Lesson 17: Direct Holy Spirit Communication

Direct Holy Spirit

Communication

Some people will look at the religious confusion of the world and claim that one must have the direct action of the Holy Spirit to give them understanding of God’s word. They believe that either through feeling or some special thought the Holy Spirit communicates the Father’s will to them. Although this idea has its appeal, it is fraught with many difficulties. There are many who claim that the Hol y Spi rit m o ve s the m in interpretation yet they teach and practice different things. The Mormon Church cites the feeling of intense goodness—as the Holy Spirit’s verification of the Book of Mormon. Charismatic believers seek worship that arouses their emotions as a sign of the Holy Spirit’s approval. These two groups would oppose the claims of the other yet both offer the feeling of the Holy Spirit as validation for their beliefs. By what standard or

Spirit

John 3:5, 6, 8 Born

Begotten

John 6:63 Makes Alive

(quickens)

Titus 3:5 Saved James 1:21

Romans 15:13 Power of Romans 1:16 1 Corinthians 6:11 Sanctified by John 17:17 1 Corinthians 6:11 Washed by Ephesians 5:26 reason could one person who claims the testimony of the Holy Spirit oppose another religious person who also claims the Holy Spirit’s approval? God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, 1 Corinthians 14:33. The word ins pire d by the Spirit emphasize d the one mind (1 Cori nthia ns 1:10), one bo dy (Ephesians 1:4), one faith (Ephesians 1:5), and one hope (Ephesians 1:4). The unity of the church results from unity in the Spirit of God. The Father revealed His message to us through the Holy Spirit. An often used chart (reproduced below), developed by James W. Adams, shows that many actions in the conviction and conversion of the sinner attributed to the Holy Spirit, are also attributed to the Spirit inspired Bible (Ferrell Jenkins. The Finger of God

Terrace, Florida: Florida College

Bookstore, 1984. 16.). 1 Peter 1:23-25; 1 Corinthians 4:15;

James 1:18

Psalm 119:50, 93

Emotions and the Spirit When we consider the claims of those who rely on the Holy Spirit testimony, their appeal is often made to emotions. However, nothing in the New Testament tells us this. Some say that good feelings show God’s approval, yet self-satisfaction and self-justification will produce the same emotional feedback. Where did New Testament writers ever tell believers to it was true? In the book of Acts, none of the believers were asked how they felt but were told to listen to words of truth and reason (Acts 17:2, 17; 19:8; 26:25; 1 Peter 3:15). Some seek feelings as a cheap substitute for faith based on God’s word; a shortcut to diligent study. Others are bored and consider the emotional frenzy excitement for an otherwise dull spiritual life. Before one relies too heavily on the emotional appeal, he should remember that even (and especially) non-Christian religions often rely heavily on emotional excitement and frenzy as a sign of their god’s presence. Could a seducing spirit (1 Timothy 4:1-2) lead someone who claims to follow the Holy Spirit? By what standard would they know if it was a seducing spirit or not? We must appeal to something outside of ourselves; an objective standard. Consider also the claims of the television evangelists who claim to have great power and gifts of prophecy and knowledge by the Holy Spirit. Again, they contradict in their teaching so someone must be wrong. Many of these

“inspired” men have been guilty of fraud and deceit yet they and their believers claimed that the Holy Spirit was at work in them. Even the Corinthian church was rich in spiritual gifts but Paul condemned them for being carnally minded and divisive. Their feelings—if there were any, the Bible does not say—of Holy Spirit influence were no indication that they pleased God, in fact, they were disobedient. Origin of Direct Holy Spirit Influence The concept of Holy Spirit guidance is rooted in the Calvinistic doctrine of depravity. Calvin supposed that men were born completely in sin and unable to seek God unless God individually acted upon the man’s heart—God had to give man faith directly. Ferrell Jenkins quotes J. Oliver Buswell from A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion know that they do not know the Lord until God Himself operates on their hearts by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit (p. 139)” (Jenkins 15). However, the Bible teaches that we are not born in sin (Matthew 19:14; Ezekiel 18), that we sin when we depart from God’s will (Romans 3:12, 23), and that we must obey the gospel in order to be saved (Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:14-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). The duty to accept or reject the gospel is in our hands, not God’s hands. I wonder why some who believe that the Holy Spirit must act in a direct way on an individual will evangelize others. In the Calvinistic doctrine, the right approach would be to sit back and let the Spirit convert them and lead them to the right religious group. Consider the words of H. Leo Boles:

“If the Holy Spirit operates in a direct way, independent of truth, why does he not operate on all God wants all to be saved? Why does he not send the Holy Spirit and convert all? What will such a claim be made by a poor, ignorant, superstitious person and not be made by a more intelligent person? The theory of the direct operation of the Holy Spirit has the Spirit operating quicker on a superstitious person than a more thoughtful and intelligent person. Why do we not find conversion where the truth is not known? Among heathen where Christ is not known, where the gospel is not preached, we never hear of a conversion. Some missionaries must carry the truth of the gospel before heathens are converted. Neither do we find the Holy Spirit leading anyone where the truth of the gospel is not known.” (H. Leo Boles. The Holy Spirit: His

Personality, Nature, Works

1942. 239.). However, Jesus told His apostles to go out and teach the world obey what they learned from Him, Matthew 28:19-20. The foundation of the believer’s faith is God’s word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:13; Romans 10:17. Boles later wrote,

“To be guided by the New Testament is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads all the same way; he does not lead one man into one church and another into another church; he leads all into the church of our Lord. The Holy Spirit does not lead one Christian one way and lead another still another way. What the New Testament says to one it says to everyone” (Boles 241). Paul shows us how this works in Ephesians 3:1-18: The Spirit inspired him, he wrote the message, and when they read the message, they would have a full understanding of what the Holy Spirit revealed to him. In all of scripture, we have God’s will for us revealed plainly.

Questions for Discussion & Study

1. By what standard or reason could one person who claims the testimony of the Holy Spirit oppose another religious person who also claims the Holy Spirit’s approval?

2. Where did New Testament writers ever tell believers to feel something to know if it was true?

3. Could a seducing spirit (1 Timothy 4:1-

   • 2) lead someone who claims to follow the Holy Spirit? By what standard would one know if it were a seducing spirit or not?

4. Do Christians believe the Holy Spirit is

5. List some sins that the Spirit-filled Corinthian Christians were committing.

6. Why do you think some link emotions to the Holy Spirit?