Of the Persons that are the triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), none perhaps, has been more widely misconstrued and corruptly misused by sinful mortal flesh since the first century A.D. than the Holy Spirit. His promised arrival for His special mission among believers in Jesus Christ came exactly fifty days after the Lord’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension on the Jewish “Day of Pentecost” in 33 A.D. (Luke 24:46-49; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-11, 2:1-4, NKJV). In spite of ample biblical instruction about who He is and what He does, many professed Christians down through the centuries have created countless made to order falsehoods about the Holy Spirit’s Person and work.1
One of the major falsehoods is the erroneous teaching that the Holy Spirit is only a New Testament phenomenon; on earth since the first century exclusively for the indwelling and benefit of Christians. This falsehood has led directly to another which asserts that the Holy Spirit removed from the earth, also necessitates the removal of Christians He indwells. Others well intended and correctly over the centuries have written in detail on the Person and work of the Holy Spirit drawing as we all should, straight from the Scriptures. I write the following brief introduction of the Holy Spirit who like the Father and Son cannot be made to order, to expose the falsehoods I address in this post.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the three Persons that are the “one,” “true God,” (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 17:3, NKJV)! He is first identified in the Bible as “the Spirit of God” at work in the creation of the physical universe, the earth and all its creatures as well as the plurality of “Us” at the creation of man (Genesis 1:1-26, NKJV). As marvelously seen first at creation, the Spirit of God waited on the Word of God to speak what were their purposed unified plans with the Father to bring it into existence through the exertion of divine power! He is therefore, the actualizing Agent of the will of the triune God who always moves in harmony. He is holy because God in nature is (Daniel 4:1-9)!2
For this reason He is identified as the “Holy” Spirit to also distinguish His divine, eternal Person from the spirits of men and angels He has created (Genesis 2:7; Numbers 16:20-22; Psalm 104:4). Beyond creation, the Holy Spirit is the source of every mighty miracle not performed by angels at His direction including for example, the judgment of the flood, confusion of human languages, plagues on Egypt and Red Sea parting in the Old Testament (Genesis 7:11-24, 11:1-9; Exodus 8:16-19, 14:10-31). He was also the source of wisdom and abilities among those used in and inspiration of the men who wrote it (Genesis 41:1-16, 37-40; Exodus 31:1-11, 35:30-35; Daniel 2:1-23; 2 Peter 1:16-21).
The same Holy Spirit was in the earth overseeing God’s activity leading up to and enabling the foretold miraculous incarnation of the eternal “Son” and “Word” of God in the womb of a Jewish virgin (Isaiah 7:10-14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-5, 14-18, NKJV); initiating the New Testament of the Bible again, written by men carried along by Him (Luke 1:1-4; 2 Peter 1:12-15, 3:1-2, 14-16; 1 John 1:1-4)! He came from Heaven on Pentecost not as if for the first time, but in a special, dramatic way to fulfill the words of the prophets and Christ who taught new birth by the Holy Spirit was required to “see” and “enter the Kingdom of God,” (Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 3; John 3:1-8; Acts 2:5-39, NKJV).3
While the eternal life of believers and His manifold ministry in and through us hangs on Him, the Holy Spirit is also busy in the world with other divine assignments (John 7:37-39, 14:15-26, 15:26-16:15; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 12:1-13; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22). His work includes restraining lawlessness until God’s perfect time to allow the rise of the Antichrist, greater evil and deception before the return of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).4 He does not leave the planet. He simply steps out of the way of restraining.5 This work of the Spirit is independent of Christians though, He certainly uses us in the war with Satan to be salt and light as well as preach the Gospel, make, baptize and teach disciples in all the earth as Christ has commanded (Matthew 5:13-16, 28:19-20; Jude 20-23).
Given the level of sophistication attending to much of the false teaching going on within professing Christianity in these latter days coming from what are supposed to be trusted “Christian” sources in the media and many church pulpits, it is imperative that you and I know God’s Word for ourselves. This is accomplished through purposely studying the Bible which every Christian ought to be doing as a matter of daily spiritual discipline. The Lord by the Holy Spirit leads me to challenge men that would be strong men of God in Christ’s image to do this very thing in my book, The Strong Man Of God Back To Basics.6 I now, challenge all Christians to adopt this discipline and teach how to make Bible study more profitable in our new Strong Man Virtual Institute video course.7
1 The greatest of all falsehoods (and insult) is to describe the Holy Spirit as an “it” which this first paragraph plainly counters by speaking properly from the Bible of His “Person and work.”
2 Hence, it is also accurate to say “Holy Son” and ‘“Holy Father’” to the glory of God (Luke 1:35; John 17:11, NKJV)! Too, in eternal nature and character as God the Holy Spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, righteousness, and truth” among other divine attributes (Gala- tians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9, NKJV).
3 That the Holy Spirit had filled and come upon mortal flesh among those used in the Old Testament for God’s causes has already been established in this post (see also Numbers 24:2 and 1 Samuel 10:9-13). A few men were even indwelt by Him lifelong (Numbers 27:15-18; Deuteronomy 34:5-12; Joshua 1:5, 24:14-31; 1 Samuel 16: 11-13; Psalm 51:11). However, the new birth the Lord Jesus speaks of and requires is for all the redeemed beginning among the Jews as took place in the first century with a still later fulfillment to come and is what the prophet Ezekiel also spoke of as “a new heart” in connection with God’s New Covenant; the indwelling presence and working of the Holy Spirit intended to be with His beneficiaries forever (Jeremiah 31:31-34, 32:36-41; Ezekiel 11:16-21, 36:24-28; John 14:16, NKJV)!
4 While some would like to believe the mortal Church on earth is powerful enough to restrain lawlessness in the world originating from Satan (1 John 2:18), the lawless- ness that has been displayed among our guilty, unrepentant members and local assemblies throughout history to this very hour fully discloses this haughty belief as false (1 John 3:4-24). As such, we just like ancient Israel have brought grief to the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:7-10; Acts 7:51-53; Ephesians 4:25-32; 2 Timothy 3:1-9). No, only the Holy Spirit eternally greater and mightier than Satan can and has restrained his lawless plans and works until now!
5 The mistaken teaching the Holy Spirit leaves the earth moving out of the way of lawlessness arises from among those who also teach His departure is tied to the rap- ture of Christians before any have to suffer tribulation resulting from the increase in evil. This being so, how does anybody get saved (which those who teach this doc- trine assert people will while previously unprepared, backslidden Christians also return to Christ) since the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and brings to new birth or after, get the help Jesus promises from Him if He is gone from the world with the Church? As I write this, lawlessness continues its uptick as the Holy Spirit gradually relaxes His restraint and we are still here on earth with Him. How glad I am about that since without His companionship, comforting, helping and strengthening presence in me, I would not be faring very well as I am sure our persecuted brethren suffering all over the world concur (Romans 8:26-28)!
6 The book is available with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
7 View the first session of the Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course to get an overview on the Virtual Institute’s YouTube Channel. The video course replaces and expands on the one sheet free download, Seven Principles Of Bible Interpretation, the Ministry previously offered. An optional Study Guide for the video course is now, available for free download in the Strong Man Store.
It is impossible to study the whole Bible and come away with only one aspect of the nature, character and demeanor of God or His Anointed and Son, Jesus of Nazareth! Yet, this is exactly what many guilty professed Christian media personalities, pastors and teachers who know better have purposely done in falsehood as the Lord led me to write in a recent post footnote.1 Indeed, as with much of the false teaching arising from within professing Christianity in these latter days, not only the false teachers, but those that are guilty from among the people taught seize upon some passage from the Bible in isolation to construct their own one sided depictions of the Lord Jesus.
The most popular made to order Jesus is the portrait of Him as “only lowly, meek and mild” who is not a Judge I wrote about in another post.2 Purposely misrepresenting the Lord Jesus for whatever motive even if well intended is sin (2 Peter 2:1-19; Jude 3-19)! Consequently, from the Lord I warn all another time that any standard raised up for behavior which may be creatively suggested is or contemporarily desired of Him that is less than or strays from how He is portrayed in the Bible is sinfully misrepresenting Him and a misleading of those being taught (John 13:12-17; 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, 11:1; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4; Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 Peter 2:18-25).3
Not as a contrast to the God of the Old Testament Law supposedly stern and testy, but as the fullest possible revelation of God’s nature in Human form as His “only begotten” did “grace and truth” come “through Jesus Christ,” (John 1:1-5, 14-18, NKJV)! When you encounter the God of the Old Testament Law, you are encountering Jesus Christ, the eternal Son as well since as He taught, He and the Father are One in nature, character and demeanor (John 10:30-39, 14:7-11).4 Or who do you think was with Israel in the Exodus (Exodus 24:9-18; 1 Corinthians 10:1-11)? In Christ we see the perfect fulfillment of the old adage, “like Father, like Son,” (John 5:16-23, 8:48-59, 17:1-5)!
The Lord presented Himself to Israel and the world as that approachable gentle and lowly Lamb of God in the first century A.D. displaying His eternally humble nature, character and demeanor in complete submission to His Father’s will and purposes (John 1:29-51). However, flashes of His nature, character and demeanor as the strong and commanding “Lion of the tribe of Judah” were also displayed as He stood against the desecration of God’s “house,” the powers of darkness and corrupt religious authorities (Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 1:21-28, 2:23-28; Revelation 5:5, NKJV)! These two portraits of Christ are not contradictory, but in Him perfectly balanced and blended!5
Thus, as the Lamb, Christ humbled Himself before God to serve our need for an Intercessor and eternal “Advocate” to deliver us from sin and its consequences reaching into eternity (Isaiah 59:1-16; John 3:13-18; Romans 8:31-34; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Hebrews 7:20-28; 1 John 1:5-2:2, NKJV). It is He who comes to the humble, broken in their sins and desperate for connection to God in His love, humility, gentleness and mercy to present Himself as “the way” to, “the truth” about and “the life” of God that fully meets their need for salvation (Matthew 5:1-6; John 14:6, NKJV)! Even so, it is Christ too, that is “the keeper” of God’s vineyard in His parable who intercedes for an extension of time and labor to a spiritually fruitless soul before certain death if no fruit is forthcoming (Luke 13:1-9, NKJV).
From this last statement, we see that Christ is not sappy as the Lamb our Advocate. While by His Father’s appointment in grace He advocates for forbearance, He only goes so long until, in total agreement with His Father sin must be judged! This is the Lion in Him through which raised from the dead that successful Intercessor, He now, also reigns as King, Lord and Judge in Heaven and earth (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:9-11; 2 Timothy 4:1). Those with the Holy Spirit see Him judging now, in our lives and churches out of His blended Lion and Lamb Persona as it is written (Revelation 1:9-3:22)! Soon, He will be seen by the entire world when He comes to judge in His and His Father’s wrath and deliver Israel (Psalm 98; Isaiah 59:17-21; Revelation 6:12-17, 19:11-16).
Study of the whole Bible plainly exposes the falsehood in portraying the Lord Jesus solely out of His nature, character and demeanor as the Lamb or possessing these opposite His Father! He cannot be made to order. His Person is anchored in the Bible--take or leave Him as He is! In our first short-term self-paced video course, Fruitful Bible Study from the Strong Man Virtual Institute, I appeal above all to aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ to engage daily in the spiritual discipline of Bible study for its many benefits.6 Not the least of these benefits is becoming so familiar with the truth one cannot easily be deceived by the many falsehoods and doctrines of demons that proliferate within professing Christianity during these latter days of foretold deception.
1 See footnote five in the May 1, 2022 post, Made To Order Salvation?, under the category, The Faith.
2 Read the August 1, 2021 post, Jesus Christ King And Judge!, under the category, Instruction.
3 I pray my brothers in the Christian men’s movement especially will receive the warning. Our Lord Jesus is God’s perfect standard of what Man is He conforms us to (Romans 8:29)! This is a staggering truth and one that should cause fear in the hearts of any pastor or other teacher of men who supposes he is helping them by teaching (or purposely modeling for that matter) a lower standard than the Christ of Scripture! You may get thousands of men following you, but is that the biblical goal of our Kingdom labor (Matthew 16:13-18, 28:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12)? See the June 29, 2014 post, Fully Restoring Men and Christ: The Perfect Model Of Manhood!, posted on July 6, 2014 both under the category, Instruction.
4 Thus, the display of grace and truth through the Lord Jesus is not about Him and the Father playing the game of “bad cop, good cop” as some seem to teach. The Father is also full of grace and truth (Hebrews 1:1-4)! However, John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes to inform us that in contradistinction to the Law which condemns sinful men who cannot keep it, the grace and truth of the triune God who loves and seeks to save mankind shone forth brilliantly in Christ the Word become flesh (John 1:14)!
5 I am awed and remain grateful to the Lord for allowing me to write about Him the perfectly blended Lion and Lamb as the Strong Man of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
6 Learn more about the course in its first session on our Strong Man Virtual Institute YouTube Channel. A Study Guide is available as a free download in the Strong Man Store to help you follow along during the six short sessions of the course.
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