So, are you saying that God breaks His Laws, and gives His HOLY Spirit to live inside of unregenerate, sinful men (dead, defiled), every time He wants to start a new local Church? What?
God's ONE Baptism For His Body!
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Actually, this is wrong: there was no "start" of a Church with Cornelius, they were merely added to the existing Church. Are you saying there are two Churches--one for Jews, one for Gentiles?[/QUOTE]
It's not wrong. It was the start of the church of the Gentiles.
It's not wrong. It was the start of the church of the Gentiles.
In a Protestant's mind, I'm saying, they qualify "good works" as "works"--and that is why this is so passionately disputed.
Yes, agree...
What @Magenta said is found in # 4 of my own study of 12 baptisms, with Many
Questions in the Connection of # 4 with # 9, and the "requirements for the
'nation of Israel priesthood'. Please review here: 12 baptisms
Please be Encouraged And Edified In Christ, And His Word Of Truth!
Amen.
There is no "Church of the Gentiles", as if it is distinct from a "Church of the Jews"--"He has made of the two one new man"--there is only "the Church" which has both Jews and Gentiles in it.
Cornelius and company were immediately baptized which is how the Holy Spirit dwells in you per Acts 2:38.
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The fact He gave His Spirit to Cornelius, et al, is proof they were already sons of God, and not unregenerate men dead in sins and trespasses.
Galatians 4
6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts...
How did they become sons? By faith in Christ!
Galatians 3
26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
You're wrong again. Acts 10 brought the Gentiles into the church. It was the start of the church amongst the Gentiles.
Maybe I misunderstood what you said.
You're not saying there is a Church for Jews, and a separate Church for Gentiles, right--the Gentiles were simply added to the existing Church, right?
1. The faith IS the obedience--hence, "faith is counted as righteousness". Why is it counted as "righteousness"? Because it is what God demands. Once that requirement is fulfilled, you have committed an act of obedience, which is righteousness.
2. But, we see, in the case of Cornelius, that upon "hearing with faith" (Gal 3), the Holy Spirit was granted, because Cornelius was a son of God at that point.
There are not 2 separate churches. The Gentiles were simply added to the fold, and because of the historical issues that the Jews had regarding those who were not Jews nor of Abraham, this was how God showed them it was his desire to bring them into the church too.
Precious friend, we have all been there in the confusion of all this. Praying
hopefully that these will help clear some of it up for you:
The Practical Beginning Of The Body Of Christ (I)
The Practical Beginning Of The Body Of Christ (II)
Amen.
I'm not going to read whole treatises.
Maybe they have a summation you can share.
Cornelius was not a son of God until baptized into Christ, and thereby as we are too, became a son of God by adoption. You must be "in Christ" and Cornelius was nor "in Christ" until baptized into Christ.
You'll excuse me for believing Galatians 4, which would contradict you, because Paul teaches (Apostolic dogma), that God sends the gift of His Spirit into people when they are already His sons.
Water is of less import than the Spirit--hence, Peter says "who can refuse them water if God has given the Spirit!?"
See, I also see other verses that seem to indicate baptismal regeneration, but I'm just showing the other side of the argument.
Why start bringing comparisons between Acts 2 and 10 then (when they are not comparable--ie, the issue is baptismal regeneration, and Cornelius, et al, hadn't already been baptized, yet received the Spirit, whereas all the men in the upper room who received the Spirit had already been baptized)?
Why is faith called "obedience" (Ro 1:5, 16:26) and a "righteousness" that has the power to result in "justification" and resultant "peace" (Ro 3:27, 4:1-8, 5:1)?
Yet Cornelius was baptized by Christ, Who "baptizes in Spirit and fire", the supreme baptism?
John said, "I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
So, Jesus saw fit to baptize them in the Holy Spirit and fire... but they weren't sons of God in Christ through faith?
I get why you don't want to admit it makes sense, but you really should just admit it makes sense. There are verses that seem to make sense of baptismal regeneration as well.