Smellin Coffee said:
ALAYMAN said:
On a personal note Smellin', on what basis do you validate the authenticity of your belief system? Who's to say objectively and ultimately that you or Kratzer has found the right path and saw the right light? Maybe like Paul, you're following an angel of light that has you fooled?
I am using the same source you believe as you do: faith. The only difference is, our faith lies in different ideals.
Neither of us know for certainty which (if either) position is right. I don't know how to fix my furnace but if my tech comes out trying to repair the wiring with an axe, I know he is doing it wrong. Based on my personal experience and after studying the Bible, I certainly may not know the right direction, but it is clear (to me) both Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism are "doing it wrong".
I'm sure in many points, I am wrong. But laying out facts and after 5 decades of seeing behind the scenes of both Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism, I cannot link either system anywhere close to what Jesus had taught. I know others believe they are following Jesus because it is the White European, Big Business Jesus that our culture introduced to us and the one we are most familiar. Black Christians who follow Liberation Theology do the same from their heritage too. There is probably correct and incorrect theology from both cultural perspectives.
So asking the Holy Spirit for her help (yes, the Holy Spirit is female in the Bible, both OT and NT), being willing to reject the man-made doctrine of biblical inerrancy and searching for meaning and direction in and through Jesus' recorded teachings (accepted by faith, of course), I've come to the conclusions I have at this point. This is where I began to see Pauline contradictions and see the gospel he taught didn't seem to line up with those of Jesus or the Apostles.
This doesn't mean these conclusions/opinions are finalized. Like a river, as facts and understanding (historically, culturally) uncovers, the water shifts and bends based on those ideals. There is no room for church or even creed in Proverbs 3:5-6.
What is expected of me then? Simple. Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. That's it. Bringing JUST that to churches, Fundamental and Evangelical, just doesn't cut it for them for me to be involved any longer. I've given it 5 decades and haven't much time left than to heed and practice Micah's words.
The Holy Spirit is called God and God is clearly a He. Now you could argue that God is a spirit and spirits don't have gender and you would be correct. God is technically neither male nor female (that's why spirit is neuter.... neuter does not mean either or, it means neither). However when God does refer to himself its masculine.You never find God calling himself a she. Now in the NT in John 16 we find the Paraklete or comforter, advocate, or helper; the Holy Spirit (vs 13). Now let's looks at the passage and notice how many times the Holy Spirit is called a He.
John 16:7?15 (ESV):
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send HIM to you.
8 And when HE comes, HE will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 ?I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, HE will guide you into all the truth, for HE will not speak on HIS own authority, but whatever HE hears HE will speak, and HE will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 HE will glorify me, for HE will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that HE will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Now if I counted correctly there is 13 times the Holy Spirit is refered to as masculine. There is 0 times where the Holy Spirit is called a she or her. You can't argue from silence. Scripture calls the Holy Spirit a He. So no, He is not a "her."
Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk