Neither am I, the only debate I've ever participated in was here on AFF. However in a debate both point of views are presented in a way that the observers can judge for themselves. True the ones involved in the debate rarely change tier posistion during the debate (though some do after time), but again, it is for the benefit of the hearers/readers.
If your not up to this, perhaps a more seasoned poster of your persuasion would be interested. I am convinced that we are being charged with alot of things that we do not believe here lately.
mistake one, commonly made by ex-pentecostals. Bernard is not scripture. Though I personally like alot of what He writes, I've read so many ex-pentecostals speak about or boast how their goal was to defend the doctrine.
IMO that's why many of them couldn't serve God like they ought, their focus became on their organization rather than God. For the record, I'm not necessarily accusing you, DG of such things, but have seen statements similar to what you made many times. In the first place amongst whom Gregory Boyd comes immediately to mind.
DG, do you think you were the first pentecostal to read Romans? This statement is a big red flag to me. It tells me that your mind set was very skewed somehow, if Romans was that a big a shock to you. No wonder you harp on grace so much, because you apperently, truly did not understand grace.
Romans is one of the greatest books in the New Testament, but it in no way tears down the importance of repentance, water baptism and Spirit baptism, in fact a large portion of Romans is devoted to salvation, chapters 6-8.
I mean how can you see baptism as a "work" and have nothing to do with salvation when Paul (who not only shared the importance of baptism in his testimony-
Acts 22:16) writes:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
ROMANS 6:1-6
DG, I'm glad you here. I don't always appreciate what your promoting (Calvinism), but you seem like a nice, sincere guy, and I do honestly believe you love God.
Just seek to serve God, pray, study, and walk with God. If He wants you to speak in tongues, you will. I think your doing the right thing by NOT seeking tongues. Just serve God, and if it so happens that you speak in tongues, quench not the Spirit. I do believe tongues (at least in our current day) are over-rated. Yes I believe and speak in tongues, but also believe the act of seeking tongues more than God has done people more harm than good.
Because of tongues, you threw the baby out with the bath water. DG, you come on here talking about how your going to "set us free" and such, but can't even answer the scriptures we bring. Just say, well "your interpretation is wrong."
What makes our interpretaion wrong? Do you deny that Paul is speaking of baptism in
Romans 6:3-4 or
Colossians 2:11-13. Baptism is our circumcision. Not an outward circumcision, but inward, circumcision of the heart. And circumcision wasn't optional in the old covenant, and isn't optional in the New.
Baptism is the completion of repentace and our initiation into the New Covenant...................ok, it's late and I'll stop there. I'm tired too.
Perhaps someone will take up the offer to debate the topic.
That is unless I'm busy in a tithing debate, still waiting on someone to answer that open challenge
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