How Humans Experience God
In Lesson 1 it was explained why faith in God as revealed in the Bible and especially the NT is the best belief or hope for salvation, and Lesson 2 focused on the Gospel of Christ and explained the Christian creed. The main purpose of this lesson is to explain how humanity can experience and fellowship with the Holy Spirit of God/Christ. [See the introduction to Lesson 1 for a list of abbreviations.]
I. Scriptural Teachings Regarding the Holy Spirit
The OT Shema (DT 6:4) teaches that God is one, and the NT also affirms that there is one God (EPH 4:6, 1TM 2:5). However, the NT teaches that the one God relates to believers in three ways simultaneously: as the Father, as the Son and as the Holy Spirit (HS). God as the heavenly Father is indicated in Jesus’ model prayer (MT 6:9), throughout the Gospel of John (3:35, 5:17-18, etc.), and in the epistles of Paul (RM 4:11, 8:15, PHP 2:11). God the Father and Christ’s Sonship are discussed in Hebrews 1:1-4. The Son of God also is mentioned by John (JN 1:14, 3:16, etc.) and by Paul (RM 1:4, GL 2:20, 1THS 1:10). The Holy Spirit is mentioned in three successive chapters in John (JN 14:26, 15:26, 16:13), frequently in the book of Acts (ACTS 1:5, 2:4, 9:17, 13:2, 19:2), and in many of Paul’s letters (RM 8:4-26, 1CR 6:19, EPH 4:30) as well as in some of the other epistles (2PT 1:21, JUDE 20).
The triune God’s “persons” may be distinguished by role: God the Father as creator or initiator (GN 1:1), God the Son as Messiah or mediator (1TM 2:5), and God the Spirit as indweller (RM 5:5). For example, 1 John 4:7 says love comes from (is initiated by) God (the Father), Galatians 5:22 says that love is a fruit of the (indwelling) Spirit, and Ephesians 3:18 speaks of the (mediating) love of Christ (RM 5:8, EPH 2:18). We can denote these distinctions by the use of three prepositions: God the Father is over all creation (EPH 4:6), God the Son is Immanuel or with humanity (MT 1:23), and the Holy Spirit is within all believers (EPH 1:13). A single passage that comes closest to indicating this distinction is Ephesians 3:14-19, in which Paul prays to the Father that through His Spirit of love Christ would dwell in believers’ hearts (also see 1CR 8:6).
A study of the HS might well begin with the statements of Jesus in the gospel of John. In JN 14:16-18 Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth… [who] will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” This indicates that the indwelling Spirit is how Jesus enters the hearts of believers as they open the door and invite him in (per RV 3:20). Jesus mentioned the Spirit again in JN 15:26, saying “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” And yet again in JN 16:13-14 Jesus said, “When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”
We see in these passages an identification of the Spirit with truth or the word of God, which we also find in the OT, such as IS 59:21b, “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children… forever, says the Lord.” And also in EZK 36:26-27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you… I will put my Spirit in you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Paul referred to the role of the HS in connection with God’s Word in 2THS 2:13b, “From the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” We see in this statement an example of using “and” to indicate equivalence rather than addition of something different. Paul tied the work of the HS to the Gospel in v. 2:14 and also in GL 4:6, “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, (Father).” In RM 8:9-16, Paul said “You are controlled… by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you… your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit, who lives in you… If by the Spirit you you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God… by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Paul also wrote of being adopted as God’s sons and receiving the HS in EPH 1:5a&13b, “In love God predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ… Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised HS.”
Peter wrote of being made alive by the indwelling Spirit in 1PT 3:18b, “[Christ] was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”
In GL 5:22-23a, Paul listed the fruit of the Spirit, including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. HB 10:39 also speaks of faithfulness, saying “We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” The Bible makes it clear that faithfulness or persevering faith is essential to salvation, just as faith in the redemptive work of Christ was the condition for getting saved.
The priority of saving faith in the order of salvation is also indicated in EPH 2:8-10, ACTS 16:30-31 and RM 1:16-17. Such faith is described as the sanctifying work of the HS in conjunction with belief in the truth in 2THS 2:13, and when speaking of faith as the condition of salvation, it is wrong to view it as meritorious rather than an undeserved gift.
Faith is the connection between the soul and Christ established by the regeneration of the HS when a sinner cooperates with God’s eternal calling or purpose (cited in RM 8:29-30) and is transformed from a fallen state or darkness/death into a state of grace/light/life. Scriptural teachings regarding volition do not mean that sinners are capable of saving themselves. Without divine enabling, souls cannot seek salvation and believe in Christ.
As Jesus said in JN 6:44a, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” And JN 1:12-13 says, “To all who received him (to those who believed in his name), he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of genetic descent, but born of God.” Again, JN 3:3-16 says God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him or is reborn of the Spirit shall not perish at death but have eternal life (cf. 1JN 5:1), because we are made righteous by the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ (RM 5:1&19).
In JN 16:7-11 Jesus told his disciples that it was expedient or for their good that he depart this earth physically so that the HS could come spiritually to convict everyone on earth of sin and the need for salvation by faith in the righteousness of Christ so they would not be condemned at the Judgment. RV 3:19 says that Jesus rebukes and chastens sinful souls because he loves them and wants them to invite him as the HS into their heart for fellowship.
Although in JN 17:9 Jesus prayed only for his disciples, JN 3:16 & 6:39-40 teach that everyone who believes in Jesus will be justified by such faith (GL 3:14), have eternal life and become members of his spiritual body or church (EPH 5:25). Thus we can see that the primary sin souls need the HS to convict them of is that of unbelief or opposition to the Gospel of Christ. This Gospel was veiled until revealed by the advent of Jesus and the preaching of Paul (RM 1:16-17, 1CR 2:7&10, PHP 3:9). This revelation was that it is God’s will for all sinners to be saved by learning the Gospel truth, which is that there is one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time (1TM 2:3-6). Paul referred to this testimony “of God” in 1CR 2:1, “of our Lord” in 2TM 1:8 and “of Christ” in 1CR 1:6.
Moving beyond the Gospel, Peter wrote that the sanctification of the Spirit is “unto obedience” (1PT 1:2), and Paul also wrote about faithful obedience (in RM 1:5). Following the act of faith (1JN 3:23), believers will manifest obedience by acts of love (1JN 4:19-21, JN 13:35). There is no qualitative difference between faith that accepts God’s saving grace at conversion and faith that accepts God’s working grace while walking/obeying (EPH 2:8-10, 2CR 5:7, RM 1:17), but only a quantitative difference as each additional moment passes–and of course faith remains non-meritorious during the saint’s entire lifetime. As Paul said in RM 1:17, “In the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that from faith to faith (KJV) or by faith from first to last (NIV), just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” The phrase “from faith to faith” may mean historically, as from the faith of Abraham to the faith of NT believers, or it could be meant chronologically, from initial saving faith thru persevering/sanctifying faith. The latter is implied in PHP 2:13, “For it is God [the HS] who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
Paul called God’s revelation from the HS “wisdom” and said it was “destined for our glory before time began (in 1CR 2:6-10). The predestination of God’s wise purpose or plan of salvation revealed to Paul is described in EPH 1:3-14. Verses 11-12 says, “In him [Christ] we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” Paul perceived that this plan was partially revealed in a few OT prophetic passages, including IS 42:6, “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness… to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.” And again in IS 54:13-14, “All your children will be taught by the Lord… In righteousness you will be established.” John indicated that this prophecy (cf. PS 25:14) was fulfilled by believers receiving “an anointing from the Holy One” [the HS], who “teaches you about all things” as He remains in those who remain in him (1JN 2:20-27, cf. JN 16:13-14).
Similarly, Paul wrote (in PHP 1:6) of being confident “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. He cited the work of the HS again in 1CR 6:11b, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Note that this verse refers to water baptism and to baptism by the HS (1CR 12:13, “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body”).
Confusion may arise from the fact that in Ephesians 4:5 Paul says there is only one baptism, but elsewhere the NT seems to refer to two types of baptism: one by water and another by the HS. Any confusion is resolved by understanding that the two types of baptism are united if baptism with water is viewed as a symbolic way of portraying baptism by the HS. The details for this work are vague, but the mode of immersion best portrays a Believer’s spiritual union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to eternal life (CL 2:12, RM 6:4). As a practical matter, a new Believer normally would be baptized by the local congregation of the catholic (worldwide) church in which he/she will want to participate as an acknowledged member of the body of Christ.
Paul also wrote of being thankful for the believers in the Thessalonian church with reference to the work of the HS, saying “…from the beginning God chose you to be saved (cf. EPH 1:4-9) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth” (cf. 1TM 2:3-4). This work is described in John as reproving the world of sin by exposing evil to the light of righteousness and judgment (JN 16:8, 3:20). And this light signifies the words of God’s Spirit, which give life (JN 6:63); the Spirit of truth, which testifies that Jesus is Messiah (JN 15:26) or glorifies him as God’s Son (JN 16:14). Thus, we see the HS is GW/Truth indwelling and thereby sanctifying souls (JN 17:17-19), so they may obey Christ’s law of love and produce loving fruit (ACTS 5:32, 1PT 1:2) as they continue to partake of the word and water of life (MT 4:4, 5:6, cf. IS 44:3 & EZK 36:26-27).
The sanctifying work of the HS is described as being washed in 1CR 6:11, and being washed with water is described as being through the word for the purpose of being holy or blameless in EPH 5:25-27, as being cleansed of wickedness in 2TM 2:19-21, as being cleansed of past sins in 2PT 1:9, and as cleansing our consciences of sinful acts so that we may serve the living God in HB 9:14-15. When this occurs, the HS makes believers in Jesus as Lord conscious of being children of God as they share in Christ’s suffering while awaiting/hoping for the redemption of creation (RM 8:5-25, cf. ZCH 12:10, 1CR 12:3). As Peter said in ACTS 5:30-32, the HS is given by God to those who obey him as a testimony that God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to his right hand so that sins may be forgiven, which is called the “sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience of Jesus Christ” in 1PT 1:2.
The same spirit that worked in OT believers to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus (LK 1:17) is received by believers in God, so that the Gospel may be revealed to them in retrospect (1CR 2:4-13, EPH 1:13). The Gospel seems foolish to those without the Spirit of God (1CR 1:18, 2CR 2:14), but for those who seek salvation there is no good reason to be ashamed of Christ (RM 1:16-17). Those who reject the Gospel are described as being stiff-necked, having uncircumcised hearts and resisting the HS, like those who persecuted the OT prophets (ACTS 7:51-52, cf. MT 13:14-15, RM 2:29 & NEH 9:30).
Again, the sanctification of the Spirit that accompanies belief in the truth (2THS 2:13) is found mentioned in terms of spiritual circumcision in the OT (DT 30:6), because God desires for all sinners to be saved (1TM 2:3-4) by discerning and believing the Truth (1CR 2:14, COL 1:5b) or receiving revelation and wisdom (EPH 1:17), so that souls may know or experience the hope of God’s calling that is the blessing of heaven (EPH 1:18, COL 1:5a).
Paul described the preaching of the Gospel as being empowered by the HS (in 1THS 1:5), and he prayed that the Ephesians would experience the same power that God exerted when He raised Christ from death to His right hand in heaven (EPH 1:18-20). Similarly, Paul prayed that God would empower the Thessalonians to fulfill every good purpose prompted by their faith (2THS 1:11, cf. EPH 2:8-10), the same faith and seal that Abraham had (RM 4:11-12, cf. EPH 1:13), the promise of the HS (ACTS 2:33-39 & IS 44:3), the Spirit of Christ who gives life (1CR 15:45, JN 5:21, 6:63, RM 8:2) to the redeemed, both Jew and Gentile (GL 3:13-14, RM 3:21-30).
Those who receive the HS are free from control by the old sinful nature and obligated to put sinful deeds to death by gaining spiritual maturity even though we are saved because of sharing the imputed righteousness of Christ (RM 8:1-13). Moral perfection should be every Christian’s goal, even though it will not be obtained in this earthly lifetime (PHP 3:7-16).
Peter described Christians as a holy priesthood and nation, and he urged them to grow up in their salvation and to “abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul”, including malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander (1PT 2:1-11). And Paul wrote that a Christian’s body “is a temple of the HS”, so one should honor God with one’s body (1CR 6:19-20), and the HS baptizes believers into the body of Christ (1CR 12:13&27), giving them various abilities for the common good (1CR 12:7), so that Christ’s church will become unified and spiritually mature by speaking the truth in love as each part does its work (EPH 4:1-6).
Jesus said that all sin is forgivable except blasphemy against the HS (MT 12:31), which in context seems to mean attributing evil to God (MT 12:24-32). Paul indicated (in HB 6:4-6) that apostasy is also unforgiveable, because the person who commits that sin will never repent (cf. HB 12:17). Such blasphemy is akin to calling good evil and evil good (IS 5:20, cf. HB 5:14). Such a person is completely corrupt or demonized and self-condemned (TIT 3:11, JN 3:19-20, cf. RM 14:22). IOW, the crucial choice is between belief and blasphemy (attributing unrighteous hate to God). Much of GW teaches that God is omniloving (1TM2:3-4, JN 3:16, etc.), and Jesus, Paul and John define divine righteousness most succinctly as love for all (MT 5:44&48, 22:37-40, 1TM 2:3-4, 1JN 4:8), but souls may be hateful and reject rather than reflect God’s love/grace, although they ought to want (be biased toward) oneness or spiritual unity by way of answering the prayer of Jesus in JN 17:20-23.
Paul taught that it is via the HS that saints have fellowship with God by saying that the impersonal letter of the law in the ole covenant is replaced by the ministry of the HS in their hearts in the new covenant (2CR 3:3-9). The new covenant was foretold by Jeremiah (in JR 31:31-34), when spiritual Israel will know the Lord experientially as well as via the written word. The new ministration of the HS was also mentioned by Ezekiel (in EZK 36:26-27). Isaiah said that the new covenant included Gentiles (IS 42:6, cf. RM 15:16, 2THS 2:13-14, ACTS 26:17-18), and it was initiated by the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross for the remission of sins (MT 26:28), which is the Gospel and saving power of God (RM 1:16).
In RM 8:9-11 Paul said that anyone who does not have the HS does not belong to Christ, which agrees with 1CR 12:13 saying that the HS baptizes believers into the body of Christ. Because believers have the HS, they have been freed to live a godly instead of a worldly life, and so saints have no excuse for continuing to be sinful (1CR 6:13&20). Although Jesus once described the invitation to salvation as “bringing… compelling”, the fact that many who were invited refused to come indicates that God’s calling is not irresistible (LK 14:21-24).
II. Spiritual Dynamics
The role of prayer and learning God’s Word was discussed in Lesson Two. Now let us examine further the dynamics of the relationship between God and truthseekers or how the Holy Spirit of God interacts and communicates with humans. This relationship may be viewed as involving three distinct stages of revelation or dispensations. Humans are born innocent babies with the potential to attain the stage of accountability, comparable to when God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (GN 2:17). During this dispensation a person’s interaction with the Spirit of God begins, because he/she has become a living soul or embodied mind/spirit (GN 2:7). (The spiritual status of humans before they reach the stage of moral accountability is not clearly explained in Scripture. Surely they would not go to hell, but on what basis would their destiny be heaven? Perhaps they share the fate of amoral animals.)
A person’s fellowship with God begins in a primitive and impersonal way when a soul becomes a truthseeker, because God’s Spirit is truth (1JN 5:6). The commitment to seek and have faith in the truth as revealed is a primitive “pre-theistic” satisfaction of GRFS (MT 7:7), thus the person begins a saving relationship with God although he/she does not know it (RM 1:17). As a truthseeker at any time in history and place in the world meditates upon his/her experiences, Paul indicates that they will be able to discern God’s being and love (RM 1:20, 2:14-15, GL 5:14) by means of what theologians call “natural or general revelation”. This dispensation occurred from Adam to Moses for the Jews (per RM 5:12-14) and exists for Gentiles until they have the opportunity to learn inspired Scripture (thus the need for missionaries).
When truthseekers recognize the reality of God as the Creator of the universe who has a moral requirement, if they decide to become theists and worship Him, they become like Abraham and other OT believers, and their fellowship deepens or becomes personal. RM 4:1-25 teaches that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (v.3). Then this spiritual event was signified outwardly by circumcision (v.11). Similarly, all who believe in God are credited to be righteous and spiritual children of Abraham, although physical circumcision is optional (v.11-18).
RM 5:6-11 says that while we were powerless (unable to save ourselves via works per 3:9-20), Christ died for the ungodly or sinners or God’s enemies, so that believers (3:22-26) are justified or reconciled and saved from God’s wrath. This includes all of humanity potentially, comparable to how humanity became sinners following the original trespass (5:15-21). Presumably, God provides pre-Christian believers the opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ in a pre-NT and pre-Abrahamic or provisional form (cf. the proto-gospel), so they may repent of sin and accept the pre-incarnate One God/ Christ as Lord (JN 8:42, 1JN 1:3-4). Paul spoke of the Mosaic Law being for the purpose of convicting souls of sin as preparation for the future coming of Christ and the full Gospel (RM 3:19-20, 5:20 & 7:6, GL 3:19&24,) The Law or Old Covenant is the second dispensation of revelation. RM 5:1-21 clarifies that faith in God by which we are justified or deemed righteous (v.1) is mediated by Jesus Christ, who graces us with hope despite suffering and with love by the inpouring of the Holy Spirit (v.2-5), so that we may reflect God’s love.
At the moment of repentance/acceptance, God’s Holy Spirit (HS) enters believers’ spiritual hearts (RV 3:20), uniting them with God as heavenly Father (RM 8:9) and identifying them with Christ’s worldwide/catholic body or church (CL 1:18). As noted, Paul refers to the comparable moment for Abraham as spiritual circumcision. This manifold event is also called spiritual birth or baptism (1CR 12:13). We can infer that this dynamic occurs also for pre-NT believers like Abraham, because there is no salvation outside of Christ’s ekklesia or church (ACTS 4:12). Partial knowledge of God’s Word will limit ability to cooperate with Him, so there is a need for evangelism or learning the full Gospel (MT 28:18-20, cf. ACTS 18:24-26) as well as for lifelong discipleship or spiritual training (2TM 3:16-17). From the advent of Christ until the Second Coming is the third or New Covenant dispensation and relationship with God (RM 3:21-26, GL 3:24-25, HB 7:18-10:1).
Confusion may arise from the fact that in Ephesians 4:5 Paul says there is only one baptism, but elsewhere the NT seems to refer to two types of baptism: one by water and another by the HS. In His “Great Commission” Jesus tied saving faith closely to the work of water baptism when He said “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them” (MT 28:19). Yet, in 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul wrote that “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.” This suggests that spirit baptism occurs at the moment of conversion, when the HS unites the new saint (saved sinner/soul) with Christ, because “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (RM 8:9) The indwelling of the HS may also be called the initial filling by the HS, because at the point of confession and conversion a person is cooperating fully with God. (See RM 6:3-7, GL 2:20) The evidence that a person has been baptized by God’s Spirit or included in Christ’s spiritual body is love in its myriad of forms (GL 5:22-23, JN 13:35).
Any confusion is resolved by understanding that the two types of baptism are united if baptism with water is viewed as a symbolic way of portraying baptism by the HS. The details for this work are vague, but the mode of immersion best portrays a Believer’s spiritual union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to eternal life (CL 2:12, RM 6:4). As a practical matter, a new Believer normally would be baptized by the local congregation of the catholic (worldwide) church in which he/she will want to participate as an acknowledged member. Water baptism symbolizes spiritual baptism.
Instead of commanding water baptism for salvation, Paul said in one place (RM 10:9-10) that a convert should confess “with your mouth” in order to be saved, even though elsewhere (EPH 2:8-9) he taught that one is saved by faith. Both outward confession and water baptism may be seen as works manifesting love for God that every new Believer will want to (but we cannot say “must”) perform as soon as possible following his/her decision to have saving faith (cf. MT 3:13-15, ACTS 2:38). Although Paul did not command baptism, he administered it (in ACTS 16:33, 18:8, 19:5 & 1CR 1:114-16) even though he said Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the gospel (1CR 1:17). IOW, Paul’s focus was on preaching (spirit baptism) and he probably left the water baptizing to his assistants.
The relationship between Believers/Christians and God may be viewed as having three stages (mentioned in Part II). The first stage is the moment of conversion or repentance (ACTS 20:21) just mentioned, when a person “plugs in” to the power of God’s HS by accepting Christ Jesus as Lord. Because a person’s commitment to Christ is in accordance with God’s perfect will and the response of yielding to His calling (1TM 2:3-4), the moment of spiritual baptism fulfills the command of Ephesians 5:18 to be filled (cooperate fully) with the Spirit. For Christians, this stage occurred in the past historically and grammatically; we were saved when we repented and accepted Christ. It should be noted that the indwelling of the HS does not obviate the need for faith, which is the way God makes or provides for keeping believers standing firm (1CR 1:8, 10:12 & 15:58, 2CR 1:20-24). In JN 17:6-12 Jesus said that the disciples knew Jesus spoke GW and knew with certainty and believed that God sent Jesus, indicating that “certainty” meant confident faith, noting that Judas was lost in order to fulfill Scripture (cf. 6:70 & 13:18, referring to PS 41:9). Also, Peter denied knowing Christ thrice, and Thomas doubted per JN 20:24-29.
The second stage is spiritual growth, which is also referred to as maturation (EPH 4:13), discipleship (ACTS 14:22) or sanctification (2THS 2:13). Grammatically it is present progressive, and historically it is the process of being saved now. This stage has two phases: instability and maturity. Although a new Spirit-filled convert has access to all of the power he/she needs for loving like Christ (EPH 3:16-19), no one attains immediate “perfection” by remaining filled with the Holy Spirit forever (PHP 3:12). Instead, the combination of temptations, ignorance and the old selfish nature results in immature saints committing their first post-conversion sin(s). Then he/she no longer is spiritual or filled with the Holy Spirit but rather is acting like unsaved unbelievers (1CR 3:1). This “venial” type of error differs from the “mortal” or damning sin of unbelief or apostasy (rejecting God’s Lordship, cf. JM 1:15).
As soon as a new Christian realizes a sin was committed, he/she should confess it (1JN 1:9) rather than compound it by trying to hide it or cover it up like Adam and Eve did (GN 3:7-8). Then God will forgive, and the saint will again be in a Spirit-filled or spiritual condition. This spiritual flip-flopping might happen once a day, or it could occur several times in an hour. While this instability may be bad, failure to confess promptly is much worse, because it results in chain-sinning or back-sliding. This condition is also referred to as being carnal/worldly (1CR 3:1) or prodigal (LK 15:13) if it continues for weeks or years.
Unfortunately, some people may not appreciate the process of being renewed morally or as Paul says (in RM 12:2) of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind”, perhaps because it involves admitting sins or having “guilt trips”. It is not guilt that is bad; rather whatever one is doing that makes one feel guilty. Guilt is like a warning light on a car’s instrument panel that lets one know something is wrong. Until we have the wisdom to welcome God’s “guilt trips” like we do warning lights, we will never feel the satisfaction of becoming a new and improved version of ourselves. Hopefully, we will never reach the point where we are so callous that we experience no guilt when we do wrong. Warnings are good!
This unstable or immature phase in a Christian’s spiritual relationship with God is followed eventually (and hopefully soon) by a second phase of relative perfection or maturity signified in the Bible (especially the King James Version) by the phrase “walking with God”. Genesis 5:24 describes Enoch as a man who walked with God, and the apostle Paul described the goal of Christians (the fullness of Christ) as walking with God (RM 6:4, GL 5:16, EPH 4:1, 1THS 4:1). Elsewhere the continually (ideally) Spirit-filled condition is referred to as walking: in light (1JN 1:7), in love (EPH 5:2), in a new life (RM 6:4), according to the Spirit (RM 8:4), and in good works (CL 1:10).
The outward evidence that someone is Spirit-filled (EPH 5:18) or walking with God is the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit or fullness of Christ (EPH 3:19, 4:13), which consists of such attributes as those listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus said “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (JN13:35), because “love” sums up the moral character of God (1JN 4:7-8).
III. References to the HS as Truth, Love and the Word
Previously the identification of the Spirit with truth or the word of God was noted with reference to the teaching of Jesus in the 14th, 15th and 16th chapters of John’s gospel, where Jesus referred to the Counselor whom he prayed for the Father to send as “the Spirit of truth… [who] will be in you” (JN 14:16-17) and who will guide believers into all truth (JN 16:13). The first epistle of John also says the HS “is the truth” (1JN 5:6). Thus, references to divine or spiritual truth speak of the HS. Paul taught that Christians learn divine wisdom or the thoughts of God/mind of Christ via words taught by the HS (1CR 2:6-16).
Similarly, the John’s first epistle also identifies the HS with divine love, saying that saints can be recognized as having the Spirit of God by their acknowledgment of the incarnate Christ and their love, because God is love (1JN 4:2-8, cf. JN 13:35). Paul also affirmed love as the first fruit of the HS (GL 5:22) and said the only thing counts is faith manifested by love (GL 5:6). Again Paul wrote that God pours His love into saints’ hearts via the HS (RM 5:5).
IV. The Role of the HS Compared with Angels
The writer of Hebrews (probably Paul) asked in HB 1:14) whether angels were ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation, which seems to duplicate the ministry of the HS described in the Gospel of John as advocate (14:16-17), testifier about Jesus (15:26) and guide (16:12-15)? The word “angel” means messenger, and they appear as men a few places in the Bible, but there are no references to angels and the HS working together, and Paul taught (in 1TM 2:3-5) that there is only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (possibly addressing gnosticism of that era, which viewed angels as such mediators).
Although there is Scripture supporting belief in angels, some beliefs concerning them are rather problematic. Do angels have moral free will and thus need God’s salvation, or are they extensions of God’s HS? Should angels grow less as the HS is glorified in the church era? (Cf. JN 3:30.) If angels are separate lesser beings, they certainly should not be glorified or addressed by devotional prayers. Why not credit the HS with helping souls in every way; why are ministering angels needed? (It seems like “too many cooks in the kitchen” per the NT.)
Thus, perhaps one should think of OT angels as akin to (or functioning in a way similar to) the Mosaic Sacrificial Law: Just as the Law foreshadowed the Gospel, so angels may foreshadow or represent the HS before the triune God was revealed in the NT, because their roles are not very different. In light of the NT, angels can be viewed as preparing the way for the Gospel of Christ. The Law of Moses revealed our sinfulness, the Sacrificial System pointed to Christ’s atonement, some of the prophets revealed that God’s Plan of Salvation (POS) included the Gentiles, and angels may have manifested the HS. As John said with regard to Jesus (in JN 3:30), and just as the NT superseded the OT (per Hebrews 7-9), perhaps angels should become less important as the HS becomes greater. It is not a matter of replacing belief in angels but rather of keeping them in their proper place (cf. problematic gifts per 1CR 12:30-14:1).
This understanding is not taught explicitly in the NT, but there are implications and reasons that have been shared. When Scriptural statements about angels seem unclear, it is better to celebrate the Holy Spirit, about whom much is clearly taught in the NT, while understand that Satan is the evil angel/spirit of evil, whom should be despised. The Holy Spirit may be holy angels/spirits, who do God’s will because they ARE the one God perceived as diversified (vice triune). Interpreting unclear passages by applying clear biblical teachings is better than speculation.