- Does the Holy Spirit directly or miraculously change our hearts so that we will be saved?
- Calvinism says yes.
- Irresistible grace?
- Calvinism says yes.
- People were saved by learning and obeying the gospel.
- Pentecost (Acts 2)
- Second sermon (Acts 3-4)
- Samaritans (Acts 8)
- Acts 8:16-17 – They believed before they received the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way.
- Ethiopian (Acts 8:25-39; 13:2-4; 16:8-10)
- The Holy Spirit intervened to get Philip to the right place, but the Ethiopian believed on his own.
- Cornelius (Acts 10-11, 15, cf. 19)
- Being saved and receiving the Holy Spirit were two separate things!
- Acts 11:13
- Mark 16:15-16
- Romans 1:16
- Romans 10:17
- Hebrews 2:1-4
- Then what about … II Thessalonians 2:13? “sanctification by the spirit”
- Context and harmony:
- The message was preached and they had to decide to obey it in their lives.
- So, what about … Ephesians 1:13? “sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise”
- Context and harmony
- They could read Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired words and know they were saved.
- What about … John 6:44? No one can come to Me unless the Gather who sent Me draws him”
- Context and harmony
- God draws men through the message preached.
- What about … John 6:33? “it is the Spirit who gives life”
- Context and harmony
- Probably not the Holy Spirit, but an analogy: “Just like your spirit gives life to your flesh, my spirit gives life to your soul.”
- What about … Ephesians 5:18? “be filled with the Spirit”
- Context and harmony
- What about … Acts 9:17-19? “be filled with the Holy Spirit”
- Context and harmony
- What about … Acts 16:14? “the Lord opened her heart to respond”
- Context and harmony
- He opened her heart through the words from Paul.
- Take-aways
- The conversions in Acts consistently show that people simply heard the gospel and obeyed.
- Calvinism assumes that many Holy Spirit passages involve something supernatural.
- Don’t wait for the Holy Spirit to do something to your supernaturally – He’s already given the Bible to you!
DW
July 15, 2018
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