2006-05-17 - 7:31 a.m.
When Peter delivered that opening sermon on the Day of Pentecost, he All who are Christians have been given the Spirit. Why do not all show One can receive a gift and fail to use it. For all practical purposes The problem arises when one fails to allow the Spirit to influence and What fruit do we look for in "Spirit-filled Christians?" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, Do you want to know if a life is truly filled with the Spirit? Then use Words will not prove the test! A tree can easily be called "apple" but Paul builds on this thought with these powerful words: "Now those who Now, since we are all "Spirit-filled Christians," let us determine that --------- RELATED LINKS: This article can be found on the web at:
2006-06-29-Some Bible Coolness
One hears a lot these days about "Spirit-filled Christians." For the
life of me I cannot find any teaching in the Bible which would lead me
to believe there is any other kind of Christian. Let me share with you
why I believe this.
promised the "gift of the Spirit" to all who would "repent and be
baptized" (Acts 2:38). The Apostle Paul also wrote to the Romans and
said, "But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not
belong to Him" (Romans 8:9).
the influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives? Is it not a matter of
utilizing the gift?
it is like one being given a tractor to plow a field but never using
it. The power was there, but it was not used. I would not want to be
misunderstood. I know there are numerous times in God's Word when
phrases like, "The Spirit came mightily upon" someone, that is as an
event of the moment, but that in no way discounts the fact that all
Christians have the Spirit dwelling in them.
reign over all of one's life. Jesus gave a very clear way to determine
whether the influence in a person's life was good or bad. He said, "For
no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good
fruit" (Luke 6:43). So there you are, fruit is the thing one looks for
in matters of judgement.
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against
such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
the yardstick of the Spirit's own words. If you do not see love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control in the life, then you are not seeing a life producing the
fruit of the Spirit.
if it does not produce apples it is one of two things. Either it is an
apple tree that fails, and Jesus tells us it will be "cut down and
thrown into the fire," or it is not an apple tree and calling it one
won't change it.
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let
us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another" (Galatians
5:24-26).
we will live in such a way that even our enemies can not fail to see
the fruit of the Spirit clearly exemplified in the life we exhibit.
(c) 2006 Bill Sherrill
the Week. Used by permission.
* Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200507/20050714_spiritfreedom.html
* Springtime in the Spirit
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200104/20010402_spring.html
* The Spirit and Center Stage
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200301/20030114_centerstage.html
* Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week
http://www.northstreetcoc.org/ThoughtoftheWeek.html
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200605/20060517_spirit-filled.html
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