The Holy Spirit/God's Word

[GWH]

The relationship between Believers/Christians and God may be viewed as having three stages: conversion, spiritual growth or maturation (Eph. 4:13), and glorification (1Pet. 5:10) or immortality (1Cor. 15:53) in heaven. The kerygmatic prayer that is necessary in order for a sinner be saved and walk with God is confession (1John 1:9, Psa. 32:1-5). Because a convert’s commitment to Christ is in accordance with God’s perfect will (1Tim. 2:3-4), the moment of Spirit baptism fulfills the command to be filled with the Spirit (in Eph. 5:18), which means to cooperate fully with the love of God (Eph. 3:16-19).

The moment or stage of conversion may be described grammatically as occurring in the past: we were saved when we repented/received the baptism of the HS. From the moment of repentance onward begins the second stage of growth, discipleship (Acts 14:22) or sanctification (2Thes. 2:13), which is present progressive: it is the process of being saved now.

The sanctification stage has two phases: instability and maturity. A new convert does not achieve immediate perfection by remaining filled with the HS (Phil. 3:12). Instead, the combination of temptations, ignorance of GW and the old selfish nature results in immature saints committing post-conversion sins, at which time the are carnal or acting like unbelievers (1Cor. 3:1).

The phase of instability begins when the newly converted saint commits his/her first post-justification sin. As soon as new Christians realize they sinned, they should confess it (1John 1:9a) rather than compound it by trying to hide it or cover it up like Adam and Eve did (Gen. 3:7-8). Whenever a believer acknowledges to God his/her known sins of immoral attitudes and actions, God forgives all sins (1John 1:9b). This means he/she is pleasing rather than grieving God or once again is Spirit-filled (walking in the Spirit) and has a right relationship with Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:30, 5:10 & 18). This spiritual flip-flopping is bad, but failure to confess promptly is much worse, because it results in chain-sinning or back-sliding, which may be called prodigal if it continues very long (cf. Luke 15:11-32).

Unfortunately, some saints may not appreciate the process of spiritual growth or being transformed by the renewing of their minds (Rom. 12:2), perhaps because it involves admitting sins or having “guilt trips”. Guilt is like a warning light, and until we gain the wisdom to welcome God’s reproof, we will not feel the satisfaction of becoming a new and improved version of ourselves. Woe to the one who become so callous that no guilt is felt when wrong is done!

The unstable phase is followed eventually by a second phase in a believer’s relationship with God’s HS of relative maturity, signified in the Bible (especially the KJV) by the phrase “walking with God” (cf. Enoch in Gen. 5:24) or walking in light (1John 1:7). Paul also described this phase as walking in love (Eph. 5:2), in a new life (Rom. 6:4) according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4) and in good works (Col. 1:10).

Like physical walking, spiritual walking has two steps. The first step is listening to God (LGW), and the second step is responding to or cooperating with God. God’s message for mankind is revealed partially by the world He has created but more fully by the Scriptures He has inspired.

The crux of God’s Word is the Gospel of salvation (kerygma), while the secondary teachings (didache) consist of the manifold applications of the law of love (1John 3:11). The Believer’s main types of responses to God’s Word are prayer to God and good works unto others for God (cf. 1John 4:20, Eph. 2:10).

The moment of being baptized by the HS begins the process of becoming sanctified by the HS. Peter wrote that the sanctification of the Spirit is “unto obedience” (1Pet. 1:2), and Paul also wrote about faithful obedience (in Rom. 1:5). Following the act of faith (1John 3:23), believers will manifest obedience by acts of love (1John 4:19-21, John 13:35). There is no qualitative difference between faith that accepts God’s saving grace at conversion and faith that accepts God’s working grace while walking/obeying (Eph. 2:8-10, 2Cor. 5:7), but only a quantitative difference as each additional moment passes–and of course faith remains non-meritorious during the saint’s entire lifetime.

 

[GWH]

My Apologetics thread contains arguments for the Best Belief (in the NT God) and for the True Gospel (regarding heresy).
My Kerygma thread shares God's requirement for salvation (GRFS/faith in Christ), and the Didache thread discusses secondary doctrines.
This thread discusses the way God fellowships with believers via His Holy Spirit and inspired Revelation/Scripture.

God is the Spirit of Truth and Love who is humanity's Creator and Savior/who created the world via His Will and who saves sinners via His Word. The crux of God’s Word is the Gospel, and the crucial moment is when sinners become saints via cooperating with God and Jesus as Lord--the moment of being baptized by the Holy Spirit into fellowship with Him and other truthseekers--which begins the process of becoming sanctified or morally perfected as we learn to love (Eph. 3:16-19).


As Paul said in Rom. 1:17, “In the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that from faith to faith (KJV) or by faith from first to last (NIV), just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” The phrase “from faith to faith” may mean historically, as from the faith of Abraham to the faith of NT believers, or it could be meant chronologically, from initial saving faith thru persevering/sanctifying faith. The latter is implied in Phil. 2:13, “For it is God [the HS] who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

Paul wrote (in Phil. 1:6) of being confident “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. He cited the work of the HS again in 1Cor. 6:11b, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Note that this verse refers to water baptism and to baptism by the HS (1Cor. 12:13, “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body”). Harmonizing this statement with other relevant statements of Paul leads one to understand that the work/rite of water baptism illustrates or outwardly confesses the inner spiritual reception of God's grace, the gift of the HS, because of saving faith in Jesus as Messiah.

 

[GWH]

Confusion may arise from the fact that Paul says there is only one baptism (Eph. 4:5), but elsewhere the NT seems to refer to two types of baptism: one by water and another by the HS (Matt. 3:11, John 1:26-33, Acts 1:5). Any confusion is resolved by understanding that the two types of baptism are harmonized if baptism with water is viewed as a symbolic way of portraying baptism by the HS. (Most Bibles have a footnote for Mark 16:9-20 saying that the passage is not a reliable or well-attested part of the NT canon, so it is problematic to cite v.16 as requiring water baptism for salvation along with drinking poison or handling asps as signs of being saved.)

Both outward confession and water baptism may be seen as works manifesting love for God that every new Believer will want to (but we cannot say “must”) perform as soon as possible following his/her decision to have saving faith (cf. Matt. 3:13-15, Acts 2:38). Paul referred to the comparable moment for Abraham as spiritual circumcision. Although Paul did not command baptism, he administered it (in Acts 16:33, 18:8, 19:5 & 1Cor. 1:114-16) even though he said Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the gospel (1Cor. 1:17). IOW, Paul’s focus was on preaching (spirit baptism) and he probably left the water baptizing to his assistants.

The outward evidence that someone was baptized by the HS and is Spirit-filled (Eph. 5:18) or walking with God is the manifestation of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 3:19, 4:13) or fruit of the Spirit, which consists of such attributes as those listed in Gal. 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus said “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35, 1John 4:7-21), because “love” sums up the moral character of God (1John 4:7-8). (He did NOT say “…if you are water baptized.”)

 

[GWH]

The relationship between Believers/Christians and God may be viewed as having three stages: conversion, spiritual growth or maturation (Eph. 4:13), and glorification (1Pet. 5:10) or immortality (1Cor. 15:53) in heaven. The kerygmatic prayer that is necessary in order for a sinner be saved and walk with God is confession (1John 1:9, Psa. 32:1-5). Because a convert’s commitment to Christ is in accordance with God’s perfect will (1Tim. 2:3-4), the moment of Spirit baptism fulfills the command to be filled with the Spirit (in Eph. 5:18), which means to cooperate fully with the love of God (Eph. 3:16-19).

The moment or stage of conversion may be described grammatically as occurring in the past: we were saved when we repented/received the baptism of the HS. From the moment of repentance onward begins the second stage of growth, discipleship (Acts 14:22) or sanctification (2Thes. 2:13), which is present progressive: it is the process of being saved now, walking by faith or living the surrendered life.

This stage has two phases: instability and maturity. A new convert does not achieve immediate perfection by remaining filled with the HS (Phil. 3:12). Instead, the combination of temptations, ignorance of God's Word and the old selfish nature results in immature saints committing post-conversion sins, at which time they are carnal or acting like unbelievers (1Cor. 3:1).

As soon as new Christians realize they sinned, they should confess it (1John 1:9a) rather than compound it by trying to hide it or cover it up like Adam and Eve did (Gen. 3:7-8). Whenever a believer acknowledges to God his/her known sins of immoral attitudes and actions, God forgives all sins, both known and unrecognized (1John 1:9b). This means he/she is pleasing rather than grieving God or once again is Spirit-filled (walking in the Spirit) and has a right relationship with Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:30, 5:10&18).

This spiritual flip-flopping is the phase of instability, and although it is bad, failure to confess promptly is much worse, because it results in chain-sinning or back-sliding, which may be called prodigal if it continues very long (cf. Luke 15:11-32).

 

[GWH]

In other threads it is explained why faith in God as revealed in the Bible and especially the NT is the best belief or most credible hope for salvation and what is God’s requirement for salvation per the Gospel or Christian creed. The main purpose of this thread is to explain/discuss how humanity can experience and fellowship with the Holy Spirit (HS) of God/Christ via learning God’s Word (GW) or inspired Scripture, which includes secondary/didachaic doctrines taught by Jesus and Paul that build on the kerygmatic or foundational faith regarding how to be saved. This topic may be called "spiritual dynamics".

Spiritual dynamics refers to how God’s HS interacts and communicates/communes with humans. The relationship begins primitively when selfish but innocent babies attain the stage of moral accountability or conscience as they are able to understand what their parents deem to be right and wrong beliefs and behavior (the Golden Rule, Matt. 7:12), which is normally well-developed by the age of eight or the stage of pre-pubescence, comparable to when Adam and Eve became aware it was wrong to eat from the forbidden tree (Gen. 2:17).

A soul’s fellowship with God begins when the person becomes a truthseeker (cf. Matt. 7:7, Heb. 11:6), because God’s Spirit is Truth (1John 5:6), although the young soul may not realize it (Rom. 1:17). As a truthseeker at any time in history contemplates creation, Paul indicates that they will be able to discern God’s being and loving will in nature (Rom. 1:20, 2:14-15, Gal 5:14) by means of what theologians call general revelation. In this regard it is good to plumb the depths of Gen. 1:1-3 describing the Spirit of God’s presence as God spoke creation into existence and connect it with John 1:1-3 saying the Word was in the beginning and through Him all things were made (cf. Acts 17:27-28). This dispensation occurred from Adam to Moses for the Jews (per Rom. 5:12-14) and exists for Gentiles until they have the opportunity to learn inspired Scripture (thus the need for missionaries).

When truthseekers recognize the reality of God as the Creator of the universe who has a moral requirement, if they decide to become theists and worship Him, they become like Abraham and other OT believers, and their fellowship deepens or becomes personal. Rom. 4:1-25 teaches that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (v.3). This spiritual event was signified outwardly by circumcision (v.11). Similarly, all who believe in God are credited to be righteous and spiritual children of Abraham, although physical circumcision is optional (v.11-18).

 

[frederickdoc]

In other threads it is explained why faith in God as revealed in the Bible and especially the NT is the best belief or most credible hope for salvation and what is God’s requirement for salvation per the Gospel or Christian creed. The main purpose of this thread is to explain/discuss how humanity can experience and fellowship with the Holy Spirit (HS) of God/Christ via learning God’s Word (GW) or inspired Scripture, which includes secondary/didachaic doctrines taught by Jesus and Paul that build on the kerygmatic or foundational faith regarding how to be saved. This topic may be called "spiritual dynamics".

Spiritual dynamics refers to how God’s HS interacts and communicates/communes with humans. The relationship begins primitively when selfish but innocent babies attain the stage of moral accountability or conscience as they are able to understand what their parents deem to be right and wrong beliefs and behavior (the Golden Rule, Matt. 7:12), which is normally well-developed by the age of eight or the stage of pre-pubescence, comparable to when Adam and Eve became aware it was wrong to eat from the forbidden tree (Gen. 2:17).

A soul’s fellowship with God begins when the person becomes a truthseeker (cf. Matt. 7:7, Heb. 11:6), because God’s Spirit is Truth (1John 5:6), although the young soul may not realize it (Rom. 1:17). As a truthseeker at any time in history contemplates creation, Paul indicates that they will be able to discern God’s being and loving will in nature (Rom. 1:20, 2:14-15, Gal 5:14) by means of what theologians call general revelation. In this regard it is good to plumb the depths of Gen. 1:1-3 describing the Spirit of God’s presence as God spoke creation into existence and connect it with John 1:1-3 saying the Word was in the beginning and through Him all things were made (cf. Acts 17:27-28). This dispensation occurred from Adam to Moses for the Jews (per Rom. 5:12-14) and exists for Gentiles until they have the opportunity to learn inspired Scripture (thus the need for missionaries).

When truthseekers recognize the reality of God as the Creator of the universe who has a moral requirement, if they decide to become theists and worship Him, they become like Abraham and other OT believers, and their fellowship deepens or becomes personal. Rom. 4:1-25 teaches that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (v.3). This spiritual event was signified outwardly by circumcision (v.11). Similarly, all who believe in God are credited to be righteous and spiritual children of Abraham, although physical circumcision is optional (v.11-18).

Truth seekers is that some sort of group ?. Long ago i. Remember a news paper passed out had a similar Name to truth seekers im not interested, just like to know only .

 

[GWH]

Truth seekers is that some sort of group ?. Long ago i. Remember a news paper passed out had a similar Name to truth seekers im not interested, just like to know only .

Truthseekers are those God saves (2Thes. 2:10, 1Tim. 2:3-4, Matt. 7:7, John 4:24, 16:13).

 

[frederickdoc]

Truthseekers are those God saves (2Thes. 2:10, 1Tim. 2:3-4, Matt. 7:7, John 4:24, 16:13).

Ok it a saying not a Group thats Kool

 

[GWH]

Ok it a saying not a Group thats Kool

Yes. I am aware atheist groups have called themselves truthseekers, but they are not (2Cor. 11:14, 2Thes. 2:10).

 

[GWH]

In other threads it is explained why faith in God as revealed in the Bible and especially the NT is the best belief or most credible hope for salvation and what is God’s requirement for salvation per the Gospel or Christian creed. The main purpose of this thread is to explain/discuss how humanity can experience and fellowship with the Holy Spirit (HS) of God/Christ via learning God’s Word (GW) or inspired Scripture, which includes secondary/didachaic doctrines taught by Jesus and Paul that build on the kerygmatic or foundational faith regarding how to be saved. This topic may be called "spiritual dynamics".

Spiritual dynamics refers to how God’s HS interacts and communicates/communes with humans. The relationship begins primitively when selfish but innocent babies attain the stage of moral accountability or conscience as they are able to understand what their parents deem to be right and wrong beliefs and behavior (the Golden Rule, Matt. 7:12), which is normally well-developed by the age of eight or the stage of pre-pubescence, comparable to when Adam and Eve became aware it was wrong to eat from the forbidden tree (Gen. 2:17).

A soul’s fellowship with God begins when the person becomes a truthseeker (cf. Matt. 7:7, Heb. 11:6), because God’s Spirit is Truth (1John 5:6), although the young soul may not realize it (Rom. 1:17). As a truthseeker at any time in history contemplates creation, Paul indicates that they will be able to discern God’s being and loving will in nature (Rom. 1:20, 2:14-15, Gal 5:14) by means of what theologians call general revelation. In this regard it is good to plumb the depths of Gen. 1:1-3 describing the Spirit of God’s presence as God spoke creation into existence and connect it with John 1:1-3 saying the Word was in the beginning and through Him all things were made (cf. Acts 17:27-28). This dispensation occurred from Adam to Moses for the Jews (per Rom. 5:12-14) and exists for Gentiles until they have the opportunity to learn inspired Scripture (thus the need for missionaries).

When truthseekers recognize the reality of God as the Creator of the universe who has a moral requirement, if they decide to become theists and worship Him, they become like Abraham and other OT believers, and their fellowship deepens or becomes personal. Rom. 4:1-25 teaches that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (v.3). This spiritual event was signified outwardly by circumcision (v.11). Similarly, all who believe in God are credited to be righteous and spiritual children of Abraham, although physical circumcision is optional (v.11-18).

Rom. 5:6-11 says that while we were powerless (unable to save ourselves via works per 3:9-20), Christ died for the ungodly or sinners or God’s enemies, so that believers (3:22-26) are justified or reconciled and saved from God’s wrath. This includes all of humanity potentially, comparable to how humanity became sinners following the original trespass (Rom. 5:15-21).

Presumably, God provides pre-Christian believers the opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ in a pre-NT and pre-Abrahamic or provisional form (the foreshadowed or proto-gospel, Col. 2:17, Heb. 8:5, 10:1), so they may repent of sin and accept the pre-incarnate
One God/Christ as Lord (John 8:42, 1John 1:3-4). Paul spoke of the Mosaic Law being given for the purpose of convicting souls of sin as preparation for the future coming of Christ and the full Gospel (Rom. 3:19-20, 5:20 & 7:6, Gal. 3:19&24).

The Law or Old Covenant is the second dispensation of revelation. Rom. 5:1-21 clarifies that NT faith in God through which believers are justified or deemed righteous (v.1) is mediated by Jesus Christ (1Tim. 2:3-5), who graces us with hope despite suffering and with love by the inpouring of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:2-5), so that we may reflect God’s love. God initiates; souls may cooperate--or not.

 

[GWH]

The Holy Spirit/God's Word (GW) is also referred to as the "mind of Christ" by Paul (in 1Cor. 2:16) and as God's Logos by John (in John 1:1-14). Understanding GW involves the gift of logic, which includes being able to see what is implied as well as what is specified. For example, in Rom. 1:20 Paul said men are "without excuse", which is pregnant with implied meaning:

1. Having no excuse refers to having no excuse for rejecting God's Messiah and for exchanging the truth of the Gospel for the lie of atheism/I-dolatry.

2.Having the ability to reject/exchange means sinners also have the ability to accept and retain. IOW, they have moral free will (MFW) or the ability to have faith in or love either God or Satan (John 8:42-44).

3. Having this ability means they are responsible/accountable for which way they decide to believe and are therefore justly condemned for choosing to sin/hate rather than to repent and accept God/Christ as Lord.

4. Having this binary moral option is because God's power and loving nature are revealed by creation, which is a fractal foreshadowing or proto-Gospel (cf. Col. 1:23, Rom. 10:13-18, Gal. 3:8).

Praise God for His Logos and gift of logic!

 

[GWH]

At the moment of repentance/acceptance, God’s HS enters believers’ spiritual hearts (Rev. 3:20), uniting them with God as heavenly Father (RM 8:9) and identifying them with Christ’s worldwide/catholic body or church (Col. 1:18). Paul refers to the comparable moment for Abraham as spiritual circumcision. This manifold event is also called spiritual birth or baptism (1Cor. 12:13).

We can infer that this dynamic occurs also for pre-NT believers like Abraham, because there is no salvation outside of Christ’s ekklesia or church (Acts 4:12), and no one without the HS belongs to Christ (Rom. 8:9). Partial knowledge of GW will limit ability to cooperate with Him, so there is a need for evangelism or learning the full Gospel (Matt. 28:18-20, cf. Acts 18:24-26) as well as for lifelong discipleship or spiritual training (2Tim. 3:16-17). From the advent of Christ until the Second Coming is the third or New Covenant dispensation and relationship with God (Rom. 3:21-26, Gal. 3:24-25, Heb. 7:18-10:1).

Confusion may arise from the fact that in Eph. 4:5 Paul says there is only one baptism, but elsewhere the NT seems to refer to two types of baptism: one by water and another by the HS. In His “Great Commission” Jesus tied saving faith closely to the work of water baptism when He said “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them” (Matt. 28:19). Yet, in 1 Cor. 12:13 Paul wrote that “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.” This suggests that spirit baptism occurs at the moment of conversion, when the HS unites the new saint (saved sinner/soul) with Christ. The indwelling of the HS may also be called the initial filling by the HS, because at the point of confession and conversion a person is cooperating fully with God (cf. Rom. 6:3-7, Gal. 2:20). The evidence that a person has been baptized by God’s HS or included in Christ’s spiritual body is love in its myriads of forms (John 13:35, Gal. 5:22-23).

Any confusion is resolved by understanding that the two types of baptism are united if baptism with water is viewed as a symbolic work/way of portraying baptism by the HS. The details for this rite are vague, but the mode of immersion best portrays a believer’s spiritual union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to eternal life (Col. 2:12, Rom. 6:4).

As a practical matter, a new believer normally would be baptized by the local congregation of the catholic/worldwide church in which he/she will want to participate as an acknowledged member. Water baptism symbolizes spiritual baptism and thus, like physical circumcision, is optional regarding salvation, although apt regarding witnessing/confessing saving faith publicly.