April 5 – Acts 8:14-7; “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”
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It’s rather ironic the Church would bless its members with the gift of the Holy Ghost. They don’t believe He can be in more than one place at a time. In the book Articles of Faith, pg. 160 it says; “Plainly, such expressions as being filled with the Holy Ghost, and His falling upon person, have reference to the powers and influences that emanate from God, and which are characteristic of Him; for the Holy Ghost may in this way operate simultaneously upon many persons even though they be widely separated, whereas the actual person of the Holy Ghost cannot be in more than one place at a time”.
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Point 8. “The true church must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Acts 8:14-7.”
Since you teach that I cannot do anything to help in my salvation and I must wait for God to choose me to be saved, why do you say I must do the works necessary to be your type of Christian?
What does being an unsaved Christian of your type get me that being a Mormon doesn’t; isn’t being a Mormon as good as anything else , since you say none of my works do me any good, no matter what I do?
fred
Fred – you are confused. God does never choose anyone to be saved. That is called Calvinism, and it is heretical. Do not confuse God’s foreknowledge with Him causing things to happen. It is a matter of His perfect will. It is not His will that anyone should perish, but we still have free will, and must make that choice for ourselves.
It is something that takes place within you – when you realize that you are sinful, and there is nothing you can do to save yourself. You make a choice to turn away from your own sinfulness (repentance) and turn towards Jesus Christ – the Author and finisher of our faith.
You then make this confession to Him, and ask Him to be your Savior, trusting in your heart of hearts that He can do what He promises.
It is only after you are saved, that your works count. Otherwise they are nothing but filthy rags. I’m not trying to steal this blogs readers, but I encourage you to come to out site and read the articles archived on the apologetics and Bible Study pages.