Bar,
I was baptized correctly and recieved the Holy Spirit and the gifts of Faith, Hope and Charity…as did you if you were baptized in the trinitarian formula…now concerning the mystery in Ephesians Paul says this…
*Before you get to the mystery. I was referring as Paul did to these gifts. Since water baptisim is, as Paul stated, a baptisim of repentance.
1 Cor. 12; 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts , brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might led.
3 Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:
9 to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;
10 and to another workings of [1] miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues: n1
11 but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.
It is through the Church that the manifold wisdom of God is known and it is the mystery hidden for all ages, through which Gentiles are made fellow heirs with Christ…people like you and me…
**And the church that Paul speaks of is the members of the Body of Christ, not a denomination. Yes? Did you also notice that your quote from Eph. said this. that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. **. This is to be made know to whom, and where?
But what is the Pillar and foundation of Truth? or do you not know that…if you have the Spirit and speak in tongues, though I speak as well or better than most, it would be better that you prophesy…for tongues is for the believer and prophesy the unbeliever…better that you prophesy…so prophesy for us and tell me what is the Pillar and foundation of truth…so that those reading along can know…ok…
*Didn’t Paul point out that prophesy is for the assembly of the saints? This sure isn’t that arena. Tongues are both personal , and for the assembly, if you’ve read Romans 8, and 1 Cor. 14 correctly **
You are freaking me out though…the third kind?
All I can think of is close encounters of the third kind with Richard Dreyfus…have you had contact with aliens or somethin?
Since when is Christianity a religious order? Either Catholic, or Protestant? Christianity is a living, and abiding, intimate relationship, and fellowship with the living Christ by the Spirit. Through which these beleivers are progressively transformed, conformed, moulded and shaped into the image of Jesus Christ.
Eph. 4:11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:
13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: