The Word That Guides Us- Part Three

To conclude this three part study, consider what Paul states in Philippians 2:5 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” and in Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We are to think like Jesus, because Jesus dwells in us through his word (see previous post). God works in us, by that which we put into ourselves, the Mind of Jesus, by the Holy Word that we study and again, put into ourselves. We learn that as we fill ourselves with the Word, which is how Jesus dwells in us, that we learn to obey God, and do his will on this earth. 1 Thessalonians 2.13 confirms this very point: “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” We see here that when we believe the word, or the Bible, and accept it, it works in us! Again we see how powerful the Bible is. Again we see how important our part is! If we don’t put God’s Spirit in us, then we have none of these blessings.
Also consider 1 Corinthians 13:10 “But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” That which is in part, miraculous abilities given by the Holy Spirit, will be done away for that which is perfect, or complete, the word of God. The Holy Spirit at one time guided, directed, and empowered the Christians of the first century. God now works with us, guiding us, directing us, and empowering us, by the Holy Bible, which is complete and provides for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17).

Now therefore, if the Holy Spirit representatively indwells the Christian through his word, and the word is what “is at work in you believers”, we learn that the Holy Spirit of God is not personally guiding and directing us, but that his Holy Word, the Bible, is what guides and directs us. We can have the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God the Father dwelling in us by filling ourselves up with the words of the Holy Bible. No one can deny the power of the word of God (Romans 1.16). Paul states in Romans 8:14 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Remember the facts established in these papers; The Spirit of God delivered the Breath of God, the Holy Bible, and the Holy Bible leads us to God.

The Hebrew writer claims the following about the Holy Bible in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Bible is living and active in our lives. The Bible can discern the thoughts and intentions of every living soul, whether those thoughts and actions are right and pleasing to God, or wrong and displeasing to God. The Bible, the Holy Message Shining, is so important to the followers of God. It is amazing what God is able to do through his word.

John tells us that hearing the word and believing it is how God and Christ dwell with us on this earth, 1 John 2:24 “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.” We can abide in the “Son and in the Father” IF we let, and continue to let, God’s Holy Word dwell in us, which is “what you heard” (Romans 10:17, Faith, the Bible!). How is this done? Peter answers this question in 1 Peter 1:22-23 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth." Thanks be to God for giving us this unspeakable gift.

The Holy Spirit Gave us the Word- Part Two

From the previous study we learned that the Christian is to fill himself up with the Spirit, or Breath, of God, which is his Holy Word to us, the Bible. We understand that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of God. We understand that we fill ourselves with Him by filling ourselves with the Word of God. This part will look further into what dwells in each Christian.
There are many passages that express what dwells in each Christian. We already considered that the Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian representatively by the word of God. John states in 1 John 1:8 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Again John states in 1 John 1:10 “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” We can trick ourselves and not have the “truth” in us, which is his “word”. Again, remember 1 John 5:6 “And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.” And John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” Therefore we see that the “Spirit” is the “Word” which is the “Truth”. It is this that dwells in each Christian.
This can be expressed in logical form as follows:
A is B.
C is B.
A is C.
When we supply the terms this becomes very clear.
The “Spirit” is “Truth”.
The “Word” is “Truth”.
The “Spirit” is the “Word”.
The Holy Spirit delivered the Word of God, which is truth, and we fill ourselves up with Him by filling ourselves with the Word of God!
Looking further we find what else dwells in the Christian. For example, the Apostle Paul states the following about Christians: Ephesians 3:17 “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love...” The idea expressed here is that Jesus himself dwells in each Christian by the faith we have in him. Interesting to note is what Paul says about faith in Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Faith comes from “hearing” the “word of Christ”. In other words, Christ dwells in each Christian by the words of Faith that he or she has heard, the Bible!
Paul also states in Romans 8:10 “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” If Christ dwells in us by Faith, and Faith comes from hearing God’s word, then “Christ is in you” by our obedience to him because of our faith. Notice the amazing power of God’s word as expressed in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” What is God’s power? What makes Christ dwell in us? What is the “Breath” of God? The Gospel! The Bible is of utmost importance, without it, we are without all these blessings.

John states this amazing fact in 1 John 4:4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” We can overcome the followers of Satan because of Jesus “who is in” us, and he is in us by the Word that he delivered. The Bible overcomes everything! The Bible is truth! Notice the importance Jesus puts on the Words that he spoke: John 12:48 “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” The person that refuses Jesus’ words is in trouble, and therefore he cannot have Jesus dwelling in him, for the Words Jesus spoke, that which causes him to dwell in us, will judge us in the Last Day.

The Breath of God- Part One

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

There are two very exciting points being made by our Lord in this passage found in the Sermon on the Mount. First, Jesus teaches us that those who are bankrupt, or as a beggar, as both Thayer and Strong define this Greek word, for the Spirit of God are the ones who will obtain heaven some day. Second, Jesus tells us exactly what the Spirit is. Thayer and Strong define the word Spirit as “Breath”, or “Air”. Jesus is saying in this passage, “Blessed are those (who are bankrupt) or (begging) for the Spirit of God”. The person who recognizes that all they desperately need in this life is the Spirit of God is a person who is pleasing to God.
What is fascinating about this is further expressed in 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Here we see more fully what the Scriptures are; the breathed “Breath” of God. God’s breath is the Holy Scriptures. We see in this passage that those who are bankrupt in and desperately in need of the Spirit of God will find it in the Holy Scriptures.
In Ephesians 5.18 we find the following words: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Paul is commanding Christians to “be filled”, literally, “Fill yourselves” with the “Breath” of God. The parallel passage to this reads as following: Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Here we see the Apostle Paul stating that the “Word of Christ”, or the “Spirit”, or the “Breath” of God, is to dwell in each Christian.
Both of these passages are middle voice imperative verbs, meaning that it is to be done by each person for himself. In other words, the Apostle Paul commands that each Christian fill himself with the “Word of Christ”, which is the “Spirit” of God, which is the “Breath” of God.
How do we do this? Paul has the answer! 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The “word of truth” is most certainly the Bible, which is the “Breath” of God! We approve ourselves to our God by studying the Holy Bible he gave to us.
Jesus stated the following: John 6:63 “It is the spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” What gives life? The Spirit! What is the Spirit? “The Words that I have spoken to you are spirit”. (Both “Spirit” here are the same as Matt. 5:3). The words of Jesus are the “Breath” of God, the Spirit of God!
This is further illustrated by the words of John in 1 John 5:6 “And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.” Notice that the “Spirit” is truth. John 17:17 says; “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” The “Spirit” is truth, the “Word” is truth, and therefore, the “Spirit”, or “Breath”, is the Word of God! John also says in 2 John 1:2 “because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever.” The “Spirit”, or the “Word”, or the “Truth”, which is the “Breath”, will abide with us forever. We will always have the word of God with us. God will never leave us alone!

From these passages we clearly see that to be a “beggar” for or be “bankrupt” for the Spirit of God we must constantly and continually study the Holy Message that he has delivered to us. The Holy Spirit of God dwells in the Christian representatively through the inspired Word of God! We must fill ourselves Him, and we do so by studying the Holy Bible.