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We’ve been studying God’s promise of the Holy Spirit being given to all of humanity and what that means to us.
I want to address the notion that the “gift of the Holy Spirit” in Acts 2:38 only refers to the gift that the Holy Spirit gives (The Holy Scriptures and Salvation) and not the Holy Spirit himself.
Also, the idea that the Holy Spirit (given as a gift) only indwells within us through the written word that was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Again no indwelling of the Holy Spirit himself.
Consider with me a few points.
First, if the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is defined as the Holy Spirit inspired written word indwelling in mankind.
Then the pre-Christ Jews already had the Holy Spirit indwelling within them because they had God’s Holy Spirit inspired word in written form that they could read and be taught by. The written word indwelling.
But, if they already had the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, why were promises given about the future coming of the Holy Spirit?
Secondly, if the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is merely the Spirit’s written revealed word influencing us then that could imply levels of the Holy Spirit indwelling as we study and imbibe more and more of the written word.
Different levels of written word understanding resulting in different levels of Holy Spirit indwelling.
Where was that promised or inferred? No where.
If the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is merely the influence of His inspired Word, which faithful Israelites already possessed, then what was new about God's promise to gift His Holy Spirit to Christians?
In the old days of raising cattle when there were no fences cattle free ranged on vacant land. Periodically the ranchers would gather their cowboys and chuck wagons and gather all the cattle and separate them based upon their branding mark. They would also gather up the unbranded calves and see how they paired up with their mommas and receive that same branding mark to identify which rancher they belonged to.
God also marks his people.
Under the Law of Moses that mark was circumcision. It wasn’t a branding mark that could easily be viewed from horseback. It was a private personal mark that was only viewed by its recipient. I mean if God wanted everyone to see it he could have had an ear notched or some other visible mark.
Let me suggest that the mark was for the recipient to remind him of who he belonged to.
Contrast that with how God marks his people today. Ephesians 1:13-14 and 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 state that he seals (marks) us with his Holy Spirit. Other scriptures suggest that happens once we have been cleaned in the waters of baptism.
Look at the similarities and differences.
Circumcision is a physical mark on a new born sinless baby (male only) that only the recipient can see. Perhaps as a reminder that he belongs to God.
Sealing with the Holy Spirit is an inward mark given to those who have been washed clean in the waters of baptism both male and female. It is a mark of ownership and provides a level of protection against Satan who dares not to trespass.
Sealing with the Holy Spirit is far far superior to physical circumcision because it changes us inwardly and helps us “walk by the Spirit” so we can grow into the image of Jesus Christ. Circumcision can't do that.
Even in a day of fencing cattle ranchers still mark their cattle to identify them and prevent theft. But ranchers don’t have much of a relationship with their cattle they all still go to slaughter.
God marks his people today and makes his home within them. If you haven’t been marked by God you belong to Satan and during the great round up you could be pastured in Hell.
God is waiting to put his mark on you don't neglect it.
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was given to specific individuals for specific purposes. The same is generally true in the New Testament.
Jesus gave the eleven disciples a mission that must have seemed impossible to them. To go out to the whole world and make disciples.
Imagine the questions that must have risen… is Jesus speaking literally or figuratively? How are we supposed to travel to “all nations”? How will we finance this? What about the languages?
Of course the trump card in all this was the promised Holy Spirit… never seen and barely understood.
Look with me at the drama in Acts 2, 50 days after Jesus was crucified.
They were all gathered in one room and a great noise like a great mighty rushing wind (Pnoe). I don’t know how long it lasted but imagine the sensory stimulation… mydriasis and shock. And then the visual stimulation “divided tongues like fire” sitting upon them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Pneuma) and began to speak in other tongues (languages)
The words “wind” and “spirit” are related to each other (Pnoe and Pneuma) doubtlessly the disciples connected the dots.
Recall what Jesus said in Luke 12:49…
“I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if it is already kindled?”
When Jesus poured the Holy Spirit (better experienced than explained) on the world he started a fire that could not be extinguished and whatever the doubts the disciples might have had when Jesus issued the “Great Commission” to them were extinguished.
Let it burn baby… let it burn.
In Genesis 11, the whole earth spoke the same language. The people decided to build a great city with a tower reaching toward heaven and make a name for themselves.
God reasoned that if he allowed this then nothing would be impossible for them. So God took away their ability to communicate with each other by giving them different languages. They were babbling to each other and were confused and thus were scattered over the whole earth.
In Acts 2, God poured out the Holy Spirit to allow his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to anyone of any language. Language was no longer a barrier.
At Babel, God confused their languages to scatter the people. At Pentecost, God overcame those language barriers to gather people together in the great name of Jesus Christ.
With a gathered united people God could build his own great city… the Church.
Believe and be baptized, receive God's Holy Spirit, and enjoy life in the greatest city ever built.
There’s a magical mirror mentioned in the scriptures. It’s a mirror that doesn’t reflect physical features but reflects our spiritual condition.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:23-25)
James describes a man who looks in the mirror and walks away unchanged. Paul describes a Christian who beholds the Lord's glory and is transformed.
As we turn our lives over to Christ, something wonderful happens.
Gradually, we eliminate sin and replace selfishness with service, hatred with love and pride with humility.
Until when we look in the mirror we see Jesus Christ looking back at us and the transformation is complete.
Here's a question worth the asking…
Do you want to just get older and uglier or do you want to look like Jesus?
Make-up can’t make you look any better, only looking at Jesus can give you true beauty.
God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, but Adam wasn't alive until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). Adam received physical life... but that physical life would eventually end in death.
In Ezekiel 37, God showed Ezekiel a valley of dry bones. The bones came together, were covered with flesh and skin, and became fully formed and functional bodies. But they weren't alive until God's breath entered them. They too received physical life... life that would also eventually end.
Then came Pentecost.
This time humanity was already physically alive but spiritually dead (in sin). God poured out His Holy Breath (Spirit) upon them, offering a new kind of life... spiritual life that could extend into eternity.
Three occasions. Three acts of God giving life.
Adam received the breath of life.
The dry bones received the breath of life.
At Pentecost, humanity was offered the Holy Breath of eternal life.
Physical life is temporary. Spiritual life in Christ is eternal.
And in all three cases, life comes from the breath of God.
Choose God’s breath and live like no other.
God is holy, and it makes sense that He would want a clean place to live in.
In Ezekiel 36:25–27, God promises Israel that He will sprinkle them with clean water, cleanse them from their impurities, and then put His Spirit within them.
Notice the order... first cleansing, then the Holy Spirit.
At Pentecost, Peter told the people to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38–39).
Again... first cleansing, then the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 5:25–27, Paul describes Christ cleansing and sanctifying the church by the washing of water with the word, preparing His bride to be holy and without blemish.
Once again... first cleansing, then a holy relationship.
Even in the Jewish Temple, God would not live in just any part of it. He had to live in the Holy of Holies where the only human who could enter was the High Priest and only once a year and with a sacrifice.
God won’t live in a filthy house. He cleans us so that His Holy Spirit can live within us.
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26)
Be careful or the Holy Spirit just might move out rather than live in a hog pen.
The Gospel of Luke contains two genealogies for Jesus Christ… his biological genealogy through his physical parents and his spiritual genealogy.
Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:21) concludes with God proclaiming, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased”
That’s a pretty short genealogy… a father and a son.
Then notice what happens immediately after this, (Luke 3:23) Jesus’ biological genealogy begins with Joseph and goes back in time all the way to Adam and concludes with the “son of God”.
But look what happens after God calls Jesus his beloved son. Joseph is identified as the “supposed” son of Joseph.
How appropriate that God who became flesh had both his spiritual and biological genealogies identified right next to each other in the Gospel recorded by Luke.
That begs the question then how many genealogies do followers of Christ have? The same as Jesus... two. Our biological genealogy and our spiritual with our Father... God. Hopefully one day he can say "you are my beloved sons..." Won't that be a day!
I had a fellow Christian e-mail me recently who had just sent his child off to college and he didn’t think the kid was attending church. What could he do?
That made me think about how it was when we sent our kids off to college.
first i told our kids they could go to any university they wanted but the only one I would pay for was Texas A&M in College Station. That’s where they both went. For the sake of perspective me and my two brothers paid for 100% of our college. Dad was very encouraging but didn’t contribute monetarily.
then I told our kids they had to do three things to stay up there. They had to go to church, they had to behave themselves and they had to pass their courses. Otherwise they could come back home and go to a local Junior college. Texas A&M is not cheap and they had conditions for me to spend the big money.
I’ve always demanded respect from our children. If they disrespected me or my wife or any other adult there would be serious negative consequences. I don’t recall them violating that rule.
One time a neighbor knocked on our door who was a little irate and said our son had been speeding down our street and he was concerned for his children. I called my son to the front door and asked him, what about this. He apologized and we moved on.
another rule I always required was that if you lived in my home and ate my food you would go to church and at least act like you liked it.
when my kids were in High School and wanted a car I told them whatever money you save up towards a car, I’ll match it. My son saved up $500 and got a $1,000 car. Our daughter saved up $3,000. You do the math. I felt like that was pretty generous. My two brothers and I had to buy our own cars.
I don’t know what my Christian friend’s arrangements with his child were and I’m not going to meddle. I simply advised him to periodically ask how are things at church?
“And when he had said this, he breathed (empysao) on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit (pneuma)” John 20:22.
This is an interesting verse because it has the Holy Spirit being given to the disciples pre-Pentecost and with this gift there was no accompanying miraculous prophesying. They just went about their business.
Lets compare something from the Old Testament.
“And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” Genesis 2:7
So in Genesis 2:7 you have a fully formed human being who is not alive. God breathes into him and brings Adam to life.
The disciples were already alive but Jesus breathed onto them his Holy Pneuma which can be interpreted his Holy Breath.
I suggest to you dear readers that Jesus was doing this with what his Father did for Adam in mind, to not give them life (that they already had), but to share with them his Holy Breath. Just like God did with Adam.
Symbolizing a new kind of life other than the kind of life possessed by Adam and all of humanity.
Genesis begins with God breathing life into man. The Gospel of John begins “In the beginning” and ends with Jesus breathing new life into man.
Julie and I went to Martha Banning’s funeral In Houston yesterday. Robert and Martha were some of the best friends of my parents. They had four kids that we grew up with… Angie, Kathleen, Dorothy and David. Of course David was just a pup but those three sisters… oh my!
We all attended Spring Branch Church of Christ which is no more. The Elders moved the congregation to Frey Road. The Banning’s with others from Spring Branch started the Klein Road Church of Christ where Robert became an Elder.
Turns out David Banning is one of the preachers at Kleinwood and he officiated the ceremony for his mother. He was amazing. Among the Elders were two kids that I grew up with… John Cogdil and Mark Richardson. Don Cantrel another one of the Elders is a guy that was friends with my mother. Small world.
When we went in the first familiar face was Beverly Cogill. Her dad was Vernon Goss. I remember when we first moved to Houston the men would go outside and smoke cigarettes between services. Vernon was an Elder at Spring Branch and was at D-Day in World War II. I guess he can smoke a cigarette.
Julie and I were sitting on a pew and a woman came up to me and said are you Scott Perkins (my deceased brother). We look alike.
I ran across Richard Besselman who drove down from the Fort Worth area. He looked at me and said… I figured you would be here. Richard’s family was at Spring Branch but I didn’t really know him because he was younger. What I did remember was a lot of talk about Patsy Besselman his mother because she passed away when he was young.
I caught up with Richard a few years ago ay a New Mexico Elk hunting trip that Ray Torno organizes every year. Richard and Tim Torno came. We had the best time visiting and playing “42” and Richard and I have kept up with each other. We get along like Peas and carrots.
He had reminded me that he was at a young peoples gathering at the Bannings and my brother Greg and cousin Mark were there and he took a bottle rocket in the eye and has no vision out of the eye. I introduced Richard to my brother Greg and blamed him for Richards eye. Richard dead panned… its okay I have another eye.
We saw former members Daniel and Julianne Baker and had a good visit with them.
We saw Richard and Joyce Bruce and her sister Nancy. Nancy recognized me immediately I have no idea how. They were great friends of my parents and are from Sinton, Texas just down the road.
My old friend Brent Clanton had a part in the service. I don’t know where he attends but I’ll bet he is an Elder.
I was hoping to see Paul Thornton and didn’t until after I had got to our car taken off my boots, jacket, etc. and my brother Greg texted me that Paul was looking for me. I had not seen Paul since about 1971. His dad preached for us at Spring Branch. Paul was very athletic and drove a VW Beetle. He was always gathering the young people together to go do things… basketball, bowling etc. In hind sight its good for young people to step up and take a leadership role. Fond memories.
Anyway I put my tennis shoes on and went back in and found him and had the best visit with him.
Whenever I would see some of my old friends I would say… looks like you have had a lot of birthdays or if I saw someone who looked familiar but I wasn’t really sure who they were I would go up to them, shake hands and say… you look like an older version of someone I used to know.
It was a big city funeral, a lot of coats and ties, etc. I did my best to represent South Texas casual. So did Richard Besselman.
Before the service Julie and I stood in the line to talk to Robert Banning and when we got to him he got a big grin on his face and mentioned a few stories like the time there was a big clap of thunder at out house and me and my brothers dropped down in the yard and pretended to be dead knowing mother would be worried and watching. Sure enough she ran out crying but when we popped up she started laughing. And they time Dad had drained the oil out of the truck and left it to do something else and mom ran out, jumped in and drove it to the grocery store. Robert remembered those things.
I wouldn’t have missed that funeral for anything for one thing because Angie said our mom was like a second mother to them and because they all came to my dad’s funeral and my brothers funeral.
One thing about Martha, she said don’t do anything to keep me alive longer because I’m ready to go.
This is pretty long and if you’re still reading I just have one more thing to say. I’m a better person for having attended that funeral.
We’ve been studying early Christian practices prior to and around the time of the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. One fascinating practice associated with baptism was insufflation—the act of breathing upon a baptismal candidate or upon the water he was about to be baptized in.
Why would Christians do such a thing?
In the New Testament, pneuma can mean breath, wind, spirit, or Spirit. So when the New Testament speaks of being “baptized in the Holy Pneuma,” there is imagery contained in the Greek that you may not see with our english word “spirit”
Think about it: baptizō means to immerse, and pneuma belongs to a family of words associated with breath and blowing.
They were baptized in the Holy Pneuma—immersed in the Divine Breath.
Look at Genesis 2:7…
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”
And look at John 20:22…
“And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit”
Perhaps those early Christians were simply mimicking what they saw God do in creation and Jesus do with His disciples—breathing upon new believers as a symbolic representation of God's life-giving Holy Pneuma.
Maybe those early Christians understood—or at least could hear—something that we easily lose in translation because we don’t have an equivalent English word that carries all of those different meanings.
We read “Holy Spirit"
They heard Pneuma—Spirit. Wind. Breath.
Without physical breath you can’t live
Without the Breath of God… you never really experience true life.
Take a deep breath and thank God for giving us both kinds.
I’ve started riding my bicycle up and down the new harbor bridge. This morning when I reached the top I noticed a truck and dump trailer pulled over with a flat tire… my worst nightmare that ranks right up there with being trapped in a crowded elevator on a cruise ship.
Anyway as I was headed down the bridge I noticed what I thought was a young woman lying down on the walkway. Of course going down hill you’re moving pretty fast and I didn’t stop figuring she was a drunk sleeping it off. But when I got to the bottom I worried that she might be injured or even dead so I called 911.
The operator got all my information and asked if this was about the truck/trailer stuck on top of the bridge. I said… no this is about a young woman who is either dead or asleep. There was a lot of foot traffic on the walkway but I guess no one had phoned her in.
As I was going back to the bridge I saw an emergency vehicle with lights on coming slowly down the bridge but I guess they didn’t see her and turned off their lights and moved on. I thought they might be coming back so I stopped my bicycle and could tell she was breathing.
Another passerby stopped and we were talking about the situation and the woman stirred and got up. I asked if she was okay and she didn’t answer she just stumbled off. Turned out she was not a young woman but a thin older woman.
Now I’m not one to judge but if I was my judgment would be that she was a drug addict of questionable moral character.
The 911 operator asked me when I called if I had stopped and I felt a little guilty but said… no. And I’m not sorry for that because you never know what you might get into in this kind of situation.
I’m sure if the Good Samaritan could have called Jerusalem 911 he would have.
The flat tire on top of a busy bridge would be one of my worst nightmares… but this woman laying on the bridge was living a nightmare. I hope she can find the strength and help to wake up
Consider Ezekiel 37 and the translation of “Ruach”
Ezekiel 37:5–6
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto these bones: Behold, I will cause RUACH (breath) to enter into you, and ye shall live.
And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put RUACH (breath) in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
Ezekiel 37:8
And I beheld, and, lo, there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no RUACH (breath) in them.
Ezekiel 37:9
Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the RUACH (breath), prophesy, son of man, and say to the RUACH (breath), Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Come from the four RUACHOT (winds), O RUACH (breath), and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
Ezekiel 37:10
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the RUACH (breath) came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Ezekiel 37:14
And I will put my RUACH (Spirit) within you, and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land: and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken it and performed it, saith Jehovah.
Notice with me that in the original Hebrew text the reader would consistently read one word “Ruach” while in our English translations we would read in the text “breath”, “winds”, “spirit” and “Spirit”
The Hebrew language had other words for “breath” and “wind”
“Neshamah” is a Hebrew word for “breath” and in fact is used in Genesis 2:7
“Neshev” is a Hebrew word meaning “wind” and in fact is used in Psalms 147:18
Both those words could have been substituted for “ruach” to provide clarity in the text… but weren’t.
Unfortunately in the English language there is not one word that could have the meaning of “breath”, Wind”, and "Spirit". If there was we would have read the text like God’s people of old did and perhaps been better off for it.
God chose to express himself in a language in which “Ruach” could mean multiple things. Perhaps to use the relationship between those things to stimulate our thinking and better explain the nature of the Holy Spirit.
Wind is invisible, but we can see what it does.
Breath is invisible, but it is evidence of life.
The Spirit is invisible, but we can see what He does.
Maybe Ezekiel wasn't merely telling us that the Spirit gives life.
Maybe the very word RUACH was helping him show us.
Howdy! We got one of those kinds of messages you never want to get on Thursday. One of our members, Savannah White, had taken her life. Of course her mom and dad, sister and grandmother attend with us. Just horrific and there aren’t adequate words to describe what her family is going through right now. Of course on our private Facebook page people express comforting words, as they should, but still it just doesn’t seem like it’s enough (to me). I remember when I found out my dad only had 12 months to live (lung cancer) and I had it announced at services that I was barely holding it together. Many people said kind words to me but then Emilio Sanchez came up to me and hugged me and started crying and we both cried… I’ll never forget that.
After my dad died mom let me read the letters people had sent when Dad was alive things like what mom and dad had meant to them. I still have those letters and I cherish them. There is a pain that never goes away. It might become muted and under control for the most part but it never goes away. Sometimes I’m driving in my truck by myself and I start thinking about my family and I just break down and cry.
But I’m proud of my Parkway family because they are doing what they can do. There will be words spoken, food shared, hugs and tears because it could happen to any family. It will bring us closer together as a family.
This morning I prayed to God that if he had anything against Savannah that he would forgive it and let her spend eternity in Heaven. Knowing God… I expect to see her… especially if we all say the same prayer.
Of course the “Godhead”, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have existed through out the Old Testament and the New Testament and through out all eternity.
The Father and The Son are identified as being a masculine gender. What gender the Holy Spirit is more challenging.
The greek word “Pneuma” is translated as Spirit”, “wind” and “breath” and has grammatical gender. It is “neuter”. Except for in John 14 where the Holy Spirit is referred to in the masculine form as "The Comforter” and because of that defenders of the Godhead concept refer to the Holy Spirit as being of the masculine gender. But everywhere else in the New Testament its (he’s) “neuter”
Jesus consistently speaks of the Spirit as a personal agent—the Spirit teaches, reminds, testifies, guides, hears, speaks, and glorifies Christ (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13–14)
Let’s look at the Old Testament. The Hebrew word translated “Spirit”, “wind” and “breath” is usually grammatically feminine. Hmmm.
Does the Bible identify the Holy Spirit as male or female?
Well the Holy scriptures do not explicitly tell us. What it does tell us is that the Holy Spirit is represented three ways grammatically: Feminine, Neuter and Masculine.
I don’t really have an answer or explanation for all this. But as good Bible students we need to know things. Sometimes when we’ve had time to think we’ll find an answer. Although I suspect in Heaven there will not be any genders, but that’s just a guess.
There are two primary prophets who foresaw the events that would take place on Pentecost… Joel and John (the Baptist). And as expected they have remarkable parallels with each other. Let’s take a look.
1. The Spirit. Joel says the Spirit would be poured out while John states that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
2. Fire. Joel says fire (and other wonders would occur). John states that Jesus would baptize with fire.
3. Judgement Day. Joel predicts a “great and terrible Day of the Lord” John predicts a “winnowing” judgement.
4. Salvation. Joel says that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. John states that the wheat will be gathered into the barn.
5. Fate of the wicked. Joel’s Day of the Lord includes God’s judgement on his enemies. John states that the “chaff” will be burned.
Remarkably parallel and a consistent message prophetically from the Old Testament to the New with a clear message… when the Messiah comes he will bring both Salvation and Judgement.
These prophecies explain each other and their fulfillment in Acts 2 gives absolute clarity to their meaning
What is also clear in these two prophecies and their fulfillment is that the prophecy was not complete on the Day of Pentecost but is progressive until the final Day of the Lord.
The coastal bend of South Texas has been under a historic drought for about the past three years. We didn’t have a Spring… everything was dead and dry. The reservoirs got as low as 8% total capacity and Corpus Christi was under severe water restrictions.
Of course as Christians we prayed for relief… for local rain and rain in our watershed which feeds our reservoirs.
Of course there was no answer to our prayers and for me personally I just kind of gave up on the prayers. I would still mention the need for rain in my prayers but after a while futility and disappointment set in and it didn’t seem too much like God cared about it one way or the other.
Finally we got some local rains and it greened up and the flowers bloomed and the birds started singing and we began seeing butterflies again. Hope started stirring in my heart but the reservoirs were still almost empty and we couldn’t water our plants because of the water restrictions.
And then something crazy happened we started getting historic rains. Where? Right where we needed it, in our watershed. The Frio river caused Lake Choke Canyon to to raise to about 25%. The Nueces river looks like it is going to fill Lake Corpus Christi to 100%.
We almost never see that kind of rain in our watershed. My personal opinion is that this rain was from the hand of God.
Things to learn; trust in God, his actions might not fit our timetable but he is all we have. Satan sure isn’t going to help us. Keep praying no matter what. God always answers the needs of his people.
I’m reminded of the old joke told in West Texas that when God flooded the earth West Texas only got four inches.
I’m also reminded of when our daughter moved to Houston and worked in a corporate office and a thunderstorm brewed up and she walked to the window to watch it. Her co-workers asked her what she was doing. She said you don’t understand where I’m from. When it rains we stop and watch God’s wonderful blessed gift.
Deep South Texas has spells of drought and always will but God can break a drought. Just pray.
The word “spirit” occurs 388 times in the Old Testament. Out of a total of 592,000 words it occurs 0.12% of the time.
The word “spirit” occurs 379 times in the New Testament. Out of a total of 176,000 words it occurs 0.28% of the time… over twice as much.
Obviously the New Testament emphasizes “spirit” more than The Old Testament does.
That was fun and revealing but lets check another word. The phrase “eternal life” only occurs one time in the Old Testament (Daniel 12:2).
The same phrase occurs 42 times in the New Testament.
Colossians 2:16-17…
"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ”
Let me suggest that in the Old Testament we were introduced (foreshadowed) to and learned some things about the Holy Spirit. However, in the New Testament the concept of the Holy Spirit was more fully developed (substantiated) and especially his role in our eternal destiny.
The concept of eternal salvation for all of mankind was almost completely a foreign concept in the Old Testament. Imagine the surprise of God’s people Israel when they learned that all people of faith could share in God’s Holy Spirit and His free gift of eternal salvation.
Brothers in Christ,
My name is Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria. I have devoted my life to shepherding the Church and preserving the faith that has been handed down to us by the apostles. I never imagined that one of the greatest threats to that faith would come from one of my own presbyters.
Arius was an intelligent and persuasive teacher. I respected him and hoped he would become a faithful servant of Christ. But when he began teaching that there was a time when the Son of God did not exist—that Jesus was the first and greatest of God's creatures—I knew the Church faced a danger greater than persecution. False doctrine has a way of quietly dividing the Church from within.
I did not immediately condemn Arius. As his bishop, I met with him and pleaded with him to reconsider his teaching in light of the Scriptures and the faith the Church has always confessed. I wanted reconciliation, not division. But when he refused to repent and continued spreading his doctrine, I had no choice. Together with the bishops of Egypt, I excommunicated him—not because I hated him, but because I loved Christ, His Church, and the truth. A shepherd must protect the flock.
Unfortunately, the matter did not end there. Arius found influential bishops willing to support him, and the controversy spread throughout the empire. That is why we have gathered here at Nicaea.
As I speak with each of you, I am not asking you to follow Alexander. I am asking you to follow the testimony of Scripture.
John begins his Gospel by declaring, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." He then tells us that all things were created through Him. If all things were created through Christ, then Christ Himself cannot be a created being.
Thomas worshiped Him, saying, "My Lord and my God." Paul teaches that in Christ all the fullness of deity dwells bodily. The writer of Hebrews calls Him the exact representation of the Father's nature. These are not descriptions of the highest creature. They are descriptions of God Himself.
But allow me to ask a question.
If Jesus is not truly God, then what makes His sacrifice different from any other man who has ever lived?
For centuries our Jewish fathers faithfully offered the blood of bulls and goats upon the altar. Yet the Scriptures teach us those sacrifices could never truly take away sins. They pointed us toward something greater.
Now Arius tells us that Christ is merely another created being.
If that is true, then what has really changed? We have simply replaced the blood of animals with the blood of another creature. How can one created life accomplish what countless sacrifices under the Law never could?
No, brothers. The New Covenant is greater because the One who established it is greater. The value of Christ's sacrifice is not merely that He died. Many righteous men have died. The value of His sacrifice is found in who He is. He is the eternal Son of God who took on flesh and offered Himself for us.
Only God can fully reveal God. Only God can reconcile mankind to God. If Christ is not truly God, then I fear we have no better sacrifice than those who still await the Messiah. But if Christ is God in the flesh, then God Himself has provided the perfect and final sacrifice for sin.
That is why this controversy matters. It is not about pride. It is not about politics. It is not about winning an argument. It is about preserving the very foundation of our hope.
Please understand my heart. I do not seek to embarrass Arius. I seek the unity of Christ's Church. But unity without truth cannot endure.
Brothers, I desire peace as much as any man in this room.
But peace purchased at the price of truth is no peace at all—it is merely pretense.
Truth first.
Then unity.
Then peace.
That is the faith I received.
That is the faith I have preached.
That is the faith for which I excommunicated Arius.
And by the grace of God, that is the faith I will defend.
