Bible Question (short): What does Scripture say about the Spirit |
Question (full): What does the Bible tell us about the Holy Spirit? On a retreat recently we studied the Holy Spirit, but looking back on it I think it brought up more questions than answers. There were a couple very interesting Campus Crusade booklets I was given about this Spirit, which I liked. However, the booklets did not list too many of the Bible verses that backed up these conclusions. I usually read these things critically; sometimes I wish I wasn't that way. I have been looking a lot in the Bible on my own to find support or disagreement, but honestly, I find it much easier to understand what the Bible has to say about the other two members of the Trinity! As far as my own studies and that of various group studies have led me, I have learned that the Spirit is that which God uses to reveal His truth to us. I have also learned that the Spirit is a Counselor to us. The Spirit is the means by which a person understands the Gospel, and provides us guidance by which we live our lives. The Spirit is given to each one who believes. Is this correct? I am probably missing a lot in that description, and I want to learn more. Now the booklets spoke of the Spirit as being something which we all have, but in varying amounts. You could have the Spirit, but not be filled with it. To be filled with the spirit was to be under the Spirit's control - to walk by faith. That sounds like what I have been trying to do for a while. And yet the booklet claims that the Spirit will give the person the ability to be a "supernatural witness" for God. Now what does that mean? I have never been terribly eloquent or talented at evangelism and was under the biblical impression that being a witness for God simply required submission to His will above all else. The booklet did not give very many definites, and in some cases seemed to contradict themselves. It is hard to sort out the certain from the dubious. Can anyone enlighten me? Another thing it did which bothered me, it quoted Romans 7:15-24, in which Paul writes about his own struggle with sin. The booklets then interpret that to be the lifestyle of a worldly Christian without the filling of the Spirit! Perhaps I am wrong, but I thought we always struggled with sin, filled with the spirit or not. Is this true? And yet some say that the Spirit is a force which primarily causes people to speak in tongues, "quake", be "slain", etc. I have never known quite what to make of this, and have been told to my face that having not experienced these, I am not a full believer. Now I know THAT is not true, but I wonder whether they have any basis for what they say about the Spirit consisting primarily of emotional/physical experiences like that. I am a very logical/analytical person and because of this weakness I understand the Scriptures that way - I do not comprehend inexplicable emotion very well, and I will probably NEVER get the joy/satisfaction from outward physical displays of the Spirit that my Pentecostal friends do. I don't think there is anything wrong with this, but I can always be wrong, that is why I am posting this. What do you think? -- Joren |