Holy Spirit discussion #3,845

[B-A-C]

Ok, So I don't claim that the 3,845 is factually accurate.

But I do know that in the last 8 years, very few things have been discussed more the Holy Spirit here on TJ.
And yet despite all the discussion, there is very little agreement about it.

So why bring up a subject that so many disagree about? Why not stick to the easy subjects that we all agree on. This has been on my heart a lot lately. I have been praying about this quite a bit.

Unlike subjects like Giants, or the Flood, or doing miracles, or even the Trinity, nothing else determines
our Christian walk like the Holy Spirit does. I believe understanding how all this fits together is just as
important as salvation itself. In fact, I believe the two things to mutually dependent upon one another.

The phrase "Holy Spirit" is only mentioned three times in the entire Old testament. ( Psalms 51:11; Isaiah 63:10; and Isaiah 63:11; ) There is something called the Spirit of God mentioned about a dozen times in the old testament (as early as Gen 1:2; ) But the Spirit of God, doesn't always necessarily mean the Holy Spirit.

How can the Holy Spirit be so important, if it's not really mentioned in the old testament?
Well, the word "Jesus" isn't in the old testament either. One big difference is the Holy Spirit wasn't
given to everyone in the old testament. You could be in the kingdom of Israel, but you couldn't be
in the kingdom of God. In fact the phrases "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" don't appear
anywhere in the old testament. Why is this? Is seem only prophets, leaders of Israel (such as kings)
and God's judges were the only people in the old testament that actually had the Holy Spirit.
..and even then, the Holy Spirit did not dwell within them, but was simply "with" them. In the old
testament, the Spirit of God left people. ( 1 Sam 16:14; ) even kings and judges. ( Judges 16:20; )
Being a part of the kingdom wasn't really on in individual basis. You were more a follower of a king
or a prophet to know what God was saying and doing.

Even in the new testament, the Holy Spirit worked in different ways. One of the ways was how the
Holy Spirit worked before Jesus died and was Glorified. Another way is how the Holy Spirit worked
after Jesus ascended back up to heaven.

... to be continued ....

 

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Before Jesus ascended back to heaven, no one had the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Pentecostals call this
being baptized in the Holy Spirit. More about that later. Yet most people didn't really know much about
the Holy Spirit in Jesus's day.

For one thing, the Holy Spirit still wasn't given to everyone yet.
Many times in the New testament, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit much like water.

John 7:37; Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
John 7:38; "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"
John 7:39; But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

We see three important things from this passage.
1. The Holy Spirit was not yet given to mankind, because Jesus was not yet glorified ( verse 39 )
2. The Holy Spirit comes from Jesus ( verse 37 )
3. One you receive this "rivers of living water" will flow from our innermost being.

"Innermost being". There is a phrase you don't hear a lot. What does that mean? We're getting there.

John 16:7; "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
John 16:8; "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

Jesus says in verse 7 above, it's to our advantage that He goes away (back to heaven), because if He doesn't go away the Helper
(the Holy Spirit) will not come to us.

So most people, in the time of Jesus, did not have the Holy Spirit yet.
Even people that were baptized by John the Baptist did not have this "Baptism of the holy Spirit".
In fact, one of the things John the Baptist proclaimed about Jesus was...

Matt 3:11; "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Mark 1:8; "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Luke 3:16; John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John 1:33; "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'

John the Baptist baptized people to repentance. The symbol of this was water. John the Baptist baptized people in water.
Yet in all four gospels, he tells them Jesus is going to baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with Fire ( at some point in
the future ). So the people that John the Baptist baptized, didn't receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit when they were
baptized in water.

... to be continued ...

 

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OK, so John the Baptist said Jesus was going to baptize people in the Holy Spirit, but what did Jesus say about it?

Acts 1:4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me;
Acts 1:5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"
Acts 1:7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

He told the disciples to remain in Jerusalem. This was after Jesus was glorified. This was after He was risen from the dead.
He tells them to wait "for what the Father had promised". ( verse 4 )
He tells them they will be baptized in the Holy Spirit "not many days from now". ( verse 5 )
The disciples got a little side tracked here, thinking that Jesus was going to restore His earthly kingdom here.
But in verse 8, Jesus tells them.. "You will receive power".. "when the Holy Spirit comes upon you".

There is power in receiving the Holy Spirit. But it didn't happen at the moment of salvation.
The disciples had been walking with Jesus for three years, but yet they hadn't been baptized in the Holy Spirit yet.
The story of them getting baptized in the Holy Spirit is of course recorded in Acts 2.

In Acts 10, there is a Gentile (Roman) who is a devout man, who fears God and prays all the time. This man is
a believer, and has been for a while. Yet he also, does not get baptized into the Holy Spirit until Acts 10:44;

In Acts 19:1-6; Paul runs across some "disciples" at Ephesus. He asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit.
They replied, they didn't even know there was a Holy Spirit. He then asks them, well, what were you baptized into?
They reply John baptism (repentance/water). So again, these were believers, and had been for some time.
Yet they do not get baptized in the Holy Spirit until verse 6.

.. to be continued ...

 

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Getting baptized in the Holy Spirit doesn't just happen. It doesn't happen immediately when you get saved.

For one thing you have to ask for it.

Luke 11:11; "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?
Luke 11:12; "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?
Luke 11:13; "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

Also.. God doesn't just hand out the Holy Spirit to anyone. There is at least one requirement to receive it.

Acts 5:32; "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

So we also have to obey God.

A lot of times, when you hear people talk about getting Baptized in the Holy Spirit... it brings up the subject of
speaking tongues. I don't want to get too hung up on this right now, speaking in tongues can be a part of it,
but it is MUCH more than that.

Yes, it is the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Cor 12:7-10;
But a gift is something given to you. It is God who gives the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (once you have been baptized
in the Holy Spirit).
A fruit is something you produce yourself. The fruit of the Spirit is mentioned in Gal 5:22-23;
You can't produce this fruit without the Holy Spirit (He is the vine, we are the branches) in you, but
you yourself are the tree producing the fruit.

Some Pentecostals get hung up on the gifts, but which one determines your spiritual maturity? The gifts
or the Fruit? Notice in Galatians 5; it doesn't say "fruit(s)" (plural).. it simply says "fruit" (singular). You
either have it, or you don't... it's not like you have some of it, or part of it.

... to be continued ...

 

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In John 4.. we see the well known story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan (non-Jewish) women at the well.
In her past she had been married five times.. and yet was with another man.

John 4:6; and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
John 4:7; There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, "Give Me a drink."
John 4:8; For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
John 4:9; Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
John 4:10; Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
John 4:11; She *said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?
John 4:12; "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?"
John 4:13; Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;
John 4:14; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
John 4:15; The woman *said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw."

Jesus tells this woman he has "living water". Jesus tells her, whoever drinks of this water will never thirst again.
Now obviously, he isn't talking about the physical water in the well here.

Could he be talking about the same "living water" that He is talking about in John 7:38; ? ( the Holy Spirit )

... to be continued ...

 

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We humans can be thought of in three parts.

The flesh: What we perceive as real. What we can see, feel, hear, touch, taste and smell.
The soul: Our thoughts, our intellect, our will, and our decisions.
The spirit: Our inner being, our spiritual heart.

I often picture this much like a bullseye target. With flesh on the outside, and the spirit on the inside,
with the soul between the two.

The war between the flesh and the spirit is always going on. It is continuous, even after we become saved.
In Rom 7:14-24; Paul talks about the war within himself.

Rom 8:5-13; is very similar. Also Galatians 5:16-21; gives a good picture of the flesh and how it manifests itself.
The flesh is always trying to tell the spirit what to do. In the flesh, we get angry, or jealous, or vengeful, or lustful,
and it starts to control us. We start making decisions and using our intellect based on our flesh. (remember our
decisions and intellect are the soul) which then affects our spirit positively or negatively.

This is called being self-centered. Our "self", our ego, our pride, our selfishness, is what is controlling us.
We are offended easily, angered easily, and become much like the verses in Gal 5:19-21;
No wonder this is called the fruit of the flesh. Our flesh is controlling us and making us do these things.

Now let us move to something called the God centered man. Someone filled with the Holy Spirit.
Instead of the flesh, telling the soul what to do, and having that affect our spirit. We have just the opposite.
We have God inside us. (greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world).
God needs to be stronger than the flesh. We have God telling the soul what to do. The fruit of the Spirit
is also in Gal 5:22-23; This is how we know we have the Holy Spirit in us. We have faith, hope and love in
our Spirit. These things.. faith, hope and love should be telling the soul what to do instead of the flesh.
We should be making decisions based on faith, hope and love being in spirit, rather than having the flesh
telling our soul what decisions to make.

The opposite of a self (flesh) centered man, is the God (Spirit) centered man.
One of these two people have the world controlling them. The other has God controlling their decisions and will.

This is why we need the Holy Spirit inside us.
We don't have the power to fight the flesh alone, in fact - we usually don't even have the desire to fight the flesh if we lack the Spirit.

... to be continued ...

 

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The Bible talks of this struggle we are in....

Eph 6:10; Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Eph 6:11; Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Eph 6:12; For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

.. but our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle. You can't fight a spiritual battle in the flesh.
verse 10 up above doesn't say .. be strong in YOUR might... it says be strong in HIS might.

In Rom 7 Paul is talking about the inner man again. He mentions the evil within us, waging a war inside us, making
us a prisoner of the law. So how does Paul overcome this war that is causing him to feel "wretched".

Rom 7:24; Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25; Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

He is serving the law of God, rather than the law of sin. Even the sometimes seemingly "good deeds" we do can be done in the
flesh, they can be done for the wrong reason. Are you trying to do good deeds to earn God's grace? Are you doing enough
'Hail Mary's", and Penance prayers, and paying enough indulges so God will forgive you? Are you helping enough old ladies
across the street so God will accept you? If so, you are trying to change your heart (your inner being) by doing things in the
flesh. This is just as bad as fighting, arguing, and doing the other deeds of the flesh.

But if our "Spirit filled" inner man is what is driving our actions, if God's (faith, hope and love) is what is driving us to do things,
this is what is good and acceptable to the Lord. The flesh can't change our spirit. But the Spirit can change our flesh!!

Once again, we see this war... this 'opposition' between the Spirit and the flesh in Galatians 5.

Gal 5:15; But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
Gal 5:16; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Gal 5:17; For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Gal 5:18; But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

The flesh and the Spirit are in opposition against one another. If... "IF"... we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law.
This is how we know we have the Spirit inside of us. There are those who say they have the Holy Spirit in them, but there
is no evidence of it. They are not a changed person. They fight, bicker, argue, lust, lie and steal just like they did before
they knew Jesus. They claim to believe in Jesus, so why aren't they acting any differently?

The Bible says we have to die to self. We have to crucify our flesh. We have to take up our cross "daily". We have to make the
choice to follow the Holy Spirit which resides in us (if He does) or follow our flesh.

How do we know if we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit inside us?

John 14:14; "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
John 14:15; "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:16; "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:17; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
John 14:18; "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:19; "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
John 14:20; "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
John 14:21; "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."

Jesus says if we keep His commandments He will abide in us, and we will abide in Him.
If we do this, Jesus will ask the Father to send us a "helper". The Spirit of truth (the Holy Spirit)

Up until this point, the Holy Spirit simply abided "with" us. ( verse 17 )
But after this time, He "may" abide "in" us. He doesn't simply abide with us.. He abides in us!!!

1 Cor 3:16; Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Cor 6:19; Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

The Holy Spirit can dwell within us!! This is being baptized in the Holy Spirit.
In John 14:18; above Jesus says He will not leave us as orphans.. but He will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit.

How do we know that He is in us.. and we are in Him?

1 Jn 2:5; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:
1 Jn 2:6; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

1 Jn 3:10; By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
1 Jn 3:11; For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

1 Jn 3:24; The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

... by the Spirit whom He has given us. "IF" we are led by the Spirit.. we aren't under the law.
... There is therefore now no condemnation... (some people stop there ) but the verse continues....
...for those who are in Christ Jesus. How do we know if we are in Christ Jesus?

 

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What is the fruit of the flesh?

Gal 5:13; For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Gal 5:14; For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
Gal 5:15; But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
Gal 5:16; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Gal 5:17; For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Gal 5:18; But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Gal 5:19; Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20; idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
Gal 5:21; envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Verses 19 to 21 are a pretty good indicator. Even here on TJ, I've seen some who call themselves Christians, who say
they have been filled with the Holy Spirit... and yet... I see a lot more evidence of the flesh than I do of the Spirit.

There's an old saying that says you can fool some of the people some of the time. But we can never fool God.
He sees the heart. Given enough time with someone we can usually see their heart also.

Matt 15:11; "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

It's what comes out of our mouths that defiles us. It's what we say that shows what is in our hearts.

I hate to say it.. but I have seen name calling, accusations, tantrums, arguing and fighting... even among those who say
they are Christians... even those who say they have received the Holy Spirit. But actions speak louder than words,
I have some discernment, and I can usually tell within a dozen posted messages or so if a person has the Holy Spirit within them.
I'm sure others can tell also. If we can tell simply by what you say here on TJ, how much more can the people around you,
the people you talk to everyday, how much more can they tell?

Gal 5:22; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23; gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Gal 5:24; Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Gal 5:25; If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Do you exhibit this fruit? Do others around you notice it?

 

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Rom 8:26; In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
Rom 8:27; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Another role of the Holy Spirit is to intercede for us in prayer. (Because we don't know how to pray as we ought to).

John 14:16; "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

He is our helper (the KJV Bible says "comforter" )

John 14:26; "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

He is our teacher.

John 15:26; "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,

He is the Spirit of truth that testifies about Jesus.

John 16:7; "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
John 16:8; "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

He is the conviction in our conscience. Don't confuse conviction with condemnation.
One leads to repentance and life, the other leads to guilt and death.

Matt 28:19; "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

As I mentioned in the first two posts... the Holy Spirit is something we should be baptized in.
Does our salvation depends on it? I'm not sure it does, but it does make things much easier.

Luke 12:12; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

The Holy Spirit can lead us in what to say when we are "trapped".

Again.. it seems no where in the Bible did people receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the same time they were saved.

Acts 8:14; Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
Acts 8:15; who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:16; For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:17; Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit can speak to us and give us discernment and direction.

Acts 13:2; While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

... to be continued ...

 

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John 3:3; Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:4; Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
John 3:5; Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6; "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7; "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
John 3:8; "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
John 3:9; Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?"
John 3:10; Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

The verses above are somewhat controversial, because some people take "born of water" to
simply mean you have to be born of a natural birth (water breaking). Other people take this to
mean you have to be baptized in water. For the purpose of this thread, I don't want to focus
on the water, but rather the fact that we have to be "born again". Born of the Spirit as Jesus puts
it.

B - A - C = Born again Christian. Is it possible to be a Christian and not be born again?
Well it's possible to claim that you are, even if you aren't.

Rom 8:8; ... those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9; However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
Rom 8:10; If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11; But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

"IF" indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. If we do not have the Spirit of Christ within us, we do not belong
to Him. "IF" the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.

Are you sure He dwells in you? How do you know?

... to be continued ...

 

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The Spiritual gifts... I almost dread bringing these up. It seems this is an area of much controversy for some.
Still in is inevitable, that if we talk about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we talk about the gifts.
I hope this thread doesn't get too focused on the gifts here.

But first, what are they?

1 Cor 12:4; Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1 Cor 12:5; And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.
1 Cor 12:6; There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
1 Cor 12:7; But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Cor 12:8; For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
1 Cor 12:9; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
1 Cor 12:10; and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Cor 12:11; But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

There are different gifts, and different ministries. The Spirit gives this gifts to each of us as He see fit (for the common good).

Some have a word of wisdom -- I've run across a few here on TJ with this gift.
Some have a word of knowledge -- usually this is from experienced Christians
Some have faith -- we all have a degree of faith, but there is a faith beyond this.
For example virtually all Christians believe in Jesus (this is faith).. but this other faith... well..

Here is a "story" (parable?) that will illustrate this "other faith". This has been used before here on TJ.
Once there was a famous circus acrobat, he was high wire specialist.
One time he had a steel cable stretched from one tall building, to another tall building. It was 20
stories up. Before he did a particular feat, he always asked the crowd a question....

How many of you believe I ride a bicycle across this wire? The crowd cheered and yelled back... yes! Yes you can!
So he rode the bicycle across.

Then he asked, how many of you believe I can ride a unicycle across? The crowd was cheering louder and yelled
up to him "Yes, yes you can do it!!"
So he rode the unicycle across.

The acrobatic feats got more and more difficult... one of his last tricks was to push a wheel-barrow full of
stones across the wire. Again he asked the crowd "Do you believe I can push the wheelbarrow across?"
Once again they cheered him on, and affirmed that he could do it.
So he pushed the wheelbarrow across the wire.

Finally, for his very last feat, he asked the crowd, but you believe I can push a person across this wire in the
wheel barrow? As always the crowd cheered and assured him he could do it.

Then he asked... "ok, who wants to get into the wheel barrow?"

The crowd had faith that he could do it, they even saw him do it many times, and yet when it was time
for them to get involved... they didn't have quite that much faith.

After faith comes healing (verse 9 ). It's funny almost all of us pray for people to get healed.
We pray for people to get well if they have a cold, or a headache, or the flu. We even pray for
people who have cancer to be cured. ( I have seen this happen of a few occasions, including my wife! )
But yet we don't believe God can make someone in a wheel chair walk. We don't believe God can
heal liver disease or diabetes, why is this? Why do we limit what God can do? Perhaps this is related to faith?

Matt 13:58; And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Some can do miracles... some Christians believe these things were only for the disciples.
But yet some people who weren't listed as disciples did miracles.

Acts 6:8; And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Jesus said we can all have this power.

Mark 16:17; "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:18; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Verse 10 says some can prophesy, and some can discern spirits. People have told me that I have this gift.
I believe it. As I said earlier, I can often tell within a few posts what a person's heart and intent is.

Also in verse 10 we have tongues and interpretation of tongues.... now here is a sore subject for some
people. I am going to skip tongues in this post, we'll get back to it later.

Verses 14 through 24 talk about the body, it gives a good illustration about how all the parts of the body
work together to make things happen. What it is saying here, is that we all have at least one or two
of the gifts. We should be using them for the body. (of Christ.. the church)

1 Cor 12; ends with these verses...

1 Cor 12:28; And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
1 Cor 12:29; All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
1 Cor 12:30; All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
1 Cor 12:31; But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

It says not everyone has all of the gifts, in fact I have never seen anyone with ALL of the gifts.
But it does say we all have been given at least one gift. ( verse 7 and verse 11 )

I have also been told many times that I have the gift of teaching (verse 29 ). But with teaching comes a warning.

Jas 3:1; Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.

Those who call themselves teachers better make sure they are preaching the word accurately, they will be
held accountable. ( a stricter judgment! )

Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit? Do you have one of these gifts? Do you know which one?
Do you even know how to find out?

If seems the gifts of the Holy Spirit are a scary subject to some. It seems foreign and unknown to some.
But why? Jesus promised us this gift. He said it was "power" from on high (heaven). So why would we
be afraid of this power? I have even heard some people say that speaking in tongues is of the devil.

Hmmm.... In 1 Cor 14:18; Paul says...
1 Cor 14:18; I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all;

The spiritual gifts are something we should desire, not something evil.

1 Cor 12:31; But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

I believe Satan knows the power of the Holy Spirit and if he can people from using it, he will try to.

.. to be continued ...

 

[Christ4Ever]

Dear @B-A-C

First brother I must say well done and thought out. Not having read every line, but skimmed to where it pertains specifically to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I do take issue (just a little) From what I can take which I can readily say to chagrin of many a professing believer. If one is not Baptized of the Holy Spirit one cannot be saved or in other words B-A-C.

Two conditions that to me are separate. Maybe that's a little of the Pentecostal in me coming through

Truly what you have written really speaks of something separate from hearing, and believing. Nothing that I read of what you have beautifully written so far suggests otherwise to me.

Unless I missed it. Then Grace, Faith, Belief are for naught if one is not sealed by the Holy Spirit. I used sealed because this is our guarantee. It is used in different ways and different times, but signifies ownership or in other words. How we are known to be His.

in this verse 2 Corinthians 1:22 shows that sealed precedes being given the Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 also speak of hearing, believing, being sealed.

I can see where this thread can eventually work its way into faith w/o works etc. but that subject also has been talked here at TJ far too many times for the resulting anguish it seems to cause those on both sides of the debate.

I just wanted to insert the subject of us being sealed by the Holy Spirit and ownership with your thoughts on being Baptized of the Holy Spirit?

Only in and with the Love of Christ Jesus my Brother.

C4E

<><

 

[B-A-C]

First brother I must say well done and thought out. Not having read every line, but skimmed to where it pertains specifically to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I do take issue (just a little) From what I can take which I can readily say to chagrin of many a professing believer. If one is not Baptized of the Holy Spirit one cannot be saved or in other words B-A-C.

Perhaps I was being a little to politically correct. But I do believe John 3:5;

Two conditions that to me are separate. Maybe that's a little of the Pentecostal in me coming through

I assume you mean simply having the Holy Spirit "with" you, as opposed to having the Holy Spirit inside us
(baptism in the Spirit) ??

Unless I missed it. Then Grace, Faith, Belief are for naught if one is not sealed by the Holy Spirit. I used sealed because this is our guarantee. It is used in different ways and different times, but signifies ownership or in other words. How we are known to be His

This is also the way I have viewed it. Something like a letter back in medieval times. A seal guaranteed that the letter had not been opened by anyone else before the person who it was addressed to had opened it.

I just wanted to insert the subject of us being sealed by the Holy Spirit and ownership with your thoughts on being Baptized of the Holy Spirit?

It's difficult to answer this without getting into other areas. I will at least agree with this much. We can't be sealed without the Holy Spirit. As to whether having the Holy Spirit guarantees salvation or not, I should save for another time, perhaps another thread. I tend to believe the people in Matt 7:21-22; have the gifts of the Spirit, but that didn't guarantee their salvation.
I also believe the people in Heb 6:4-6; had already been "partakers of the Holy Spirit", but that didn't guarantee their
salvation either. I know that's not really the question you asked.

So I will simply say, we can't be sealed without the Holy Spirit.
I will say I am surprised you didn't mention Eph 4:30;

We can go this direction, but I was hoping to talk about being changed from the inside out.
It's what is inside us (the Holy Spirit) that changes us... beginning with the heart and works it's
way out to outside, so that others can notice this. Instead of letting external things (wordly)
things control what is inside us. This goes along with dying to yourself, crucifying the flesh,
and being a new creature, a new creation, and new man. A born again man. Born in the Spirit.

I'm not sure this happens immediately either, at least not everyone.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Rightly said brother! @B-A-C

We can go this direction, but I was hoping to talk about being changed from the inside out.
It's what is inside us (the Holy Spirit) that changes us... beginning with the heart and works it's
way out to outside, so that others can notice this. Instead of letting external things (wordly)
things control what is inside us. This goes along with dying to yourself, crucifying the flesh,
and being a new creature, a new creation, and new man. A born again man. Born in the Spirit.

I'm not sure this happens immediately either, at least not everyone.

Ephesians 4:30 did cross my mind, but would have moved us past the subject at hand

If not off to work I would comment more. The above moved me to let you know that I am in agreement.

YBIC
C4E
<><

 

[B-A-C]

Born again - You hear this a lot in the Christian world.
What does it really mean? There are many different opinions.

The phrase "born again" is only mentioned 4 times in the new testament.
Twice by John ( John 3:3; John 3:7; ) and twice by Peter ( 1 Pet 1:3; 1 Pet 1:23; )

In the passage where Jesus is talking to Nicodemus ( a Pharisee )
Jesus says you have to be born of water... and.. of the Spirit.
He says you have to be "born again" to be born of the Spirit. Nicodemus asks if this is a second
natural birth ( John 3:4; ) .. Jesus's answer is in John 3:5-8;
Jesus goes on to say, If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ( v12)

1 Pet 1:3; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Pet 1:4; to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
1 Pet 1:5; who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Pet 1:6; In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
1 Pet 1:7; so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

verse 3, says Jesus.. according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again.
It goes on to say that we will be "distressed by various trials" ... so that the proof of your faith ... even though tested by fire ...
may result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Pet 1:22; Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
1 Pet 1:23; for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Pet 1:24; For,

“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
1 Pet 1:25; But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word which was preached to you.

Our flesh is temporary ( like grass). But our spirit is forever. God's Spirit is forever.

I would like to go off on a tangent for a moment here... (don't I always?) and jump back to 1 Pet 1:6-7;
Has your faith been tested by fire? Remember the story of the wheel barrow on the tight rope back in post #11.
Have you had your wheel barrow moment yet? Do you remember it?
All through the Bible people had their wheel barrow moments.... even in the old testament.

Moses had to cross the red sea... was God really going to make a way across for them?
Gideon had to fight the Midianites and Amalakites with only 300 men... was God really going to give them the victory?
David had to fight Goliath ... was God really going to help him win?
Abraham was told to sacrifice his only son (Isaac) ... was he willing to trust God that much?
God told Noah to build an ark... was Noah really going to do it?
There are literally dozens of stories like this all through the Bible.
Was God going to protect Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo?
Was God going to protect Daniel in the Lion's den?
Was God going to send fire down from heaven to burn up Elijah's sacrifice before the prophets of Baal?

Jesus called Peter to "come" out on the water with Him ( Matt 14:29; )
Now we could say.. well Peter didn't do a very good job, he wavered in his faith and started to sink a little.
Perhaps... but on the other hand... Peter was at least willing to take a chance... to at least "get in the wheel barrow".

Has your faith been tested in fire? How did you do?

 

[B-A-C]

... OK... back to being born again. Being born again means being born of the Spirit.
We all have a spiritual body... if we were ever born in a natural body.. we have a spiritual body ( 1 Cor 5:44; )
But is your spirit controlled by the flesh... or is your spirit controlled by the Spirit (Holy Spirit).

I don't want to get too hung up on water baptism here... is it required for salvation... that has been debated
in other threads many times. But whether it is or it isn't... lets just say it's a good idea. Is there any reason not to
get baptized in water? The word "baptized" seems to have lost it's meaning. I looked it up in 4 different dictionaries
and got four different definitions. But the word baptize has to do with immersion. Being completely dipped
below the surface of the water. Now again.. this may not save you... but it is a public display of your belief and commitment.
One of the things baptism symbolizes is dying to the old self. When you are dipped below the surface of the water
you are symbolically dead... being buried beneath the surface of the water symbolized being buried beneath the
surface of the earth. ( with Jesus in the tomb so to speak ) and when we are raised back up out of the water,
we have "come back to life" (with Jesus so to speak). When we are baptized, we are baptized unto Jesus's death ( Rom 6:3; )
But when we "come back to life"... it isn't supposed to be the same old fleshly man you were before who was led by the flesh.
When we "come back to life" we are reborn. Born again.. Born of the Spirit ( John 3:3; John 3:7; etc.. )
When we are raised back up out of the water... we are symbolically raised from the dead with Jesus.

... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

Why bring up being baptized in water in thread about the Holy Spirit?
Because being baptized in the Holy Spirit is similar to being baptized in water.
You can't get baptized in water without getting a little bit wet.
You can't get baptized in the Spirit without getting the Holy Spirit in you. It's not simply "with" you anymore.
It dwells within you. ( 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Cor 6:19; )
When you are baptized in the Spirit it should be evident to people around you.

You should be showing the fruit of the Spirit... you should even have some evidence of the gifts of the Spirit.
I mentioned some of my gifts earlier in this thread... ( post # 11 ) but here is a story about the fruit.
It's a part of my testimony.

I am divorced. I didn't want to be. I never signed the divorce papers, but in this state it doesn't matter.
I have two daughters from that marriage. They are nearly grown women now, one is already out of school.
But several years back I went to my ex's house for one of my daughters birthday parties. I took a Christian friend with me.
Now birthday parties for teenage girls are usually fairly loud ordeals for some reason. But the kids all went outside
and it got quieter. My friend and I overheard my ex-wife talking to another lady at the party. She was telling her about
this man she was with. They were a long way from home at night, the car broke down and all the repair garages were closed
until the next morning. They needed to take a bus back home. They tried calling some people to come get them, but no one
could. My ex-wife was supposed to have a bus pass that she could charge to, but for some reason she didn't have it with her
that night. So this man starting berating her. He was a lot bigger than her. He was intimidating her. He was yelling at her.
Telling her how stupid she was. It was her fault the car broke down. It was her fault she left the bus pass at home.
It was her fault it was raining. She was an idiot. He don't know why he ever got together with such a useless person.
He was in her face. he was screaming at her. She was scared and in a place she wasn't familiar with. She didn't know
if he was just going to leave her there all alone or not. She was crying, but the man didn't seem to care.

As my friend over heard this... he turned to me and said... I wish I could find that guy. I'd show him what it feels like.
I just shook my head and agreed with him.

What he didn't know was... the man she was talking about .. was me.
I remembered that night, all those years ago. I knew who she was talking about. It was all true. Everything she said.
I never saw it before that moment. I never felt her pain before that moment. All I saw was that I was right and she was wrong.

Later that night after some people were starting to leave. I went over to her, and I told her I over heard her story.
I started crying and I told her I was sorry. I told her I was so sorry. I never saw it before. I asked her to forgive me.
She started crying too. To her credit, she said she did forgive me. We are friends of a sort now. We don't talk alot,
but every now and then something will come up about our daughters. At least we can talk now.

Most of my family lives in Texas. I live in Washington. I'm the oldest of 5 children. Four now, as my sister passed
away a couple of years ago. I rarely see my family much anymore. Maybe once or twice a year. Of course I have
another family now in Washington.

There was a silly movie out several years ago called "Mystery Men". It wasn't a very edifying movie. It was a comedy
about some guys who wanted to be super hero's. One of the main characters.. was a guy named "Mr. Furious".
His only "super power" was to get mad at people. He didn't really fight much, and when he did, he usually lost
to the bad guys.

One of my nicknames during this time, to the people who knew me well was "Mr Furious". I guess you could say
maybe I had an anger problem.

But then, I got the Holy Spirit. Something inside me started to change. It didn't happen over night. It took
a couple of years. Maybe I was more hard headed than others. The funny thing was... I didn't have to tell people I changed.
When I went back to Texas... my family noticed it. They told me.. I was different. Some of them wanted what I had.

A few years ago, I ran into my ex-wife again... and she told me. There is something different about you now. I'm not afraid of
you anymore. She said she got the Holy Spirit too. I told her maybe she isn't the same person she was either.
She has a boldness she didn't have before. Less fear.

So there it is... when we have the Holy Spirit.. there should be an outward evidence of it.

Since then, there have been other changes... my drinking buddies wondered why I quit going out with them. I quit watching adult movies with barely dressed (or undressed) women in them. All of this didn't happen over night either... but I'm getting there.

1 Pet 4:3; For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the unsaved, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.
1 Pet 4:4; In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they talk bad about you;
1 Pet 4:5; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

.. to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

This dying to the old self, and being raised up in "newness of life" is explained by Paul in Romans 6.

Rom 6:1; What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
Rom 6:2; May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
Rom 6:3; Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
Rom 6:4; Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5; For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Rom 6:6; knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
Rom 6:7; for he who has died is freed from sin.

What an incredible piece of scripture.
There is a theme here... it's hard to miss...
"we who died to sin" " baptized into His death" "buried with Him, through the baptism of death"
"we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death" " our old self was crucified with Him"
"he who has died"...

*** THE OLD SELF HAS TO DIE!! ** This isn't maybe, or a suggestion, this is a requirement.
In order for us to be raised up again with Jesus.... the old self has to die. The old sin nature of the flesh has to die.
We are crucified with Him so that our "old body of sin" might be done away with"!!
So that we no longer have to be slaves to sin. We can be free from the power of sin!!

Paul continues this train of thought into Romans 7.

Rom 7:4; Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Rom 7:5; For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
Rom 7:6; But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

"you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ"
"while we were in the flesh,"... " passions, ... were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death."

Our flesh produces the fruit of flesh, the fruit of the flesh leads to death!!
But now we have been released from the law, because we have "died" to the sin which enslaved us.
So that we serve.. in the newness of the Spirit.

newness... not oldness...

We need to be a new creature.. a new creation..

2 Cor 5:16; Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
2 Cor 5:17; Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Cor 5:18; Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
2 Cor 5:19; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation

If anyone is in Christ he is a new creature.. the old things have passed away.
and if we are a new creature.. verse 19 goes on to say that our trespasses (sins) will not be counted against us.

Gal 6:14; But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Gal 6:15; For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Notice Paul says the world (with all it's worldly , fleshly desires, passions ) has been crucified to him.
...and... he has been crucified to the world. We have to separate ourselves from worldly things. This is part of the old self dying.
He goes on the say... circumcision doesn't matter... but being a new creation does matter.

.... to be continued.. ( the new man )

 

[B-A-C]

In a thread about the Holy Spirit.. why am I spending so much time talking about dying to the flesh?
because we can't be a new man... we can't be "born in the Spirit" until we have died to the flesh.

Eph 2:1; And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Eph 2:2; in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Eph 2:3; Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Eph 2:4; But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Eph 2:5; even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

The thing is... we were already spiritually dead.. that's why the flesh controlled us so easily.

Eph 4:17; So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the unsaved also walk, in the futility of their mind,
Eph 4:18; being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
Eph 4:19; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Eph 4:20; But you did not learn Christ in this way,
Eph 4:21; if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
Eph 4:22; that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Eph 4:23; and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Eph 4:24; and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

We have to take off the old self... ( verse 22) ... we have to put on the new self ( verse 24 ).
Are you seeing a theme here yet... sorry to beat this to death, but it seems some people don't realize this.

Col 3:5; Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Col 3:6; For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
Col 3:7; and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
Col 3:8; But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Col 3:9; Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
Col 3:10; and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

Paul says... put aside all these things... (anger, malice, wrath, abuse, greed, passion, immorality, etc... )
which basically amounts to the flesh.. the old self.... and put on the "new self"... verse 10.

.... to be continued ....

 

[B-A-C]

Sometimes you hear the terms "Pentecostals" or "Charismatics".
What does that mean? It's simply those people (church bodies) that practice the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Cor 12.
To some this means speaking in tongues. But I believe if the only gift in a given church is speaking in tongues
there is something wrong. If everyone on the football team was a quarterback you wouldn't have a very good team.
If everyone on the baseball team was a pitcher you wouldn't have a very good team. If everyone in the church body
does nothing but speak in tongues, you don't have a very good balance of the gifts in your church.

Sometimes these people are called "Holy rollers". In the time of the Puritans coming to America, these people
were known as Quakers and Shakers, the most common denominations now are the Assemblies of God,
Foursquare, Vineyard, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness, etc ...

The word Pentecost simply means "fifty days". The feast of weeks (also known as the passover) lasted
seven weeks according to Jewish custom. However there was a 50th day mentioned a few
places in the Old Testament. It just so happened that Jesus rose again on the first day of this feast.
It also just so happened that the day of Pentecost happened exactly 50 days later in Acts 2.
( Luke 22:1; Matt 27:15; John 13:1; etc.. ) The word Pentecost is only mentioned in Acts 2.
Jesus was on the earth 40 days after His resurrection ( Acts 1:3; ) Pentecost happened 10 days later.