Scripture Passage
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us… (Acts 15:28 NLT)
Observation
Acts 15 invites me to elevate the attention I give to the Holy Spirit. A group of church leaders have met to discuss what to expect of Gentile believers in a predominantly Jewish church. Some were convinced that any believer in Christ should be as committed to observing the Jewish laws as the Jewish believers were. Others were convinced that (while there was nothing wrong with Jews continuing to observe the law), since only Christ could save “by faith through grace,” observing the law could never be required of Gentile believers.
The question was not addressed with finality in the Scriptures as these leaders knew it (our Old Testament). Yet no decision they made would more significantly shape the future of the church. What could they do? How could such a weighty and momentous question be answered? These leaders chose to rely on the leadership of the Holy Spirit! They asked the Holy Spirit reveal truth—and they trusted Him to do so.
I’d argue that we’ve unnecessarily (and to our own detriment) minimized the authority we give the Holy Spirit to provide leadership. I’ve been gripped by words I read months ago, penned by J.W. Jones and quoted by Stephen Land:
The Spirit does not contradict the Scriptures but his job is more than just repeating what we can find by reading there… John indicated that the Lord expected the Spirit to direct the church in those areas not covered by Jesus’ teachings (John 15.7-12)… The first apostolic council went back to the Old Testament covenant with Noah but justified their decision by saying “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15.28; 11.15-17). (J.W. Jones, The Spirit and the World, quoted in Stephen J. Land, Pentecostal Spirituality)
Jones even dares to say that “the Bible has no significance when ripped from the context of the experience of the Spirit.”
Wow! Here's my conclusion (something I wrote):
"The Pentecostal leader understands that influence does not reside in skillful exegesis or articulate homiletics in and of themselves but rather in the power and glory of the God revealed by such tools—the same power and glory evident when the Church welcomes the activity of the Holy Spirit in His rightful place of authority as the Third Person of the Trinity. Though the Holy Spirit will never contradict what is revealed in Scripture, logic itself dictates a priority of submission to God the Holy Spirit over and above even submission to a divine book about the Holy Spirit."
My heart longs for a more complete appreciation for and welcoming of the activity and instruction of the Holy Spirit. In a perplexing age where not every challenge is spoken to directly by Biblical chapter and verse, we need His leadership! “Holy Spirit, you have every right to direct and instruct my life. I welcome your wisdom and give you authority today!”
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3 comments:
Pastor, What about the concept that the Word and Not the spirit Leads and instructs us as New Believers. The bible says, That we,(Gentiles) apon hearing the word treasure it and hold it dear to our hearts. It also says, I (God) have hidden the word deep in your hearts. And, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God." Isn't the Spirit a sign of Growth and Maturity, While the Word is the Base of that New Growth. Martin
PS You may pick me apart at will. LOL
Martin—thanks for the comment and the chance to interact. I’d suggest that any concept that “the Word and not the Spirit leads and instructs us” is a faulty concept. It’s that “not the Spirit” part that gets me. I’d say *both* the Word (speaking here of Scripture) *and* the Spirit lead and instruct us. Which means…
(1) I’d affirm the Scriptural principles you’ve suggested about hiding the Word in our hearts…
(2) I’d argue for a distinction between “the Word” (the pre-incarnate Christ) in John 1:1 and “the Word” (the Holy Scriptures—which are not the pre-incarnate Christ, but only reveal Him…and then only as a result of the Holy Spirit’s work) and mostly…
(3) I’m attempting to speak of the Spirit’s capacity to lead us beyond that which the Word declares and His authority to do so by virtue of His divinity. The fact that I feel so compelled to affirm that He’ll not ever contradict the Scriptures says something about the prominence we give the written Word. I’m arguing not to reduce the prominence we give the Scriptures but to elevate the prominence we give God the Holy Spirit…a prioritization of a living, instructive relationship with God the Holy Spirit. God did not pour out His Holy Spirit to shape a relationship between His people and a book, but rather gave the book to inform and shape an intimate and already existing relationship between Himself and His people.
Or, as Pastor Blaine says to put it, “All I meant was, the Holy Spirit can give us direction in things not spelled out for us in Scripture!”
(I told him he should just respond for me!)
Pastor, I say Amen to your teachings and will continue to grow in my faith. (In Christ)
You always give me pause for thought.(See I'm using big words) And I praise God for that. This Study has blessed and educated me' which was my desire when i started. Thankyou for being the Hub. Your brother in Christ. Martin
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