Dear Brethren
ChristDependent and
Cygnus, I will certainly not argue your experience and knowledge of scripture concerning the Holy Spirit. I'll give my testimony.
As a teacher in a Baptist Church I didn't believe any doctrines referring to being filled, and/or receiving the Holy Spirit as something subsequent to my initial birth in Christ. I also believed certain gifts were done away after the Church was established prior to the coming of Jesus.
1 Cor 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (I did have a problem with knowledge, but having not received the remaining gifts it was easy to omit them for me.).
Actually, those gifts had not been done away with since we are not seeing Him face to face yet, but I do not believe the tongues we are seeing now in churches is God's gift of tongues which is of other men's lips to speak unto the people. 1 Corinthians 14;20-22
They are using tongues as a sign to seek after when receiving the "Holy Spirit again". This is the apostasy I am trying to share here by His grace & by His help. This is the iniquity spoken of by Paul in regards to the falling away from the faith which will happen first as that iniquity was even happening back in his day.
Readers confuse the two events mentioned in there as being one and the same event as if the Lord will deal with that falling away from the faith and that son of perdition at the same time, but He will deal with these events separately, because God will judge His House first ( 1 Peter 4:17-19 ).
So here's the iniquity Paul was talking about that will be causing a major falling away from the faith in the latter days as it was already at work back then.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,....7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way......9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
When a saved believer gets left behind to be received later on as a vessel unto dishonor in His House, this is the damnation spoken of here. FYI More on how they are still brothers in a moment, God be willing.
Getting back to exposing what this iniquity is as thinking that one can receive the Holy Spirit "again" is by how Paul reminded the believers abut how they had received the Holy Spirit the first & thus the only time.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
So all believers had received the sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth by the hearing of the gospel. Therefore this is the line of discernment in reproving receiving the Holy Spirit "again".
Now those that have fallen away from the faith are still His as we go into the third chapter.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. 5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;....14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
As many of these apostate movements of the "Spirit" are, where people are falling down and doing crazy stuff like barking like a dog, or roaring like a lion or being stricken mute in mid sentence or having uncontrollable laughter, they all share the same rudiments of seeking to receive the Holy Spirit "again" after a sign. So no good tree can produce an evil fruit and therefore this tongue which never comes with interpretation because it is vain & profane babblings is not of Him for it serves as a sign to believers to promote seeking after receiving the "Holy Spirit" "again".
1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:..... 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
There is to be no confusion and nothing disorderly happening when God is working in the church; and certainly, seeking to receive the Holy Spirit again after a sign is a act of an adulterous generation.
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Believers need the help of their Good Shepherd to return to their first love and chase no more after seducing spirits to receive after any sign. They need His help to shun vain & profane babblings by praying normally so that they may know what they had prayed for to give the Father thanks in Jesus's name for answered prayers.
As it is, the falling away from the faith is everywhere, and the Bridegroom will be coming soon for the abiding & repentant bride of Christ, leaving behind those in the marketplace still seeking to be filled, and thus denying Him of having been filled in the first place when they were saved. It is time to repent now.
