Replies

Looked at your link and found this:

In short, since the Church is the kingdom of Christ, and he reigns only by his word, can there be any doubt as to the falsehood of those statements (cf. Jer.7:4) by which the kingdom of Christ is represented without his sceptre, in other words, without his sacred word?

Scriptural support for this "reigns only by his word" nonsense? "The sheep hear my voice" and also "you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God, Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Eph 2:19f). This fool thinks that since the Church is apostolic and the Lord speaks to her, Christ reigns through the scripture alone. The man is an anticatholic propagandist uncapable of coherent thought.

With Calvin, you repeat

The church is not the wrangler of the Holy Spirit. The church exists to faithfully proclaim the Scriptures.

In the passage you cite, the Holy Spirit is associated with Baptism. You could have added also

Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

So, one receives the Holy Ghost and is baptized, or one is baptized and receives the Holy Ghost. Plain and simple: if you have a whiff of the Holy Ghost in you, thank the Church which baptized you.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the Prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I believe one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

You want to be counted among Christians, drop Calvin and take up the Nicene Creed.

So, one receives the Holy Ghost and is baptized, or one is baptized and receives the Holy Ghost. Plain and simple: if you have a whiff of the Holy Ghost in you, thank the Church which baptized you.

To the contrary, dear annalex, on this point all of the Gospels agree: that it is Jesus Christ who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire: - Matt 3:11

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. - Mark 1:8

John answered, saying unto [them] all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: - Luke 3:16

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. - John 1:33

This fool thinks that since the Church is apostolic and the Lord speaks to her, Christ reigns through the scripture alone. The man is an anticatholic propagandist uncapable of coherent thought.

Well, please tell us how you really feel. I doubt if you can charge Calvin as a "propagandist" and certainly not incapable "of coherent thought". Some of us are quite capable of understanding what he was saying.