Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Badejo
Renee I don't have a problem with Romans 8:11, nor will you find me in any of my nearly 4,000 posts arguing someone can be saved without the Spirit.
I would argue the Bible does not make a distinction between (genuine) believers and those who are born again, both terms refer to the same people. John 1:12 and Ephesians 1:13-14 equivocate genuine belief as the point of regeneration. Which Paul also teaches earlier in Romans chapter 4. Throughout the ministry of Jesus the emphasis was on belief not Spirit baptism. Jesus certainly spoke of the baptism of the Spirit, but never taught it as something we must "do". The "do" was to BELIEVE then the Spirit was to be a gift for all true believers (cf John 7:37-39).
This does not discard what God did with tongues in Acts or subsequently but does suggest that regeneration can be accomplished apart from speaking in tongues.
Furthermore tongues is never related to any passage explaining salvation in the NT. In particular Believers are told the EVIDENCE of rebirth is love for other believers, love for Christ and obedience to His commands, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and ALL of the tests in 1 John for the genuine believer. None of which suggest (nor explicitly teach) that tongues is necessary for salvation/regeneration. |
Jason, with your permission, I'd like to take what you have written here and start a new Thread on the different forms of Salvation.
It may be this evening before I can get to it.
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