I see this is going to be a long discussion, but that is great. I was getting bored, with some of the foolish questions on here. And the same thing over and over. So let's really get into the meat of this.
Jason wrote,
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I think a strong argument can be made that Acts 8 is not the normative experience for all believers for all time.
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True. But it was at the foundation of the Church and for about 100 years. And then what happened? Did Wolves come in like Paul told the Church, that they would? Absolutely!
Philosophers, joined the church, bringing in the Trinity doctrine, which led to the Catholic Church. Little by little God led His people out of the RCC, until 1900's, He then started pouring out the Holy Ghost, again. And then He opened their eye's to the truth of Oneness.
The Church was then back on the original foundation. But we made 2 mistakes. Maybe 3.
1. At first, if I understand, they sent the people out 2 by 2, and started house churches and the power of God was great. Then to be like the other churches, “
give us a king, that we can be like other nations” they started a Denomination.
2. To start a Denomination, they had to put in, rules and laws. These became legalistic, man-made laws. Dragging some laws from the OT into the New. You can't do that, unless it is one of God's moral laws, like faith or love. But womens clothing? Wonder why not “pork?”
And now they became one of the arms of the Government, to charge Tithes and pay taxes, except for the “perks” of the Government to Pastors. Which is also what the Catholic Church did.
3. They got stuck there. Not crying out to God, for farther enlightenment.
And back to your statement,
“I think a strong argument can be made that Acts 8 is not the normative experience for all believers for all time.”
Right! Because the Church went into 'darkness' and now more “Light” has been shown, but many still want to cling to,
JUST BELIEVE. However, as I have shown, a
BELIEVER, that does not go any farther, is just that,
A BELIEVER. But they are not 'born again' until the obey “
as the scriptures has shown.”
TO BE CONTINUED