tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111802929460493692.post4612400037153222245..comments2020-07-15T20:17:58.292-07:00Comments on Nailing it to the door. . .: The Holy Spirit - Part 2: When and Where?Dan Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01635080266346679464noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111802929460493692.post-34820274345070354802011-02-21T12:34:59.776-08:002011-02-21T12:34:59.776-08:00And yes, to the other point you raise..."The ...And yes, to the other point you raise..."The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes." (John 3:8). That word "wind" is identical to the word for "spirit" in the same passage, and it unquestionably blows through many who have yet to hear, or understand, or accept, the word of Jesus.Dan Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01635080266346679464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111802929460493692.post-59508606600875350892011-02-21T12:30:53.780-08:002011-02-21T12:30:53.780-08:00I think you're on the right track, betweenleaf...I think you're on the right track, betweenleafeandsky. I don't intend to say that this understanding of the Breath of God precludes belief in the Trinity...but rather that the trinitarian insistance on the "personhood" of the Holy Spirit masks a much broader and deeper sense of the dynamic nature of God's Breath at work.<br /><br />To your question, I think you're dancing around the same issue I tried to raise, but perhaps from the other side. Does everyone who believes in Christ carry at least a "trickle" of that holy Breath? Maybe...but the more I look at how the Breath is portrayed throughout scripture, the more compelled I am by the notion that the presense of the Wind of the Almighty doesn't operate by stealth...or to put it another way, I don't think it's possible to squash the fruit of the Spirit except by squeezing the Spirit out.<br /><br />In other words, I suspect that the behavior of Christians, both individually and collectively, is empirical evidence that the Spirit of God is <b><i>emphatically not present</i></b> in everyone who "believes." To the extent I'm right on this, a more honest understanding of the Spirit would force us into some pretty serious self-examination (again, both individually and collectively) to ask the question "if not, then why not?" Rather than risk the uncomfortable answers such difficult questions might raise, it seems to me the church has begged the question by merely shouting the louder, that all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and should just shut up and believe it.Dan Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01635080266346679464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111802929460493692.post-34417428374134268862011-02-21T06:28:40.601-08:002011-02-21T06:28:40.601-08:00Then another question is, may someone be breathed ...Then another question is, may someone be breathed on by God,or be around the breath of God, but not yet know Christ?<br /><br />I think the obvious answer is yes. That's because none of us go seeking God, but He seeks us. I think that's what is meant. There are times in our lives when God breathes on us...but we can accept it or not.<br /><br />As for filledness, does it take another person to fill you? I doubt it, since John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit from birth, right? Or before? He leapt in the womb recognizing Jesus's approach in Mary's womb. <br /><br />I do think all Christians carry a trickle...if we're born again, we must, because it's by God's own breath, right? We are temples of the Holy Spirit...what about the rivers of living water? Don't we carry/incarnate God wherever we go?<br /><br />Or only to that measure we submit to the Breath of God? <br /><br />I don't think one has to disbelieve the trinity to see the truth of what you're saying. I would hedge some people know this anyways.<br /><br />I also like it, because I only want HIM...and I've always cringed when people sang songs of praise to the Holy Spirit--just seemed wrong. Perhaps I know why now.<br /><br />Back to people reacting to the breath of God...those that love nature, the earth, all the good green things, and are returning to the simple life, I believe are reacting to the creative breath of God that yet washes over the earth. The enemy would confuse them that it's something else, and Christians would tell them such a thing is not possible, but I believe that maybe if we did do a better job of explaining and knowing this aspect of God, we could disciple these people into full knowledge of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Just a thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com