Participants: John Lomacang (Host), John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL170003A
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00:01 Hello, friends, grab your Bible and a friend
00:02 and sit back as we explore God's word together 00:05 on this edition of "House Calls". 00:22 Welcome to another House Calls program 00:25 and so good to have you join us 00:27 as we walk through the word of God together. 00:29 To my right is my good friend, Pastor John Stanton. 00:33 John, it's always good to have you with me. 00:34 Yeah, it's great to be here again. 00:36 You know, it's amazing to think of all the years 00:37 the Lord has allowed us to fulfill a dream 00:39 we had a number of years ago from California. 00:43 Yeah. 00:44 Sat down together and we've said, 00:45 it would be wonderful one day if we could just get together 00:48 and share what the Bible teaches 00:49 on various topics. 00:51 It was almost 20 years ago, can you believe that? 00:52 Ain't that? Ain't that? Wow! 00:55 Time flies and we look back on it 00:57 and say praise the Lord, 00:58 He's allowed us to experience that. 01:00 Yeah, amen. 01:02 And so today, we want to include you in that 01:04 because you are very much a part of this experience 01:06 of your Bible questions, your comments, 01:09 the topics that we talk about 01:10 and we're continuing on the topic of the Holy Spirit, 01:13 the Godhead, the Trinity. 01:15 And today we're gonna specifically focus 01:16 on the topic of the Holy Spirit, 01:18 that he is in fact 01:20 the third person of the Godhead, 01:22 and so stay tuned with us. 01:24 We also include your Bible questions, 01:25 but before we do anything more, 01:27 we always like to begin with the word of prayer. 01:29 And, John, would you pray for us? 01:30 Yes, let's do that. 01:32 Father in heaven, 01:33 we invite Your Spirit to be here with us today, 01:36 that You would glorify Christ in all that we say 01:39 and that we do. 01:40 Speak to those that are hearing that have their Bibles 01:42 and want to learn from them, 01:44 and we just pray that in all things 01:47 that we will give You the honor and glory in Jesus' name, amen. 01:50 Amen, amen. 01:53 You have questions that you often send to us, 01:55 we appreciate those, some of them come by letter, 01:58 others by email, so if you do have any questions 02:01 that you'd like to include the email address 02:04 that we'll give you is 02:06 where you can send those questions. 02:07 You can email us at housecalls@3abn.org. 02:11 That's housecalls@3abn.org. 02:15 And that's the fastest mode of sending your questions. 02:19 We also apologize that there are some questions 02:21 we don't get a chance to get to 02:24 and sometimes we cover them on a program 02:26 that you may miss, so we do apologize for that, 02:29 but we sure do need your input 02:30 and it does make a major difference. 02:32 And on that note, John, what do you have for us 02:35 as far as the question is concerned. 02:36 Well, I've got a question here that comes from Pearl 02:40 and she says that she's heard 02:43 whether it's from us or others 02:45 that there is a verse in the Bible 02:47 in regard to where two or three are gathered 02:49 that God's there. 02:50 Okay. 02:51 And she says, 02:53 what if there's only one person, 02:55 is He still with me? 02:56 Because I'm married 02:58 and my husband does not believe, 03:00 he does not believe, and so is God with me in spirit 03:04 when I'm on my own? 03:06 And so I want to go to that text from Matthew 18, 03:11 the text where two or three are gathered 03:13 and just show you the context of this. 03:15 Okay. 03:17 Because Jesus is speaking about something very specific here. 03:19 I think sometimes we gloss over that, 03:21 we just, we quote, 03:23 "Where two or three gathered he's here," 03:25 in just about every situation, 03:26 but he does make it very situational here, 03:29 not to say that he's not establishing that 03:31 when we are gathered to pray about something specific 03:34 that he will respond to that, 03:37 but in this case he is speaking about something very specific. 03:41 And so let's see, let's turn to... 03:45 Let see Matthew 18. 03:47 Okay, Matthew 18. 03:50 The passage itself if you know, 03:53 if you've heard of the Matthew 18 principle, 03:56 it's in regard to reconciliation 03:58 how we bring people back in to unity with the church 04:03 and in relationships with each other 04:06 as part of the body of Christ. 04:08 And so if someone has committed a sin 04:10 or wrong against someone else should go to them 04:12 and then appeal to them 04:13 and hopefully bring that relationship back to strength. 04:17 And then if they don't, 04:18 then you take one of the person with you, 04:20 and the third step is 04:21 if they still don't take the whole matter to the church 04:23 and let the church decide 04:25 or even issue some kind of discipline 04:27 in regard to an issue. 04:29 And so in this context of reconciliation going out 04:32 and bringing someone back into the fold, 04:35 back into right relationship not only with you 04:37 but with God Himself, Jesus says these words, 04:41 it's in verse 19, "Again I say to you 04:44 that if two or three... 04:47 if two of you agree on earth 04:49 concerning anything that they ask, 04:50 it will be done for them, 04:54 excuse me, by My Father in heaven. 04:56 For where two or three are gathered together 04:58 in My name, 04:59 I am there in the midst of them." 05:02 So Jesus is talking about 05:04 in the context of reconciliation 05:05 that if you're praying for the restoring of someone 05:10 back into a right relationship with a person 05:13 or a group of people or a church at all, 05:16 God will be there to honor that prayer 05:18 where people have come together for that restoration. 05:22 So that's the context of the actual passage 05:24 of the text 05:26 that she's mentioning here, 05:27 but in the greater context 05:29 I think whenever we come together two or three, 05:31 I think the number isn't as important 05:34 as the coming together and agreeing on something 05:38 that when a church does that, when people come together, 05:41 God is there waiting to and wanting to respond. 05:45 To me, John, it's really a testimony 05:48 for corporate prayer. 05:49 That's right. 05:51 The Lord's encouraging us 05:52 don't just pray alone in your closet, 05:53 that's a good thing, and I say closet 05:55 'cause it doesn't have to be a closet, 05:56 but just praying alone in your room 05:58 wherever you decide to pray. 06:00 We all should have good prayer lives, 06:01 strong prayer lives, 06:03 but corporate prayer is important 06:05 when we come together as a church, 06:06 we pray together and appeal to God, 06:08 in His name on behalf of the church 06:12 there is strength in number in appealing 06:15 to the heart of God with that. 06:17 We don't understand it all, 06:18 but certainly this is what Christ 06:20 is trying to get to here in Matthew 18. 06:22 And in the bigger picture 06:24 and I'm glad you brought that up, 06:26 the bigger picture is 06:27 we're talking about reconciliation. 06:28 One of the principles that were talked about here 06:31 it's a process of one, two, three. 06:34 If you go to a person one to one, that's two people. 06:39 If that person doesn't listen, 06:41 you take another person two and three 06:43 where two or three are gathered, 06:46 it was talking about the concept of witnessing 06:48 and the concept of reconciliation. 06:50 The Lord says, "I'm there in the midst of you." 06:52 And if you go to the Old Testament, 06:54 no one could have been convicted 06:55 on the testimony of one person. 06:58 See you have to have at least two or three witnesses, 07:01 so that's kind of the context of it, 07:03 it's not, it's not at all about 07:05 whether or not the Holy Spirit is with you 07:06 or whether or not he's going to leave you 07:07 because John 14:17 says, 07:10 and Jesus talking about the spirit of truth, 07:12 He says, "The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, 07:16 because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, 07:20 but you know Him, 07:22 for he dwells with you and will be in you." 07:25 That's a singular application. 07:27 So when you accept the Lord, 07:28 the Spirit of God comes into you as John says, 07:31 "I baptized with water, 07:32 but there's coming one after me 07:34 that baptized with the Holy Spirit 07:36 and with fire." 07:37 So the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ, 07:40 the Holy Spirit is a part of that gift. 07:43 And as he says, "I will never leave you 07:46 and I will never forsake you." 07:48 Now that even in and of itself is conditional 07:51 because when you get to the point, 07:53 if you decide well, you know what? 07:55 And I think you're gonna bring this up 07:57 and so I'm not gonna go ahead. 07:58 There's another question. 08:00 There's another question 08:01 so I'm not going to go to that point yet, 08:02 but in answer to this question, 08:04 the Holy Spirit is a part of that gift 08:05 when we accept Christ 08:06 and He doesn't kind of go 08:08 because you're just by yourself. 08:09 He doesn't say, 08:11 you need one more person for me to show up. 08:12 And that's the answer to the question 08:14 it really is that there is a specific situation 08:17 that Jesus is addressing there, 08:18 and it's not in regard to whether or not the Holy Spirit 08:21 dwells in you individual, 08:22 it's more of a corporate prayer appeal. 08:26 And I think that's good. Right. 08:29 I have a question from evangelist Taylor, 08:32 a very thank you so much evangelist Taylor. 08:35 He says, I am listening to your explanation 08:38 in evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost. 08:42 There is not one scripture 08:44 that reads of one receiving the Holy Ghost 08:47 without speaking another tongues, 08:49 the evidence, 08:51 tongues are not for communication 08:53 to another human but God. 08:55 The gift of tongues are different 08:57 from the evident tongue." 08:59 Whatever evident tongue means, 09:01 but let me answer the first part of the question 09:03 and then I understand the train of thought 09:04 it's about receiving the Holy Spirit 09:06 and speaking in tongues. 09:07 Well, in answer to your question 09:09 that there is not one scripture 09:10 that mentions the receiving of the Holy Ghost 09:13 without speaking in tongues. 09:15 I guess you may have missed John 20:21 to 23 09:21 and let's turn our Bibles there, John 20. 09:24 The unfortunate thing on this topic is those 09:27 that are focused on speaking in tongues 09:30 often only focus on those scriptures 09:32 that support what they believe, however, 09:35 the receiving of the Holy Spirit was 09:38 before the day of Pentecost, lot of people missed that. 09:42 John 20 and I'm going to start with verse 21 to 23, 09:48 well, actually I'll start with verse... 09:50 yeah, 21 down to verse 23. 09:56 "Then Jesus said to them, 'Peace to you, 10:00 as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 10:06 And John 20:22, 10:08 "And when he said and when he had said this, 10:12 notice he breathed on them, and said to them, 10:17 'Receive the Holy Spirit."' 10:22 And there is no evidence, there is not a single word 10:27 after that where they spoke in tongues. 10:29 He says in verse 23 on the contrary, 10:32 "If you forgive the sins of any, 10:34 they are forgiven them, 10:36 if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 10:40 So they receive the Holy Spirit right there, 10:42 he breathed on his disciples 10:45 and they received the Holy Spirit right there 10:47 to go forth and do the work 10:49 that he sent them out two by two to do, 10:51 and there were other disciples extenuating beyond that, 10:54 but he spoke to the disciples there 10:56 breathed on them and he said as he's breathing on them, 10:59 he's empowering them and he says, 11:01 "Receive the Holy Spirit." 11:03 And there's no evidence of them speaking in tongues at all, 11:06 and the reason why? 11:08 And this is something you may miss. 11:10 Let's go to Acts 2 to see what we may have missed. 11:13 Yeah, and that's where I was going next to 11:14 'cause 2 Corinthians talks about 11:16 receiving the Holy Spirit, 11:17 there's no mention of tongues there either. 11:19 Right. 11:20 Let me see... Let... 11:22 Let's go to Acts 2. Acts 2. 11:24 'Cause it shows what speaking in tongues means. 11:26 Not only does it show what speaking in tongues mean, 11:28 it shows why they didn't speak in tongues when they, 11:31 when he said to them in this verse 11:32 receive the Holy Spirit. 11:34 It shows why they didn't speak in tongues 11:36 and why it wasn't even necessary. 11:38 Let's look at Acts 2 11:39 and we're going to look at verse 7 of Acts 2, 11:46 because these are the disciples that are there, 11:48 and notice why they did not need to speak in tongues 11:51 because... 11:52 Well, I'll read the text and then you'll see, all right? 11:56 Acts 2:7, 12:00 "Then they were all amazed..." 12:02 That's the crowd or the group 12:05 that gathered at Jerusalem that day, 12:07 they're all amazed, and here's why they are amazed? 12:10 "They were all amazed and marveled, 12:11 saying to one another, 12:13 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?" 12:18 Now let's pause. 12:21 The disciples were all Galileans 12:23 so they didn't need to speak amongst themselves 12:26 with a different language 12:28 because they all understood each other. 12:30 The only time they spoke with other tongues 12:33 or other languages is 12:35 because they were now in the presence of those 12:37 who came from all of the other nations 12:40 and they were dwelling at Jerusalem. 12:43 The Bible says, verse 5, 12:45 "Now they were dwelling in Jerusalem, 12:47 devout in Jerusalem, Jews devout men, 12:52 from every nation under heaven." 12:54 So now these Galileans 12:56 who didn't need to speak in tongues 12:58 because they were all Galileans 13:00 understanding each other's language 13:01 and each other's dialect, 13:03 now they are among a group of individuals from 13:05 all over the world and what they have to do? 13:10 They've got to fulfill the commission Jesus said, 13:12 "Go, you therefore and teach all nations." 13:15 Now if I decide to go to Germany to teach 13:19 and I did not go to school to take the language of German, 13:23 to take the German language. 13:25 But the Lord wants me to go, 13:27 he sends me to Germany and says, 13:28 "Go, teach the gospel." 13:30 What do I need? 13:32 You need to speak German supernaturally somehow. 13:34 And that's exactly 13:36 what happened on the day of Pentecost, 13:37 that's why it says in verse 2. 13:41 "Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, 13:44 they were all with one accord in one place. 13:47 And suddenly" verse 2, 13:49 "There came a sound from heaven, 13:50 as of a rushing mighty wind, 13:53 and it filled the whole house where they were sitting." 13:56 Now what's amazing about this people read this. 14:00 This is the first instance in the New Testament 14:04 where speaking in tongues is mentioned 14:06 and it clearly, clearly unequivocally identifies 14:11 what these tongues were. 14:13 People will read the Day of Pentecost 14:15 where it started and ignore it and say 14:18 no, it's a different kind of language 14:20 that nobody understands. 14:22 In fact, verse 8 of Acts 2... 14:25 So let's... 14:27 Why don't you matter of fact read verse 3 and 4, 14:28 then go down to rest, okay. 14:29 Okay. Verse 3 and 4, John. 14:31 "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, 14:34 and one set on each of them 14:36 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit 14:38 and began to speak with other tongues, 14:40 as the Spirit gave them utterance." 14:42 Notice the King James Version said 14:44 began to speak with tongues, 14:46 but the proper context they began to speak 14:49 with other tongues 14:50 because they were already speaking in tongues, 14:53 the tongue was Galilean, the Galilean tongue, 14:55 whatever language was known in their region, 14:58 that's why when the Lord first breathed on them, 15:00 they didn't need the gift of tongues 15:03 because they were all understanding each other 15:05 very clearly, 15:07 but now the picture changes in verse 5, 15:09 every nation is represented there, 15:11 men out of every nation and all of a sudden verse 6, 15:14 John read that? 15:16 And when the sound occurred, the multitude came together, 15:17 and were confused, 15:19 because everyone heard them speak in his own language." 15:21 Everyone heard him speak in here... 15:23 Everyone heard them speak in his own language. 15:25 Who were them? 15:27 Let's look at verse 8. Go ahead, John. 15:30 "And how is it that we hear, 15:31 each in our own language in which we were born?" 15:33 How? What language? 15:35 The language where we were born. 15:38 Where were they born? 15:39 Go down the list, I'll read it down here, 15:41 verse 9, "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, 15:46 those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, 15:51 Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt 15:55 and parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, 15:58 visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes," 16:02 that's converts, verse 11, "Cretans and Arabs 16:06 and once again it says that a third time 16:09 we hear them speaking get this 16:13 in our, in our own tongues, 16:18 the wonderful works of God." 16:21 We heard them speak in our language. 16:25 We hear them speak in the language 16:26 where we were born, 16:28 and finally we hear them speak in our own tongues. 16:32 It's a language that existed. 16:34 So this prayer language, 16:35 this ideology that you could speak to God in the language 16:38 that nobody understands but God is phooey, 16:40 it's foolish, it's not, I don't want to embarrass, 16:42 I don't want to belittle the thing that you practice, 16:46 but it's not scriptural. 16:47 Matter of fact, anything you want to say 16:49 before we go to Romans? 16:50 No, I was going to say the way we see it today practiced 16:53 in many churches 16:55 if that's what was going on in Acts 2, 16:58 it would have done nothing to further the gospel. 17:00 Nothing at all. 17:01 They wouldn't have even been amazed, 17:02 they would have sat back and said, 17:04 "What are they doing?" 17:06 Nobody understands. It's weird. 17:08 In fact, Paul later on says, 17:10 that when we come together for all of the same, 17:12 we all speak the same language, 17:14 you don't have a need for tongues. 17:16 Right. 17:17 People would look at us and think we're crazy, 17:19 so that's what would have happened 17:22 had the current practice happened at that point, 17:25 but the problem is that 17:27 chapter 2 is trying to set the tone 17:29 for the rest of scripture as to how terms or use, 17:33 or what tongues even mean. 17:34 That's right. It simply means languages. 17:36 You know, the amazing thing 17:38 about this whole practice on the day of Pentecost is, 17:41 as you just mentioned a moment ago, 17:43 this was setting the stage for something 17:45 that was larger 17:47 than just being able to speak another languages. 17:51 The whole stage that was being set was 17:53 to communicate the gospel to the rest of the world, 17:55 and the rest of the world suddenly became the field, 17:59 "Go ye therefore and teach all nations." 18:02 The rest of the world became the field of labor now 18:06 for these disciples, 18:07 and then the apostles on the Day of Pentecost. 18:10 So now, the Lord is saying, "I'm sending you out, 18:13 I'm leaving, you gonna do greater works than I've done 18:15 because I've just hung around in Galilee and Nazareth 18:18 where I can walk by foot. 18:20 But now I'm sending you to all the world." 18:22 And you see the explosion of the New Testament church. 18:25 Matter of fact there's a passage 18:26 you want to share. 18:27 Yeah, and there are several times 18:29 then the Holy Spirit 18:32 and the giving of the Holy Spirit 18:34 is mentioned throughout the scriptures, 18:35 throughout the New Testament. 18:37 The problem is if you only have the eye glasses on 18:40 that these people are speaking this language to God 18:43 when you hear Holy Spirit poured out, 18:46 you're going to miss all the other ways 18:49 that the Holy Spirit influence people 18:50 when he was poured out. 18:52 And one of those ways is in 1 Corinthians 2. 18:54 Okay. What verse? 18:57 So it starts with verse 11. 18:59 All right. 19:00 Says, "For what man knows the things of a man 19:02 except the spirit of the man which is in him? 19:04 Even so no one knows the things of God 19:07 except the Spirit of God." 19:09 Notice the emphasis here is in no. 19:11 That's right. 19:12 Okay, 'cause we've already heard twice the word no, 19:15 so something to do with knowledge. 19:17 Verse 12, "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, 19:20 but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things 19:24 which have been freely given to us by God. 19:27 These things we also speak, 19:28 not in words which man's wisdom, 19:30 there's knowledge again, 19:31 teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches 19:33 comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 19:36 But the natural man 19:38 does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, 19:39 for they are foolishness to him, 19:41 nor can he know them, 19:42 because they are spiritually discerned. 19:44 But he who is spiritual judges all things, 19:46 yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 19:49 For who has, rounding it out, 19:51 who has known the mind of the Lord 19:53 that he may instruct Him? 19:54 But we have the mind of Christ." 19:56 So the Holy Spirit, the role of the Holy Spirit here 19:58 in this passage is to bring the mind of Christ into someone 20:01 so that he might know the will of God 20:04 and teach the will of God, and speak of things 20:06 that are involved in the will of God. 20:08 Nothing to do with tongues. No. 20:10 The Holy Spirit given for knowledge, for wisdom, 20:13 and for understanding of God's will. 20:15 And by the way, thank you, 20:17 that was very clearly pointed out. 20:19 It is the work that the spirit does 20:20 to bring about understanding, 20:22 to bring about fruitfulness as Ephesians 4 I believe it is, 20:26 to the church come to the unity of the faith 20:28 and the knowledge of the Son of God. 20:30 And then on the other side of that 1 Corinthians 14, 20:34 God is not the author of confusion. 20:36 Today what happens all of a sudden 20:38 you watch sermons on television 20:39 whatever the popular speaker might be 20:41 and all of a sudden he says... 20:45 And then he goes back... 20:52 No interpretation whatsoever, 20:54 he could have said nothing or anything and no interpreter, 20:59 the Bible says, let if there is no interpreter, 21:03 let him keep silent. 21:06 Secondly, what did he say? 21:09 Well, he wouldn't even know. 21:11 Because there is no interpreter. 21:14 If there is no interpreter, let him keep silent, 21:16 but the inference here is that 21:18 what I'm understanding of this evangelist 21:20 to say the suggestion here is that 21:22 if you are in the spirit, then you must speak in tongues. 21:26 Let's go to 1 Corinthians 12 21:28 because now Ephesians or Galatians 5 21:32 gives us the fruits or the fruit of the spirit, 21:35 love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, 21:38 meekness, patient, that's the fruit of the spirit. 21:42 But now 1 Corinthians 12 21:44 talks about the gifts of the spirit. 21:47 Let's go ahead and look at, see what the Spirit does here. 21:49 To me, you said something profound. 21:51 Because when the Holy Spirit comes in you, 21:53 he brings fruit... 21:54 Right. As well as gifts. 21:56 Right, but the fruit comes first... 21:57 All you are doing is emphasizing one gift, 21:59 you're missing all the fruit, 22:01 you're missing all the other gifts, 22:02 and I think that's what you're pointing out here, 22:04 I'm kind of jumping to the conclusion 22:05 but what you just said is very important. 22:08 Fruit is internal conversion, transformation, 22:10 gifts are empowerment for ministry. 22:13 And then let me make a point very clearly Matthew 7:20, 22:17 it never said by their gifts you'll know them, 22:20 by their fruits you will know them. 22:22 We are identifying 22:24 our Christian connection by gifts, 22:25 that's not scriptural. 22:28 The connection to Christ is by fruit, 22:31 by their fruits you will know them, Matthew 7:20, 22:34 "Therefore by their fruits, you will know them." 22:38 You don't know them by their gifts, 22:40 because many in Matthew 7 22:41 that very same passage many will say, 22:44 Lord, haven't we prophesied a gift of the spirit, 22:48 gift of prophecy, haven't we prophesied? 22:51 Haven't we done many wonderful works 22:52 in Your name? 22:54 Haven't we cast out demons in Your name? 22:56 Emphasis on gifts. Emphasis on gifts. 22:59 He said, "But I never knew you." 23:01 But how will I know that I know you, 23:03 how will you know that you know me? 23:04 By their fruits, you will know them. 23:07 If you love Me, keep my commandments. 23:08 He who says, I know Him 23:09 and does not keep His commandments is a liar 23:11 and the truth is not in him." 23:13 1 John 2:3, 4. 23:15 But let's look now 1 Corinthians 12 23:17 because starting in verse 4, 23:20 I'm going to start and then I'm gonna break it down, 23:21 let you read some so that the persons listening 23:24 can understand that while you don't get, 23:26 you don't lose the message by the same voice, all right? 23:30 Verse 1 it says, 23:31 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, 23:34 I do not want you to be ignorant." 23:36 Now verse 4, John. 23:39 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 23:42 There are differences of ministries, 23:44 but the same Lord." 23:45 Keep going. 23:47 "And there are diversities of activities, 23:49 but it is the same God who works all in all." 23:51 Now verse 7. 23:53 "But the manifestation of the Spirit 23:54 is given to each one for the profit of all." 23:57 Okay, now, if the gift you have doesn't profit me, 24:00 God's not going to give it to you. 24:03 It says clearly, 24:04 "The manifestation of the Spirit 24:06 is given to each one for the profit of all." 24:09 So all of a sudden I'm going to start talking 24:10 in the language of no explanation, 24:12 what profit is it? 24:14 And that's why in 1 Corinthians 11, 24:17 matter of fact it's 1 Corinthians 14, 24:18 you know, he says when all of a sudden 24:20 somebody starts speaking and no one interprets it, 24:22 it's like you're speaking to the air, 24:25 you're not even speaking into yourself, 24:27 you're like speaking into the air, 24:30 and so but let's look at this... 24:31 And the emphasis here 24:32 though are gifts are for the profit of all... 24:34 Everybody. 24:35 Where fruit are for the profit of yourself 24:37 that benefits others 24:38 because of course what comes out if he was Jesus, 24:41 but it is specifically for the conversion 24:43 and the transformation personally, 24:45 spiritually of yourself. 24:47 Beautifully said. 24:48 The intention is different in both. 24:50 And now notice, we're gonna go down the categories 24:52 and make it very clear here. 24:54 It says in verse 8, "For two one is 24:56 given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, 24:59 to another the word of knowledge 25:02 through the same Spirit, to another faith, 25:06 verse 9, by the same Spirit, 25:08 to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 25:11 to another working of miracles, to another prophecy, 25:15 to another discerning of spirits, 25:17 to another different kinds of tongues, 25:20 to another the interpretation of tongues." 25:23 Now what I want to make it very clear here 25:28 in what you'll discover is the one 25:30 who is giving these gifts is the Spirit, 25:33 he's giving it as he sees the need. 25:37 This is something I want to emphasize once again. 25:39 He is the one that's giving it. 25:41 You can't tell him which one you want. 25:44 He's giving it, he's deciding like Christmas, 25:47 like your birthday, you may have out a wish list 25:51 but people ultimately decide 25:53 what gifts they're going to give you. 25:54 Most people that get gifts don't know 25:56 what gift they're getting 25:57 because the giver is the one that decides, 25:59 in the same way the Holy Spirit is the one 26:01 who decides what gift he is giving, 26:03 because he knows where you are 26:04 and what ministry gift you need. 26:07 He gives it as he wills. 26:08 Matter of fact, verse 11, read that, John, verse 11? 26:14 "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, 26:17 distributing to each one individually as He wills." 26:19 As he wills not as you want, 26:23 this is the big Achilles heel in the Christian world today, 26:27 they're saying this is the gift I want, I want tongues. 26:30 Holy Spirit says, no, I'm giving you what I will, 26:34 not your will but as he wills. 26:36 And I would even suggest because of the fact 26:40 that tongues is typically associated 26:41 with evangelistic purposes 26:44 and there are less, many less evangelists 26:46 than there are many of the other 26:47 kinds of equipping gifts 26:49 that probably the gift of tongues is 26:50 one of the least given by the Holy Spirit. 26:53 And not only is it mentioned last 26:54 and that's not even significant to any factor, 26:57 but the point that's being mentioned, 26:59 and now we're going to go to the question 27:00 because this is something vitally important 27:02 and Christians that want to sound like 27:03 they have this edge on everybody else, 27:05 go to this, they don't often go to this passage. 27:08 Now, John, I'll go to the same chapter, 27:12 chapter 12 but we're going to go 27:15 now to verse 27 down to verse 31, I'll read that. 27:20 Say that again for reference. 27:22 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, 27:26 "Now you are the Body of Christ, 27:28 and members individually." 27:30 I am reading from the New King James Version, 27:33 "And God has appointed these in the church: 27:36 first apostles, secondarily prophets, 27:40 third teachers, after that miracles, 27:43 then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, 27:48 varieties of tongues." 27:50 Varieties of tongues. Interesting. 27:52 Not, not a weird tongue but varieties, what tongue? 27:56 And Paul in 1 Corinthians 14, 27:58 speaking to the Corinthians he says, 28:00 in verse 3 or verse 5 of 1 Corinthians 14, 28:04 I'll just peak there and come right back. 28:07 He says, "I wish you all spoke with tongues, 28:09 but even more that you prophesied. 28:12 And because he says, 28:13 "I speak with more tongues than you all." 28:15 See Paul says, I speak in more tongues than any of you guys, 28:18 what was he saying? 28:19 I speak more languages. 28:21 I speak more languages, that was not the issue, 28:23 but let's go on and finish the context. 28:25 Now, John 29 to 31 is 28:27 and slowly emphasize these points of 1 Corinthians 12. 28:31 "Are all apostles?" No. 28:33 "Are all prophets?" No. 28:34 "Are all teachers?" No. 28:36 "Are all workers of miracle?" No. 28:38 "Do all have gifts of healings?" 28:39 No. 28:40 "Do all speak with tongues?" No. 28:42 "Do all interpret?" No. 28:43 "But earnestly desire the best gifts. 28:45 And yet I know 28:47 you more excellent, I will show you more excellent way." 28:50 Okay, so what's the answer to all the questions? 28:52 No. No. 28:54 Why? 28:55 Because the Spirit decides, he gives as he wills. 29:00 So why don't you speak in tongues 29:03 because the Spirit didn't decide 29:04 to give me that gift, why? 29:06 Because I'm in Galilee, and he's a Galilean, 29:09 and she's a Galilean, I am in Southern Illinois, 29:12 he speaks English, I speak English, 29:14 one of the strangest things is 29:17 we are all in an English congregation 29:19 and we said now we have the Spirit language. 29:21 Now let me show you the Spirit language very quickly 29:23 and then we'll transition. 29:25 This is very important topic. Let's go now to Romans 8. 29:30 Let me show you what the Spirit does 29:31 and what we cannot do. 29:33 Romans 8, this is very important 29:36 because what happens is 29:37 we're claiming to do something that we cannot do. 29:40 And this is a work of the Spirit 29:42 we cannot do. 29:44 And so, in the King James Version 29:45 it talks about when the Spirit came down 29:48 and when Holy Spirit was poured out 29:49 on the day of Pentecost, 29:51 the Spirit gave them utterance, 29:53 this ability now to speak in other languages. 29:55 But notice what we cannot do. 29:58 Look at Romans 8, 30:01 all right, verse 26. 30:07 "Likewise the Spirit also helps 30:11 in our weaknesses. 30:14 For we do not know 30:15 what we should pray for as we ought, 30:19 but the Spirit Himself 30:22 makes intercession for us with groanings, 30:26 and get this, which cannot to be uttered." 30:29 Meaning we can't do it. 30:31 Some people have said to me, that's a prayer language. 30:35 The Holy Spirit does what we cannot do. 30:39 He has the ability to communicate 30:43 to Christ in a language that we could never 30:46 which cannot be uttered, 30:49 so why do we... 30:51 What is the super need of speaking in tongues 30:55 when you are in an English congregation, 30:58 there is no need. 30:59 If you are in the fields, 31:01 and John, strangely enough 31:02 I used to watch Benny Hinn years ago, 31:03 I'll use him as an example. 31:05 Benny Hinn is a great proponent of speaking in tongues. 31:08 I would see some of his evangelistic series 31:10 when he's in a Latin country, a foreign country, 31:14 he always had an interpreter standing 31:15 right next to him. 31:17 He's speaking in English, 31:19 they are interpreting to the crowd 31:20 and I always said to myself, 31:22 "Why don't this man 31:23 who always says he has the gift of tongues? 31:25 Why don't he just speak 31:26 and the whole congregation understand it." 31:28 Never did, 31:29 because the gift properly understood 31:32 is a gift that the Spirit gives 31:35 and he decides when to give it 31:37 and to whom to give it as he wills. 31:42 I think it's a good transitional point. 31:43 Yeah. 31:45 Well, last comment though on the last verse 31:46 that we talked about 31:48 that we read from 1 Corinthians 12, 31:52 it says desire the best gifts, 31:53 that word best is kind of a difficult word 31:55 to understand in English, 31:57 doesn't really translate well. 31:58 It means the gifts that do the most good. 32:01 Very good point. 32:02 Okay, so in your situation desire the gift 32:05 that is going to be most effective 32:07 as you share your faith with others, 32:09 that's what he's saying. 32:10 He's not saying the best, 32:11 ooh, which one of the list is the best. 32:13 He's saying the most profitable gift, 32:17 the most effective gift at how I'm serving 32:19 I'm called to serve God 32:20 so, anyway just want to make that statement 32:22 'cause I know what's ringing in their head 32:23 look the best gift 32:25 and look on this list the best gift is tongue. 32:27 Here's the challenge that we have, John, 32:30 and this is a transition kind of a point here. 32:33 The challenge is 32:35 that many who hear these things, 32:37 the stuff even that we teach 32:39 all they're thinking about is how to oppose them. 32:43 Let's find the text that disagree with us. 32:45 And many do that. 32:47 They're not hearing the teaching, 32:48 many do that, I'm not saying everybody, 32:50 I'm saying those that, that are strong against it, 32:52 we receive the letters, 32:54 we receive letters 32:55 coming out hard against 32:57 some of the stuff we're teaching 32:58 and I know the conviction is happening, 33:00 it's just the, 33:01 the actual looking at this and understanding it 33:04 is not happening. 33:05 And so, you know, 33:07 we're not here to convince people 33:08 that are so in this 33:10 that they're just not going to hear anything we're saying, 33:12 we're here to kind of share for those 33:13 that don't understand what the gift of tongues 33:16 or the gift of any other thing is. 33:18 In fact the best thing they could hear 33:19 from what we just said is the fact 33:21 that the Holy Spirit brings fruit in our lives 33:24 and is also then through us working 33:27 through us bringing gifts so that we might serve others, 33:29 that's the best thing they could hear from, 33:31 from this whole talk. 33:32 So anyway, I just want to mention that 33:34 because I think sometimes we get lost 33:36 in proving that point, 33:38 and we're not here to prove a point, 33:39 we're here to share what the Bible says. 33:41 What the Bible says, 33:42 the Lord is the only one that can do the proving. 33:44 Thank you so much for your questions 33:46 and your comments. 33:47 If you have any more questions that you'd like to send to us, 33:49 we spent a little bit more time today 33:50 on that question 33:52 because it was vitally important. 33:54 If you have any more questions or comments 33:55 you'd like to send to us, 33:57 send those to housecalls@3abn.org 34:00 That's housecalls@3abn.org 34:04 We surely do appreciate it. 34:06 Today 34:07 we are going to on the topic of the Spirit now. 34:10 We're going to go ahead and wind up our discussion 34:15 which we began on the Godhead, the Trinity. 34:20 Today, we're going to talk about the Holy Spirit 34:22 as the third person of the Godhead. 34:24 In fact, we've already kind of begun to do this... 34:26 We've already started. 34:28 We've talked about, 34:29 we've shared a couple of texts there 34:31 which shows that the Holy Spirit has a mind 34:35 that wills 34:37 'cause he distributes the gifts 34:39 according to how he wills. 34:42 And so you find throughout scripture the Holy Spirit 34:47 is a personality, he's an individual. 34:52 Just a few things here, 34:53 just to mention quickly because I know 34:55 we don't have a lot of time to spend on this, 34:57 but it is an important aspect of the Trinity 35:00 that is confusing many today. 35:02 In the ministry of the Holy Spirit 35:04 and how he ministers to us and through us. 35:07 The Bible speaks on of a number of things 35:11 using the pronoun he, speaking to a person, 35:15 "He teaches the truth." 35:17 John 16:13. "He convicts of sin." 35:20 John 16:8, "He helps." 35:22 John 14:16. "He testifies." 35:24 John 15:26. "He guides." 35:27 John 16:13. "He regenerates." 35:30 Titus 3:5, Ezekiel 36:25-27, 35:33 "He forbids and exhibits or prohibits," 35:36 excuse me, Acts 16:6, 35:38 "He commands, same verse, He appoints." 35:41 So you get the picture, 35:43 I mean I could go endlessly on with this but these, 35:45 these are the things the Holy Spirit does 35:48 in behalf of Christ 35:50 who has as we said in our last verse given up, 35:53 or our last program, given up His omnipresence, 35:55 He's given up significant things 35:58 as the second person of the Godhead 36:01 for our redemption, 36:03 and one of those this is His omnipresence. 36:06 Very, very good point. 36:07 And so the Holy Spirit, 36:09 He is sending into the world to represent Him, 36:12 to bring His will, His desires, 36:14 His work in and through His people 36:19 to evangelize the world with the salvation of God 36:21 and His gospel. 36:22 So this is what He's given 36:25 and He works through the Holy Spirit to do 36:27 and just to remove it as a force is, 36:30 is really a dangerous position 36:33 because you're reducing 36:38 the power that works in you that to understand you 36:41 and to give you the understanding of God, 36:43 you're reducing that power to just simply, just a force. 36:48 And at least they're saying, 36:50 I know I recognize this is a force from God, 36:52 but this is something God dwelling in us 36:56 has the ability to know us and to give us exactly 36:59 what we need because of His knowledge, 37:02 and that His knowledge of the Spirit, 37:04 not knowledge that comes 37:05 from God supernaturally through a force. 37:08 He gives us a Spirit 37:09 that is constantly working in us. 37:11 There is another function of the Spirit 37:13 that I think sometimes people miss, 37:15 amazingly miss and the work that the Spirit 37:19 does is different than the work that Jesus did, 37:22 follow me very carefully. 37:24 Jesus came to take our place, 37:29 Jesus came to be our sacrifice, 37:33 Jesus came to be our offering, 37:35 Jesus came to deliver us 37:39 from the penalty of sin. 37:43 I want you to follow me very carefully 37:45 which we call justification, 37:48 having been justified freely, 37:53 that's the price Jesus paid, 37:55 it's not free, it's free to us, 37:57 but it wasn't free to Him. 37:59 We had been justified freely, 38:00 okay, that's justification 38:02 which means now because of His righteousness, 38:04 because of His blood, 38:06 we are seen as just as if we had never sin, 38:10 that's justification. 38:12 But when He left what function now did He leave to the Spirit? 38:18 Sanctification. 38:20 Let's look at this. 38:21 Now, if the Spirit was just a force... 38:26 First of all, let's go to John 16, 38:28 I want you to see this. 38:30 The work that the Spirit was appointed to do 38:34 could not have started until Jesus left. 38:38 Jesus did the work of justification 38:40 but there's a work of sanctification 38:42 that could not begin until Jesus left. 38:45 Look at John 16 38:46 and we're going to go ahead and start with verse 7, 38:50 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. 38:54 It is to your advantage or expedient that I go away, 38:59 for if I do not go away, 39:00 the Helper or the Comforter will not come to you, 39:05 but if I depart, I will send him to you. 39:08 And when he comes, look at what he does, 39:11 he will convict the world of sin, 39:14 and of righteousness, and of judgment." 39:17 These are the three things he is going to do. 39:19 He's going to continually 39:20 let you know you have need of me. 39:21 He's going to convict the world of sin. 39:23 When you see sin, 39:24 you have need of a Savior then of the next stage 39:28 and of righteousness, 39:30 that's the part that Jesus didn't come to work, 39:33 He came to accomplish the imparting, 39:36 but the imputing now of this constant growth 39:40 in grace is something done by the Spirit, 39:42 it's called sanctification. 39:44 But let me go one more thing the Spirit is going to do, 39:47 verse 13 "However, 39:49 when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, 39:52 he will guide you into all truth." 39:54 That's the process he's going to continue guiding you, 39:57 but he's not going to speak on his own authority, 39:59 in the very same verse. 40:00 But whatever he hears he will speak, 40:02 and he will tell you things to come. 40:04 He will glorify Me, 40:05 for He will take of what is Mine 40:08 and declare it to you." 40:09 So you see clearly here, 40:11 this is not a ventriloquist 40:14 channeling himself because Jesus said, 40:17 I've got to leave so he can come. 40:20 I'm leaving, he's coming. 40:22 When I leave, he'll come. 40:24 If I stay here, he won't come, so it's necessary for me to go. 40:26 So he's saying, that he will come 40:28 and impart the benefits 40:30 of what I've begun and what I, my finish work, 40:32 he will now impart to you the benefits of my salvation. 40:37 Exactly, exactly the salvation that I have left, 40:41 now he's going to come, 40:42 he's going to enhance this thing, 40:43 he's not going to make it a better salvation 40:46 but he's going to now walk you through the process. 40:48 What is the process? Sanctification. 40:50 Romans 15:16, let's look at that and, John, 40:53 if you get there, I want you to read that. 40:56 Romans 15:16 we often missed the aspect of sanctification. 41:01 Sanctification is a work that cannot be carried on 41:03 by just a doctrinal belief. 41:06 Romans 15, 41:07 I'm getting there now, here it is, 41:10 I'm offsetting my pages, 41:11 they're nice and loose that I want to turn together. 41:12 Okay, Romans 15:16 41:15 but read verse 15 41:18 because it actually is a continuation thought, 41:21 well, actually 14 to 16. 41:22 Okay. 41:24 "Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, 41:27 that you also are full of goodness, 41:30 filled with all knowledge, 41:31 able also to admonish one another." 41:33 Okay, so what are they, full of goodness, 41:35 filled with knowledge, able to admonish one another, 41:38 that's great, verse 15. 41:39 "Nevertheless, brethren, 41:41 I have written more boldly to you 41:42 on some points, as reminding you, 41:45 because of the grace given to me by God." 41:47 Okay. 41:48 "That I might be a minister of Jesus Christ 41:50 to the Gentiles, 41:51 ministering the gospel of God, 41:53 that the offering of the Gentiles 41:55 might be acceptable, 41:56 sanctified by the Holy Spirit." 41:57 Okay. Sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 42:00 The sanctification process there is a process 42:02 that it's a continuation of, 42:04 it's a continuational process also this, 42:08 this process of sanctification 42:10 is emphasized again in conjunction 42:13 with the blood of Christ in 1 Peter 1:2, 42:17 "Elect according to the foreknowledge 42:19 of God the Father, 42:20 in sanctification of the Spirit for obedience 42:24 and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 42:27 Grace to you and peace be multiplied." 42:30 1 Peter 1:2. 42:32 Sanctification, 42:34 the one that the Bible says so clearly. 42:37 1 Thessalonians 5:23, listen to this, 42:41 "Now may the God of peace himself 42:43 sanctify you completely." 42:48 The completion of sanctification 42:49 is what the Spirit continues to do. 42:52 The process of sanctification is a completion process. 42:55 Salvation is the start, 42:57 sanctification is the continual growth in grace, 43:00 and then glorification comes when sin is eternally removed. 43:04 So the spirit carries on this work, 43:06 so we can divorce ourselves from the Spirit. 43:08 And, John, as we speak about the Spirit here, 43:10 I want to just emphasize this 43:11 and I'll give it back to you here is that 43:13 when you say the Spirit is not a person, 43:17 now you are dealing with a force. 43:19 You're dealing with wind. 43:21 You don't know where it came from, 43:23 you don't know where it's headed. 43:25 Only time that that's talked about 43:26 in the Bible is in John 3. 43:28 He, Jesus uses the illustration to Nicodemus, 43:31 says, this is how the Spirit works. 43:33 It's like a wind, 43:34 you don't know where it's coming from, 43:35 you don't know where it's going, 43:37 so also is the work of the Spirit. 43:38 You don't know when it started, 43:40 you don't know when it's going to end, 43:41 it's a work that you cannot predict. 43:43 He's not saying the Holy Spirit is a wind. 43:46 Yeah, and that's key right there, yeah. 43:50 Many of what is being opposed 43:53 not only in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 43:54 but I'm sure in many other denominations 43:57 who are struggling with this issue 44:00 and some are actually losing their faith 44:01 because of this issue sadly. 44:04 I know for our church 44:05 many of it is going back to a time 44:09 that even as far back as the Arian Controversy 44:11 where you're talking about the divinity of Christ 44:13 and some of the issues surrounding that, 44:15 but the remnants of that of course is 44:18 that this anti-Trinitarian, anti-Catholic, 44:21 so it's probably 44:22 in much of the Protestant denominations today as well, 44:25 but this is going back 44:26 to trying to restore old paths. 44:31 And the confusion often happens at least within our church, 44:35 the confusion happens here 44:38 in that in defining what the old paths really are. 44:42 That's right. 44:43 There's this neo-restorationism that's occurring 44:46 and so in their mind one of the pillars, 44:48 one of the strengths of the churches back 44:50 then was the anti-Trinitarian stance, 44:53 but in nowhere do we find 44:54 not only in our writings of history, 44:58 but in the writings 45:00 that we get from Ellen White either. 45:03 There's no evidence there that the subject of the Trinity 45:07 or the Godhead however, 45:08 whatever term 45:10 you're going to use is a pillar. 45:11 No, no, you're right. 45:13 It's something that they understood 45:14 and grew in over time. 45:17 In fact we as a church 45:19 deliberately did not accept a creed. 45:22 I know we talked about this before just briefly. 45:25 We understood that truth grew over time 45:27 and God allowed truth 45:29 and brought truth to his people over time 45:31 that you realize it's for seven years, 45:34 Sabbath keeping began at 6 o'clock. 45:37 Sabbath keeping begin at 6 o'clock 45:39 and God did nothing about that for seven years 45:43 and it wasn't because 45:45 some vision or dream that we changed, 45:47 but it was Andrews 45:49 who did his full study on it and realized, 45:51 "Hey, wait a minute, the Jews have it right." 45:54 Hence it's sundown. 45:55 And we then changed 45:57 from the 6 o'clock time to sunrise. 45:58 You mean, John Nevins Andrews. 45:59 Yeah. Yeah. 46:01 And so it's studying the Word of God 46:03 and seeing how truth is given and help comes over time, 46:07 it's something we have done 46:08 as a people for a long, long time. 46:10 And so, I just want to read a brief statement here 46:13 and this one comes from a letter 46:18 to Elder Daniels in 1907, 46:21 so Ellen White wrote 46:22 this a good eight years before her death 46:24 and she writes, 46:26 "The word of the Lord has guided our steps 46:27 since the passing of time since 1844, 46:30 we have searched the scriptures, 46:31 we have built solidly 46:33 and we have not had to tear up our foundations 46:35 and put in new timbers." 46:37 That's right. 46:38 What you don't maybe understand is that the understanding 46:42 and acceptance of Trinitarian beliefs had already, 46:45 was already well underway at that time. 46:48 So she evidently sees and she wrote in many cases 46:53 in support of a full understanding of Christ 46:56 and His divinity, 46:57 we've already covered those issues 46:59 how His nature, 47:00 what His nature is and who He was, 47:02 and then the Holy Spirit and his role, 47:04 he's a distinct personality. 47:06 That's right. 47:07 And so anyway this confusion is something 47:11 that we're trying to clear up, 47:12 but I know some of the text 47:13 that we've given things are read by others 47:15 and they're answering in their own minds 47:17 to think of something else to oppose that, 47:19 but I'm here to say that, 47:21 I think it's a dangerous position 47:22 to oppose. 47:26 God Himself, 47:28 who is coming to bring understanding, 47:30 coming to bring discernment, 47:32 coming to bring transformation, 47:34 and when we do that 47:36 we in many ways can quench the very thing that we seek. 47:41 The working of the Holy Spirit 47:42 with the fullness of his power as God, 47:45 a person, a personhood of God in our lives at work. 47:49 I think it's a tremendous blessing, 47:51 John, to know that we have God working in us. 47:56 Not just from outside on us, 47:59 God has been put in us. 48:03 The thought God is working in us not making us God, 48:08 but empowering and strengthening 48:09 and transforming and working in us 48:12 and it's just, it's an amazing thought 48:15 that he would do that for us, 48:16 this gift is more than we think. 48:19 John, it's so amazing... 48:21 We don't want to minimize it. 48:22 And the thing that's being minimized 48:24 about this belief on the Holy Spirit 48:25 is that we're just saying 48:27 that he's not a person of the Godhead. 48:28 Well, that's unfortunate 48:29 because the Bible doesn't support that theology. 48:32 I wouldn't even say theology, 48:33 the Bible doesn't support that viewpoint, 48:35 theology is the truth about God. 48:37 The Bible doesn't support that viewpoint at all. 48:39 If you go to the Book of Acts 5, 48:40 and I'm going to give you a couple of passages here. 48:43 Acts 5 is a passage in the Bible 48:45 or story in the Bible that shows us 48:47 how the New Testament church began to be formed. 48:49 And at the beginning 48:51 of the New Testament church being formed, 48:52 there were certain parameters 48:54 that the Lord made sure were in place 48:56 that the church would not go off tangent, 48:58 or go awry, or lose its way as it were, 49:01 or just become a fraction that is all splintered. 49:04 The Lord wanted the church 49:06 to be as pure at its inception 49:08 as He would want the church to be at any point. 49:12 So He dealt with fractions in the church 49:14 that were adverse to the strength of the church 49:17 and the Spirit of God was very much a part of that, 49:20 and notice what happened, the story isn't clear. 49:24 The church was growing and they decided to do 49:28 a "fundraiser" to strengthen the church. 49:33 The church had many members that had many, many needs. 49:36 And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon the congregants 49:40 and they decided 49:42 we're going to go ahead as Acts 4:37 ends, 49:47 it says, having land, speaking about the church. 49:51 Acts chapter 4:30... 49:55 Let's just say verse 34, Acts 4:34, 50:00 I'm going to read this, 50:02 "Nor was there any among them who lacked, 50:06 for all who were possessors of the land 50:10 and houses sold to them, 50:12 and brought the proceeds of the things 50:15 that were sold, 50:16 and laid them at the apostles' feet, 50:19 and they distributed to each as anyone had need." 50:23 And verse 37, 50:24 "Having land, sold it, 50:26 and brought the money 50:27 and laid it at the apostles' feet." 50:29 So seeing this display Ananias and Sapphira, 50:34 this is in verse 1 of chapter 5, 50:36 "But a certain man named Ananias, 50:38 with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession." 50:41 And it says in verse 2, 50:42 "And they kept back part of the proceeds." 50:45 So now they come to the service. 50:47 And they say to Peter. 50:50 They come separately first Ananias comes, 50:53 then Sapphira later, and it says in verse 8, 50:56 "And Peter answered and says, 50:58 well, verse 3, 51:00 "But Peter said, "Ananias, listen to this very carefully, 51:04 why has Satan filled your heart 51:06 to lie to the Holy Spirit? 51:09 Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit 51:14 or to whom was he lying." 51:16 Look at verse 4. 51:18 "While he remained, was it not your own? 51:20 And after it was sold, was it not your own, 51:23 why have you conceived this thing in your heart?" 51:27 Get this, 51:28 he first said the Holy Spirit and then he says, 51:30 "You have not lied to men but to God." 51:34 Peter clearly as the apostle said 51:37 why has Satan filled your heart to the lie to the Holy Spirit, 51:40 you have not lied to men, but to God. 51:43 Clearly the person of the Godhead, 51:45 he equates the Holy Spirit as the person of the Godhead. 51:50 So now get this. 51:52 The lying to the Holy Spirit, you know why they died? 51:57 Because they grieved the Spirit 52:00 and the grieving of the Spirit as a matter of fact 52:02 I believe it's us in Matthew to show the difference, 52:04 anything you want to say on that, John? 52:08 No, I just, I'm going to read a statement here 52:09 as we begin to close in regard to the Holy Spirit, 52:14 but I think the point you're making are very good 52:17 because it is a dangerous point to start to, 52:19 position to start to think 52:21 in terms of the Holy Spirit is not being God Himself, 52:26 but the Bible speaks very strongly. 52:27 Jesus speaks very strongly 52:29 against lying to the Holy Spirit, 52:32 obviously played out there in the story 52:34 you just read, 52:35 but also in blaspheming the Holy Spirit. 52:41 In fact blaspheming against Jesus 52:44 is not seen as something worthy of condemnation, 52:48 God can deal with that, 52:50 but the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit, 52:52 I don't know if that's where you were going 52:54 with the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit 52:56 is much more problematic 52:58 because it's the denial 53:00 of the presence of Christ working and living in you. 53:03 That's right. 53:05 And the presence of Christ 53:07 comes to you in the fullness of God Himself and His Spirit. 53:12 And that's why Peter made it even clearer in verse 9, 53:15 he says, and Peter said to her, that is to Sapphira, 53:18 "How is it that you have agreed together 53:21 to test the Spirit of the Lord." 53:25 How you guys, 53:27 you lied to the Spirit which is to God, 53:29 the Spirit of the Lord. 53:31 How did you, why would you do that? 53:32 And to show you that they are not the same, 53:34 to show you that Jesus 53:36 and the Holy Spirit are not the same, 53:38 one is, I have to leave for him to come, 53:40 but to show you how powerful it is, 53:42 and by the way, 53:43 you're going to read that statement, John? 53:45 No, I'm going to do it at the end. 53:46 Okay, here it is, Matthew 12:31, 53:50 speaking about the blasphemy 53:51 you alluded to that showing how dangerous it is. 53:54 Jesus said, 53:55 "Therefore, I say to you 53:57 every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men..." 54:01 Matthew 12:31, 54:03 "But the blasphemy against the Spirit 54:05 will not be forgiven men. 54:07 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, 54:10 it will be forgiven him, 54:12 but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, 54:15 it will not be forgiven him 54:16 either in this age or in the age to come." 54:20 Two different persons... 54:21 Completely. Right. 54:23 Spoken of in that verse. 54:24 So to merge them together and say, 54:26 well, he means the Spirit of Christ. 54:27 No, that's not what he means 54:29 because if He meant the Spirit of Christ, 54:30 then it would be forgiven, 54:33 but He didn't mean the Spirit of Christ. 54:34 He says, "If you blaspheme against Me, 54:37 I'll forgive you, 54:38 but Him it won't be forgiven in this life 54:40 nor in the age to come." 54:42 And the terms the free Spirit of Christ is intended, 54:45 it is intended to take this. 54:46 Spirit of the Lord. 54:48 Spirit of the Lord or the Spirit of Christ 54:49 and you will find that in the writings of Paul, 54:52 but Jesus came to glorify His Father. 54:54 That's right. 54:56 And then the Holy Spirit is sent to glorify Jesus. 54:59 And the three are working together 55:01 to bring glory to God. 55:03 So the Spirit of Christ simply means 55:05 that the Holy Spirit in his activities 55:09 as the agent of salvation and personal transformation, 55:13 recreation in us 55:15 that He is bringing Christ into our life, 55:18 He is then the Spirit of Christ Himself. 55:20 That's right. 55:21 That's all it means, 55:22 it doesn't mean that it is just a Spirit 55:24 and it's not really a person of the Godhead. 55:29 It means far more than that. That's right. 55:32 The same, the same actuating connection 55:34 that Christ has with the Father 55:36 and with the Spirit 55:37 is the same thing that unified together, 55:39 that's why when you see that Jesus said, 55:41 it will not be forgiven 55:42 when you speak against the Holy Spirit, 55:45 it also says in Ephesians 4:30, 55:48 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 55:51 by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." 55:54 And Paul says it so simply in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, 55:59 "Do not quench the spirit." 56:01 Yeah. 56:02 At the turn of the century 56:04 from right around the period of 1900, 56:07 as I mentioned before 1905 was a statement 56:09 I read from before. 56:12 What you have is this, 56:14 this clear conveying of thought 56:17 of the personhood of the Holy Spirit. 56:19 Ellen White gets very specific on this. 56:21 Just a couple of things that she mentions 56:22 just for those who are listening 56:25 from Manuscript 66 in 1899, page nine, 56:29 "We have been brought together as a school 56:32 and we need to realize that the Holy Spirit 56:34 who is as much a person 56:35 as God is a person is walking through these grounds 56:39 and that the Lord God is our keeper and helper." 56:42 So she's very clear in her statement on that. 56:45 Here's another one in 1906, 56:47 "The Holy Spirit has a personality 56:50 else he could not bear witness to our spirits 56:52 and with our spirits 56:54 that we are the children of God, 56:55 he must also be a divine person, 56:57 else he could not search out the secrets 56:59 which lie hidden in the mind of God." 57:01 Wow. 57:03 So very clear, 57:04 I mean what happens is often some will say, 57:05 well, you read those 57:07 but she really didn't write that 57:08 and then you're getting all these conspiracies. 57:10 The only way to establish an anti-Trinitarian stance 57:14 for our church today is to revise history 57:18 and to instill some kind of 57:20 a conspiracy theory 57:24 that happened with regard to what she actually wrote. 57:27 So anyway, sad to say but that is happening. 57:30 But I think we've clearly established 57:32 what the Bible does say on this topic today. 57:35 You know, and that's why what happened 57:37 in the days of the antediluvians, 57:39 when you deny the Spirit, it's dangerous, 57:41 it could happen to you. 57:42 The Lord said, 57:44 "My Spirit will not always strive with men 57:45 when he was Jewish from the antediluvians, 57:48 we saw what happen, 57:49 we must pray the prayer of David, 57:50 Psalms 51:11, 57:52 "Do not cast me away from the presence 57:55 and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. 57:59 May that be your prayer, 58:00 and may God bless you until we see you again. |
Revised 2017-06-21