The Spirit, page 2

The Spirit's conviction and drawing through the word, and the fact that it is resisted.

31 questions answered, showing 15 on page 2 of 2. About this doctrine · All topics

• With Chuck SmithIs it wrong for a Christian to go to the doctor?Chuck Smith, Living Water, chapter 12: Now, I'm not opposed to doctors. That is one way God has provided for healing today. I have gone to doctors myself; I had my appendix removed after spending a week in fervent prayer and fasting, asking God to heal me. When He didn't, I had the doctor take it out. I believe that God can and does use medical science today. God has given researchers much insight and knowledge of the human body, which has led to the design of useful drugs and operating procedures. If a person cannot be healed through prayer alone, then God has provided people with skills to diagnose and treat people. Of course, when a doctor sews up a gash on your arm by putting in sutures, he's done all he can do. It's God who causes your flesh to repair itself. Doctors do what they can, but the actual healing comes from God. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• Whosoever WillIs speaking in tongues for today? What is the gift of tongues?Tongues was the Spirit-given ability to speak a language not learned (Acts 2:4-8). This platform holds the continuationist view common to Calvary Chapel: the gifts continue, in Paul's order (1 Cor 14), never required as proof of salvation or of the Spirit.
• With Chuck SmithIs speaking in tongues the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit?Chuck Smith, Charisma vs. Charismania, chapter 9: We must point out that a person who speaks in tongues and lacks agapé love has less valid evidence of the indwelling or the filling of the Spirit in his life than a person who has never spoken in tongues and yet manifests love and other dynamic qualities of God’s Spirit. I cannot deny the validity of the Spirit-filled lives of many of those dynamic leaders and laymen in the church today who have never enjoyed the experience of speaking in tongues, and I prefer their fellowship over many who promote the speaking in tongues as the only true evidence of the Spirit-filled life, but whose personal lives are marred by strife or pride and often even heresy. When Paul wrote to the Galatians he declared, “The fruit of the Spirit is love.” The real proof of God’s Spirit filling a person’s life is love. Love is the most valid evidence that a man is truly filled with the Spirit, and tongues without love are just meaningless sounds. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithIs the Holy Spirit a person or a force?Chuck Smith, The Holy Spirit Study Guide, Chapter 1: Introduction to the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is thought by some to be an “essence” or “power” of God rather than a separate person, because ruach, the Hebrew word for Spirit, also means “breath,” and “pneuma,” the Greek word for Spirit, also means “wind” or “air.” We as Christians know He is a person. The early church scholar, Arias, caused division with his declaration that God the Father was the only true God, that Jesus was a created being, and the Holy Spirit was only an essence. This doctrine is known as the Arian heresy. Study notes condensed from his teaching by The Word For Today. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithShould I believe someone who says 'The Lord told me to tell you'?Chuck Smith, Living Water, chapter 6: Did you notice in this story that the Lord always speaks on both ends? I like it that way. I get a little suspicious when someone says to me, "The Lord told me to tell you..." if the Lord hasn't already told me Himself. Sometimes when a person says this, it comes as confirmation of a word that God already has shown me. But if the Lord hasn't been dealing with me on that issue, then I don't jump to respond just because someone says he has a word from the Lord for me. I will judge it and wait upon the Lord, but I'm not going to rush off just because someone believes God has instructed him to tell me something. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithWhat does it mean to walk in the Spirit?Chuck Smith, Why Grace Changes Everything, chapter 6: The Greek word translated "walk" in this passage is a term used to describe the dominant characteristic of a person's life. If someone were to have a reputation as a real miser, he would be known as a person who "walked" in greed. If a person characteristically was concerned and helpful, he would be known as someone who "walked" in kindness. To walk in the Spirit means that we allow the Holy Spirit to exercise control over our lives. Every day we are presented with the option of living after the Spirit or after our own fleshly desires. Our mind is the battleground where we will decide which will have dominion. Scripture, King James Version: Galatians 5:16, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.". From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithWhat does Paraclete or Comforter mean?Chuck Smith, Living Water, chapter 2: The Greek word translated "comfortless" in John 14:18 is orphanous, literally "orphans." "I will not leave you as orphans," Jesus promised His friends. And to keep that promise, the Master said He would pray to the Father and ask Him to give the disciples another "Comforter." In Greek, the word translated "Comforter" is parakletos. Para is the Greek preposition for "with" or "alongside of," while kletos is the word for "called." So Jesus is telling His friends that He will ask the Father to send another Helper who will come alongside of them to help them. And the help they will receive would be the Helper Himself! Scripture, King James Version: John 14:18, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.". From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• Whosoever WillWhat exactly does the Spirit do to a man who hates God?John 16:8 names it: reprove, elencho, to convict and prove a man wrong to his face. Through the word preached the Spirit shows a hostile man that he is guilty and Christ is right, and the word itself is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12). That is an inward work. What it is not is regeneration before faith: Acts 2 and Acts 7 show the same Spirit and the same word received by one crowd and resisted by another.
• Whosoever WillWhat is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?The Spirit placing every believer into the body of Christ at salvation: "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (1 Cor 12:13). Once, to all believers, at conversion.
• With Chuck SmithWhat is the difference between condemnation and conviction?Chuck Smith, Romans Study Guide, Chapter 8: Life in the Spirit: The difference between Satan’s condemnation and the Holy Spirit’s conviction is that the condemnation makes us want to pull away from God, because we feel unworthy, while the conviction makes us want to go to God to make things right. Jesus doesn’t want to condemn us. He pleads our case for us. Scripture, King James Version: Romans 8:34, "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.". Study notes condensed from his teaching by The Word For Today. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• Whosoever WillWhat is the unpardonable sin? Have I committed it?Blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:31-32): attributing the Spirit's work in Christ to Satan, done by hardened enemies who saw His miracles and called them demonic. If you fear you have committed it, that fear is evidence you have not.
• With Chuck SmithWhat is the word of knowledge?Chuck Smith, Living Water, chapter 10: What is the word of knowledge? It is information given to us supernaturally, knowledge of things that we could not know through natural acquisition or study. It's exciting to be used of God in this way. The Spirit will speak through you about a pertinent issue in someone's life, and when it's over you say, "Wow! Why did I say that?" It's a divine impartation of knowledge concerning a person or situation that could not come through natural thought processes. It's something that flashes into your mind which God prompts you to say. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithWhat is the word of wisdom?Chuck Smith, Living Water, chapter 9: The Bible teaches that beyond wisdom in general, there is a specific gift of the Holy Spirit that is called the "word of wisdom." This is not a vast reservoir that you can draw upon at according to your own whim. It does not make you some kind of guru, that you can say, "Anything you want to know, just come to me and I will open up my treasures of wisdom." It doesn't work like that - it isn't a reservoir of wisdom that you can tap at will. Rather, it is an anointing of the Spirit that comes upon you in a time of need, and gives you the right words to say. A word of wisdom comes when critical issues arise and important decisions must be made. It is a wise word that is so right it brings divided factions together. When people hear it they say, "Oh, yes. That's good!" From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithWhy do we need both the Word and the Spirit?Chuck Smith, The Philosophy of Ministry of Calvary Chapel: Calvary Chapel believes in teaching the Word of God through the power of the Spirit of God which changes the lives of the people of God. If you have just the Spirit-emphasis with no Word and no foundation in the Word, then you are leading the people into experiences only, which are shallow. If you have just the Word of God without the Spirit, then you are leading people into dead orthodoxy. It takes the power of the Spirit of God to make the changes, but it takes the Word of God to give the substance and to give the foundation. It is that blending of the Word of God and being taught through the power of the Spirit of God that brings the changes in the people. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.
• With Chuck SmithWhy isn't everyone healed when we pray?Chuck Smith, Living Water, chapter 12: The only explanation I can give for lack of healing is that the Holy Spirit is sovereign not only in the bestowing of a gift, but also in its operation. If you have the gifts of healing, you can't pray for anyone you want whenever you want and always see them healed. As you pray for the sick, God will heal some, but there will be others who won't be healed. I do not believe we will ever know why some are healed and why others aren't; that is information God keeps to Himself. The truth is, some of the most godly, holy, righteous people I know of suffer infirmities and die of cancer, while other horribly wicked people live in perfect health until the day they die of natural causes. We'll never understand the ways of God, and how He chooses to parcel out miracles of healing. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.