What Other Ways Does the Holy Spirit Work Through Believers?

/ W. Keith Brenton / 35 Comments

Though I linked in my previous post to a much earlier one which explored the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, I didn’t repeat any of its Biblical references. Which I possibly should have, because there are several ways that the Holy Spirit worked through believers in God in those days – some of which are not repeated in the New Testament.

Probably the first man in the Bible to be identified with the Holy Spirit was Joseph (Genesis 41:38), and the one who recognized Him in Joseph was – of all people – Pharaoh. The reason Pharaoh credited Joseph with the Spirit’s guidance was undoubtedly that Joseph accurately interpreted his strange dreams – and predicted the famine which was to engulf Egypt and her neighbor nations. So I believe it’s justifiable to conclude that at least Pharaoh linked a gift of interpretation of dreams and prophecy as a gift of the Holy Spirit. (Suffice it to say that Joseph also displayed gifts of leadership and administration, at the very least.)

I missed that one in my post of five years ago, and it’s an unintentional omission. I won’t repeat the others; you can read them yourself there. But you will find many other gifts, talents and abilities linked to the Holy Spirit in the eras of the Old Testament: leadership, great physical strength, even success in battle.

I cannot defend an opinion one way or another about whether those old covenant gifts are still given through the Spirit of God today. Some of them – such as dreaming dreams and seeing visions (which I’ve already discussed as promised in Joel 2:28 and as fulfilled in Acts 2:17) are actually exemplified in passages like Acts 10:1-23,  Acts 11:1-18 and Acts 16:6-10. So it’s foolish to conclude that all gifts or abilities associated with the Spirit in the Old Testament belong only to its eras.

And I think it’s fair to ask questions like:

  • Are we living under the same covenant as those in the New Testament?
  • Are the same promises which were made to those believers also made to believers now, under that same New Covenant?
  • Did the Spirit inspire scripture writers only for Old Testament works, or also for the New?
  • Is there anything in scripture which says only they – or only the apostles and/or only those on whom the apostles placed their hands – would receive the Spirit Himself and the gifts God chooses to distribute through Him?
  • Does scripture make a distinction between certain gifts that would persist and others that would perish?
  • Does scripture say that some already have been withdrawn?

The only Biblical response I can find to give to these questions is:

  • First of all, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are distinct from the Holy Spirit Himself. The gift of the Holy Spirit himself is given to all believers and forever.
  • Secondly, any need for gifts to be given or withdrawn is sufficiently described by the summation of the listing of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:11 … “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” The phrasing seems to be independent of era; the Spirit gives as He determines.

Some people simply cannot be trusted with certain gifts of the Holy Spirit, no matter how much they ask or desire – see Acts 8:9-25. It is quite possible that Ananias and his wife Sapphira were given the gift of generosity (Romans 12:8), yet silently lied to the Holy Spirit about the size of their gift (Acts 5:1-11). It would not have mattered what era they lived in; their hearts were corrupted by self-interest.

Those incidents – and the miracle Paul spoke against Elymas Bar-Jesus at Paphos (Acts 13:4-12) indicate a darker side to the miraculous gifts apportioned by the Spirit – not unlike the Spirit-given ability (Judges 14-15) that Samson had to vanquish enemies or bring down the temple of Dagon around himself (Judges 16:23-31), or – less violently – to change Saul into a different person (1 Samuel 10), perhaps to prepare him spiritually to become the kind of king he ought to have been over a people who ought to have accepted God as their King.

On the other hand, the more constructive gifts given to those under the old covenant would likely have been just as useful under the new. (I won’t quibble about Bezalel, whose gift of designing for the tabernacle might well have been less useful in an era in which the temple was to fall forever. Or just as useful. Who knows?)

Perhaps the more important question is whether God could put to use such a gift in proclaiming His gospel today, in this graphic-art-saturated society.

What seems – to me, at least – the determining factor in whether the Spirit gives a gift to one who asks or needs or through whom it might even be used unawares is whether that gift will help those who have never encountered God’s grace SEE and HEAR it proclaimed and lived out in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Whether God still gives gifts to those whom He chooses through His Spirit, I leave to your discretion. Whether He gives it only to those who ask, who are baptized, who realize that they have it … I will let you work out on your own. I know what I believe.

And I submit as evidence to support it this video, recorded December 26, 2010 at my home church, of nine-year-old Davis, who read his passages in The Daily Bible along with the rest of his church family last year, and shared with us (from memory) his summation of it:

Most of us will agree that this young man is extraordinarily gifted.

I believe I know by Whom.

How Does the Holy Spirit Work Through Believers?

/ W. Keith Brenton / 33 Comments

I believe that the Holy Spirit is – and has been since creation – one of the most powerful ways that God chooses to work in this world. He was instrumental in creation, and through Him life is given (Job 33:4; John 6:63; Romans 8:2-10; 2 Corinthians 3:6). He inspires – breathes life into – scripture (2 Samuel 23; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 59:21; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 3:7-11; 10:15-17; 1 Peter 1:11).

The mistake, I believe, made by those who put their faith in a Spirit-in-the-written-word-only-today doctrine is in confusing the Author with the work; the Warrior with the sword. It is the difference between purchasing a book to place it on your coffee table at home and inviting the writer of the book to come and live with you.

(If you insist on a Spirit-in-the-written-word-only-today doctrine, suppose you memorized passages from books of several different authors … wouldn’t it be equally valid to say that you were indwelled by the spirit of Mark Twain, James Joyce, William Shakespeare? If someone handed you a copy of The Book of Mormon or The Qu’ran or Dianetics, wouldn’t it be equally valid to say that the words they believed from Joseph Smith or Mohammed or L. Ron Hubbard were sufficiently confirmed by the publication of those books? No need of external evidence to affirm their correctness?)

Scripture itself testifies that scripture alone is not enough (John 5:39); we needed a Savior. We needed a Savior who could be seen doing the work of God in this world (John 10:38; John 14:11). When He sent out the twelve (Luke 9) and the seventy(-two … Luke 10), He prepared them to minister in His absence by giving them authority to preach a gospel of repentance and to help others through healing and exorcism. He knew that the tangible, perceptible authority of God was needed to confirm His word (Mark 16:20) even after He ascended – so He breathed His Spirit upon them (John 20:22) just as He had said He would (Acts 1:8). And the Spirit empowered them.

So I believe that another way that the Holy Spirit works through believers is by empowerment to proclaim boldly and confirm tangibly the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a hollow claim to say that the written word is sufficient and no other confirmation is “needed” today. There was scripture that spoke of the Messiah before He came; and some did not believe when He came. There were miracles present before and during His mortal life; and some did not believe. What is sufficient for some is insufficient for others, and the needs of some do not set the standard for all. Thomas believed when he saw; he was not pronounced less-blessed because of his need to see. Nor are any of the 3,000 of Pentecost who saw and heard the power of the gospel (Acts 2:33).

Witness the Acts of the Apostles. Read the whole book. There is a good reason why it is called “The Acts of the Apostles” rather than “The Word of the Apostles.” Four gospels record “the word of the apostles,” and one of them is the prequel to Acts itself. They acted and they did so in the power of the Spirit.

Scripture testifies to the persuasive power of seeing and hearing the word confirmed; there is no point in arguing it. If the need of at least some to hear and see the word confirm persists to this day, is it any business of ours to contradict the promise of “all” (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17) and “forever” (John 14:16; Matthew 28:20) by asserting that God no longer cares about their needs; they are simply not blessed? Scripture describes amply the ways that the Holy Spirit works through believers:

(The last ones – listed in Romans – are the ones my blogging brother Jay Guin labels “those boring old gifts” … with tongue sequestered in cheek, of course. And if you’ve read previous posts and followed the scripture links, you’ve already read most of these – some of them in the comments, kindly provided by Lacey Mauk.)

Obviously, some of these gifts/abilities are more suited than others – in certain circumstances, to certain audiences and being used by certain gifted individuals – in testifying to the power of the gospel (1 Corinthians 14:22). That is why these gifts are apportioned by God, not by our desire (Hebrews 2:4).

It’s amazing how we read these in context, and skip over the words “Holy Spirit” as if they were not there. Yet there are almost half again as many references to Him in the New Testament as there are references to baptism or being baptized. That’s not to say that one is more important than the other, but simply that there is more reference material to consider.

And, with that much to consider, it’s quite possible that I have missed some. But I don’t believe I’ve missed anything that says the Holy Spirit’s power would be restricted to the written word from a certain date, time, era or event forward (certainly not one which has already passed) … or that God would no longer demonstrate the power of the gospel in visible, audible, tangible ways … or that the Holy Spirit would ever work apart from the Word or (God forbid) in contradiction to the Word … or that believers should ever stop asking for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13) or stop earnestly desiring His greater gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31).

Who would stand to gain more from those restrictions and doctrines? God?

Or Satan?

Is the Holy Spirit Given to Believers at Baptism Today?

/ W. Keith Brenton / 57 Comments

We’re in the season of giving gifts, and while the traditional Advent study focuses on God’s gift of His Son and our anticipation of His return, I wanted to look more closely at the gift He has given believers in the interim: His Holy Spirit.

It’s a little hard for me to believe that there believers in Christ who would actually answer that question with a strident “No.” Some are actually offended that the question is being asked.

In Acts 2, Peter (filled with the Holy Spirit himself), quotes a long passage from the prophet Joel and proclaims it as fulfilled on the spot at that time:

In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.

Are we still living in the last days, or have the last days spoken of in scripture somehow passed without Jesus returning?

Is anyone left out of that prophecy? Young people? Old people? Men? Women?

When Peter’s message convicts the crowd of Pentecost feast-goers, they begged to know what they could/should do:

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Was the promise just for them and their children and for all who lived far away then? Or for ALL who lived far away in distance and generation?

Among those who believe that the Holy Spirit is no longer given to dwell in the hearts of believers, many will maintain that He has been replaced by or is present only as the word of God which a believer will have memorized.

The usual defense for this position is three-fold. First, proponents of Spirit-in-written-word-only-today are likely to quote any number of passages about the hearing, reading, believing and especially obeying the word, including (but not restricted to):

There is nothing to argue with about the importance of hearing/reading, believing and obeying the written word, but it is worth pointing out that scripture …

  • Does not say that the word itself IS the Spirit. Scripture is inspired by God’s breath (2 Timothy 3:16; Acts 28:25), but inspiration is different from being. Jesus IS the Word (John 1); the Spirit is His (Luke 23:46; Acts 16:7, etc.) … but the Word is distinct from the written word. Jesus the Word fulfills the word that is written.
  • Does not not say that hearing/reading the word is the only way God makes His will known to those who would believe (faith may also begin in deducing God from Creation – Romans 1:19-20)
  • Does not say that the only way faith comes is by hearing (it is also the gift of God – 1 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 2:8). The Lord sent blindness to Saul of Tarsus, but He also sent him Ananias. He sent an angel to Cornelius, but He also sent him Peter. God can give faith in unusually-wrapped packages.

Part two of the defense of the Spirit-in-written-word-only-today proposition is that the summation of 1 Corinthians 13 declares that the gifts of the Spirit will be done away with when “that which is perfect is come,” and “that which is perfect” means the Bible, the written word. (That is why some will put so much emphasis on the belief that the Bible is the inerrant or perfect word of God – it is a cornerstone of the proposition.)

Scripture describes no such transformation – reduction, I’d say – of the Spirit’s role in our lives from Counselor and Comforter and Dweller-Within and Reminder-of-Christ and Convicter-of-Heart to a simple collection of memory verses.

Scripture also does not speak of itself as perfect. The will of God is perfect, to be sure, but it’s a stretch to say that all of God’s will is completely revealed within scripture – and that is also a meaning of the word translated “perfect” – “complete” and/or “mature.” Indeed, scripture is complete with regard to what man generally must do in response to God’s grace – but as far as direction signs for individual journeys go, scripture is largely silent.

The third tenet of the Spirit-in-written-word-only-today belief is that the promises made by Jesus in John 14-17 (that the Advocate would teach, remind them, guide them into all truth, and show them things to come) were made only to the twelve apostles. That would mean that there is no promise of indwelling Advocate, Comforter, Counselor to any beyond those few that the apostles laid their hands upon.

But those promises include Jesus preparing a place for and coming back for the one whom He is addressing (John 14:1-3). And there are commands like, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Are those only for the twelve also?

Jude’s question dispels any notion that knowing Jesus was just for them; Jesus answer is “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:22-23).

I think a lot of the motivation behind the Spirit-in-the-written-word-only-today view is a fear that things would get out of control among believers if everyone acted on newly-revealed instructions from the Holy Spirit – and I concur that there has been much abuse of this human tendency to describe self-desires as God’s desires, from the lie of Ananias and Sapphira and the confusion of the church at Corinth to the ill-fated followers of the likes of Jim Jones of Jonestown and David Koresh of the Branch Davidians.

There is a test for the “prophecy” of such individuals, and though it is found in the Old Testament, it remains useful:

If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. ~ Deuteronomy 18:22

Also, there is no need to fear that the Spirit would further reveal something of the will of God that would contradict what has already been revealed in scripture through the inspiration of the very same Spirit.

But when we ask in prayer for individual direction beyond the encouragement given generally to all in the written word, how else should one expect an answer if not through His Spirit? No scripture revealed to Paul that he should not go to Bithynia; what prevented him from going was the Spirit of Jesus.

Jesus is spoken of in scripture as perfect (Hebrews 5:9) as well as the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Surely we are not meant to do without what God has promised and given as living Comforter and Counselor in His absence until He comes! For He had already come once when Paul wrote to Corinth:

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:9-11

While this passage speaks to both the completeness and maturity that is to come, the sense of perfect can only be attributed to God, especially as revealed through Jesus. When He returns, the gifts given through His Spirit will no longer be needed.

Are they still needed? I would daresay that no one can prove than the need for the gifts given through the Spirit has dissipated at all, let alone disappeared. The gifts given through the Spirit and the Spirit’s presence Himself are different – but that’s the subject for another post. So, even if the gifts given through the Holy Spirit can be said to have ceased, it does not necessarily mean that His presence in our hearts has also been withdrawn.

To believe that is to believe that Jesus’ promise was not to all, or to all who are afar off, but only to a few in the first century (or so).

That would mean:

Is that what we believe scripture says?

I have most often found it to be the case that people believe what they want to believe. I freely admit that I want to believe that God would deliver what is promised in scripture – not more Spirit for one generation, and less Spirit for those to follow. It would be the first time I’m aware of that God has backed off of a promise made to all, and I do not want to believe that.

So I think it is fair to ask those who advocate a Spirit-in-the-word-only-today view: Why would anyone want to believe that?

Can the written word be grieved, as a Person can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30)? Can the written word be lied to, as a Person can be lied to (Acts 5:3)? Can the written word intercede for us with groans as a Person can (Romans 8:26)? Can the written word testify with our spirits that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16)?

One can believe that the written word provides the armament of God described in Ephesians 6, but surely not the full armament; too many of those weapons are so deeply associated with the Spirit Himself for them to accompany one but not Him. And every so-called religion has its own holy book; to the soul unfamiliar with the Bible, how does one convince him that this book holds the unique power of resurrected self unless it is demonstrated by the power of an humble, obedient life itself (1 Corinthians 2:3-5; 2 Corinthians 4:7)? Will that soul be convinced to read or hear without seeing that power in the inner being (Ephesians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:5) of believers?

One can perhaps picture the written word offering comfort and counsel in much the same way as a stack of letters from a departed love one … but I cannot see how that compares to the promise made of a Spirit of unity within us, offering relationship with the divine as intimate as the loving oneness in marriage; a Spirit breathing life to the metaphor of Christ and His bride, the church.

I cannot help but conclude that the Spirit given to believers now as then is the living Holy Spirit, welcome and dwelling within the soul who opens the door to Jesus’ knocking.

If we ask for and accept and attempt to legislate anything less than God’s full promise, we are in a world of hurt and all but helpless to help save it.

Out for the Holiday

/ W. Keith Brenton / 5 Comments

Sorry. I broke my left index fingertip (and nearly sheared off the nail) when I tripped while carrying a big old CRT computer monitor yesterday. While it is still possible to hunt and peck on my cell phone or keyboard, I’d rather keep the opportunities for igniting the pain in that finger as low as possible for a while.

I hope you have a wonderful (and safe) holiday season – a merry Christmas and a happy New Year all year!

Thanks for visiting.

Is the Holy Spirit Given to Believers at Baptism?

/ W. Keith Brenton / 21 Comments

We’re in the season of giving gifts, and while the traditional Advent study focuses on God’s gift of His Son and our anticipation of His return, I wanted to look more closely at the gift He has given believers in the interim: His Holy Spirit.

My previous post, What is “the Gift of the Holy Spirit”?, describes many instances in scripture when the Holy Spirit was given to believers. Most of those instances occurred immediately after or very near the moment of water baptism, or baptism was at least an integral part of the story.

I don’t think this should be surprising. Luke is thought to be the author of both the gospel bearing his name and the one titled “The Acts of the Apostles.” The second one mirrors the first in many, many ways. That’s because the behavior of the believers intentionally mirrored the behavior of the Savior.

Luke records:

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” ~ Luke 3:21-22 (See also Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, and the account of the Baptist’s prophecy surrounding the event in John 1:26-32.)

I’ve heard it argued that Acts 2:38-39 can’t mean that the Holy Spirit is given to believers at baptism because Paul put his hands on some to receive the Spirit in Acts 19:1-7. (This takes place immediately after they are baptized.) I suppose that a similar case could be made regarding Peter seeing the Holy Spirit’s gifts displayed by the household of Cornelius before they were baptized in Acts 10:44-48. In response, I’d propose that Acts 2 expresses a general principle; the other accounts express extraordinary circumstances.

  • The twelve in Acts 19 had received only John’s baptism. They heard about Jesus, the Christ, and were baptized in His name.
  • The gentile (non-Jewish) household of Cornelius received the Spirit before being baptized, perhaps because Peter needed further convincing that they should be baptized. That’s a guess; but the fact that the story is repeated twice more indicates that Jewish believers may have needed some convincing, too.

But I think most folks would have to agree that when there’s an account of someone receiving the Spirit in the book of Acts, it is almost always in close proximity to their baptism in water. The outstanding exception:

When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ~ Acts 8:15-17

(This was the setting for the misunderstanding of Simon-Magus the sorcerer thinking that he could purchase that laying-on of hands.) It says “they had simply (or only) been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” The phrasing of that verse sounds like the situation was exceptional; they had “simply” been baptized into Jesus’ name (as if they had not also been immersed in the Holy Spirit? – John 1:33; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8;  Acts 1:5, 11:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13.)

You see, “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is a thoroughly scriptural concept; it’s the idea that it regularly occurs separately from water baptism among believers in Christ that isn’t found in scripture.

To be sure, the Holy Spirit was given at God’s discretion throughout Old Testament scripture – to the seventy elders (Numbers 11:25); to the prophet Balaam (Numbers 24:2); to tabernacle designer Bezalel (Exodus 31:3); to Othniel (Judges 3:10); to Gideon (Judges 6:34); to Jephthah (Judges 11:29); to Samson (Judges 14:6 and other passages); to King Saul (1 Samuel 19:23 and other passages); to King David (Psalm 51:11); to Azariah (2 Chronicles 15:1); to Jehaziel (2 Chronicles 20:14); to Zechariah son of Jehoida (2 Chronicles 24:20) … and this is not a comprehensive/complete list. (In many of these instances, one would have to conclude that the Spirit did not always come to stay, but came to pass. But that’s a subject for a whole different post.)

In the New Testament, Luke 11:13 notes that Jesus – after teaching on prayer and asking whether a father would give a son asking for bread a stone – says, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  John 20:21-23 records that the resurrected Jesus breathed on the sequestered disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” It would seem that the Holy Spirit is given, but on the condition of willingness to receive Him. With one exception of Saul being forcibly given a Spirit of prophecy which occupied him and spared David’s life from the king’s rage (1 Samuel 19:11-24), God does not generally seem to give the Holy Spirit to those who do not desire Him.

My conclusion is that the Holy Spirit is given at God’s discretion, and most often to believers in Christ at baptism – an act which demonstrates (along with many other rich, deep values) the believer’s desire to be like Jesus, fulfill all righteousness and receive His Holy Spirit.

What do you think?

What is “the Gift of the Holy Spirit”?

/ W. Keith Brenton / 5 Comments

We’re in the season of giving gifts, and while the traditional Advent study focuses on God’s gift of His Son and our anticipation of His return, I wanted to look more closely at the gift He has given believers in the interim: His Holy Spirit.

In response to the the conscience-convicted crowd to whom Peter was preaching on Pentecost:

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” ~ Acts 2:38-39

I have heard it argued that “the gift” is salvation, and that’s all. The crowd had asked, “What must we do (to be saved),” and this was Peter’s answer.

I disagree. They had also just heard the entire sermon, each in his own tongue, delivered by people who had doubtless had no language training beyond Aramaic and Greek. In the sermon, they heard Peter say that the day spoken of by Joel the prophet had come: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” (Joel 2:28-32). Now to be fair, Peter also quotes Joel saying, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Then he adds, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” It was perfectly reasonable for the crowd to deduce that the gift of the Holy Spirit was producing what they were seeing and hearing.

Plus, you see, the words “to be saved” are not actually in the original text. A jailer in Philippi asked the question that includes that phrase (Acts 16:30) many years later. Salvation, however, is intertwined with the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 3:5), but I don’t find any passage which describes salvation as the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve also had it argued to me that Romans 1:16 says “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek,” and since Peter was preaching the gospel, therefore the gift of the Holy Spirit is salvation to those who obey his gospel.

I don’t know how the crowd of Pentecost could have discerned that, since Romans had not yet been written.

And I’ve also read it argued that no one hears “receive the gift of Keith and thinks that Keith is the gift. It would be the gift Keith offers.” But the crowd at Pentecost didn’t speak English; they spoke as many languages as are represented by the 15 (or so) different regions described in Acts 2:8-11. Perhaps their languages were not as ambiguous as ours. Even then, we are talking about the Holy Spirit and not Keith; a person but not a human being. And we do not misunderstand the phrasing of John 3:16.

It would seem to me that after they were baptized, their actions in Acts 2:42-47 demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit that Paul would describe years later to the churches of Galatia:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” ~ Galatians 5:22-23

In addition, there are many passages in which the Holy Spirit is given, from Jesus breathing on the disciples (John 20:22) to the wind and tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4) to a time after powerful prayer (Acts 4:31) to the laying-on of Peter and John’s hands (Acts 8:17) to the receipt of it by the household of Cornelius while Peter was still preaching (Acts 10:44) … and on and on and on. Sometimes these were recorded as being accompanied by signs, like speaking in tongues; sometimes not. But that’s how it’s expressed in these verses; the Spirit Himself was given, and then the sign of it became apparent.

My conclusion is that “the gift of the Holy Spirit” spoken of by Peter at Pentecost was the Holy Spirit Himself, not just a sign of Him nor a gift that accompanies Him.

How do you see it?

How To Spot False Teaching

/ W. Keith Brenton / 3 Comments

A wolf in sheep's clothingWell, from my point of view, anyway! These are a few pointers that I find to be all too consistent with teaching that doesn’t square up with the totality of what God has revealed in scripture. If they help you identify such things, great. If not, don’t take it personally. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive or inarguable list; just my perception of what to look for when an interpretation doesn’t fire on all cylinders:

  • Scripture is not quoted. The interpretation relies solely on logic.
  • Scripture is quoted out of context. Surrounding or related verses are studiously avoided, because they would invalidate the interpretation.
  • Scripture is quoted and freely interpreted. In other words, at some point in the text of the interpretation, the teacher says something like, “The scripture says (this), which means (that).” The free interpretation may or may not be supported with logic or other scripture. Usually not; you’re just supposed to accept this as the truth and not question it.
  • Scripture is quoted and controverted. The teacher says, “The scripture says (this), but it doesn’t mean (this). This may be accompanied by options like (this … anymore) or (this … to all Christians), etc.
  • Scripture is ignored. When other relevant scriptures might call into question the interpretation, they are simply not dealt with.
  • Sources other than scripture are quoted instead of scripture. And, as above, other sources which might call into question the interpretation are ignored.
  • Logic is torturous. The reasoning by which the interpretation is constructed is difficult/impossible to follow, or can be shown to be flawed. It may feature one or more logical fallacies, which can be challenging to discover.
  • Questions are avoided. If there is an opportunity to respond to the interpretation, the question may be changed or another question answered.
  • Language is strongly slanted. When an interpretation stands on shaky ground, prejudicial language is frequently called into play.
  • Unrelated scripture is quoted which implies that those who disagree are, for instance, “wresting scripture to their own destruction” or “will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” or somesuch. (This is a pre-emptive strike version of the ad hominem attack; among the logical fallacies. It is meant to persuade by intimidation.)
  • There are no crows around. The straw man arguments have scared them all away.

Well, that’s my list for now. I think I’m pretty familiar with them because I have not only encountered them, but have used some of them before. I’m not proud of that, but I am trying to repent and do better. Hold me accountable.

Can you add any more?

Christians Are Still Under Law

/ W. Keith Brenton / 6 Comments

“… a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” ~ Galatians 2:16

Yes, I am fully aware of Paul’s words to the believers in Galatia – and am in full agreement. Believers in Christ are not under the law – the law given to Moses – but we are still under law.

What law is that?

Paul, writing to Rome, within a very few verses describes the law to which he is still bound as both “God’s law” and “the law of the Spirit”:

“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” ~ Romans 7:25

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” ~ Romans 8:1-2“

When he writes to Corinth, he calls it both “God’s law” and “Christ’s law”:

“To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.” ~ 1 Corinthians 9:21

Obviously, Christ’s law is different from the law given to Moses; the “law of sin and death.”

So what is the law of Christ?

It is a law written on our hearts, for that is the way Jeremiah reveals it to be under the reign of the Messiah:

” ‘This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ ” ~ Jeremiah 31:33

And the writer to the Hebrews twice declares that this time has come to pass (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).

What kind of law is written on the heart?

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” ~ Jesus, Matthew 7:12

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” ~ Matthew 22:37 (See also Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:26-28)

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” ~ Paul, Romans 13:8-10

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” ~ Galatians 5:14

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” ~ Galatians 6:2

The law which is written on the heart – the law of Christ, under which all of His followers are slaves – is a law of love. This love is three-fold: It loves God. It loves others. It is active.

Does the law of love mean that we are not to obey any of the commandments in the law given to Moses? Of course not. All of the ten commandments, save the one regarding the Sabbath, are affirmed in the New Testament. For the believer, every day should be regarded as a Sabbath to the Lord, in which we rest in reflection on His grace toward us (Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Acts 2:42-47 – but in which we also work to care for His creatures (Luke 13:15) and rescue His lost children from the pit (Luke 14:5). And many other commandments given through Moses are specifically repealed in the new covenant: kosher laws, sacrifice, required feasts.

Some have concluded that any commandment given through Moses but not specifically affirmed in New Testament scripture should not – indeed, must not – be obeyed by the believer. They have concluded that, in view of God’s cancellation of the whole law, His silence on a given matter in the New Testament must be interpreted as prohibition – especially with regard to gathered worship.

I strongly disagree with this “law of silence” or “regulative principle”, and I do so on several grounds:

  • It is nowhere explicitly expressed in scripture as a commandment to be obeyed as a guiding principle of interpretation. (And the scriptures cited to support it as examples rely on leaps of imagination and bounds of assumption that go far beyond the logical limitations of a necessary inference.)
  • Other exceptional rules must be appended to it in order for it to justify practices which are already in place that are not specifically “authorized” in scripture, usually under a “law of expediency” which is also not explicitly expressed in scripture and whose citations are torturously manufactured.
  • A “law of silence” speaks where God has not spoken. Instead of letting His silence express that He does not desire to express a preference – or does not have one – it assumes that He forbids.
  • A “law of silence” is absurd on its face. If that which is commanded under the old covenant – instrumental accompaniment for worship in song, for example – is forbidden under the new covenant unless specifically affirmed, then:

    That’s why those who are adamant about their “law of silence” are so careful to limit it to gathered worship; they can sense the absurdity of it if applied to life generally – even if they are blind to the absurdity of it with regard to worship as well. For scripture makes no distinction between behavior/obedience in gathered worship and in living one’s daily life. Trying to ferret out such a distinction in scripture is impossible; un-Christlike behavior in gathered worship is unacceptable; un-Christlike behavior in life is unacceptable. You do not have to read 1 Corinthians more than once to discern that.

Paul shares with the believers at Corinth – and us – a snapshot of love so that we will know how to obey the law of Christ and behave with one another before God in Jesus, our Savior:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Just in case we’ve forgotten – like they had.

Love is the mindset that led Christ to empty Himself, take the form of a servant, and be obedient even unto death on a cross (Philippians 2).

You won’t find just five acts of worship in the law of Christ; instead, you will find this teaching:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” ~ Romans 12:1-2

Love transforms us to lead a life of worship. And did you see? It leads us to discernment of God’s will.

Love for God goes hand-in-hand with obedience:

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. ~ 1 John 2:5a

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. ~ John 14:23-24

Love is not one-sided; it is wholly reciprocal. And that shouldn’t surprise us; it was God who loved us first.

We love because he first loved us. ~ 1 John 4:19

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. ~ Deuteronomy 7:12

The law of love is the law God obeys, too; it is His very nature, character, and being:

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ~ 1 John 4:8

Oh, there’s lots more to be shared on the subject, but that’s the short version of why I believe Christians are still under law. Not Moses’ law. The law … of love.

The Abolition of Christmas

/ W. Keith Brenton / 6 Comments

Marley confronts Scrooge

“When Jesus died on the cross, he abolished the observance of holy days. They are no longer valid. They cannot be observed today with God’s authority.” ~ “Christmas: From Heaven or From Men?”, Seek The Old Paths, November 2010

This is the level of absurdity to which one can sink when:

  • One assumes that every conceivable action is either morally right or morally wrong
  • One assumes that the moral rightness of every conceivable action must be established by God’s authority; if unauthorized, that activity is condemned
  • One has the infallible skill to accurately apply his own judgment and logic to determine that moral rightness for one’s self and everyone else.

When you read articles like this, it’s good to keep in mind how much is being assumed … and presumed upon … by the author.

And remember, too, that it is so very disrespectful to God, His word and one’s readers

  • to isolate scripture from its context,
  • to interpret it to reach the desired conclusion instead of letting scripture lead one to a conclusion, and
  • to ignore other scripture which clearly refutes the conclusion one desires to reach (such as, in this case, Romans 14).

Observing or not observing Christmas as a holiday – or a “holy day” – is a matter for one’s own conscience, not someone else’s.

Even Scrooge did not presume to rob others of the joy of the season.

“Nephew!” returned the uncle, sternly, “keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.” ~ A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

We All Want To Have It Right

/ W. Keith Brenton / 2 Comments

Calculator or calcunow ... it's all the same to me.You can count on the fingers of both hands the number of times in the New Testament when someone is recognized as being “right” or “correct,” in the sense of having deduced things accurately – and you’d never have to use your thumbs and still have one finger left over.

  1. Mark 7:6
    He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
  2. Matthew 15:7
    You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you …
  3. Mark 12:32
    “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.
  4. Luke 7:43
    Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
  5. Luke 10:28
    “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
  6. John 4:17
    “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.”
  7. John 13:13
    “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

At least, that’s all I found. (Other than a couple more where people thought they were right but were wrong!) Now, I’m not talking about the times the word “right” is used in the sense of “opposite of left” (as in “right hand”), “moral/holy” (as in “do right”), or “innate privilege” (as in “my rights”). I’m just counting the ones having to do with people cogitating correctly.

Because we think that’s pretty important, don’t we?  We all want to have it all right in our heads. Right?

But the numbers for knowing right don’t add up to the number of New Testament verses that feature “do right” or “do what is right.” I found eight of them:

  1. Romans 12:17
    Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
  2. Romans 13:3
    For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
  3. 2 Corinthians 8:21
    For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
  4. 2 Corinthians 13:7
    Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
  5. 1 Peter 3:6
    like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
  6. 1 John 3:10
    This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
  7. 1 Peter 2:14
    or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
  8. Revelation 22:11
    Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

Now, I’m not trying to minimize knowing what’s right as compared to doing what’s right; you have to know what’s right before you can do it. Right?

But if you add them together, you still only get 15. Add “do good” / “doing good” and you get about 25 more. Factor in “obey” and “obedience” and you get about 56 more. All that still doesn’t begin to compare to the number of times that the New Testament talks about righteousness or being righteous:

137

In the NIV, that is; from which I’ve drawn all these numbers and comparisons. (Your results and versions may vary. But not that much. I mean, I want to be right all the time. I just don’t have time to be right about all the different versions and counts and numbers and stats. It’s driving me nuts. However, I digress …,)

We all want to have it right in our heads, and some of us want to have it right through our hands, feet, lips, hearts and wallets. Hardly any of us, though, want what it takes to actually be righteous. And that’s okay, because we can’t. Not on our own. Not ever.

Oh, of course, we want to be righteous. We just can’t muster what it takes to be perfect.

That’s okay, too.

Yes, Bible Fans, I’m talking about Romans 3 here. And John 13:15. 1 Peter 2:21-24. It’s pretty simple to correctly deduce:

All we have to do is be like Jesus, and let Him be righteous for us.

You’ll fail. So will I. (Romans 3:23)

We’ll get up and try again, and again, and again; because our Example is perfect (Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 5:9). Yet through His sacrifice, He makes us perfect (Hebrews 10:14).

I’m pretty sure I’m right about that.

If not … I’m sure you’ll set me right!