Lunchcast: Episode 4

I thought I’d kick off the comments this week with a little reference to something which really challenged me from Romans 2. (Yes I know we read that on Friday but it seem to fit here better).

“The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

While Paul is talking about the Jews there, that is such a challenge to us. As Christians we are God representatives on earth. What we do affects; even dictates, people’s opinions off Him.

That is something to consider as I head into the office tomorrow.

Guys, nice lunchcasting. Shocking joke Rich.

Thought I would chip in here on the issue of being filled with the Holy Spirit. I guess the kind of church I go makes me a rampant pentecostal - and we always have something to say on this issue - so here goes…

I think firstly we often place a great importance on the occasion of ‘conversion’ and on the occasion of ‘filling’ - and with that a lot of pressure on what is supposed to happen on those occasions. While I do know many people who have had their lives transformed the second they gave their life to God, there are also people I know where their decision to follow God was the start of a journey rather than an instant snap transformation. It is also quite interesting in the bible that the filling of the Holy Spirit was something that was not seen as just a nice ‘event’ but it was what happened after that was more important. In which case, I believe that there are definite outward signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit - and these signs do include prophesy, tongues (and all the others mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12). However there are occasions in the bible where (such as Acts 4) where being filled with the Holy Spirit simply enabled the disciples to ‘preach the word of God boldly’.

I firmly believe that we need the Holy Spirit to be effective in doing whatever God is calling us to do. There are many controversial arguments about what you have to do be officially ‘be saved’ and indeed whether you can ever guarantee that - so who knows whether you can get into heaven without an official, rubber stamped filling. In my mind, that is the complete wrong way to look at the whole thing. For we shouldn’t be looking at basically what we can get away with to get into heaven, we should be looking at what we can do, with the life that God has given us to make a difference and do His will - and I believe the only way to be really effective in that is by the power (and filling) of the Holy Spirit.

All good points Gaz, one thing we need to be careful of though is confusing several concepts.

I’m not sure that being fill with the Spirit; something which Paul suggests should happen continually, and being baptised in the Spirit is the same thing.

I think that the model I picked up from Acts is that we should be baptised by water, into the name of Jesus, and then be baptised in the Holy Spirit which then can lead to us being continually filled day to day.

I think that we are agreed that we are on a journey, we might even be agreed that we need to finish it (although I guess that’s where the controversy starts). But the question is; when does the journey start and what part does baptism in the Holy Spirit play in that?

Top new tune Gaz by the way…. *smile*

I liked the joke!! but then I do have a wierd sense of humour when it comes to jokes!!
I also like Gaz’s bits…they make me laugh! Not sure they are supposed to though!! Sorry!

I’m a few days ahead of you in Romans, I’ve been totally blown away by some of the amazing stuff in it! and totally confused by other bits…

…anyone care to try and explain the chosen/predestined bits to me??

2 bits that have given me reassurance this weekend though are 8v26, the spirit helps us in our weakness…and 8v38 and 39..nothing can seperate us from the love of God! No matter what!!

Thank you Julia, I don’t think you have a weird sense of humour at all, in fact it’s sounds fantastic to me (eat that Rob)

I also think it is quite alright to laugh at Gaz’s bits too (whether you are suppose to or not). We often laugh at Gaz for no really reason at all,

Thats a brilliant question you ask there, I like the way you ignore plenty for really simple questions and go straight for a nasty one that will cause us no end of problem. so….

I’m not going to answer it now. You will have to listen in to the next ‘lunchcast’ where we will try and give an answer or at least talk about it a little. If anyone is braver than me though it would be interesting to hear other peoples thoughts before we get to Monday.

You’ve pulled out some great verses there as well, really important to believe those and live by them, its amazing to know that there is nothing I can do that will stop God loving me, an awesome thought, nice one.