Search results

Hey Dave, thanks for the thoughtful replies. Just to clarify, I'll elaborate on something just in case we are not completely on the same page. The best way to understand the baptism with the Holy Spirit, as I see it, is to use modern English. For what ever reason, like the word 'tongues' for...

Hey @rockytopva Your path sounds familiar. Mine was similar, only I started out at three and then went to four. I was invited by my sister to the Pentecostal church. She still goes to that same church today, but much less often. I remember when I first began to go to that church, I was struck...

Hi @rockytopva JMac was a solid teacher. I wonder what your definition of fundamentalist is? From my experience, as I was once a member of a Pentecostal church, Pentecostals would mean the term fundamentalist in a derogatory way, like "dry theologian" was a common way of interpreting it. But...

Hey Jon, thanks for the reply. For the record, Alans claim was that there is only one baptism in Scripture, therefore, he reasoned, that everywhere in Scripture that uses the word baptism must be speaking of water baptism. He said that the Spirit baptism was made up and wasn't in Scripture. I...

My reply to Alan Dale Gross, who said: Peter mentions two baptisms here. The one that doesn't save, water, and the one that does, Spirit, is strongly implied. 1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a...

Hey van. I'm guessing this was meant for me, but I'm not sure. My definition of ordain doesn't fit your description of my definition. That's why I'm not sure who this was directed towards. The term ordain allows for both predestine (positively cause) and positively allowing, a permissive will...

Sorry, maybe the word 'character' isn't the best way to say 'flesh'. Paul claims that his flesh is incapable of doing good. It's really who he is, who we all are in the flesh. Actually, the fact that He is not conflicted by two natures like we are is exactly why He is unable to act according...

Hey Dave God's hardening of hearts is not done arbitrarily, but is usually done in response to sin and rejection of Him. Remember, if someone doesn't believe, they are condemned already (John 3:18). So it's justified, or justice. But, God will never inject unbelief into someone. That goes...

Hi Dave The bold part in your quote. I believe that what God says that He is, and His attributes are the same thing. If God says He cannot lie, It's not what I think He is, rather, It's what He said He is in His Word. So I can bank on it. From these claims and promises, we begin to see Him...

Dave, G I'll try tomorrow.

Hey I had to think awhile on how I was going to answer this. It took me a while to figure out exactly what you're saying, but I think that I got it now. Consider that God's desire is also constrained by His attributes, or His character. It's desire that breads temptation, and God cannot be...

True OT believers (Those who are of God) would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah and would have been receptive to His words. Context.

Bright, think about what is being said here. For God to be the author of sin, He would need to be the cause of it, just as He is the Author of good. We see the two contrasted here, with there respected causes. God is not just the Author of good, He is the Author of life (Acts 3:15). If He caused...

Thankyou and likewise. I believe that the distinction is made with the term bare permission, which I disagree with. God had a purpose for sin. I believe it was inevitable, but He didn't cause it. He had to allow it, though, to allow for us, for reasons given in the OP. Exactly. Again, spot...

God is not the author of sin, but He is sovereign over it. Man was created judicially good, but not inherently good. Sin was inevitable. God allowed it, decreed it from the foundations of the world, and used it for the purpose of His glorification. Man was created to rely on God for what is...

Bright, the hidden part, the part speaking of those who cannot hear, is in the context, which is deliberately avoided by you.

Only the sheep hear, those who were true OT believers that the Father gave to the Son. Bright, what do you do with true OT believers when God incarnate enters the scene? Are they still saved from OT revelation? Did they lose their salvation only to be given another chance at believing the...

Quite frankly, it's probably impossible to completely understand it. But if we hold true to the boundaries of Scripture, I believe we can have a Biblical understanding of God's sovereignty that, while it does not answer every question, it does lay boundaries to our understanding of it. I believe...

Jaws. I couldn't swim in a pool. I'd close my eyes and think that when I opened them up again I'd be in the middle of the ocean. Kind of like the Twilight zone. Exorcist. Very unbiblical, but as a kid who snuck into movie theaters by the back door to see movies, that one kept me up at nights...

The link from the second post gets into all that also. It's pretty good.