Imagine our world, if Jesus had not left after His resurrection. How would our surroundings be different?
Imagine our triumphant Savior - His body physically tangible, visibly marred with scars, and perfectly renewed all at once - marching into the Jerusalem Temple with eleven elated disciples following His heels. The dumbfounded religious leaders depart in shame, as the Gospel of the One who holds true authority is proclaimed. Would “Christianity” still exist as a common label, or would the movement simply be known as Judaism in its fulfillment?
Imagine our modern landscape, in this scenario where the immortal King faithfully guards Israel over two millennia and teaches other nations the way of His peace (the United States, of course, would be His favorite student…). Skeptical atheists, commanding no more attention than proponents of a flat earth, expose their blindness as they deny the Son of God broadcasted from television. Could a “relationship with Christ” be reduced to spiritualized jargon, if one has personally visited the risen Lord during a Christmas vacation, or had their online posts retweeted by their Redeemer?
Such an alternate history would be awesome, in the truest sense of the word, and it’s this sort of earthly kingdom (minus my modern flavor) that Jesus’ disciples once envisioned. Along with so many other Israelites, the twelve desired a warrior king to drive out foreign oppressors and return the nation to its golden years. However, Jesus shared to his followers an even greater plan-- for them and for us today.
“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.”
The Advocate mentioned is none other than the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person of the Godhead as the Father and the Son. I must confess that I’m still learning to refer to Him as a “Him” and not “it”. Despite the Spirit’s obscurity, He is vitally important to our purpose as Christians, and truly is “best” for us in the present, even if Jesus must be physically absent.
As remarkable as it would be to see Jesus in the flesh, how could He possibly spend quality time with every Christian in our world? Moreover, would our Savior’s presence cause any genuine transformation of our character… or simply babysit us into holiness? Lastly, wouldn’t Jesus’ earthly throne also mean death for any nation (or individual) that opposes Him? I thank God that He planned something far better, or else I might have become one of those stubborn skeptics obliterated for shameless blasphemy.
Instead of a celebrity Jesus crunching his schedule to meet with every human on earth, we have the Holy Spirit, existing within and among all believers simultaneously.
Rather than mere peer pressure toward goodness, we receive God’s very own righteousness, living in us to transform our hearts from the inside out.
Substituting an instant ultimatum to submit to the Kingdom or else perish, we witness God mercifully granting time to rebels of every generation, so that they may rally to His side when the Christ returns in a full invasion. I believe my favorite writer had this last point in mind when he wrote:
“Enemy-occupied territory---that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.”
-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
I wish to write more about the Holy Spirit, and what we need to know about Him. Many Christians are divided on what His presence in our lives should look like; it is quite tempting for me to silently dismiss this as a “secondary matter” which does not concern salvation, and thus does not warrant argument. Surely though, the heart of Christianity is not simply being assured of our personal salvation, but living like Jesus in a compelling way that organically leads to the conversion of others. Could we, feeble and vulnerable humans, ever accomplish this momentous task without the Holy Spirit empowering us within and unifying us without?
Secondly, I have a request for you, reader. Do you recall that surge of imagination summoned in your mind as I mentioned an earthly King Jesus? Though it’s tempting to discard these thoughts as childish, I suggest we allow God’s plan for us revealed in Scripture to mold and refine your sense of hope and wonder. Let’s take the Christ at His word when He says that the Spirit is not just better, but “best.”
...who says we can’t use the creative side of our brains while reading a theological teaching post?
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The Giver is Not the Gifts
When did the Holy Spirit first come to dwell among the disciples?
While preparing for this post, I have asked this very question with friends who know their Bible. Their answer: the day of Pentecost, found in Acts 2, with wind, fire, and a multitude speaking in tongues. Only a month ago, my answer was the same; now I reconsider that in light of Jesus’ first words to His disciples following the resurrection.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
John 20:21-23 (ESV)
Admittedly, I have no way of verifying that this was not a symbolic gesture pointing to the near future, and certainly the “sending” officially started with the Church at Pentecost. Still, this passage reminds me that the Spirit’s work is more than outward signs. My first quote of 16:7 mentioned conviction, 20:21 immediately above regards forgiveness, and in 14:26 Jesus promises “he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Although there are several supernatural abilities given by the Spirit (which I will explain shortly), I consider it critical we first recognize the mightiest miracle and greatest gift in the life of a believer-- the transformation of our hearts.
Christianity carries a wealth of names for this inward change-- regeneration, conversion, sanctification, being born again… even the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”, words used by Jesus to anticipate Pentecost, may have had the enduring boldness and unity of the Acts church in mind more than any outward phenomenon (Acts 1:5 and 4:31-35). When we surrender our lives to Christ, we are not only saved for the next life by a right standing with God, but empowered to live differently in the present through an intimacy in God’s Spirit.
If we must consider the sincerity of another believer’s faith - though I would warn against doing so with haste or overconfidence - our criteria for judgment should by the product of the Holy Spirit in their character. These “fruits” are listed in Galatians 5:22-23 as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” It saddens me that some Christians question the presence of the Spirit in a brother or sister, solely because that person lacks a certain spiritual gift. While the external examples of God’s work call for praise, they should never be confused with the Spirit’s personal indwelling… which quite logically begins with internal holiness.
Gifts are Given in Grace
I know the title is redundant, but I really want to stress this point-- even if it’s challenging for conservative and liberal churches alike.
First, however, let’s define the spiritual gifts. These are supernatural empowerments beyond innate talent, which enable Christians - despite their broken state - to represent Christ on earth. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul clarifies that these diverse charisma (literally in Greek: something given by grace) find their source in the same Spirit and serve the common good of the church community, before highlighting nine of them:
Utterance of Wisdom - refers to a word or message of practical insight, based on God’s authority. “Utterance” is the emphasized word: until a person receives divine aid for communicating advice to others, it fails to edify other Christians. Jesus demonstrates this ability while interacting with temple teachers at the age of twelve (Luke 2:46-47), and with his parable illustrations.
Utterance of Knowledge - addresses an understanding and remembrance of the Scriptures. Again, the way this knowledge is applied and shared to others is key. Peter and John, despite lacking a formal education, display this gift in their eloquent, Biblical rebuttal against Israel’s intimidating ruling council (Acts 4:5-13).
Faith - is an extraordinary confidence (not merely by emotion, but trusting actions) that God will provide in the midst of adversity. This gift should not be confused with saving faith, although believing the Gospel is also made possible through the Spirit. From Noah to Rahab, Hebrews 11 commends an abounding amount of Biblical figures for their testimonies of faith, which carry power to inspire us in our own circumstances.
Gifts of Healing - concern both physical and spiritual restoration, as the Greek term for healing, iama, may refer to either. Although this fallen world will not experience perfect and permanent renewal until Christ returns, God proves that the kingdom is invading the present, selectively (and mercifully) choosing to heal as we pray and reach out to others. While I do not wish to overshadow the sensitivity this gift might entail for counseling and comforting, an excellent example of iama in the dramatic physical sense occurs between Peter and a lame beggar in Acts 3:1-10.
Workings of Miracles - encompass various supernatural activities beyond healing, such as exorcising demons, raising the dead, and avoiding injury through invulnerability. Similar to miraculous healing, these works are for displaying the power of the present kingdom, but not necessarily banishing death and demons forever; a believer should never assume this category of gift as their personal superpower. Paul performs exorcisms, resurrection, and invulnerability in Acts (19:11-12; 9:36; and 28:3-6).
Prophecy - is often associated with predictions of the future, yet in the Old Testament it equally involves calling out corruption in society, urging people to repent, and proclaiming the future-eternity of God’s judgment and salvation. The Bible is God’s full revelation to us, and thus we first test if a prophecy is true by the way it harmonizes with His Word. A believer named Agabus deserves note for predicting a famine in Acts 11:28, although Paul measures the merits of prophecy in how it offers encouragement (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Distinguishing Between Spirits - is in the context of discerning whether a prophecy comes from God or demons, which might prove tricky if the message seems Biblical or avoids direct contradiction to Scripture. Due the spiritual war we engage in (Ephesians 6:12), this gift could very well provide perception for supernatural activities outside of prophecy. However, I do not know of a Biblical example for these exceptions explicitly stated (demons had a tendency for announcing their presence), and 1 John 4:1 draws a clear connection between the need for testing spirits and the problem of false prophets.
Various Kinds of Tongues - metaphorically describe speaking in languages that the speaker did not learn. Through Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46, and 19:1-6... believers speak in human languages foreign to their own tongue, as part of God’s plan to embrace ethnic and cultural outsiders of Israel. Paul later alludes to a second manifestation of the gift, where a mysterious spiritual tongue is given for speaking to God (1 Corinthians 14:2).
Interpretation of Tongues - allows a person to translate the message shared through the gift of tongues. Paul thoroughly reminds his readers in Corinth that tongues apart from an understood message fail to benefit the church body (1 Corinthians 14:4-12), and that without an interpreter the gifted speakers should remain silent (verse 28).
That said, this passage is only meant to represent the major categories, rather than exhaustively list every existing gift; Ephesians 4:7-13 mentions apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers… while Romans 12:6-8 adds serving, encouraging, giving, leading, and acting mercifully.
Although the language of 1 Corinthians 12 seems to suggest that each Christian is given a single gift, the emphasis is not on individuals but the Spirit’s work spread among the community. Paul recommends in 14:13 that tongue-speakers pray for the additional ability to interpret, dismantling the “one gift” interpretation in favor of combinations of giftings. I find this comforting; where would our prophetic preachers be without knowledge of the written Word, or our miracle workers if lacking faith to believe God will really intervene?
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Some Christians assert that the miraculous gifts - mainly tongues, prophecy, miracles, and healing - are unnecessary today, because our completed Bible makes any supernatural signs excessive. To this, I admit that I agree… that the Bible is sufficient for knowing God, yet Yahweh’s nature is not merely a satisfactory benevolence, but overwhelming generosity!
God was never obligated to speak through prophets when His attributes are seen through creation (Romans 1:20), let alone join us in our painful humanity so that His Spirit would be ours. The very language describing the gifts circle back to God as gracious Giver: it is not a stingy god who reluctantly distributes the Spirit one measuring spoon at a time, but the scandalously kind Almighty who passionately “pours” the third person of the Trinity to “fill” His people.
These same Christians often cite a second proof, that a nuance in the original Greek of 1 Corinthians 13:8, combined with the apparent silence of later church letters on most miracles, shows us that the extraordinary gifts are temporary. While I always encourage people to read the Bible in context, I have a concern for what happens when we take this to an extreme-- we forget that God inspired every detail of the Scriptures (Matthew 5:17-18 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
I’m not saying that we should apply every Old Testament law to our society, or forbid women from speaking in services… but I am suggesting we trust how God put His Word together (to a reasonable extent), and critically think before accepting a scholar’s obscure speculation as divine revelation. 1 Corinthians 13:8 is clearly referring to the way eternity will render certain gifts obsolete. A chronological correlation of the epistles is not clear teaching that the wonders throughout Acts ended then, as if Jesus neglected to mention a period between “the last days” and eternity (Acts 2:17-21).
Unfortunately, there remain Christians on the opposite spectrum who welcome spiritual gifts, but misunderstand the significance of grace in a different direction. I am referring both to the churches which explicitly state certain gifts as “for everyone”, and the gatherings which subtly imply one ability as the mark of a ‘truly spiritual Christian’. I speak out against these errors last, because it’s the conservative Christians who have acted as aggressors in the media spotlight most recently. While I reject their aggressive doctrine that miracles ceased and every modern example is staged or demonic, I also question the notion we are entitled to God’s supernatural intervention.
Gifts are given in their diverse and uniquely helpful forms, so that the body depends upon each part; grace is bestowed not because we deserve it, but because God loves us infinitely beyond what we deserve. To dishonor our brothers and sisters who lack a certain gift is not only denying the Holy Spirit’s wisdom, but tragically misunderstanding how God introduces the gifts in Acts. Tongues were given not for lesser converts to be excluded, but as a gracious assurance from above that Gentiles are adopted in the same faith family as Jews. Desire whatever gift the Spirit trusts with you, keep in mind that each gift has a function, and above all remember that...
Gifts are Subject to Love
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
Love is the summary of Biblical law (Matthew 22:36-40). Love is how the world will know we follow Christ (John 13:35). Love is the essential component making an occultic babbler the instrument of God’s mercy, a doomsaying know-it-all the visionary of otherworldly encouragement, and a lofty martyr the humble hero who sacrifices, even a joyous life, for the well being of another.
Spiritual gifts rank above one another only in this respect-- how its use in a particular situation seeks the goal of love. Knowledge itself is useless outside of lecturing, if you can’t apply it in a way to serve and console others. Tongues is an awesome reversal of the divisions which started at the Tower of Babel, yet in the context of a Christian gathering, the considerate content of your words matter far more than language mode.
We cannot afford to neglect love. Perhaps we can continue debating vague doctrines and praying for spiritual gifts not yet received, but we must never compromise loving God and others as our highest priority, or secondary efforts will lead us nowhere. I count it better for you to doubt every word I write, reject my teaching on the gifts, and believe your faction of Christianity to be wholly in the right… on the condition you extend unconditional love to fellow children of the King, despite and through our differences and misgivings.
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“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
-Jesus’ Prayer in John 17:20-23
Well said. Great conclusion.
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