Articles

The Deaver-Simons Debate (Part 1)

The format for the debate between Mac Deaver and Wesley Simons was a little unusual in that it did not take place over the customary four nights of a week, nor was it in a building where brethren could attend it. Each disputant made a 30-minute speech, which was then put on You Tube, where anyone could (and still can) watch it. Brother Simons began with the first affirmative speech, and Deaver had three weeks to formulate and post his response; then the cycle would be repeated until the last speech was presented. Each participant had four affirmative speeches and four negative speeches. To view it, one has only to go to You Tube and type in the Deaver-Simons Debate. All the speeches will be available. They are numbered from 1 through 16.

The First Proposition

The scriptures teach that one must hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptized in water, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins in order to be born again.

Wesley Simons affirmed this proposition, and Mac Deaver denied it. It will undoubtedly seem strange to most students of the Word that a brother in Christ would deny what we teach and preach all the time, but, sadly, that is the case. Part of the wording is similar to Acts 2:38. Deaver does not deny the necessity of hearing, believing, repenting, or being baptized. Where he disagreed was insisting that a person must also be baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to be born again (which is the proposition for the last eight speeches). What? No, you read correctly. When Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born of water and the Spirit, he meant Holy Spirit baptism, according to Mac.

The First Speeches

After defining the proposition, Wesley called attention to John 3:3-5 and showed its relevance to the debate. Then he acknowledged that he had once been a member of the Church of God of Prophecy but had left it because their teaching involving baptism in the Holy Spirit was in claim only. And so is Mac’s. There is no demonstration of Holy Spirit baptism that Mac can show to substantiate what he says; it is only a claim.

Therefore, you have Mac Deaver, who claims that he was baptized in the Holy Spirit and Wesley Simons who says he was not. What is the difference between the two of them? What’s the evidence of Mac\chart which contained these words:

As goes the demonstration, so goes the proposition!!! What does Mac have that I don\

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