Does the Holy Spirit work through the word only?
To answer this interesting question requires us to understand and have an agreement on what is this “word”?
There are 2 ways I think we can deal with this question. One is by the scholarly way, i.e. by going Greek,. The second way is the layman’s way of questions in applying what we have been taught by our more scholarly brethren, (without even the need to quote book, chapter and verse).
A. Let’s do the easy one first – The layman’s approach.
When you hear or see this “word”, what do you have in mind?
Most of us in the educated world will probably relate it to the written word i.e. the Bible.
So the question then is, “Does the Holy Spirit work though the “word” i.e. the Bible only?”
Let us use what we have been taught. Those of us who grew up in the church would know the following:
1. We do not have a headquarters
2. Each congregation is autonomous
3. We are of the royal priesthood. There is no separate clergy.
4. The gospel is for all
5. God is no respecter of persons
6. Jesus taught the poor and less educated.
The modern church is very educated. We are very fond of study.
If the Holy Spirit works through the Bible only, it means you have to be educated or at least literate.
Does it mean that some of us who are less smart or not well endowed with opportunities, will not know Jesus and His wisdom? Not smart enough to know Jesus by studing a Book? (more…)
October 10th, 2007
I don’t like the word “LEADER” as used in the church. The word “Leader” is not found in the scripture the way the secular world operates.
Modern Christian churches love this word. Just look at the number of books written on Leadership. Many church leadership expectations and practices are more towards “Thus saith the latest management bestsellers” than “Thus saith the Lord”.
Did Jesus use this word at all in His teachings? How many books or sermons have you read or heard on servant hood? Being a servant is not grand. No glamour. No visibility. Such books do not sell well. Even when we want to teach servant hood we secularized it with the latest from management bestsellers and called it Servant-Leader. We just find it unpalatable to call someone servant without elevating it somewhat with the word leader inserted. Some folks find submission difficult and so they resurrect their “old self” in a hyphenated name.
As mentioned in another article, the apostles often called themselves slaves or bond servant. A more unglamorous word! The modern Christian is uncomfortable to be lowly. Have you noticed a change in your modern hymn book in Isaac Watts’ famous hymn - “Alas! And did my Saviour bleed”? In the 1st stanza the words “such a worm as I” have been changed to “such a one as I”! Some modern day Christians squirm like a worm to be considered one and could not resist changing the lyrics to be more genteel. (more…)
October 4th, 2007
Job 32:20-22
Elihu the Buzite:
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
For I know not to give flattering titles;
in so doing my Maker would soon take me away.
September 13th, 2007
In the August 30 Straits Times, Mother Teresa’s crisis of faith was featured. A full write up is in Times magazine. What she went through most of her life questiong God while serving the poor was shocking to some people.
She wrote: In my soul I feel just that terrible pain of loss of God not wanting me- of God not being God - of God not existing.
Some atheists considered her a crypto atheist, a hidden atheist. They find it hard to believe that doubt is a necessary part of one’s journey of faith. They seem to think believers are constant, without ups and downs.
Faithful men have also been through what Teresa experienced. I am sure many full time workers know what she went through. Maybe this may be where the commonality ends? (more…)
September 7th, 2007
In a recent article by Dianne Muir (from Washington Post) reprinted in Straits Times, she discussed the implication of Islamic Reformation. There are reformers who want to go the way of the Renaissance. They encourage their believers to read the Quran for themselves without the dependence on scholars, imams, etc to interpret for them. It would be interesting to see how this will pan out if the current evolution leads to a spiritual revolution in the Islamic world. She warns: Be careful what you wish for
You never know! in searching the Quran for themselves they may end up knowing Christ because they have begun the search without the veil! The poverty of spirit will be filled by the true Word.
The article reminds me of our call within the churches of Christ to all Christians to go back to the scriptures. Our clarion call is: Speak when the bible speak and be silent when the bible is silent. Our favourite example is the Berean Christians. (more…)
August 31st, 2007
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