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If there are dispensations, shouldn't the "dispensation" we are living in be called that of the Holy Spirit? Is there any one more central to the Christian life than He is? At the same time neglected and controversial, prayerfully, these articles will at least reintroduce His Holy presence into our vocabulary and our lives.

And Grieve Not
Why would grieving the Holy Spirit put us in danger of eternal damnation?

Do You Trust the Holy Spirit?
One of the tragedies of modern Christianity is that it has trivialized the Holy Spirit and dismissed Him.

Paraclete
Perhaps there is no English word broad enough to cover all the significance of the word "Paraclete" except the word "Helper."

Cessationism
Now, they are telling us the Holy Spirit is dead.

God is For Us, With Us, In us
We think linearly, from yesterday to today and plan tomorrow not yet ours. God is yesterday, today and tomorrow. We are becoming, He is.

Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit
That is what Peter told the "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem" on the day of Pentecost.

He Breathed on Them
Has Jesus breathed on us? We were not at the tomb or at Pentecost. Is the Holy Ghost with us? Are we His apostles?

The Forgotten Member of the Trinity
It is possible for every Christian to have a direct encounter with the Lord God Almighty

Tongues of Fire
What did Jesus leave behind for us?

Dispensationalism
Do the doctrines of the Bible still apply Today?

THEN AN ARK
The Pillars and the Ark dwell within each of us as the Holy Spirit.

ENLIGHTENMENT
Are human intellectual capabilities sufficient to replace the work of the Holy Spirit?

TOTALLY HUMAN
The requirement of the sacrifice He was to become

In Its Fullness
Are you receiving the fullness of the Gospel?

The New Reformation:
The Lordship of Jesus Christ

Is There Just One Size That Fits All?
More and more, the "church" is acting as if we can serve only by giving and helping to "grow the church."

Where Did All The Prophets Go? Missional Promiscuity
The need for those with the Gift of Prophecy has never been more obvious. The "church" is fragmented and heading down a slippery path to increasing heresy.

Are Spiritual Gifts Things of the Past?
Are they things of the past or just inconvenient as the church pursues other goals?

Do Spiritual Gifts Have An Expiration Gift?
What would happen if we would extinguish the Holy Spirit in our churches? The answer is obvious. Just look around at the condition the "church" is in today.

Grieve Not the Holy Spirit
Believing we cannot grieve the Holy Spirit must grieve Him greatly.

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The Scriptures tell us not to grieve the Holy Spirit, And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30) Similar warnings are found in other places, Matthew 12:31 for example, Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And, in Mark 3:29, But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation Virtually the same statement is repeated in the Gospel of Luke And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. (12:10) These are powerful words. Entire theological schools have been built and denominations founded on less. Yet, modern Christianity seems unaware of the warning. No one appears to notice. No one seems to wonder why the warning is there. Why would grieving the Holy Spirit put us in danger of eternal damnation?

One of the tragedies of modern Christianity is that it has trivialized the Holy Spirit and dismissed Him. It has reduced His office to "speaking in tongues" which it then treats as trite and inane if not dangerous. It superficially regards "Spiritual Gifts" only as adjuncts to volunteerism under the auspices of the institutional church.

That's a fascinating word. It appears just five times in the New Testament - in the writing of John. From the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, we find this discussion: In general Paraclete signifies: (1) a legal advocate, or counsel for defense, (2) an intercessor, (3) a helper. Perhaps there is no English word broad enough to cover all the significance of the word "Paraclete" except the word "Helper." The following are given as the specific forms of its activity: (1) to show the things of Christ, (2) to teach things to come, (3) to teach all things, (4) to quicken our memories for past teaching, (5) to bear witness to Christ, (6) to dwell in believers, (7) other things shown in the context such as "greater works" than those of Christ (see John 14:16-17) Did you ever hear the like?

Reading this description, one of the mysteries of emerging Christianity is why less and less attention has been given to it. Surely, there is within the Scriptural Paraclete, everything positive and nothing negative. Are there any of its attributes we would not want along-side us in our daily lives? Contemporary theologians, Biblical scholars, seminarians and writers all but ignore His Presence. Those who bother with the subject soon bog down in a schism of accepting or rejecting speaking in tongues. Yes speaking in tongues is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit designed for the edification of the saints, that is Scriptural. Yes, there are "gifts of the Spirit," that is also Scriptural. But He is far more than these. His service is far greater than that.

Why do we find less and less about Parcelete, about the Holy Spirit, in our churches, in our homes and in our lives? Maybe Luke had the answer, back some two thousand years ago. Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Acts 7:51 But, behind that lies the history of the Jewish people. It isn't an honorable history. That is obvious by the phrase Luke used, "stiffnecked." That is obvious by the state of affairs of the Jewish peoples when Jesus walked among them. They had squandered their inheritance. Don't get too smug, we are squandering ours. You don't think it is as dishonorable? Read "church" history. Disgraceful.

God was with them. Can you possibly imagine that? In the desert, He was in the Tabernacle right down the path at every encampment. In the days of His people's sojourn in Israel, He was in the Temple, right across the street and up the hill from their houses. He was a tangible reality. He was with them in their shrine, the Ark of the Covenant, in the house of worship. The ordained priesthood was to serve Him and minister to the people. The manner and method of service and ministry written in carefully prescribed ritual. Only high priests had access to His Holy Presence. They were intermediaries between the people and His Holy presence.

Then, God became incarnate, dwelt among us was crucified, died and was buried. He was resurrected and He ascended. These are the salient milestones of His life with us. Birth, resurrection and ascension, not just birth and resurrection. The New International Dictionary points out, "The spiritual value of the Ascension lies, not in Christ's physical remoteness, but in His spiritual nearness. He is free from earthly limitations," Unlike God's dwelling in the Tabernacle or the Temple. Unlike Jesus walking among His followers, He is within us. He can be, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, near each of us - always and forever. Before Jesus Christ, God was rejected in the Temple. After His Holy birth, He was rejected in the flesh. We know that and we see the foolishness of their ways. Why, then, do so many reject Him, today, in the Spirit? With the advantage of the history of the Scriptures, why do we continue on the same crooked path?

The responsibility of the errors of the past rest with the failure of the priesthood to fulfill their obligations to the people. But Christ eliminated the priesthood and closed the gap between God and His people. We now can directly petition our God without intermediary. To, once again, attempt to impose priesthood between us and our Father in Heaven is an act of grievous moral irresponsibility. The veil was torn asunder. We are His "Royal Priesthood." We may petition Him directly. Our High Priest, the only one, sits at the right-hand of God the Father as our advocate. He is our vicar, not Rome. Nothing could be clearer. It is positively Scriptural.

The New Testament does not end with the resurrection. It ends with our resuming our interrupted intimate relationship with God. That, which was made possible by His blood, not by incantations, creeds, confessions, sacrifices, tithes, offerings or obeisance to a holy order, but by the blood that flowed from the cross. And those who are accepted as His, in a renewed relationship with God, go through an amazing metamorphosis - a NEW birth. They are new persons. It is written.

And there's the rub; there is the proverbial "fly in the ointment." Try if you may, try if you can, try to imagine the astounding transformation that would have been wrought had His people heeded His Word. Contemplate how incomprehensibly different the world would be if, the people of His day, had accepted Jesus Christ as the long-promised Messiah. Mind boggling. Sit down some fine day where you can watch the world, your world, go by. Try a mall or a busy street corner, in traffic, at your office, in your church, at home, within your introspective self. What marvelous transformations would take place, collectively and individually, if we permitted the voice of that God-Within-Us, that Paraclete, that Holy Spirit, that "still small voice" of the Savior, to be heard.

There are four New Testament words/phrases referring to the "church." They are the "kingdom of heaven," the "kingdom of God," the "church" (ekklesia) and the "Body of Christ." Throughout most of His ministry, Jesus used the phrases the "kingdom of God" and the "kingdom of heaven. Most New Testament scholars consider these as interchangeable terms referring to the "people of God, the collective body of believers." On the occasion of His benediction of Peter recorded in. Matthew 16:18, Jesus used a different word closer to the Greek (ekklesia) we translate as "church." Probably, the reason He used this term was to distinguish between the peculiar Jewish understanding of the kingdom and His broader intent for the church. One exclusively Jewish (Even today, among the more orthodox Jewish sects, there is no possibility of converting to Judaism.) the other sent to all inclusively. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God carried the flavor of a distinctive Jewish kingdom and worldwide reign of the chosen people versus righteousness, holiness and doing of the will of God. That "will of God" capably caught in Christ's two commandments love God, love thy neighbor.

Paul used the phrase "body of Christ" in his appeal for unity among early Christians. From Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary we learn that, "In Romans 12:14-15 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, he emphasizes the church's unity, even though there are varied gifts, ministries, and personalities. In Ephesians 4:4-12 and Collosians 1:18-24 Christ as the head of the church is the focus of Paul's ministry." It begins with an individual confession of faith and becomes a brotherhood of all believers.

Contained in each of these four terms are some basic traits of the Biblical church. First, the rock of the church/kingdom, the admission requirement, if you will, was and forever will be a confession of faith that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. All those who so confess are members in good standing. Second, the head of this Body is Christ Jesus. There is none other. There are no substitutes. There never will be replacements, representatives, vicar or Holy See. Third, the sole intent and purpose of this saintly entity is to praise/glorify the Lord God Almighty, creator of the universe. Fourth, the ultimate triumph of the church is certain, and movement toward that triumph is inexorable. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:20-21. (Emphasis added.)

The church was not limited by or its work completed with the conclusion of Christ's earthly ministry. The kingdom of God within us was to go, into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15.

Clearly Jesus was speaking of a continuation of His work beyond His human ministry. In John 14:12, Jesus states, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father, makes it perfectly clear that work was not only to continue but with greater vigor. "He that believeth on me." In John 7:38-39 we are told by Jesus that, He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) We, the church, "Shall receive the Holy Ghost." Jesus, not Augustine, Ignatius of Antioch or Pope John Paul but Jesus said that they that believe in Him shall receive the Holy Spirit. "They" is people in general, not just Peter, the disciples or the Apostolic Fathers. The requirement for receiving the Holy Spirit is believing in Jesus. Further, it was He who said it was absolutely necessary for Him to leave, to ascend. John 16:7 tells us why, Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And John 16:13 makes that reason just as clear, Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. How could there be any confusion on the matter? The Holy Spirit will be our Comforter. Not speaking for himself, but speaking as directed by Jesus he will guide us into all truth and will show us thing to come. That is the church. Not Christ in absentia, but Christ in each of us.

Today, the foundations for the "kingdom," seem to have shifted. The "Body of Christ," it is said, is no longer based upon confession of faith. The "church," we are told, is no longer in need of the Holy Spirit. Instead, it has the structure and organization set forth by the prophets and the apostles. Ecclesiastical hierarchies, theological seminaries, catechisms, cannons and creeds have replaced the Spirit. We are to believe He is no longer functionally necessary. His time is passed. He is superfluous in the presence of exalted, accumulated human wisdom. Other things have come along to replace the rivers of living waters. Unaided, the human intellect is capable of discerning the mysteries of God and the inscrutable puzzles of the Bible. It and history, we are assured by cessationists, is replete with the evidence of His archaic status. Virtually the only Scriptural hint of such comes from Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; This is interpreted as Biblical proof of His antiquation. History, it is further contended, clearly illustrates that the gifts of the Spirit ceased after the apostles died. When, what is called "normative doctrines" of the church were established by our apostolic fathers, no more need for the Holy Spirit existed. Further, we are told, there is no historical record of a continuation of manifestations of the Spirit. He has ceased to function among us.

One might be wise to exercise great caution in using history as evidence of the cessation of the work of the Holy Spirit. First, because of the abominable record of the early Church and its leadership. The record of Church "accomplishments" through what is pleasantly called the "Dark Ages" is nothing short of vulgar. Our Christian heritage is scarlet with the blood of martyrs brought about by doctrinal strife and conflict. Catholics butchered Protestants at every turn. Lutherans, Calvinists and Catholics drowned, beat, burned and tortured their versions of heretics. Anabaptists murdered Lutherans, Calvinists and Catholics. Puritans and Separatists joined the shame. All built their own tower to heaven while putting their opposition to the sword.

History also records the shameful genocide committed by our Christian forefathers on countless cultures of Native Americans (North and South) and the abomination of the Black slave trade practiced by Christian nations around the world. South Africa is only a contemporary example of apartheid and that was tacitly endorsed by all Christiandom including the centuries of segregation in this country. The war between Irish Catholics and Protestants rages on as continuing evidence of the absence of the Spirit of God within the hallowed sanctuaries of contemporary Christianity. Then there was the deafening silence of the mother of all churches. During the reign of terror of that miserable little corporal from the German army. A shameful reminder of its impotence. If our historical notes are correct, Germany was predominately Protestant. Hence we may bring into accounting "main-line" Protestant denominations that also sat on their hands.

Christian churches in the United States lament the loss of Post World War II Europe to Christianity. The obviousness of their departure is clear. They have even stopped the pretense of attending church. That the "main-line" Protestant denominations in the U.S. are following suit is a matter of statistical record. In truth, could anyone call this country a Christian nation? Does any of this suggest the hand of the Spirit in the affairs of the church? Did He leave or was He evicted? The cessation of the power of the Holy Spirit in modern Christianity isn't something to brag about, it is something over which we should weep and wail and gnash our teeth. In citrus growing areas of the country infested with the damaging fruit fly, sterile flies are released to control the population. Christianity, without the presence of the Holy Spirit is a sterile fruit fly. There shouldn't be too much doubt about who released such a drone on the world.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR LORD AND SAVIOR

Perhaps the first revelation of truth is that God is incomprehensible. Not so much that He chooses to be, although that is His prerogative, as it is His unspeakable vastness and our indescribable limitations. Infinity is incomprehensible to the finite mind. We think linearly, from yesterday to today and plan tomorrow not yet ours. God is yesterday, today and tomorrow. We are becoming, He is. He told Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." He needs no introduction, no validation beyond Himself. He is sufficient unto Himself.

He sent His Son as a finite being at a finite point in time to enable us to comprehend what he wanted us to accomplish while we are living. His ministry was led and directed by the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me," He declared, "_ to preach the Gospel"(Luke 4:18) It was, according to International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the source of His teaching, His resurrection and ascension. The Holy Spirit guided Him through His temptations. The Holy Spirit was responsible for His healing and enabled Him to cast out demons.

THE GOSPEL AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is the inspiration for the Scriptures. The intellect research and reason of men do not, as we are told, write them. The Bible is the result of men as they were instructed and moved by the Holy Spirit. Paul writes that, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God."(2 Tim. 3:16) It is His truth, as He deems appropriate to reveal to us. The Bible, the Scriptures are the Holy Word of God. They are "Holy Scriptures" not the writings of a great Shakespeare or Hemingway. Nor are they the result of the efforts of great theologians such as the "Latin Church Fathers," Jerome, Ambrose and Augustine. The Scriptures are the Word of God written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH

He gives the "church," the body of believers, Spiritual discernment. The anointing given to us, we are told in 1 John 2:27, will teach us all things that are true. Accordingly, we do not need "that any man teach you."

He sends us the Holy Spirit as guide and comforter in our struggles along the way. Surely, if the Holy Spirit enabled our Lord and Master, it is incumbent upon us to follow its gentle solicitation. He sent us the Spirit of truth, why would we settle for less? Why would we seek lessons from any other teacher? Spiritual discernment is our teacher, why should we seek knowledge and understanding through any other science?

Clearly, as the revealer of Divine Truth, the Holy Spirit is for us as He was with the people of the Old Testament. He is with us as He was in the life of Christ recorded in the Gospels. He is in us forever as recorded in the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul.

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That is what Peter told the "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem" on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:14 However, this was just the last part of a three step instruction.

His first instruction to those who gathered to inquire about what had just occurred was to repent. That's what John the Baptist said to do. Matthew 4:17. So did Jesus Christ in Mark 1:5 and on many other occasions. Jesus said he had not come to the righteous but to call sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:13. Perhaps, at this point, we should be reminded of what Jesus said about sin, "...he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." John 8:7 There is just the suggestion that this need to repent applies to all of us and might be more than just a one-time event.

Secondly, Peter told the assembled crowd to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Now, just a small digression. The Apostle Peter did not just say to be baptized. He said to be baptized in the name of JESUS CHRIST. He didn't say in the name of Muhammad ibn-Abdullah, Siddhartha Gautama, Lao-tzu or any one other than Jesus Christ. He is, emphatically, THE way.

We are to be baptized as an outward manifestation of accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and for the remission of our sins. By doing so, we are released from our debt and its penalty. We are pardoned. Praise God, He will remember them no more. It is written in the book of Revelation that, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." Revelation. 3:5. Repentance and baptism really seem like a good idea.

However, repentance and baptism are only one side of the equation. In some sort of celestial formulation, it would be coded, R+B = "?". AND you SHALL receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Repentance and baptism equals the Holy Ghost.

Some translations suggest we WILL receive. Shall or will, it is a promise from God. He keeps His promises. It is a commandment. Have you? Have you received the Holy Ghost? Yes, just as surely as you are saved. Are you saved? Then, you have the Holy Ghost. You knew that, didn't you?

It doesn't seem to be a matter of much debate. There is no questioning the simple fact of His existence in your very being. As a Christian, the Holy Ghost is with you. It might be debated what you do with the gift. It certainly is arguable that you may not know you possess such a priceless treasure.

He INDWELLS. What a beautiful thought. He exists as an animating spirit within us. He inhabits. He resides within us as a divine inner spirit.

"Behold," John writes in Revelation, "I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 That is real. There He stands, today, in your life, in "wonderful condescension and long-suffering" waiting for you to allow Him in. He won't compel you to admit Him. He knocks and waits.

Perhaps, more than anything else, it is awareness we lack. It isn't unwillingness to open the door as much as not knowing that we may.

Know this, when we invite the Spirit of the Living God to fall afresh on us, He will mold and use us. It is written.

...HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM! LUKE 11:13

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The Book of John (20:22) records that, on the day He arose, Jesus blessed the disciples with the Holy Spirit , And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

In the fourth verse of the second chapter in Acts, the Holy Spirit is, again, visited upon the disciples. This time, after His ascension. "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

Paul was not there. He was not there at the tomb when the risen Christ breathed upon them. Nor was he in Jerusalem to hear the sound of a "rushing mighty wind," He did not see the "cloven tongues like as of fire."

His absence, on these incredible occasions, caused him a great deal of difficulty later. After his miraculous conversion, he was treated as a second-class citizen, not to be counted among the Apostles. "The badge of honor was not his." Nor, presumably, were the rights and privileges of apostleship his.

Paul first responded that he had the same authority as the "original apostles" by right of having "seen Jesus." "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" he writes in 1 Corinthians 9:1.

But, his greatest defense was his "workmanship." He continues in the first verse with this argument, " ARE NOT YE MY WORK IN THE LORD?" Read that again. "Are ye not my work in the Lord?" He was speaking about those whom he had brought to Jesus. This was his winning argument. What he did.

Yes, he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus. That experience, it is safe to say, dramatically changed his life. Because of that experience, he stopped and he started. He stopped the negative behavior of persecution. He started the positive behavior of evangelization. He brought thousands people, in his time, to Jesus Christ. He left a legacy of letters to inspire millions through thousands of generations - until there will be no more - to seek Jesus. Which was more important, his title or his work? Was he an apostle?

Has Jesus breathed on us? We were not at the tomb or at Pentecost. Is the Holy Ghost with us? Are we His apostles?

By our sins we persecute Jesus Christ. By our Spirit-filled lives, we glorify Him.

If we truly believe we are, by adoption, the children of God, how can we contain our joy? If we truly believe that the creator of the universe is mindful of us, shouldn't our lives be transformed? Aren't we, like Paul, qualified as apostles? Are we not His work in the Lord?

May we stop dying and start living in Jesus Christ. †

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IF ANY MAN WILL DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW OF THE DOCTRINE, WHETHER IT BE OF GOD, OR WHETHER I SPEAK OF MYSELF. HE THAT SPEAKETH OF HIMSELF SEEKETH HIS OWN GLORY: BUT HE THAT SEEKETH HIS GLORY THAT SENT HIM, THE SAME IS TRUE, AND NO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN HIM.

This Scriptural passage provides , "A principle of immense importance; showing, on the one hand, that singleness of desire to please God ... and, on the other, that the want of this, whether perceived or not, is the chief cause of infidelity amidst the light of revealed religion." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)

This profound statement of the DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD can only be grasped through the urging of the Holy Spirit. It must be the "North Star" of our existence as individuals and as the Body of Christ. Yet, so often we, individually and collectively, have other business.

Personally, we are unfaithful , by seeking our own fame and fortune. We passively accept sermons about the flowers of the field and continue, with single-minded intent, pursue our fortunes and financial security. We thoughtlessly absorb pulpit eloquence on not being respectors of persons while shamelessly flattering those from whom we may profit. Our glory, not His.

Collectively, the church inserts itself between ourselves and the Heavenly Father in the name of all that is holy. It proclaims doctrines and creeds that, solely because of their age, are regarded as sacred and unassailable. The "church" seeks its greatness, not that of the Lord God Almighty. Where is truth?

Yet, as Greg Ogden in The New Reformation tells us, it is possible for every Christian to have a direct encounter with the Lord God Almighty. We can be "Spirit-filled" and "walk in the Spirit." Not only is it possible, since we are "born again," it is our birth right - our inheritance. Because of our loving God and our personal patron and mentor, we may approach the throne of grace with confidence. Hebrews 4:16

Before any of this is possible, however, we must develop a greater understanding and awareness of the third personality in the Holy Trinity. Ogden calls Him the forgotten member of the Trinity.

God lives; Jesus Christ lives. They live in us through the Him. He enables us to experience the living God. He inspires, illumines, unites and equips us for service. Within the framework of thought provided by the Word, and a framework of experience provided by the Body of Christ, we are empowered and enabled. (p.14) It is He who gives spiritual and intellectual insight. It is he through whom God continues to directly speak to us today. It is He, the dictionary proclaims, who is "the aspect of God immanent in this world, in people, and in the church." Lockyer (All the Doctrines of the Bible, p. 127) writes He is the agent who transfers the blessing of the Father and the Son upon the redeemed. It is by the Holy Spirit that we are as close to the Lord of the church as the twelve were in the first century according to Bruce Larson.

A Christian without the Holy Spirit is dead in his faith. Ogden states, "The Spirit is directly available to and energizes all for service and witness to Jesus Christ." (p.17) He is available. Unfortunately, He does not to seem to be very prevalent in our personal lives and in our churches. It is Ogden's expectation that we are on the brink of a revolutionary rediscovery of the forgotten member of the Trinity. A discovery that will return the ministry of Jesus Christ to the people of God.

Where He has been for fifteen hundred years or more is not as important as a renewed consciousness of His presence. Actually, He has been here right along; we've been ignoring Him. Why we have been doing so isn't as important as getting re-acquainted. †

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One of the great sacrifices God made when he became the incarnate flesh of Jesus Christ was that He, the omnipotent God, became finite. He was born into obscurity and for most of His years remained that way. When He was born cannot be determined. Nothing is known of His childhood. Only one incident of His youth, when He was twelve, is recorded. This, the God of the universe.

Dispensationalism comes from the word meaning "an exemption or a release from an obligation or a rule, granted by or as if by an authority. An "ism," is a "distinctive doctrine, system, or theory:" Now that the formality has been dispensed with, it may be simply stated that "dispensationalism" is a belief, held by some theologians, that the doctrines of the Bible no longer apply. Specifically, it is the belief that God has withdrawn miracles, prophecy, revelations and other spiritual gifts. Dispensationalism believes they are no longer necessary. Their time and their usefulness have past. They were used to start the "church" but now, that the church is established, they aren't needed. They aren't needed in much the same way that the required sacrifices of the Old Testament, with the exception of tithing -- of course, are no longer needed because of Christ's sacrifice. Now, we have the church with its scholars and seminarians. We have the written Word. We don't need miracles and the Holy Spirit. The reasoning is simple, we don't see miracles and the workings of the Holy Spirit, and ipso facto God has released Himself from those obligations

From the time God's people left Egypt, the Spirit of God was with them. It is written. During the day, He was in a pillar of a cloud that went before them and at night they had a pillar of fire. The reference is Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: They were the people's guide and guard.

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Seventeenth and Eighteenth century philosophers launched a movement called the Enlightenment that had human reasoning as its centerpiece. Review the major tenets: 1. The universe is fundamentally rational, it can be understood through the use of reason alone; 2. Truth can be arrived at through empirical observation, the use of reason, and systematic doubt; 3. Human experience is the foundation of human understanding of truth; 4. All human life, both social and individual, can be understood in the same way the natural world can be understood; once understood, human life, can be engineered in the same way the natural world; 5. Human history is largely a history of progress; 6. Human beings can be improved through education and the development of their rational facilities; 7. Religious doctrines have no place in the understanding of the physical and human worlds. (From EIGHTEENTH CENTURY RESOURCES by Jack Lynch)

The "Enlightenment" was not the beginning of man's flirtation with his own mental prowess. Adam and Eve out did these guys by thousands of years. And, for centuries the historical Church has relied upon its own resources, formulated its own rules and dictated the major doctrines of Christianity with no regard for anything other than its own earthly credentials.

This "Enlightened Church" preempted the 18th Century philosophers, and for hundreds of centuries, we have been the victims of what must be called "rational theology." What both failed to realize is that when contemplating the universe and the will of God, the limiting factor is precisely our intellectual inability and our incapability of fathoming the infinite. To trust human reasoning in either area is folly. To use our limited and unaided capacities in the work of the Kingdom spells total disaster. The fruits of the Eighteenth century Enlightenment are superseded by their misfortune only by those of the Enlightened Church.

There is another "Enlightenment" that had its beginning before there was a beginning. The authors of this movement were the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is giving Spiritual light to the soul of man. And, as we are told in, 2 Timothy 3:16 we have the Holy Scriptures that are our source for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. When Jesus Christ's first ministry on earth was finished, we weren't abandoned nor were we left to our own devices. He did not just up and leave us in the same condition that got us in trouble in the first place. The record of reasoning and logic is self-evident. It bears the responsible for the confusion plaguing Christianity over its 200 century history. This is what the Scriptures say, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18) Was it the Apostles He left in His stead? Peter? The Bible? How have our eyes of understanding been enlightened?

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 †

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Yes we are "Totally Human" but this is not about us, it is about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was and is totally human (Let it be noted that He is totally divine as well.) These are the inspiring words of the Apostle John, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14. He humiliated himself by becoming flesh. The Son of God, none other, none less, was manifested IN THE FLESH. (1 Timothy 3:16) What a mysterious, magnificent, marvelous wonder that was. "The marvelous thing," Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary states, "is that in Jesus, God Himself began to live a fully human life. As the apostle Paul declared, "In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2:9). The capacity of Jesus to reveal God to us and to bring salvation depends upon His being fully God and fully man at the same time."

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Are you receiving the fullness of the Gospel? Are you aware of the full fruits of the Spirit? In his letter to the Galatians, Paul speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, "... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galalatians 5:22-23) The Holy Spirit is also our teacher and our comforter (John 14:16, 14:26). He reveals the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10) and the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:4). He was the energy through which Jesus resisted evil and performed miracles. Now, He is willing to provide us with knowledge and wisdom; fountains, rivers, of "living water." In his book All the Doctrines of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer writes, "If only the Spirit could come into His own, lives would be rich in fruitfulness and fragrant with the perfume of Christ. Realizing all that the Third Person of the Trinity has for us, means the transformation of facts to promise into factors of power. When Spirit-filled, life is enriched, labor is empowered and the Lord is enthroned." (p. 59) That is why the question, " have you been Deprived of the fullness of the Gospel?" Think of what life would be like with Him in control of our lives.

If you are not benefiting from His presence, if you have not been taught about Him and encouraged to invite Him into your life, you have been deprived of the fullness of the Gospel. Lockyer quotes Professor B. Warfield in offering a possible answer to this shortcoming, "The Holy Spirit - a theme higher than which none can occupy the attention of the Christian … only a spiritually-minded church provides a soil in which a literature of the Spirit can grow." (p. 59). Take note of Warfield's one comment, "a theme higher than which none can occupy." Nothing is more important or essential than the understanding of the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Now, listen to this, "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14 Then read this, "…the 'water' that Christ gives-- spiritual life-- is struck out of the very depths of our being, making the soul not a cistern, for holding water poured into it from without, but a fountain …springing, gushing, bubbling up and flowing forth from within us, ever fresh, ever living. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ is the secret of this life, with all its enduring energies and satisfactions, as is expressly said <John 7:37-39>. 'Never thirsting,' then, just means that such souls have the supplies at home. It is an internal well, 'springing up into everlasting life'-- by which words our Lord carries the thoughts up from the eternal freshness and vitality of these waters in us to the great ocean in which they have their confluence. `There, ' says devout Bengel, `may I arrive! '" (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)

When you were becoming a Christian, did your preparatory instruct you in the Holy Spirit? Recall the preparation for your baptism, was anything said about receiving the Holy Spirit? What about sermons from the pulpit? Bible-study lessons? At what point, were you introduced to the Holy Spirit? When were you encouraged to expect His presence in your life? Is there an emphasis on the importance of the promise of His presence? If not, who is supposed to guide your life? Who is to encourage you? From whom are you receiving your inspirational energy? To whom do you turn for comfort? What is your source of joy? Have you been deprived of the fullness of the Gospel?

How is it possible that, the second most important event of a person's life has been overlooked? The first event is accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. His excruciating death on the cross and His resurrection assures our eternal life. All that is required is to accept the gift. We are, at that point, saved. There is nothing else required.

But, remember, His resurrection was not the end of Jesus' ministry. Nor is it the end of our spiritual journey. Many Christian denominations finish their ceremonial celebrations with Easter. "He is risen. He is risen indeed." is the cry. His resurrection is the beginning of the second phase of His teachings culminating in His ascension. In His resurrection, Jesus heartened and united a disheartened band of followers. Many saw Him and testified to His being raised from the dead. For forty days Jesus walked among His followers proof, in His resurrection, that He was the Son of God. Proof that we would triumph over death. Jesus brother, James, became a believer. Perhaps Paul in his writing to the Corinthians said it best, "And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." 1 Cor 15:14 The resurrection was the assurance that our salvation is accomplished and our faith is not in vain. In writing to the Colossians, Paul encourages us to set new goals, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Colossians 3:1 And in the following verse, he tells them to find new meaning in life, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2

With the work of redemption He was not yet finished. If our affections are to be set on things above, if we are to seek those things above as Paul commanded, more had to be done. If life is to be lived in its fullness and we are to receive the Word in its fullness, Christ had to depart. He said, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." John 16:7 Here is the fullness of the Gospel. Upon His ascension, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the hearts of all believers. Everything we are to do as His chosen people, hinges upon the Holy Spirit. Jesus could only be with a few followers in a few places. The Holy Spirit can be with everyone, everywhere. We now enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We now are the beneficiaries of the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Lockyer, All the Doctrines of the Bible (p. 102), writes, "Fullness … suggests a permanent position, a habitual abiding condition. Barnabas and Stephen are spoken of as being 'full of the Holy Spirit.' Christ also, was full of the Spirit. He received the Spirit without measure. … What believers should seek and claim as their privilege is the habitual condition - always full of the Spirit. And this abiding condition, being full of the Spirit, should characterize every believer at all times and under all circumstances." That would be the fullness of the Gospel. That would be the fullness of life.

Now consider this, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans 8:9 (KJV). That is serious business. How is it that so many of our churches seem to have overlooked the fullness of the Spirit and deprived us of the fullness of the Gospels?

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In 1982, Dr. Robert H. Schuller wrote Self-Esteem: The New Reformation. In it, he spells out the foundation for his worldwide ministry. Over the next several issues, this column will present some of the basic ideas of his New Reformation as they relate to discipleship.

The first is an affirmation of the central role the Holy Spirit must play in our lives. It is a declaration of how questions, conflicts and criticisms can be resolved through faith and prayer. Most importantly, it is a statement, of the focus for our lives - to search out the will of our Lord and Savior.

We must, Schuller writes, begin to submit our theological thinking to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Christ, the "Eternal Word" transcends all else. He is the Word made flesh. He must be accepted as Lord over everything. According to Dr. Schuller, we must rely upon the Holy Spirit to resolve theological disputes, not intellectual activity. He states, "For unless Christ through his Holy Spirit controls the believers in him and in His Word, we shall continue to see his followers remain dangerously divided over biblical interpretation." (p.45)

When contradictions and conflicts occur between Christians, the first order of business is to"…to search out the mind and will of our Lord.…" When disputes over theological issues threaten to divide the church and separate one from another, then "let Christ enter our minds as Lord over all" He, through the Holy Spirit, must control all that we do, think and say. Our first priority, through prayer, must be to discover the central concern in the mind of Christ.

We are an "I" centered culture. When we enter any type of relationship, one eye is always on the return "I" can expect from the investment. We are a "reasoning" culture. We believe that, with enough facts, we can understand anything; discover any truth. I-centerdness" results from feeling inadequate and inferior. Only people truly secure in their person-hood are capable of genuine caring and concern for others. Those who fully understand the significance of the event of Jesus Christ in the world have such personal security. The desperate need to control and dominate, as those who manipulate facts and reasons to fit their own fancies are doing, is just one symptom of deep-seated personal anxiety.

The love of God in our lives releases us from both "I-ness" and the need to reduce God and His universal creation to our capacity to understand. The renting of the veil at His crucifixion is what makes each of us His disciples. We now have direct access to to the most holy. We may enter where, previously, only Aaron could go. We are His holy priesthood.

†

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Is There Just One Size That Fits All?
 

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Are Spiritual Gifts Things of the Past?

Quench not the Spirit.  Despise not prophesyings. 1Thessalonians 5:19-20

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            Reading a Dispensationalist’s analysis of 1 Thessalonians would say today’s prophets was “the guy in the pulpit.”  Considering the near total absence in mainline Christianity of any suggestion of prophets or any other sort of “spirituality,” it’s a good answer.  The belief that preachers are the NT prophets isn’t found in the Bible is no deterrence.  Nowhere in the Bible is one Gift of the Spirit spoken of as a substitute for another gift.  To the contrary, Paul speaks of all gifts of importance in the body of Christ. (e.g., Romans 12:4-8)

            As disturbing as Christians should find this attempt at an excuse for the absence of prophets, there are more disturbing aspects of this deceptive theology that attempts to destroy the Truth by saying the time for all the Gifts of the Spirit is past. This rendition claims the Holy Spirit has been replaced by the Bible and the “Church.”  It divides the existence of “giftedness” into two levels – actually just one with the second level is the absence of all gifts.  The first level, Divine Authority (unrepeatable) is Jesus Christ” who, according to the source, has a fullness of the Spirit and the Apostolic composed of those “who directly witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus and could testify authoritatively concerning Him like Mark, Luke, and Jude.  What these individuals speak/write as if they were “spoken by God himself, words breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16), and hence they carry unqualified divine authority.”  Coincidentally, the reference from Timothy does not say “spoken by God” or even “breathed out by God.”  Instead, it says given by inspiration of God.  The second level of the pyramid is called Under Biblical Authority (repeatable) that is made up of pastors, teachers, elders and deacons; those with “prominent repeatable gifts officially recognized by the church for having strong gifts in teaching, ruling, and mercy.”  Finally, we come to the bottom of the pile, the rest of the believers, who have neither divine nor Biblical authority.  The theory notes that the “gifts” to pastors, teachers, and ordinary believers (Eph. 4:11; Col. 4:6) are “subordinate” in that “the speeches these people give are not inspired.”  They do not have “unqualified divine authority and perfection.” (That’s a relief) Clearly, this theory would unequivocally say that spiritual gifts are things of the past.  For all intents and purposes, they died with the last of the Apostles.  In passing, it must be noted that the Scripture cited from Ephesians does mention pastors and teachers.  However, it also speaks of apostles, prophets and evangelists.  The reference from Colossians says nothing about any of this, instead it councils us to Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.  Actually, this dispensation paradigm states that Jesus was the “final great prophet” citing Acts 3:22-26.  That reference makes no such statement.  In fact, verse 24 speaking of prophets states, all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after,  Such a position would also contradict not only Acts 2:17 which in part says in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh , but also the events we now call Pentecost.

            While we may not be familiar with this particular “dispensationalism”, it is the theological foundation upon which contemporary Christianity is built.  Its origins probably didn’t begin with Peter, but, closer to the halfway point of the second century, and the reign of Pope St. Anicetus (155-166) “the supreme dignity and authority of the papacy was established and the pope was the infallible interpreter of divine revelation.”  By the reign of Innocent III the title of “Vicar of Christ” was exclusively fixed to the office of Pope.

Contrary to popular opinion, Luther wasn’t interested in slowing or stopping this trend but rather in correcting some of the more obvious malpractices of Roman Catholicism such as the sale of indulgences.  Most of the trappings of Roman Catholic institutionalism were left untouched and are prominent in Protestantism to this very day.  Most obvious of which is the professionalization of the clergy and the use of programs for virtually every aspect of Christian and Catholic church activities.  It is through this tortuous history that one can make the seemingly absurd statement that preachers are the modern-day equivalent of prophets.  It is absurd.

A recent study (now one among the many Willow Creek programs) revealed “that participation in church activities does not automatically make “spiritual giants.”  It also revealed “that the most important thing the church can do to move people deeper into the faith is give them opportunities to study and reflect on Scripture.”  The stalled spiritual growth this study found at a number of churches will remain until the belief in and the practices of Spiritual Gifts are brought back to life.  This cannot happen in the “programmatic” settings of most churches nor “seeker-churches or those that view “evangelism” as their major priority.  Spiritual Gifts only prosper in congregations whose priorities are fellowship with those of like minds (Christians) and the praise and worship of God.  Spoofing prophecy, laughing at the gift of tongues and playing down the importance of the Gifts in the life and health of the congregation will not revive them nor inspire growth.

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth
which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  John 15:26

Do Spiritual Gifts Have An Expiration Date?
Quench not the Spirit.  Despise not prophesyings. 1Thessalonians 5:19-20

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Slaying of Ananias by the Holy Ghost (Acts 5:5)
Grieve Not the Holy Spirit
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30
 

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Don’t’ Put Out The Spirit’s Fire
Quench not the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19
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If not at the top of the list, this terse little verse is surely among the top ten. For many of us, this stern warning has probably gone unnoticed in these times of organized religion. We may have even been taught that to quench or to grieve the Holy Spirit was not possible; that such Biblical references were merely idiomatic and not to be taken literally. Just imagine how a group of people reporting they were surrounded by flames of fire (Acts 2:3) or were right in that very room when Jesus walked through a closed door would be treated by the Christian community today, to say nothing of the reaction from the mass media and the general public. Which would best describe their reaction: disbelief, scorn, contempt, outrage, all of the above? Hum, pretty much the same as what the disciples encountered. (Acts 2:13) Three thousand were saved on that day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:41) They were saved by Peter’s eloquent preaching against the background of what had just transpired.

The Post-gifts Dispensation

Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.
1 Corinthians 14:39-40

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Dispensationalism is a theory from the mid 1800’s, systematized by John Nelson Darby and popularized by publication of the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. Dispensationalists think they see God working with man in different ways in different periods or dispensations of Biblical history. Whether we agree or not that God works "with man in progressive ways," before dismissing differences in our worship of Him as "dispensational," we need to examine them more closely to be sure they aren’t men regarding God differently. Surely, the upheavals taking place in Christianity today qualifies as "dispensations" if anything ever did. The only problem we might have is sorting out the minor tremors from major disasters.

Nineteen times in 1 Corinthians alone, Paul talks about tongues. These are by no means the first or only reference to this Gift of the Spirit. They are discussed a total of 47 times in the KJV of the New Testament. In Mark Jesus tells us, And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (Mark 16:17) That is an emphatic, unqualified." Some, like John Gill, would like to lessen the full impact of this by qualifying it thusly, "only for a time; and which were necessary for the confirmation of the Gospel." In the same respect, he ventures to lessen the implications of the phrase "new tongues" with this qualification, "not such as were new made, and had never been heard and known before; but foreign languages, such as they had never learned." If we open this door and dispense with gifts we determine to be obsolete, how do we ever close it again? How do we prevent this virus of human intervention from affecting other teachings of the Gospel – say the disclaimer of that part about, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 4:16) currently emerging in the church?

We are provided few guidelines about the frequency and manner of the saints celebrating communion. About the only indication of the frequency is found in Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. The weekly interpretation put upon this is reinforced in Acts 20:7, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. Roman Catholicism regards Acts 2:46 as indicating communion was taken every day while conceding that (Acts 20:6-11 and 1 Corinthians 16:2) lend themselves to a weekly interpretation. There are likewise few statement about the manner of partaking. From Paul we have this, When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken . What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? (1 Cor. 11:20-22) Also from him is this, But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (1 Cor. 11:28) There is, however, no mistaking its importance. That’s clearly stated in Matthew 26:26-28, where Jesus tells us its significance so in Mark 14:22-24 also. Any question about the weight of communion is answered by Jesus himself, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. (John 6:53-56) That is reaffirmed in Luke 22:19-20. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 Paul reaffirms its significance, In 1 Corinthians 11:26, he reiterates the importance of being thankful and grateful for His sacrifice, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. How often is too often? More to the point, how seldom is too seldom?

Having said all of that, isn’t it fair to ask why we don’t witness more speaking and translating of tongues; more prophesying? Is it true that manifestations of the Spirit as tongues, prophecy and discernment are no longer needed? What replaced them? The Bible is the starting point; the blueprints for the Gospel, but the morass Christianity testifies to the continuing need to transcribe it into lively stones and spiritual houses. Yet, looking into modern congregations, we only see zombies. Our pension for organization and credentials has done this. In vain we worship Him, teaching the doctrines commandments of men. (Matt. 15:9) Compared to the way communion is treated in the Bible and today is another tsunami sized dispensation. One thing stands out, as the number of people attending "church" increases and becomes more diverse, the frequency of celebrating the sacrament of the Lords Supper has dramatically declined. This suggest other factors such as cost, convenience limit its frequency rather than some Biblical or theological consideration. Paul warns us not to neglect the gifts; (1 timothy 4:14) not to quench the Spirit. (1 Thes. 5:19) We have dispensed with both.

Spiritual Suppression
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. John 9:39

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Jesus promises that those who believe He is the Son of God, here on earth, will have a comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will live with us forever to help us, teach us and to testify of Him. That promise is found in four places John 14:16, 26; 15:26 and 16:7. As a matter of fact He said it was prudent and advantageous that He leave so the Holy Spirit would come to us. In an impassioned speech on the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jews who had gathered, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

In a letter to the saints at Corinth, Paul asked, Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Cor. 3:16). There are two important things to note about this passage: First of all, Paul is telling us that God no longer (and never will again) dwells in a tent or a building. Then he tells Christians that He, in the person of the Holy Spirit, dwells within us. We know this by what we believe and by what motivates our lives. Those who accept live and testify about the Truth and nothing else. In contrast, there are those who depart from the Truth and substitute their own beliefs and inventions in place of the Gospel Truth. Those who desire to worship God and bring glory to His name are listening to the Holy Spirit. Not only does He give us the strength needed to endure the difficulties and intolerances that accompany those who believe, but He assists us in knowing and reflecting the Truth through our living. Those who are motivated by worldly goals and ambitions; who admire and desire to emulate people deemed to be prominent and successful are suppressing the Holy Spirit in their lives.

In our personal lives, we don’t need a paper-and-pencil pseudo-religious test to determine if we are stifling or enabling the Holy Spirit in our lives. All we need to do is honestly determine whom we look up to admire and strive to emulate? In simple terms, who are our heroes; TV and movie stars, star athletes, the financially successful? Who they are tells us a lot about who we are and what we aspire to. This is an either/or proposition. We either love worldly people and the things they characterize in our lives or the Gospel. These "gods" of this world blind our minds and souls with deceitfulness and unrighteousness. In a verse familiar to most, Jesus made it an either/or telling us, No man can serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). Paul reiterates this writing Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey? (Rom. 6:16) When we place preachers on an awesome pedestal we are endangering them as well as ourselves. That’s what Paul is telling us in 1 Cor. 4:15a, For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers. In light of Christ’s admonition in Matt. 23:9 we must look askance at the second part of Paul’s utterance in which he writes for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. In Matthew, Jesus asked those who were attempting to reverence Him by kneeling to Him and calling Him "Good Master, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. The Holy Spirit bring glory to Jesus, not Himself (John 16:14). He does not offer His own opinions or beliefs but only those of the Father (John 16:13). He points people to Jesus rather than Himself. We must also remember it is not mortals regardless of positions or titles that lead us to the Lord, but the Holy Spirit. Regardless, if he is worthy of the title of "pastor" or "preacher," he will decline such adoration as strongly and vociferously as possible. Clearly, the more we are distracted by worldly ambitions and titles, the more the rivers of living water is being dammed up.

A Christian’s ongoing obligation is to be completely receptive to the Spirit’s lead. When we are, rather than seeking favors and promises, we seek God, and leave it to Him as to whether these things happen or not. When we haven’t suppressed the Spirit, we worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Jesus the Christ and have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). When the Spirit is suppressed in believers, they walk after the flesh rather than the Spirit (Rom. 8:4). He can be resisted (Acts 7:51); He can be quenched (1 Thesa. 5:19); that’s the condition of so many Christians and characterizes many, many churches today. In addition to those already mentioned, other symptoms of "spiritual suppression" include following the positive Christianity, success and prosperity gospels and the modern heresy of the Emerging Church. They are those who, in comments by John Gill writing on John 9:39, "are wise and knowing in their own conceit, who fancy themselves to have great light and knowledge, to have the key of knowledge, and to have the true understanding of divine things, and to be guides of the blind." They mix the "wine" of the Gospel with the "water" of human fabrication (Isaiah 1:22).

For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity
but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:17