I've had a little bit of time to reflect since this week about the content. I think i learned more this week and more of an information shift than any other week. Growing up in Christian contexts i've heard the word "holy spirit" used but i have never really been in a healthy context where i felt like any goo explanation was given much less any weight given to the idea. One of the main reasons for this is obvious. most christians like me are given examples on tv, and other, of how the name of the holy spirit is used for all sorts of wacky behavior. after attending this weeks midrash though, i am now convinced that this is no more of a shame than the downplaying or flat out ommission that evangelical christianity gives to the subject of the Holy Spirit.
well, let's begin.
here are the main thoughts that hit me hard and the order in which i think they are important:
1. Living a life of under the lordship of christ is not possible to do on our own.
Very little attention is given to the subject of depending on the power of the Holy spirit. I know that in my own life this is a new topic and i'm assuming that since i have heard so little about this from the people around me that it is new to many. i think most of the revelation that came to me is wrapped up in the idea that as much as christians say we need jesus, most of what we do is different in outward appearance more than the actual drive or power source. in other words you have your vegetarian that believes that meat is bad and doesn't eat meat, you have your athiest that believes that religious institutions are bad and doesn't attend and you have your christians that believe the gospel and try and go to church and not sin.
2. Therefore we need the Holy Spirit who is the "helper" that jesus promised us to fulfill our mission while on earth.
What should make christianity unique is not just that it is a different belief system with different practices but that the whole way in which we will practice it is through a supernatural means. That is ultimately what will make all the difference and brings out the weakness of humanity and the power of the gospel.
3. Most people continually try harder to accomplish things in the flesh instead of relinqushing all together and surrendering to the will and direction of the Holy Spirit.
One thing that has really struck me about how misguided we are in this subject is the solutions people (including myself) propose to "christian living" questions. i often find an area of my life like lust, love or patience and i try and set some boundaries or exert more effort in trying to be better in that thing. no there are two problems with this. the first is that it usually does not work. battling the flesh is a task that is generally to big for the flesh. the second problem with that is that if it actually does work it creates a self-sufficient and self righteous attitude that is directly contrary to the gospel. instead of pinpointing tiny points or outward signs that the spirit exists it would be far better to flat out surrender to the spirit and be able to exhibit the fruit of the spirit in it's entirety ...love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.
1 comment:
you forgot kindness.
also, i'm thinking it will be increasingly easier for us, and future generations, to understand the Holy Spirit because of our focus shifting from the material to the immaterial as a culture.
I remember the biggest thing I learned from "doctrine and ethics" was that I didn't know much about the Holy Spirit. Writing my doctrinal statements for almost every other topic was easy, but when it came to the Spirit I was kinda stumped. "Something about pentacost...right?" I'm pretty upset that I haven't really spent much time since then remedying the situation... but that's His job right? :)
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