Acts20.com

Recently one of my members told me she would be out the next Sunday because she was going to her niece’s church to see her be baptized. Several weeks after that this member was hospitalized for complications with her pregnancy. I went to see her in the hospital. While I was there several other family members were there visiting as well, including the aforementioned niece. At one point a nurse came in and asked us all to step out for a few minutes while they did some things for the patient. While we were in the hall an interesting conversation took place. The niece was asked about her big day when she was baptized. Her response left me scratching my head. She talked about how wonderful it was and God has been blessing her. She talked about being filled the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. She then said “I went home and told my boyfriend that we needed to get married and stop living in sin.”How did we get the place where someone , by their own admission, is living in sin and still think they have the Holy Ghost?What am I missing

Does not God give us the Spirit to lead us out of sinfulness and into deeper sanctification

Maybe we have over spiritualized the role a marriage license from the state has in marriage. Perhaps, its the intercourse between two adults which makes them one flesh before God. Paul said, Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, The two will become one flesh. (I Corinthians 6:16 NIV)I'm trying to recall a scripture in the New Testament (or old) where a minister was involved in officiating a marriage, and the marriage was registered with the rulers. I see the role of cohabitation, I see the role of family approval, I see the role of intercourse (knowing your wife) and having children together. Where is that scripture about a minister and the government?That's way, no intercourse there is no marriage - you got to know your wife.This I do know, the Spirit transcends the circumstances and them transforms the sinner.

of church going kids see that it is okay to live together. I have seen this a lot with church going kids. They will go on vacation together...etc....

I'm not sure I'm following here. She heard the gospel and became regenerated and filled with the Holy Spirit, then went home and told her boyfriend they needed to repent from their sin?

My wife and I lived together for over two years before we were married.One Sunday she went to a homecoming service at the church she was raised in.The Holy Spirit drew her to the altar and she prayed through.She did not return home until late that evening.When she arrived she was crying and I assumed someone had offended her.I was ready to offend the offender.She said no one had hurt her.She continued to cry, and cry, and cry...Finally she announced that we were going fishing the next day.She cried some more and would not let me within arms reach.Next morning, more crying.We arrive at Lake Weiss, launch the boat, and proceed to one of our favorite fishing spots.More crying.At the end of my patience I declare.Woman if you don't tell me what is wrong, I will throw you into the lake!Her response.Andy, I love you, but I prayed yesterday and I am going to serve the Lord, if you don't want to marry me you will have to leave.Can you imagine, she chose Christ over me.I said, Is that it, that's all, you want to get married, I love you crazy woman, let's get married.We were married as fast as one could in the state of GA.The rest is history. Charles A. HutchinsSenior Pastor SPWCCongregational Church of Godwww.spwc.church

I can understand the 'how did we get here?' in relation to the easy 'live-in' society. We are less than 50% married now. But the story seemed to resonate to me that one comfortable with the 'live-in society' SAW THE LIGHT!I hope the best for the young lady in her search to be a CHRISTIAN.It is a strange thing how we feel (felt) about 'sanctification' and the sins we know the converted will have to drop 'moving from Salvation to sanctification'. Smokers could continue smoking until they were sanctified. But I don't think we allowed the 'drinking' to continue until sanctified' no more than we would allow someone living together until they could 'GET IT RIGHT!Well at least they could not join the church until they worked it all out. Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

You do realize if you are ever selected for the Supreme Court (or maybe a JP), this confession, a preacher being alone in a boat with a single woman, will be brought up! When you became a preacher will not matter! LO Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

She claims to have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost before her water baptism and declaring her need to change. Have we reached the place where a person can be saved and skip right over sanctification to being baptized in the Holy Ghost? If not, then how can someone living in sin claim sanctification?Have we been wrong all these years teaching salvation, then sanctification, and then Holy Ghost baptismal?I guess I’m just too old school to understand this anything goes brand of Christianity being practiced today

[quote=Resident Skeptic saidDoes not God give us the Spirit to lead us out of sinfulness and into deeper sanctification?[/quote]He does. But you are talking about God’s Spirit we receive at conversion. I’ve always believed that sanctification is necessary for someone to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. How can someone be sanctified co-habitating