Forgiveness or Remission?

[Costeon]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

My dear brother, consider what you say. You're intimating that when the Spirit of God moved upon the Apostle with the Keys of the Kingdom of God, to write an epistle to the Body of Believers, such that it would exist for all time, that the Spirit moved upon Simon to be vague and insinuating, but otherwise unclear as to the meaning?

Doesn't that seem a bit unlikely, especially as it pertains to our salvation, to baptism, and the resurrection of Christ?

Why has there ever been a debate in this history of the church? If indeed nothing is ambiguous, how have sincere believers disagreed on anything?

Apart from that, I don't see the link you're making, in Scripture, with the phrase "birth of the Spirit" and "essential to salvation". I see the Holy Spirit being promised and given as an earnest of our inheritance, as the empowering force of Christ Himself so that we may lead responsible, God-honoring lives of peace and partnership with the Father.

So, maybe you could show me the connection from the Scriptures? And, as far as the phrase "fullness of the Spirit", perhaps you could show me that in the Scriptures, as well? Particularly, that "countless people receive the fullness of the Spirit before baptism"?

The birth of the Spirit is essential to salvation (John 3.5). I'll ask you what I asked Esaias: Do you believe that the birth of the Spirit occurs automatically in baptism and is not accompanied with the sign of tongues?