Bible Question:
Has the ministry of the Holy Ghost changed? It is foolishness to some who profess Christ to cast out devils, speak in tongues, heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. The Holy Ghost empowers the true Church to be witnesses to Him (Jesus), to do what? Bring souls to Him. How? By doing the works that He did. Is it that the Holy Ghost has changed or those who oppose are PROFESSING Christ but not POSSESSING the Holy Spirit? I'm very concerned. WalkingTalkingBible |
Bible Answer: Hi WTB, I reread your question to see if I had spoken anything at all to it on this thread so far. You wrote, "The Holy Ghost empowers the true Church to be witnesses to Him (Jesus),...[to bring] souls to Him." I certainly agree with you; and the thought that came to me when considering your parenthesis around Jesus is just what do we think about Him and what do we PROFESS about Him. Acts 1:8 to my mind tells us to be witnesses to the (Spirit). When the Holy Spirit comes upon us we become witnesses for (Jesus) but it is in the sense that we know that He is God and God is Spirit. I would also like to speak to the thought of POSSESSING the Holy Spirit. General thoughts to everyone: We do not possess God. We do not possess the Holy Spirit. I would not even say that we possess the holy spirit. The idea is that we are "possessed" , guided, controlled by the words and thoughts of the Holy Spirit as put forth in the word of God and with which we have filled our minds and hearts. Being filled with "holy spirit" is what kind of spirit we are of. The works that Jesus did were to explain that the Father had sent Him. He glorified God on the earth. God gave Him words to say and He spoke them. John 17:8, "...and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me." Now we have the Spirit of truth. John 16:12, "I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth." We are to witness to the truth of the word of God. Speaking of the love of Christ and God our Savior is the best way of speaking in tongues. From the heart, Ray |