Hi my two cents..
There are no sign gifts that we can use to confirm we are a new creature(Christian).
His unseen Spirit that dwells in us witnesses to our spirit we are his children.It is all the spiritual work that is needed to believe Him. He does not offer the believer a literal sign. There is simply no need.
Romans 8:16 "The Spirit" itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
We walk by faith not by sight. Signs are for the rebellious that Christ called an evil generation (the generation of Adam “no faith”) They seek after a sign .Prophecy as the same spirit of faith according as it is written is for those who do believe. Christ clearly informs us . No new sign will be given .The sign and wonder in respect to the sign of Jonas was the last .
Luke 11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
I think the key is in how we hear God aright, as the things of God, and not man as things of men. It is there that the father of lies, Satan, the serpent gets his foot in the door. Distinguishing between the two is vital in hearing God.
One thing I noticed when looking at the posts was in the way of receiving of the Holy Spirit. It did not have its origin as a foundation in Acts during the Pentecost as some would espouse.. Abel knew God as the Spirit of Christ lived in him, having favor on Abel in the same way he has grace on all he desires so to have mercy with.(1 Peter 1:11) This reveals how that Holy Spirit did dwell in the Old testament saints just as with us. It is how we see the eternal spiritual things of God not seen as comparing the spiritual to the spiritual .Not comparing the temporal as that seen to the temporal.
2Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the “things which are seen”, but at the “things which are not seen”: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Keeping in mind the above interpretation, as prescription given to us to hear the gospel ,like a hearing aid. I would think better understanding can be gleaned..
The baptism of the Spirit as that not seen, the eternal is that in which the Holy Spirit calls the "hearing of faith". It is the key that the gates of hell could never prevail against. It causes our baptisms from heaven. It can I believe help us understand God not seen the eternal is not served by human hands in any way shape or form of that seen, the temporal.
There are "two" kinds of faith. The kind of faith we are to concern ourselves with is called by God the “hearing of faith” is in respect to the “faith of Christ”, the faith of God.And is also referred to as the same spirit of faith according as it is written.
His faith is as the author and finisher, or the Alpha and the Omega. You could say in respect to the author; “let there be” and the finisher; “lo and behold there was” His faith is different than that of the creation the created faith, our conscience or heart the source of imagination. Our faith needs substance His faith provides substance where none existed beforehand.
In that way we can agree with God in so much that it is Him who works according to His faith in us to both will and perform His good pleasure. It might not be understandable but is believable as in having the faith that surpasses all understanding.
While the things of men they can bring created substance (H20) as that seen, the temporal to show they have already received the unseen eternal faith to believe which comes by hearing God. This is our faith offered towards Him. He calls our faith as if it is dead in so much that it cannot call Him down from heaven unless he does the first work, us hearing Him
In that way , it, the hearing of God, is the conversion. It is how we can hear God so that we then can understand Him, and therefore seek after Him who has no form, according to that perfect law of faith.
Jesus made it clear to the apostles that God is not served by human hands if we believe God to the salvation of our souls .we understand it was because worked in the believer to both will and do His good pleasure. By giving us his faith, the gift. Giving us ears to hear . Some refuse that faith and call God a respecter of person.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent”. Joh 6:28
One of the clearest places that I can think of is in Galatians. Interestingly he calls the Galatian believer “foolish” a word meaning; a wisdom of this world without God’s perspective working in the person heart and thoughts. (The fool has said there is no God in their heart/conscience)
Therefore the Holy Spirit affirmed that those foolish Galatians did deny Christ in unbelief(no faith) , and therefore sinned. Christ, then turning them toward himself so that they could repent .He gave them clear instruction on who does the first works.
Note ....(Purple in parentheses) my personal addition to try and make a point.
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? ( Christ finished his promised work of faith) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the “works of the law”, or by the “hearing of faith”? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, (not according to their own fleshly work of faith, the hearing a person’s own conscience ) are ye now made perfect by the flesh?( hearing a person’s own conscience )Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the “works of the law”, or by the “hearing of faith”? Gal 3:1-5
I think by looking at the phrase the “hearing of faith” the unseen eternal baptism of the Holy Spiritin regard to God’s labor of love that works in us we get a better or a different idea of what it means when the Holy Spirit declared after each attempt to get those who had become lukewarm , to repent, and do the first works God requires of us (believe God , the hearing of faith)
I would think it would be like what is said to the Galatians. It would be likened in the same way after each of the 7 loving reprimands he called the churches in Revelation to do.... turning them so they could in turn repent...
Revelation 2:7 He “that hath” an ear, (the hearing of Christ’s faith) let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 2:11 He “that hath” an ear (the hearing of Christ’s faith), let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Revelation 2:17 He “that hath” an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Revelation 2:29 He “that hath” an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:6 He “that hath” an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
H20 baptism is simply an old testament ceremonial law that was required when a new priest was preparing to begin the priestly ministry, but it provided no spiritual substance that could wash away even the least of sin. The disciples of John (John 3:25) argued with the Pharisees regarding that old testament ceremonial law . It is why Christ was baptized by a Levite John before he started his earthly ministry Seeing he was of the tribe of Judas and got under the law involving a new priest. It is the reason believers are baptized today as they show the congregation they believe God has prepared their new hearts for the ministry, of the kingdom of priests (all believers) How it developed into what it is today as a sign and wonder that confirms a person has eternal life .
It was not inspired from heaven as a doctrine of God. Christians I believe are to walk by faith the unseen eternal. Not by sight after the temporal seen.(H20)