Five Truths About the Holy Spirit

"Jesus said: 'I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you' (John 16:7). Now, I don’t want to bring cold coals to Newcastle by giving you information with which you are already familiar, so let me just briefly give some background on this verse. You know that the Greek word translated here as “Helper” is parakletos. In its technical form, it has a legal dimension; it refers to one who would be an advocate. In its wider context, it speaks of comfort, of protection, of counsel, and of guidance. Jesus also spoke of the Spirit as the Helper in John 14 and introduced Him as “the Spirit of truth” (14:17; 16:13).

I think it best for me to simply say a number of things concerning the identity of this Helper with little embellishment.

First, we need to notice that the Holy Spirit is a unique person and not simply a power or an influence. He is spoken of as “He,” not as “it.” This is a matter of import because if you listen carefully to people speaking, even within your own congregations you may hear the Holy Spirit referenced in terms of the neuter. You may even catch yourself doing it. If you do, I hope you will bite your tongue immediately. We have to understand that the Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, is personal. As a person, He may be grieved (Eph. 4:30), He may be quenched in terms of the exercise of His will (1 Thess. 5:19), and He may be resisted (Acts 7:51).

Second, the Holy Spirit is one both with the Father and with the Son.In theological terms, we say that He is both co-equal and co-eternal. When we read the whole Upper Room Discourse, we discover that it was both the Father and the Son who would send the Spirit (John 14:16; 16:7), and the Spirit came and acted, as it were, for both of Them. So the activity of the Spirit is never given to us in Scripture in isolation from the person and work of Christ or in isolation from the eternal will of the Father. Any endeavor to think of the Spirit in terms that are entirely mystical and divorced from Scripture will take us down all kinds of side streets and eventually to dead ends.

Third, the Holy Spirit was the agent of creation. In the account of creation at the very beginning of the Bible, we are told: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:1-2). The Hebrew word translated as “Spirit” here is ruach, which also can mean “breath.” The ruach elohim, “the Breath of the Almighty,” is the agent in creation. It is not the immateriality of the Spirit that is in view here, but rather His power and energy; the picture is of God’s energy breathing out creation, as it were, speaking the worlds into existence, putting the stars into space. Thus, when we read Isaiah 40:26 and the question is asked, “Who created these?” we have the answer in Genesis 1:2—the Spirit is the irresistible power by which God accomplishes His purpose.

Disney Promotes Lesbian Parents On Popular Cartoon Show

Photo Credit Screengrab via GLAAD/Facebook

“Disney breaks new ground, introduces interracial lesbian parents” in popular children’s cartoon show ‘Doc McStuffins.’  Just when you think that our morally bankrupt nation could not stoop any lower we find a way to do so.  Romans 1:18-32 is playing out before our watching eyes.  I think every Christian would agree that the Romans 1 "wrath of Divine abandonment" is nothing to yawn about.

In a related article on msn.com the following commentary was given in view of Disney's latest pro-LGBTQ  cartoon.  “Disney has introduced a multiracial two-mom family, voiced by lesbian actors. On a recent episode of the Disney Channel show Doc McStuffins, Wanda Sykes and Portia de Rossi each voice doll-like lesbian mothers helping their children cope after an “earthquake” shakes up their house. The mothers, who are in a relationship, learn from titular character Doc McStuffins how to create an emergency earthquake kit to protect their family in the future.

The episode doesn’t necessarily focus on the lesbian mothers’ sexualities. Instead, their relationship is simply shown as a matter of fact. The scene has been hailed by GLAAD for its thoughtfulness and inclusive nature, paving the way for future representation of queer interracial families on TV.  “Children like mine deserve the chance to see their families reflected on TV, and this episode does just that in a beautiful and positive way,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “Shows like this reflect our real world, and today that includes the many children being raised by gay and lesbian parents who are all going to celebrate this story.

This isn’t Disney’s first step into LGBTQ representation. Earlier, the animated series Star vs. the Forces of Evil featured Disney’s first gay kiss. Disney also showcased their first lesbian couple on Good Luck Charlie, making their relationship central to an episode within the series.”

If the Old Testament prophets or John the Baptist were alive today what heavenly message do you suppose they would deliver to the ‘divided’ States of America?   I can guarantee you that the tone and content would be much different than what is heard on a typical Sunday morning in most churches.