Make Room For the Holy Spirit Part 1

Pagan’s Belief about the Holy Spirit

Philosophical View: Pagan Is described as a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions; a religion other than one of the main world religions, specifically a non-Christian or pre-Christian religion.”

Biblical View: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8 KJV

When the apostles had started preaching the Gospel; the most learned pagans had already stopped believing in their gods. We must remember that prior to the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century the average Christian did not have access to the Bible. Convinced of the falseness of their idolatrous religion, they pursued the truth in the teachings of the ancient philosophers: Plato, Pythagoras, Zenon, Epicurus and others, Biblical ignorance was rampant. It was hardly the sort of atmosphere in which people would be identified as having spiritual gifts. It was unlikely that they would be expected to seek and pray for such to happen or even recognize them, when they were manifested.

Now concerning the Spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye are gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accused: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 12:1-3AV

Many maintained that all world was the result of “chance,” and they deified the powers of nature; others thought to attain a state of blessedness by means of a determined self-will, they believed they made things happen when they did not call upon the Creator of the universe, they did respected virtue; still others sought only earthly pleasures and temporary satisfaction.

We do not know what was happening in the churches or home meetings of Christians at this time. I cannot say with confidence that believers regularly prayed for the sick and saw them healed; any more than you can say they did not. You cannot say they never prophesied to the comfort, exhortation, and consolation of the church any more than I can say they did.

But he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men for edification and exhortation and comfort.1 Cor. 14:3 KJV

No one can say with any confidence whether countless thousands of Christians throughout the inhabited earth prayed their prayer language during their private devotions. We must remember that this was long before the printing press or the advantages of mass media. The absence of documented evidence for spiritual gifts in a time when documented evidence for most of church life was, at best, sparse is hardly good grounds for concluding that such gifts did not exist. When we have the Word of God ; that confirms that many were added to the Church on a daily basis; this i believe, to be an example of the True Church and not benchwarmers or Church goers like that of Ananias and Sapphira; but people with a heart after that God.

Who is the Holy Spirit

To the Believers, The Holy Spirit is the most mysterious part of the Trinity, yet we cannot function without Him. God the Father is described to us in familiar terms in that He is our Father and He is our Creator. He loves His creation and He demonstrated that love towards us. God the Son Jesus Christ; lived amongst us as a man and we can identify with Him and with some of His experiences. He became flesh in order that we could share commonality in His life and so that we could be eye witness to His Death and Resurrection.

People without Faith can relate to a God and to be some degree even Jesus can be a talking point. But only the saved in Christ can identify with the mystery of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our Help and our comforter, our Guide and our Protector.

Trying to see the Spirit is like trying to see your own eye. The instrument of perception is not itself perceived. The eye doesn’t see itself, and the Spirit doesn’t show Himself, but rather He shows us the Father and the Son.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 KJV

Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity because the Bible reveals this to us.

The Old Testament makes several references to God’s Spirit. The Spirit was present at creation and gave power and strength to people like Moses, Samson, and David. And the Psalms speak of the Holy Spirit’s infinite presence from which no person can hide or flee, the Holy Spirit possess the same attributes of God.

The New Testament writers also elaborated on the Holy Spirit. They wrote about the Holy Spirit’s role in convicting people when they do wrong, guiding people to do what is right, and generally teaching and illuminating the truth about God to all who seek him. Luke, a physician and one of the Gospel writers, indicated that one’s relationship to God is the same as one’s relationship to the Holy Spirit.

Nonetheless, understanding exactly who the Holy Spirit is can be difficult. It’s not too hard to imagine God as a creator or a father-like figure. And Jesus is a tangible person who we can read about and study. But the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is more mysterious.

I like Mr Davidson quote that the Trinity is not a theoretical problem to be solved but a reality to worship. It began quite simply and intuitively when believers discovered they could not say all that they wanted by just saying the word “God” it was not until they added, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Triune God, has been ever present before the creation and form the everlasting to everlasting. Co-eternal and Co- equal.

Changes can be hard to accept, and can take time to implement. The Church was always faced with opposition from those who lack understanding or oppose change. But through the Work of the Omnipotent one it was ordained that the Doctrine of the Trinity would be implemented and understood by believers.

May the LORD bless you as you read.