Bible Questions and Answers

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The Holy Spirit is not a person. The Holy Spirit is the power of God. God uses it in different ways.

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost (Spirit) shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:

From this; - Holy Spirit = power of God (the highest)

(That ‘the Highest’ means God can be seen from Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest (same Greek word): and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:)

God is everywhere present by his spirit.

Psalms 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell (the grave), behold, thou art there.

Jeremiah 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

Jesus was given this power at his baptism

Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

Jesus then had unlimited power as John the Baptist testifies.

John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

By this power Jesus was able to see Nathaniel under the fig tree.

John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

By this power Jesus was able to perform miracles.

Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost (Spirit) hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Luke 9:43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

In the parallel account in Luke it is called the finger of God.

Luke 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

This connects it with the miracles performed in Egypt which Moses performed by the Spirit of God.

Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God...

God tells us through Isaiah that Moses had power by the Holy Spirit given to him.

Isaiah 63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?

In the Old Testament it is generally called the spirit of God.

Compare the following statements.

Jeremiah 10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath (or spirit – same word in Hebrew) of his mouth.

Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

Job 26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

From these we see that power, word, breath, hands, spirit and spirit of God are all interchangeable expressions.

The prophets prophesied by the same power. The power of God moved and inspired them to prophecy.

2Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (Spirit).

David had this power in a measure which enabled him to prophesy of the crucifixion (for example) in Psalm 22. He pleads for the power not to be taken from him in Psalm 51

Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost (Spirit), The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

In Revelation the message is given by God to Jesus to pass on to us.

Revelation1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

But the message is still, like all scripture, given by inspiration of the Spirit of God.

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

There is no power but of God. The Holy Spirit is His power being used from the beginning to bring to fruition His plan and purpose.

 Can we say anyone on earth is holy?

To be holy is not something put upon us supernaturally by the Holy Spirit.

It is something we are all commanded to be by ceasing to live according to our own will and living instead by the commandments of Christ.

Unless we understand and believe the gospel and are baptised into Jesus Christ we cannot even begin to attain to the holiness that God requires.

Holy simply means ‘separate’.

To be Holy is to separate ourselves from our old way of life and live as God requires us to.

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 

Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

We will not receive salvation by the merits of anyone other than Christ. We are not to be deceived by the supposed ‘holiness’ of others. We each have direct access to God through Christ, not through the ‘holiness’ of others.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

We each have to believe and obey the gospel and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

The Bible is the only source of knowledge of the holiness that God requires.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I hope this helps.

Glenn Smith