Nope. Unique in that everyone received the same spiritual gift of speaking in tongues at that time.
The apostles, yes, but that's beside the point. In post 548:
What you say is fair enough, but what I would say, particularly about Acts 1:5 is, Pentecost was a unique, once-for-all event in salvation history that inaugurated the New Covenant church.
I would agree with that, but that does not mean the baptism of the Holy Spirit was something different then than it is still today. There is no basis for coming to that conclusion
I'm not sure why you said "that does not mean..." and following, as that was sort of a non sequitur... I mean yeah, baptism of the Holy Spirit was not something different then than it is still today, but no matter. You agreed. And, now you're disagreeing, which is... kinda funny... and not worth talking about any further, really, because... well, yeah, bless your heart. <
smile>
The following verse....
Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
...is not talking about a different baptism with the Holy Spirit than the following verse...
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
It is. Maybe it would help to understand what a baptism, generally speaking, is. But yeah, we disagree. Enough is enough.
... how can you not see that they were baptized with the Holy Spirit AFTER they believed?
Because Ezekiel 11:19-20, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke 18:27, John 1:12-13, 6:37-40, 8:42-44, and 10:26, Romans 9:14-18, Ephesians 1:4-5 and 2:4-10, Philippians 1:6 and 2:13, and 1 Peter 1:3-5 all say the opposite is true.
Even regarding Acts 2:41... look at it:
"So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls." Yeah,
"those who received his word" is very, very important there. That is not all-inclusive... there were actually probably around 20,000 people there and they all
heard his word, and from that we can know that there were at least some there (about 17,000, if the total is accurate, which it is) who
did not receive his word. And... Paul, in Romans 10:17 again... faith comes by hearing... and belief, which is a work, comes after. Not 100% of the time, because not all who hear are elect, which brings us back to Acts 2:41 ~ not all of the approximately 20,000 there were elect, but only 3,000... possibly more who either received his word at some later point or heard from someone else and received that word then. This receiving has to do with the
heart, not the brain. <
smile> Individually speaking, we cannot change our heart. God, by the work and power of the Holy Spirit, is the only One Who can do that. And then, if our heart is changed ~ from stone to flesh, as God puts it in Ezekiel 11 and 36 ~ we will
then, freely and willingly, change our mind. <
smile>
Try this <
chuckles>: One can receive something only when it is given. Football gives is a good illustration here:
- a kick returner can only receive a kickoff or a punt if the kicker/punter first kicks/punts the ball to him
- a running back can only receive a handoff from the quarterback if the quarterback gives it
- a receiver can only receive a pass if the quarterback first passes it...
<
smile>
They clearly believed BEFORE being baptized with the Holy Spirit and placed into the body of Christ.
See above.
Being raised with Jesus refers to regeneration.
Absolutely. This is a rhetorical question, SI, but can you... did you... regenerate yourself? Yeah, 'no' is the answer to that... And you know that...
Notice here that Paul says that occurs "through faith in the working of God". That's personal trust in the working of God...
Ah, so something God did is really something we did...
, not "God's assurance". Faith is personal confidence and trust in God/Christ.
That's absolutely contrary to Hebrews 11:1. You had a problem with the word 'assurance' before, but other translations of Hebrews 11:1 are 'substance,' 'reality,' 'title deed,' 'certainty,' 'confirmation'... The point is that any of those things, really all of those things, are given to us by God. Otherwise, it is no assurance, substance, reality, title deed, certainty, or confirmation at all, but only something along the lines of wishful thinking.
I don't know what you're trying to say here.
Yes you do. <smile> You're not an idiot. Obstinate, but not an idiot. <
smile>
Do you not think that someone becomes a child of God immediately upon being born of God?
I have said so many times.
what I will say now is the same thing you are accusing me of, which is that you're refuting scripture itself.
Fine. You're not only refuting Scripture, but refuting yourself, really. But... yeah, okay.
You are intellectually dishonest.
In the same vein that you say that, I say the same of you.
In no way, shape or form did I say that I make myself a child of God. God makes people children of God when they do what He requires...
No, they do "what He requires" once they are a His child. We could go all through Scripture on this, but this one thing is enough (or should be, anyway):
"We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Well, I'll add what God says in Ezekiel 11:19-20 and 36:26-27, respectively, yet again:
- "I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My rules and obey them."
- "I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules."
And I'll point out what Luke says of many in Acts 13:48:
- "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed."
Irrefutably, God is the first cause.
You act as if faith automatically results from hearing the gospel.
I do not. One's
hearing of the Gospel
does not necessarily result in his or her
receiving it. As I said. He or she must have a heart of flesh to do this... But
then... but
only then... and
inevitably then... <
chuckles>
Faith is not given to people.
Not given to all people. <
smile>
Yeah, enough. <
chuckles>
Grace and peace to you, Spiritual Israelite. Really. Grace and peace. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.