Circumcision of the heart

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Originalist

You are creating a new 3 step teaching. We disagree with Trinitarians who claim we are first born of the Spirit and then later baptized in the Spirit. We point out that Acts simply says folks had not yet received the Spirit, not an act of the Spirit. You are saying that the Spirit cleanses at baptism but does not stay?

No I am not saying that at all. How in the world can you take me saying the Spirit does the work of washing sins when we're baptized as saying it enters our lives and exits again? The Spirit does everything in our lives that is supernatural. Asking me if I think the Spirit enters and leaves if I believe the Spirit remits sins at baptism is like asking a person if the Spirit enters and exits when someone is healed.

I am not saying anything different about salvation.

And then has to be asked to return at Spirit baptism? How does one remain quickened by the Spirit if he did not stay after they were cleansed by him at baptism?

He does not indwell us when he washes sins away in baptism. Why on earth do you think washing sins by the Spirit means otherwise?

He is the quickening agent. Quickening is not just something he does, it is something he is.

One is born of the water (really the Spirit) and then born of the Spirit?

I cannot make sense out of your questions, because you mistook what I said and thought I meant the Spirit indwells temporarily when baptized and exits again. I never implied anything about that whatsoever.

How do YOU think the Spirit washes sins at baptism? Do you not believe before one is filled with the Spirit that one's sins can be remitted, or something?

Do you think every act of the Spirit upon a life means he indwells and then exits? Why do we have to consider Him indwelling in order for Him to do anything in our lives?