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please continue your search for truth

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:10 pm
by email
We must continue to search for the truth no matter who says what. II Timothy 2:15 says we must study the word and rightly divide it. If we read one thing and it applies to our salvation, we cannot just look at the rest of the word of God and say that doesn't applie to me. God does not want to confuse us, but we know who does and satan is the author of confusion. (I Corinthians 14:33). If you will pray a simple prayer right now in faith believing, to allow God to open your mind and heart to His Word......... now let me ask you have you been Born-Again according to the scriptures? John 3:1-8 gives us the explanation of what it means to be born again. We must be born of the water and the Spirit it is a spiritual birth. Jesus said you CANNOT enter or even see the kingdom of God unless you are Born-Again of water and Spirit. He also says of the spirit, when you receive it you cannot tell when it comes and where it goes, but you hear the SOUND of it. Luke 24:47-49 Jesus is talking here to the Disciples and has just opened their understanding and tells them to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name(JESUS).Acts 1:4-8 Jesus here is again saying wait for the promise, he says John baptized with water unto repentance, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost(SPIRIT) and you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you.Acts 2:1-6 the promise of God's spirit is sent and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance or the language to speak.Acts2:14-18 Peter stands up with all the other disciples chosen by Jesus and preaches that what is happening is the same thing the Prophet Joel prophesied that God has promised this from the Old Testament and it is now coming to pass that His Spirit is being poured and people were receiving the Holy Ghost(SPIRIT) speaking with other tongues as the evidence of the indwelling of the Spirit in each of them.Acts 2:36-39 Peter continues to preach and conviction stikes the hearts of everyone listening and they said to Peter what shall we do? Then Peter said REPENT, BE BAPTIZED(BORN OF WATER) EVERYONE OF YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST(BORN OF THE SPIRIT). With all Love and honesty i send this message to you to experience this salvation. Many want to go to Heaven, but many will not do what it takes and obey God's commandments. If you truly want to SEE and ENTER the Kingdom of God (John 3:1-8) you will find a church that preaches this messages. God Bless you and I believe an understanding was revealed, Praise God.

please continue your search for truth

Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:08 pm
by m273p15c
I apologize for the long delay in responding. I was hoping to devote more time to a detailed, Biblical response; however, it may be a while still. Nevertheless, I did want to offer you one reference for further meditation, as it explains the core of my intended response:

In brief, I believe you are confusing baptism of the Holy Spirit with Jesus' water baptism of the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). The following article analyzes the details of the various baptisms mentioned in the Bible, noting conflicts that prohibit baptism of the Holy Spirit from applying to modern times (outside of the first century):

"Which Baptism?" - http://www.insearchoftruth.org/articles ... ptism.html

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, I will be happy to do so, as time permits. However, for starters, I would ask that you read and consider the above article, as it contains the kernel of my response. Unfortunately, I do not have time to restate many of the arguments that are already contained therein.

Just as a side clarification, I do not believe John 3:1-8 or I Corinthians 12:13 refer to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as referenced in Acts 1-2, 10-11. However, I would not debate that directly, since that conclusion proceeds from those derived in the above article.

I look forward to hearing from you. I will be happy to respond, but I will be fairly slow in responding due to previous commitments.

May God help us to have a sincere love of the truth,

(P.S. I appreciate and agree with your admonishment to be diligent and honest in our search for the truth. Thanks for the exhortation.)

m273p15c