The Utterly Confused John MacArthur Jr.
While proudly calling himself a Calvinist, John MacArthur teaches in the following video clip that the believer’s baptism in the Spirit only occurs once. Yet, John Calvin and the Reformers in general believed that the believer’s baptism needed to occur daily through the death of deep repentance and the resurrection of new obedience. In other words, self-depravation brings about perpetual death with Christ, followed by the fruits of resurrection expressed in joy or some kind of manifestation of Christ’s obedience. That’s “revisiting the gospel afresh” through deep repentance and new obedience. As a result, the believer supposedly receives a perpetual forgiveness for sins that maintains our justification. It’s heresy of the first order.
Astonishingly, MacArthur also states that the baptism of the Spirit should not be sought or repeated. This completely contradicts what his associates teach in regard to “preaching the gospel to ourselves every day.” The very purpose of this mantra is to advocate a continual return to the gospel in order to “experience” death and rebirth. MacArthur cohort and Reformed hack Dr. Michael Horton stated it this way in his book on systematic theology:
Progressive sanctification has two parts: mortification and vivification, “both of which happen to us by participation in Christ,” as Calvin notes….Subjectively experiencing this definitive reality signified and sealed to us in our baptism requires a daily dying and rising. That is what the Reformers meant by sanctification as a living out of our baptism….and this conversion yields lifelong mortification and vivification “again and again.” Yet it is critical to remind ourselves that in this daily human act of turning, we are always turning not only from sin but toward Christ rather than toward our own experience or piety (pp. 661-663 [Calvin Inst. 3.3.2-9]).
Luther advocated the same in Thesis 16 and 17 of his Heidelberg Confession. There, he posits the Reformed mainstay that Christians need the same grace that saved them continually, and this saving grace should be continually sought. So, baptism does not signify a onetime event, but signifies the need to continually repent in order to receive the perpetual baptism that saved us.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
“We do believe that just as it was the Son’s mission during his humiliation to bring glory to the Father, it is now the Spirit’s mission to bring glory to the Son.”
Where in the bible does it say this? I thought the Spirit was a comforter and would teach us in all truth. This “intellectual” inferencing of Scripture really blows my mind. Theology run amok.
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Free,
If you want some Reformed citations on their view of Christ’s preeminence over the Father and the Holy Spirit, let me know.
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freegraceful,
[deleted] Answer the question Randy.
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13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Jn 16:13-15
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eligido,
Where is the second part of the answer? Permanent focus, or temporary? Answer the question.
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In case you are interested, our doctrine is “There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.” WCF
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Uh, that would be WCF doublespeak, so what’s your point?
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Free may not want the quotations but I would love to see them IN CONTEXT.
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no.
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If I understand your question properly, it is temporary. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.
28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Cor 15:27-28
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Exactly, So what was your original point?
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If that is doublespeak, how would you express the unity and trinity of the Godhead?
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Not via murdering despot Puritans who authored the WMC. What makes them the experts? Their character?
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My point is that the three persons of the Godhead are equal in power and glory in their essential beings. There is, however, an economical subjection of persons during different periods in the outworking of redemption.
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13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Jn 16:13-15
So you take from this that the Spirit’s “mission” is to glorify the Son. That’s it? Nothing else?
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My original point was that as usual you are misrepresenting what we believe.
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Sniff, sniff.
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