Post by The Ambassador on Jul 13, 2019 12:15:23 GMT
Knowing God
From the Booklet: "Getting to Know the God of the Bible"
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” ~ John 17: 3
Introduction:
Can we get to know God? Is He so far off, so mysterious, that we could never understand Him? Or does God want to have a close, personal relationship with us? Does He reveal Himself clearly in the Bible? Our world is filled with myriad gods and ideas about God, most of which seem inconsistent or unintelligible.
One of the most common beliefs in Christianity today is the mystery of the Trinity—that there is one God who appears as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Many have accepted this explanation of God as the defining doctrine of orthodoxy without studying its origin.
Chapter Four Part One; “Understanding The Holy Spirit”
Trying to determine what the Holy Spirit is has been a challenging quest for many for a long time. The most common explanation of the Godhead—the Trinitarian view—teaches that the Holy Spirit is a coequal person with God the Father and the Son, but is this
teaching found in the Bible?
Although sorting out what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit is more complicated than learning about God the Father and the Word, a clear explanation is available if we will carefully consider the Scriptures without bias toward a particular interpretation. As we have seen thus far, the humanly devised explanations of God the Father and the Son contradict the biblical teaching that the Godhead consists of two distinct spiritual beings (1 Corinthians 8:6).
Because the Trinity is the most popular explanation of God, in this chapter we are going to consider a brief history of how and why the Trinity doctrine was devised. First, we will see how the Bible explains the Holy Spirit, then learn about the Trinity, and then conclude with clear explanations of passages about the Holy Spirit that are often misunderstood. As we begin our quest to understand the Holy Spirit, a brief observation is insightful. We have already seen that the Bible refers to both the Father and the Son as God (John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1). But the Bible never refers to the Holy Spirit as God. This simple fact should alert us that the Holy Spirit is likely something different than a third being in the Godhead. So what is the Holy Spirit? Let’s see how the Bible describes it.
God’s Spirit at creation
At the creation of the heavens and earth, Scripture tells us that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). The Spirit of God was thus present at the preparation of the earth for mankind, but God is the being who said, “Let there be light” and is the being who did the work (verses 3, 31). Although we later learn that Christ is the One though whom God did the creating (Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 3:9), what is significant for us to focus on here is that God—not the Holy Spirit—is credited with creating and fashioning the earth. Why is Genesis written this way if the Holy Spirit is a third person in the Godhead? Was the Holy Spirit just watching what God was doing?
In considering the Old Testament, Jewish scholars have defined the Holy Spirit as the power of God—not as a member of the Godhead. This explanation is accurate, for the Bible repeatedly presents the Spirit of God as the power of God, the force by which He accomplishes things. By means of His Spirit, God can be everywhere at once (Psalm 139:7-10). It is thus the operational presence and influence of God.
A Spirit of power
This definition of the Holy Spirit as the power of God is confirmed in a number of scriptures. The prophet Micah said God’s Spirit was the impetus he received from God to fulfill his ministry: “But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord” (Micah 3:8). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God the Father conceived the Word in Mary as the man Jesus Christ (Luke 1:31-32, 35). If God were a trinity, we would expect Jesus to be called the Son of the Holy Spirit—the power that came upon Mary to cause her to conceive (Matthew 1:18). But Jesus was never called the Son of the Holy Spirit. Jesus likewise taught that the Holy Spirit is the power of God.
Speaking to His disciples of the Holy Spirit they would soon receive, Jesus said, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). During the last few days before His ascension to heaven, Jesus reminded His disciples of this promise, saying, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit would empower Jesus’ disciples to carry out the commission He had given them.
Christ’s disciples understood the Holy Spirit to be the power of God. Peter wrote that the Spirit of God moved the prophets to speak God’s messages (2 Peter 1:21). Paul said he did mighty signs and wonders “by the power of the Spirit of God” (Romans 15:18-19). Paul further described the Holy Spirit as a spirit “of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
When people repent of their sins and are baptized, they can receive the Holy Spirit—the power of God to help them to live in accordance with God’s instructions (Acts 2:38; 19:6). How New Testament Christians understood the Holy Spirit The way the writers of the New Testament spoke of the Holy Spirit is quite insightful. In this portion of the Bible, the Holy Spirit is referred to in many ways indicating it is not a person.
The Holy Spirit is called a gift (1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 10:45). It can be quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). It can be poured out (Acts 2:17, 33), and we are baptized with it (Matthew 3:11). It can renew us (Titus 3:5) and needs to be stirred up within us (2 Timothy 1:6). Instead of being presented as a person, the Holy Spirit is described as wind (Acts 2:2), fire (verse 3), water (John 4:14; 7:37-39), oil (Psalm 45:7), a dove (Matthew 3:16) and an “earnest” (down payment or guarantee) on eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14, KJV).
It is also significant to note that Jesus always prayed to the Father and not to the Holy Spirit (Matthew 6:9; 11:25-27). Paul, the most prolific writer of the New Testament, never speaks of the Trinity. In all of his books, his standard greeting (with only slight variations) to the churches is, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He never mentions the Holy Spirit in all his greetings (see Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 #essalonians 1:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3). What disrespect this would be if the Holy Spirit were indeed a being in the Godhead!
Like other people of God in the Bible, Paul also understood the Holy Spirit to be the power of God that can encourage us, uplift us and inspire us. Speaking of his ministry to the church at Rome, Paul wrote: “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:18-19). In Revelation 21 we read of new heavens and new earth wherein “the tabernacle of God is with men” (verse 3) as is Christ, the Lamb of God (verse 22). The Holy Spirit is not mentioned here—another indication that the Holy Spirit is not a separate being in the Godhead.
Next Sabbath Part Two
Bible Reading
Judith Chapter 15
2 And fear and trembling fell upon them, so that there was no man that durst abide in the sight of his neighbour, but rushing out all together, they fled into every way of the plain, and of the hill country.
3 They also that had camped in the mountains round about Bethulia fled away. Then the children of Israel, every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them.
4 Then sent Ozias to Betomasthem, and to Bebai, and Chobai, and Cola and to all the coasts of Israel, such as should tell the things that were done, and that all should rush forth upon their enemies to destroy them.
5 Now when the children of Israel heard it, they all fell upon them with one consent, and slew them unto Chobai: likewise also they that came from Jerusalem, and from all the hill country, (for men had told them what things were done in the camp of their enemies) and they that were in Galaad, and in Galilee, chased them with a great slaughter, until they were past Damascus and the borders thereof.
6 And the residue that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly enriched.
7 And the children of Israel that returned from the slaughter had that which remained; and the villages and the cities, that were in the mountains and in the plain, gat many spoils: for the multitude was very great.
8 Then Joacim the high priest, and the ancients of the children of Israel that dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold the good things that God had shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her.
9 And when they came unto her, they blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our nation:
10 Thou hast done all these things by thine hand: thou hast done much good to Israel, and God is pleased therewith: blessed be thou of the Almighty Lord for evermore. And all the people said, So be it.
11 And the people spoiled the camp the space of thirty days: and they gave unto Judith Holofernes his tent, and all his plate, and beds, and vessels, and all his stuff: and she took it and laid it on her mule; and made ready her carts, and laid them thereon.
12 Then all the women of Israel ran together to see her, and blessed her, and made a dance among them for her: and she took branches in her hand, and gave also to the women that were with her.
13 And they put a garland of olive upon her and her maid that was with her, and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and all the men of Israel followed in their armour with garlands, and with songs in their mouths.