02-01-2005, 01:22 AM
Neat symbolism, but we are a part of grace and truth, the OT and it's veiled truth died out with John The Baptist. I'm not meaning to be abrupt with you Dave, I'm just killing the idea of those types of analogy since they lead to confusion most of the time, and people love to hang onto them for some reason during debates.
The initial experience of the rebirth is the cleansing by the fire of The Holy Spirit, but John pointed to something much greater, of which he wanted also yet it doesn't look like John was able to attain that gift since he died before Jesus, and the time/realm of The Holy Spirit had not occured yet.
The NT mentions in many places of the gift of The Holy Spirit as a separate and distinct step in the new Christian life, completely distinct from the initial rebirth, and the next step after it.
In lament, it seems that most translators are unaware of these things.
The initial experience of the rebirth is the cleansing by the fire of The Holy Spirit, but John pointed to something much greater, of which he wanted also yet it doesn't look like John was able to attain that gift since he died before Jesus, and the time/realm of The Holy Spirit had not occured yet.
The NT mentions in many places of the gift of The Holy Spirit as a separate and distinct step in the new Christian life, completely distinct from the initial rebirth, and the next step after it.
In lament, it seems that most translators are unaware of these things.