The Holy Spirit, Part 3

2nd Timothy 3:16 is an excellent verse to pause and consider for a moment. Paul writes that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The phrase “given by inspiration of God” happens to be one Greek word: “theopneustos” meaning “God-breathed.” It is the stamp of the Holy Spirit’s authority on everything we find in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. God testifies through His servant that every jot and tittle is accurate and correct on all subjects it touches on. For a professing Christian to reject some portion of the Bible in favor of human reasoning is a demonstration of rank unbelief; we fall into the trap of accepting finite rationalizations from men over divine revelation.

The Holy Spirit, Part 2

We shall now attempt to establish a pattern of activity for the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, as already touched upon in both Genesis and Exodus. So, the first question relating to the Holy Spirit that we shall attempt to answer in any exhaustive manner is whether or not He can be found in the Old Testament and in a manner consistent with New Testament teachings. This we shall do, God willing.

Faith, Part 2

But faith is not a power or energy, or leverage to get God to do what we wish. Faith does not demand of God; instead, faith rather waits for God’s demands, as it were. A “faith” that seeks its own improvement above others, a faith focused only on our personal gain at any avenue is also not Biblical faith. We are to esteem others as better than ourselves, and we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His glory, Matthew 6:33.

Faith, Part 1

Have you ever stopped to consider what it means to have faith? Perhaps more to the point: have you ever paused to contemplate what faith is? I know there are various definitions of the word, especially by today’s standards. But the word “faith” suffers from a blanket definition so broad that it has become vacuous. We hear the phrases all the time encouraging us to believe in ourselves, to have faith in ourselves, or simply to have faith. But what does this mean, exactly? It brings us back to the one simple question of definition; what is faith?

The Holy Spirit, Part 1

We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost, Acts 19:2

These words seem to comprise the modern mentality of a number of pseudo-Christian cults and sects that deny the person and power of the Holy Spirit. Who or what is the Holy Spirit? Is this a strictly New Testament doctrinal addition? Is He a person? An energy source? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, and in a believer’s life both as they are born into the household of God, and afterward? God allowing, we shall explore these questions and more as we contemplate the nature and reality of the Holy Spirit from Scripture.