day, we are ‘born again’ by receiving the Holy Spirit.

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Jesus speaks of being born of water and the spirit – not just the spirit. In nature, you cannot be born physically without first being in the womb. This is the same for being born again. You cannot receive the Holy Spirit without first becoming repentant.

The ‘flesh’ Jesus is referring to in verse 5, is spiritual flesh, meaning your spirit.

Romans 8:16 –  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Even though we receive the Holy Spirit, we still maintain our own spirit but only when it is made repentant. Paul speaks of this in:

1 Corinthians 15:39-40 – 39 Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

40 There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies.

The same word in Greek for ‘body’ also means ‘flesh’. So Paul is explaining that our spirit is spiritual flesh. And so Jesus is stating that our spirit or flesh being ‘born’ is repentance. Knowing we are wrong and Jesus’ teachings are right. Our spiritual birth is the receiving of the Holy Spirit, but both must be done to be born again. You cannot receive the Holy Spirit without first becoming repentant.

Galatians 6:8 – Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

The Holy Spirit is given to those who are repentant and obey him.

Acts 5:32 – We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Ezekiel mentions this also in:

Ezekiel 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

God will make our spirits repentant in order for us to be able to receive a new spirit – the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 3:21 says:

And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Water baptism is just a symbol of a clear conscience towards God or a repentant spirit. Now you have to use this repentant spirit to understand Jesus’ teachings without compromise. Jesus’ teachings (Jesus) will change your repentant spirit into the Holy Spirit. This is the meaning behind Jesus’ first miracle in Canaa, where he changed the water (repentance) into wine (Holy Spirit).

You can read the story of the miracle in John chapter 2.

It is the Holy Spirit that makes you a child of God. It is the Holy Spirit that is the proof that you’ve entered the kingdom of heaven.

Paul speaks about this in Romans 8:14

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”

In John 6:63, Jesus said:

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

The disciples understood this concept very clearly. In John 6:68, Peter says:

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

It is Jesus’ words (teachings and understanding) that gives us eternal life (Holy Spirit). Not the symbolic act of washing our bodies (water baptism). 

The washing of our bodies is a symbolic act representing a repentant spirit. Now we must reach forward in repentance to receive the Holy Spirit, which only comes when you don’t compromise Jesus’ words and teachings.

You compromise Jesus’ words when you haven’t fully repented and removed your own version of right and wrong on every matter. 

Acts 11:15-18 – And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 Therefore, if God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

‘Repentance that leads to life’ means to have a repentant spirit that leads to receiving the Holy Spirit. This is achieved through a spirit that is made repentant. It can now fully accept the teachings of Jesus without compromise or manipulation, resulting in eternal life; the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:32 – And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Jesus explains the concept of a repentant spirit in:

John 7:37-39 – On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Until Jesus is glorified in our lives, meaning we have accepted all of his teachings without manipulation or compromise, we will only have a repentant spirit. This is signified by the ‘water’ Jesus is speaking of. But once he is glorified by us in this way, we will then receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus speaks the same way regarding water to the Samaritan woman at the well.

John 4:7-14 – When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

The ‘living water’ Jesus is referring to is repentance. 

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Repentance will well up to the receiving of the Holy Spirit. It is the same as in:

Acts 11:18 – When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Paul also speaks of repentance, which is a kind of Godly sorrow.

2 Corinthians 7:9-11 – yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 – Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

John the Baptist also speaks of repentance, explaining that we must never lose this repentance or we will stop producing fruit and lose the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Matthew 3:8 – Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

We also see this with the thief on the cross. He was not baptized, but he expressed sincere repentance by stating “we are punished justly for we are receiving what our actions deserve.” He then showed faith in Jesus by declaring him an innocent King. By referring to Jesus as a King with a Kingdom, he was acknowledging him as the Messiah. In turn, Jesus said he would be accepted in paradise! We don’t need much more confirmation than that folks!

Luke 23:40-43 – But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? 41We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”43And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Is There Only One Baptism Now For Christians?

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism  EPHESIANS 4:4-5

Ephesians 4:4-5 is usually quoted by Christians who hold the incorrect belief that there is only one baptism. We must understand that when making this statement, the Apostle Paul was speaking to born again believers in the church. Let us examine the verses before also.

Ephesians 4:1-3 – As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

At this point, Paul is addressing the Holy Spirit filled members in the church in Ephesus about how to live a Godly life. When Paul speaks to Holy Spirit filled believers, he only mentions the baptism of the Holy Spirit and is not focused on past baptisms.

In the same way, once someone receives a University degree for example,  we don’t focus on his Kindergarten graduation, it is already implied by the degree itself. The same concept is applied in this situation. Once you have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the original first step of water baptism or repentance becomes merely an obvious step in the process of receiving the end goal which is the Holy Spirit.

The focus becomes the Holy Spirit, as we can also see in the following scriptures, when Paul speaks to mature spirit filled believers:

Romans 6:3-4 – Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Galatians 3:27 – or all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Paul is speaking about being baptized into the name of Christ Jesus not John’s baptism of repentance. But when Paul speaks to new believers, he says:

Acts 19:1-7 – While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit whenyou believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.

4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Priscilla and Aquila also explain two baptisms to Apollos.

Acts 18:24-26 – Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

We must understand that there are different baptisms mentioned in the Bible, but the one that is the most important for a believer, is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The water baptism of John is a necessary first step to reaching the final goal of baptism by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 10:2 – They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

Here we see there was a baptism of Moses also. Peter also speaks of a baptism during the time of Noah.

1 Peter 3:20-21 – to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Paul speaks about this in:

1 Corinthians 1:12-13 – What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Even today, we are baptized into a specific denomination and not necessarily the name of Jesus. Once we go through the water baptism of John, we then learn and follow the interpretation of a specific denomination and follow false apostles and preachers like John Calvin (Calvanists), John Knox (Presbyterianism), Samuel Seabury (Episcopalians), or John Smyth (Baptists) . We end up baptized into their name (their own interpretation of God’s word) instead of into the name of Jesus (Jesus’ interpretation of God’s word). This causes us not to receive the Holy Spirit because the Spirit can only be received through the name of Jesus.

The name of the different denominations essentially amounts to traditions passed down by men. 

Mark 7:13 – Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Matthew 15:3 & 6-9 – He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?…6 … So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Jesus is stating that the traditions of men boil down to lip service. Paul also concludes that his former denomination teachings were basically just the traditions of man.

Galatians 1:14 – I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

But once we become repentant, we must learn the teachings of Jesus. We must learn his name – unadulterated by the traditions of man which are the false interpretations and denominational doctrines of these false apostles. We must only be baptized into the name of Jesus! Jesus offers us an uncompromised interpretation of God’s word which is not soiled by denominational manipulation and compromise. It is the only way to receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 – Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The name of “the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” is one name, meaning they do not contradict one another. The teachings and interpretation of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the same. So then, to be baptized in the name of Jesus is the same thing as being baptized in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit”.

Matthew 28:19 – Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The key to receiving the Holy Spirit is to be baptized in the name of Jesus (which is one with the name of the Father and the Holy Spirit), unadulterated by the name of false apostles (denominational doctrines). These false apostles have developed false doctrines which are essentially asserting their own names. This is achieved through their own teachings as they differ in interpretation from the teachings of Jesus in various ways. These denominational teachings do not result in the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 2:1-3 – But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 – For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Acts 20:30 – Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

Revelations 2:2 –  I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

1 Timothy 4:1 – The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

1 John 4:1 – Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Mark 13:22 – For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

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