Salvation is a Process

Modern evangelism preaches "instantaneous salvation" and "Jesus loves you just as you are." This was not the message of John. As he baptized in the river of Jordan, religious men came to see this prophet and to be baptized. John rejected them, calling them out as vipers. He admonished them to obtain fruit, to show their repentance by works. One must begin their walk with Messiah "just as we are"... but, immediately the changes begin. Jesus came to make dead men live! John did not expect Jesus to be on the riverbank that day. *** The Baptism of Jesus by John (Part 3) WHEN JESUS was thirty years of age, John the Baptist was preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. The people of Judea and Jerusalem went to him and were baptized in the waters of the Jordan River.            From Nazareth Jesus went to John to be baptized. John hesitated, saying:            “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”            Jesus replied:            “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.”  So John baptized Him and straightway as Jesus went out of the water the Heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. He heard a voice from Heaven, saying,: “THOU ART MY BELOVED SON; IN THEE I AM WELL PLEASED.” *** CHAPTER 2 SCRIPTURES (KJV) MATTHEW 3:13-17 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto hi