John UK wrote:
What does brother Albert have to say about Acts 10:44? Was this his conversion? Or an Acts 8 experience subsequent to conversion?

"The Holy Ghost fell ... - Endowing them with the power of speaking with other tongues, Act_10:46. Of this the apostle Peter makes much in his argument in Act_11:17. By this, God showed that the Gentiles were to be admitted to the same privileges with the Jews, and to the blessings of salvation in the same manner. Compare Act_2:1-4."

"Which heard the word - The Word of God; the message of the gospel."

In Acts 2 when they were gathered in the upper room and were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues were they not already regenerated believers before this happened?

John UK wrote:
And you?

Act 8:15 -
“That they might receive the Holy Ghost…

(1) It was not that gift of the Holy Spirit by which “the soul is converted,” for they had this when they believed, Act_8:6. Everywhere the conversion of the sinner is traced to his influence. Compare Joh_1:13.

(2) It was not the ordinary influences of the Spirit by which “the soul is sanctified”; for sanctification is a progressive work, and this was sudden.

(3) It was something that was discernible by “external effects”; for Simon saw Act_8:18 that this was done by the laying on of hands.

John UK wrote:
Does anyone know the Reformed Position on the difference between the baptism of the Spirit and regeneration?
Could it be that there is NO difference, and that is why everyone is being quiet about it.

John UK wrote:
Now if baptism with the Spirit is the same as the new birth is the same as regeneration is the same as saved, then this did not occur until Peter came and preached the gospel.

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
(Act 1:5)

But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be WITNESSES unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
(Act 1:8)

John UK wrote:
So I believe Cornelius was taught by the Spirit, but was only born again (saved believer) when he heard the word of God preached.
See Romans 10:6-17.

John UK wrote:
ml, have you not heard of sovereign grace, election and predestination? that Cornelius was not saved until he heard Peter preach the gospel.

John UK wrote:
No

John UK wrote:
Obviously, Cornelius was not saved until Peter came and preached the gospel to him and his house.

John UK wrote:
#2 It is given unto you to suffer for him.
Who does the suffering?
Who does the believing?
Besides which, it doesn't say that faith is a gift. It says, "it is given unto you to believe on him".

John UK wrote:
You will notice that I do not mention faith as a gift. If you believe faith is a gift, I would appreciate it if you would post your scripture proof.

(Php 1:29)For unto you it is GIVEN IN THE BEHALF OF CHRIST, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Calvinist Understanding wrote:
Typology is a vast subject, and Israel is a kind of type of the church (not the mixed multitude) but chosen by God, God present with her etc. But this does not preclude her also being a type of the world - because she was a mixed multitude!

Your quote “If we do not accept that this is the case, one could not legitimately preach gospel sermons from the OT prophets to unchurched worldlings”

Calvinist Understanding wrote:
The nation of Israel was a type of this world.. a mixed multitude, believers and unbelievers together.

lyn wrote:
For ml~ a brother in Christ sent me this, I think it is beneficial for the truth you are trying to make. Read Philippians 3:9,"And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST, the righteousness which is of God by faith" {KJV}. Many translations get this wrong, saying righteousness is 'through faith IN Christ'. It is God's faithfulness, His gift, that keeps me faithful.
Prayerfully this will help you ml in your stance for truth. God bless

Calvinist Understanding wrote:
None of the verses you posted say anything about faith being a gift!

“The Holy Ghost was not yet given in that visible manner that was intended. If we compare the clear knowledge and strong grace of the disciples of Christ themselves, after the day of Pentecost, with their darkness and weakness before, we shall understand in what sense the Holy Ghost was not yet given; the earnests and first-fruits of the Spirit were given, but the full harvest was not yet come. That which is most properly called the dispensation of the Spirit did not yet commence. The Holy Ghost was not yet given in such rivers of living water as should issue forth to water the whole earth, even the Gentile world…” (Matthew Henry Commentary)

John UK wrote:
No, I am saying that only sinners who are elect will be saved, to which they were predestined.
It is a single predestination, you see.
And my position is very much biblically based.

John UK wrote:
But to apply that to God's decree to save some, and leave the rest in their self-imposed ruin, no, that doesn't figure.
I'm sorry if you are offended by my beliefs; but I am offended by, and my spirit rejects, the doctrine that God decided to bring people into this world solely that he might cast them ultimately into a lake of fire, and leave them there forever.

“If the doctrine be true, that He died for all men, then He died for some who were in Hell before He came into this world, for doubtless there were even then myriads there who had been cast away because of their sins. . .” (Charles Spurgeon, Autobiography: 1, The Early Years, p. 172)

“That Christ should offer an atonement and satisfaction for the sins of all men, and that afterwards some of those very men should be punished for the sins for which Christ had already atoned, appears to me to be the most monstrous iniquity that could ever have been imputed to Saturn, to Janus, to the goddess of the Thugs, or to the most diabolical heathen deities."
Autobiography, 2 vols. (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1962) 1:172.

Or this one,

DJC49 wrote:
*ml* ... I haven't battled you in the least. Probably because you AREN'T a KJVO Fundy! Matter of fact, by picking up the banner concerning that outstanding link you offered ("Fundamentalists and the "Incorruptible" Blood of Christ
") I've done battle FOR you ... and the truth.