God loves righteousness (Gospel, believers, pray, blood)
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I'm an unbeliever because I say that belief is MORE than a concept? That it requires a change? What do you THINK "baptism" IS?
I said that because if you truly had the Holy Spirit, you would know that being born of the Spirit is more than mere words. I don't say that because you don't agree with me... I don't care about you agreeing with me. I hope one day you are truly born of the Spirit.
Baptism? Whose baptism - John the Baptist's or Jesus'?
I said that because if you truly had the Holy Spirit, you would know that being born of the Spirit is more than mere words. I don't say that because you don't agree with me... I don't care about you agreeing with me. I hope one day you are truly born of the Spirit.
Baptism? Whose baptism - John the Baptist's or Jesus'?
You are a trip. I spend more than 4 posts to jimmiej and you stating that you need to demonstrate a change signaling MORE than acceptance of a concept to be a believer and THIS is what you say to me?
ANY baptism is a CHANGE, a very BASIC change which should show as your foundation in love. We were talking about the baptism of the Spirit though and the characteristics by which we can know that change.
You are a trip. I spend more than 4 posts to jimmiej and you stating that you need to demonstrate a change signaling MORE than acceptance of a concept to be a believer and THIS is what you say to me?
ANY baptism is a CHANGE, a very BASIC change which should show as your foundation in love. We were talking about the baptism of the Spirit though and the characteristics by which we can know that change.
Demonstrate to whom? Not to God, as He knows a person's thoughts. He doesn't need to see any demonstration on your part to know that you have trusted in Christ. Not to people, for eternal salvation is an issue between God and the believer. When a person is regenerated through faith alone in Christ alone he is saved whether or not anyone else knows that he has received Christ as Savior.
Being born from above, born again, regenerated, occurs at the moment of faith in Christ Jesus. The moment a person accepts as true the gospel message that Christ Jesus died for his sins with the result that he simply trusts in Him for eternal salvation God imparts eternal life to that person.
Cornelius and his household were born again, were saved and received the Holy Spirit even while Peter was still speaking the Gospel to them. They were saved before getting water baptized even (Acts chapters 10-11).
After salvation a believer may or may not grow up spiritually. He may or may not begin to ''demonstrate'' the fruit of the Spirit.
A person might hear the gospel message while drunk and think it makes sense and receive Christ as Savior. He is born again and has eternal life which he can never lose. But the next morning when he sobers up, he may reconsider and think the gospel message that he heard while drunk is foolish. But since he was saved in that moment when he did believe the gospel message he remains saved even though he now doesn't believe. That's grace.
Belief in Christ with the resultant regeneration may or may not be followed up by visible changes in the believer's life style. The idea that a person must 'demonstrate' a change or else he isn't really saved ignores the reality that after having been saved a person still retains his sin nature which is just as strong as ever and that he is capable of living just as any unbeliever lives. In fact, many unbelievers are more moral than many believers. Believers can be carnal. And if they stay in that carnal state they may never give any indication that they have been born again even though they have been.
I am who I become. I am the One who lives. Jesus and I are One with the Father.
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