Paul said to the Galatians, "This only would I learn of you, Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law (because you did something) or by the hearing of faith?" (hearing and believing the Gospel) Galatians 3:2.
I have noticed on the forum that Calvinist, Catholics and others avoid the question of how we receive the Holy Spirit, like it is some sort of sinful secret. The Bible makes it very clear that the Holy Spirit is only given to those who hear and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On the day of Pentecost they came to know Christ as their savior by the thousands because Peter preached the Gospel, Acts 2:41
Paul said, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (the Gospel) Romans 10:17.
Calvinist don't really want to talk about how they received the Holy Spirit because they don't have the Holy Spirit. They apparently believe that they just woke up one morning and to their amazement they discover that they had been zapped with the Holy Spirit.
Catholics are little more subtle about how they received the Holy Spirit. They apparently believe that some time after baptism into the Catholic church they receive the Holy Spirit. You don't have to hear or believe anything.
The Bible teaches that if you don't have the Holy Spirit you do not belong to God. The Holy Spirit is God's identifying mark of ownership. God knows who are his by their Spirit. We hear the Gospel, we believe the Gospel and we receive the Holy Spirit.
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, WHO FIRST TRUSTED IN CHRIST. In whom you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION: in whom after that you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" Ephesians 1:12, 13.
There it is. We hear the Gospel and trust in Christ. When we hear the Gospel and believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and now belong to God. Does the Holy Spirit make us holy? No, we only receive the "First fruits" of the Spirit, which is the down payment of the Spirit, Romans 8:23. We receive enough of the Holy Spirit to make us witnesses for Christ and his Gospel, but not enough to make us holy and without sin.
I have noticed on the forum that Calvinist, Catholics and others avoid the question of how we receive the Holy Spirit, like it is some sort of sinful secret. The Bible makes it very clear that the Holy Spirit is only given to those who hear and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On the day of Pentecost they came to know Christ as their savior by the thousands because Peter preached the Gospel, Acts 2:41
Paul said, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (the Gospel) Romans 10:17.
Calvinist don't really want to talk about how they received the Holy Spirit because they don't have the Holy Spirit. They apparently believe that they just woke up one morning and to their amazement they discover that they had been zapped with the Holy Spirit.
Catholics are little more subtle about how they received the Holy Spirit. They apparently believe that some time after baptism into the Catholic church they receive the Holy Spirit. You don't have to hear or believe anything.
The Bible teaches that if you don't have the Holy Spirit you do not belong to God. The Holy Spirit is God's identifying mark of ownership. God knows who are his by their Spirit. We hear the Gospel, we believe the Gospel and we receive the Holy Spirit.
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, WHO FIRST TRUSTED IN CHRIST. In whom you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION: in whom after that you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" Ephesians 1:12, 13.
There it is. We hear the Gospel and trust in Christ. When we hear the Gospel and believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and now belong to God. Does the Holy Spirit make us holy? No, we only receive the "First fruits" of the Spirit, which is the down payment of the Spirit, Romans 8:23. We receive enough of the Holy Spirit to make us witnesses for Christ and his Gospel, but not enough to make us holy and without sin.
