Becoming Born-Again is more than just speaking in tongues. Some denominations will tell you that if you don't speak in tongues you're not saved. Not true. Tongues is the evidence of a gift, not salvation. God does not have to save someone to use them. God used a donkey to speak to a prophet in a human language: tongues. Was the donkey saved and filled with the Holy Spirit? No. God gave the donkey the ability to speak for that moment in time. Almighty God put the words in the mouth of the beast and used him or her for a specific task. Does God give us the power to heal or perform miracles? Or Does Almighty God answer our prayers when we ask? If He gave "us" the power, we would use it for our own will instead of God's will. Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. The True Evidence of the Holy Spirit is being able to say that Jesus is Lord. 1st Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Berean Study Bible After confessing Jesus is Lord there is another evidence of the Holy Spirit. The "Fruit" of the Spirit. I received the Fruit of the Holy Spirit before I received any gifts. When I told God that I believe He raised Jesus from the dead and asked Him to forgive me of my sins and to come into my heart in the name of Jesus Christ, amen, I was overjoyed with happiness. Galatians 5:22 But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ...faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is Love. 1st Corinthians 13:13 John 15:12... This is My Commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear "fruit"— fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. This is My Command to you: Love one another. Matthew 22:37... Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these Two Commandments.” Love is not only a word. It's also an action. And, when we stand before the Judgement Seat, Jesus will either say that you fed the least of these brothers of mine or you didn't. Did you clothe the naked and visit your brothers and sisters in the hospital or prison? Matthew 25:31-46 Notice, in Matt. 25:31-46 that Jesus did not ask if they could speak in tongues or perform miracles. As a matter of fact, Jesus told those who were given gifts that He never knew them because they are workers of Lawlessness. Matthew 7:19-23 The New Law is to Love. This is the most important Law, rather, Commandment. Matthew 22:37-40 The Law has been fulfilled. The Sabbath Fulfilled God wants to know if you loved each other in action and not just words. James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. Also, Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-48 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? Be (mature), therefore, as your Heavenly Father is "perfect". "Perfect" Is the interpretation of the Greek word teleioi or teleios. The translations are not complete as we see here with two words yet, only one meaning. The literal meaning is "complete" which can be interpreted to mean: mature. We should be mature enough not to fight back, for our treasure in heaven will be much greater if we are persecuted for doing what is right. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/5-48.htm 1st Peter 2:19-25 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.” For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Don't condemn those who do not confess Jesus as Lord as long as they are showing compassion on their fellow man. Romans 2:14-16 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them. This will come to pass on that day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel. (I don't like that Paul calls this his gospel, it is not from him, it is from God.) God is the judge and we each have our own book in heaven that every idle word or action is written down in. Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open "books", and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. 1st Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Rev. 3:19 May God's will be done in the name of Jesus our Lord and Christ. Amen. Unless you bear good fruit, you will be cut down and thrown into the fire. A warning from Jesus our Lord and Christ.
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