The Great Debate
It takes real detective work when searching for the Spirit of God. Often those who have rejected the “orthodox” belief about the spirit are considered illiterate at best, and heretics at worst. But, we must not base our understanding on tradition or hearsay. The real test is, “What do the scriptures say?” And, according to the apostle Paul, “All scripture was “breathed-out” by God. Peter adds to our understanding of how this was done. He confirmed that it was the spirit that led the prophets to speak and write God’s words. So, it is these words that inform, train, correct, and discipline those who are now being led by the spirit.
Why is Searching for the Spirit so Vital?
The apostle John, writing at the end of the first century, emphasized the critical importance of the spirit. He affirmed that you could not enter God’s Kingdom unless you were ‘born of the spirit.’ John insisted that spiritual life could only come from the spirit of God. Those who were born of the spirit would be like the wind. Interestingly, the Hebrew for ‘spirit’ — ruach — also can mean wind or breath. It is a feminine noun in the Hebrew, and its Greek counterpart pneuma is a neutral noun? But these seemingly trivial parts of scripture do have significance in translation.
The Spirit is Never a “HIM”
When you read John’s account of the spirit’s work, many translations render the ‘spirit’ as HIM. This is a deliberate mistranslation! And, it has led to a set of false doctrines. Sometimes, it is in understanding the detail, the proverbial ‘jot and tittle’ that we see the big picture. In order to be faithful to the Greek text we come to understand that the spirit (it) dwells with you. And, it shall be in you. The spirit (it) cannot be seen by the world. It is the spirit of truth — the kind of truth that frees us. How? By removing the shackles of false doctrine and ideas. Why? In order that our eyes would be opened to reality. That we may live daily according to the truth of God’s word and do God’s will. Are you searching for the spirit? Is that spirit dwelling in you?
Do you want to learn more about God’s nature:
Nature of God