People's imaginations concerning 'receiving the Holy Spirit' (Example #1)

People's imaginations concerning 'receiving the Holy Spirit' (Example #1)

This post is written for the sole purpose of illustrating the ignorance of sound doctrine on social media these days. My aim is to emphasize the absolute necessity of studying the Bible for oneself and seeking answers from the source instead of relying on imaginations or opinions given by people, who may be sincere, but are as ignorant as the one who asked the question to start with. 

So, let's begin by stating the question that was asked in the beginning of the thread,

QUESTION: "How can Christians catch the Spirit?"

Below is the first of a few answers that were supplied to this question on social media. They appear to be sincere but are unfortunately completely false or have parts that are from the imaginations of men who have not sought out the truth in the Word of God. After this 'answer', and a few more that I will write about later, I add comments as to why the answer is wrong and what the Word of God actually says about it.

False Imagination #1

If you are a Christian and accept Christ, the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost is in you. To activate it, you need to do one very important thing: Let the Holy Spirit decide certain life decisions for you. To tell if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, you will feel some things feel “right”, or some things feel “wrong”. Society sometimes calls it a “gut instinct”. However, in this case, you will feel in your intuition that some things are what God wants you to do, while some just feel off.

My comments:

When you respond in faith to the grace gospel, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that regenerates and renews, Tit.3:5, your inner man, Eph.4:24; Col.3:10, and also seals you unto the day of salvation, Eph.1:13; Eph.4:30. 

We do not need to activate anything. The moment we believe the grace gospel, it has accomplished its task and the power of justification, which is in the gospel, Rom.1:16, has forever saved your soul unto eternal life, Rom 4:24-25; Rom 5:1-2.

There is nothing in the Bible that informs us that the Holy Spirit decides, or should decide, certain life decisions for us. It is easy to think this based on the following verses which speak about being led by the Spirit, but to think that this means the Holy Spirit is deciding things for you is a wrong interpretation of scripture,

Rom.8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Gal.5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  (17)  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  (18)  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

The correct understanding of being led by the Holy Spirit is to understand that we are to make our own decisions based on the knowledge and truth of our doctrine, which is Romans to Philemon. Our doctrine equips us to live righteous and godly lives, Tit.2:1-15, as long as we make time to study it, and become familiar with it, allowing it to renew our minds and transform our thoughts, speech, actions, and reasoning, as we give ourselves over in obedience to it, Rom.6:16. Our doctrine teaches us the following (verses below) which reveals that we ourselves are to prove the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. The Holy Spirit does not decide life decisions for us. God desires that we decide things for ourselves based on the revealed truth in His Word to us. He desires that we grow up in Him and prove to Him that we choose His ways and His doctrine instead of our own carnal thinking. To do this, it requires knowledge and understanding of His Word that gives us wisdom and understanding of His will and judgements. These verses will confirm the truth about this matter,

Rom.12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Eph.5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. …  (17)  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

2Cor.13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Gal.6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Php.1:10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

1Thess.5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

2Tim.2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1Cor.2:14-15  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Rom.14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 

Rom.14:22-23  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.  (23)  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

The act of putting out fleeces (as was done by Gideon in Judges 6:36-40) to determine God’s will by that sign is not something promoted in our doctrine today. Similarly, the concept of casting lots, or using Tarot cards, or tea leaves, or palm reading, or any other decision-making signs or abilities to determine God’s will is not our doctrine today. Trying to get the Holy Spirit to make decisions for you through prayer and faith is not the way God works today. God’s will for you in this age of grace is to come to a knowledge of our doctrine, Romans to Philemon, and then to make informed decisions according to the knowledge we have learned, and trust that God will honour our choices. Paul tells us the following in 1Tim.2:4,

1Tim.2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

It is the knowledge of the truth that will cause us to walk in His will and ways.

Concerning the last part of this very imaginative answer at the beginning of his article, which is certainly not scriptural, the person writes, “if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, you will feel some things feel “right”, or some things feel “wrong”. Society sometimes calls it a “gut instinct”. However, in this case, you will feel in your intuition that some things are what God wants you to do, while some just feel off.”

I’d like to firmly tell you that the Word of God never tells us to rely on feelings or emotions. Feeling is not faith! Feelings are fickle. Feelings are an emotional rollercoaster. They are up when you feel good, and they are down when you feel bad. Emotions are also not an expression of faith! While emotions are often automatic and unconscious, feelings are the personal, conscious experience of those emotions. For instance, you might feel joy (the emotion) and describe it as feeling happy or elated. Because feelings and emotions are not promoted in our doctrine, it is easy to determine that the Holy Spirit does not work through these carnal attributes. Thus, as believers, we cannot confidently base our decisions on feelings or emotions. Faith is a sure belief in what God has said. Faith does not waver or stagger but is fully persuaded in what God has said. Notice what the Bible says of the faith of Abraham, and take note of the attributes of faith in this passage,

Rom.4:19-21  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:  (20)  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;  (21)  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Being not weak in faith, he staggered not in unbelief, but was fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able to do. We can do the same if we know what God’s will is for us and what God promised us. Where can we learn this? Our doctrine; Romans to Philemon.

On the inverse, if we continue to make decisions according to our feelings and emotions, we open ourselves up to our own carnal desires and we open up the opportunity to be moved outside of God’s will for us and into deceit and traps of Satan. If our heart is not enlightened by the Word of God, His will for us, our heart cannot be trusted as it is open to our own imaginations and outside influences. Have a look at what the Bible says about the human heart,

Rom.1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

2Cor.10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Jer.17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Conclusion

If you are one who is asking questions on social media, I implore you to be careful with the replies that you get. Most of the replies will most certainly be replies that are based on absolute ignorance and the imaginations of men. Whatever replies that come, do not receive them without weighing them up with what the Bible says. As the Bereans did, do your own searching of the scriptures to prove whether the advice is sound and according to our doctrine,

Act 17:10-11  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.  (11)  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

If you are a person that is posting a reply to someone who asked a question, I pray that the fear of God will be upon you as you write up your answer. The scriptures are a double-edged sword and can do as much harm as good. Make sure that you are sincere in your desire to reply and help the person. Then ensure that your replies are filled with confirming scripture references that validate your answer. James 3:1 tells us that masters (teachers) who abuse the office, shall receive greater condemnation than those who are hearers, and the same chapter tells of the power of the tongue which can speak both truth and lies in the same breath. Make sure of your answers and be sincere in leading people on the path of truth and reconciliation.

More examples of false imaginative answers to follow in the coming days...