Donald Fehlauer posted on October 05, 2005 00:00
To help people believe, God provided His Word (the Holy Bible) and the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper). These are the means God promises to use to give us His grace (undeserved loving kindness) and salvation through Jesus Christ. Through these Means, the Holy Spirit creates faith (John 3:3-5).
If only God can convert us and if God wants everybody to be converted through His Means of Grace, why isn’t everybody converted? We know all too well that a person can obstinately resist the converting work of the Holy Spirit and reject God (Acts 7:51-53).
We reject those who teach that the Holy Spirit saves people who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We reject those who teach that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are just ceremonies and not ways that the Holy Spirit gives us faith. We reject those who teach that you can be sure of salvation only if you show the miraculous gifts of the Spirit: tongues (spiritual languages), healing, or prophecy.