Subject: what is speaking in tongues? |
Bible Note: Hi, AO; "If God desires all to come to the knowledge of the truth, but knows that most will not, where is the contradiction?" There is no contradiction in what God has said. I simply cannot agree with your original assertion that "Once it was obvious throughout the world that His word was the truth, there was no need for the confirmation". The Bible does not say this. Paul says in Romans 1 that God's truth has always been evident. But nowhere does the Bible say that at some point in time the validity of God's word had become obvious throughout the world. As for healing, I agree that everyone we know of who requested healing (or had it requested by someone else) was healed. But you are still promoting an argument from silence. For example, the Bible provides no examples of Roman gladiators who were saved by faith in Christ. That doesn't prove that there are no retired Roman gladiators in Heaven; it proves that the Bible doesn't say anything about it one way or the other. Likewise, the Bible provides no examples of requests for healing being denied. That doesn't prove that none were denied; it proves that the Bible doesn't say anything about it one way or the other. It's easy to imagine a Pharisee striding up to Peter and demanding healing as a sign - perhaps a Pharisee whose demand for a sign Jesus had already refused. And it's easy to imagine Peter also declining. Did it happen? I don't know; it could have. The Bible doesn't say it did so I can't prove that it did. But the Bible doesn't say it didn't so you can't say that the Bible has ruled it out. That would be another argument from silence. It might make for an interesting discussion (or not), but it's nothing that we can draw any theological conclusions from. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |