The Holy Spirit
The theological term for this topic is pneumatology.
The premise for this conversation is that God is still at work in our world. Through the movement of the Holy Spirit God moves and works in and through us.
Martin Luther writes; “But God’s Spirit alone is called a Holy Spirit, that is, the one who has made us holy and still makes us holy. As the Father is called a creator, and the Son is called a Redeemer, so on account of his (SIC) work the Holy Spirit must be called a Sanctifier, or one who makes us holy.” Large Catechism, The Creed, The Third Article
Key concept: Sanctification, “to be made holy.”
Sanctification:
From the Greek word ἁγιασμός, {hag-ee-as-mos'}; “dedication to the interests of deity.” Holiness, Consecration. Romans 6:19,22. Basically, to become “God-like.”
From Frederick Buechner’s Wishful Thinking; “But little by little – less by taking pains than by taking it easy – the forgiven person starts to become a forgiving person, the healed person to become a healing person, the loved person to become a loving person. God does most of it. The end of the process, Paul says, is eternal life, Romans 6:23.” (Wishful Thinking, pg. 104)
Martin Luther;
“This life is not righteousness, but growth to righteousness, not health but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be but we are growing toward it. The process is not yet finished but it is going on. This is not the end, but it is the road.” From the Defense of All Articles, Luther’s Works, American Edition, Vol. 32, pg. 24.
According to Luther (in the Large Catechism, The Creed, Third Article), “the Holy Spirit effects our being made holy through the following:
- The community of Saints (the Christian Church)
- Forgiveness of Sins
- Resurrection of the Body
- Life Everlasting
Development of the word spirit.
Hebrew: Ruach (feminine)
Greek: Pneuma ( neuter)
Latin: Spiritus (masculine)
Symbolism of the Spirit.
Genesis 1. The Spirit (Ruach) of God moves over the waters. Ruach has several meanings - “wind, breath, disturbance.” God’s spirit, the ruach, has a creative quality. Creates life out of chaos.
Ruach used 378 in the Old Testament.
136 - God/God’s Spirit
113 - wind, atmosphere (no theological meaning)
116 - human breathing (our breathing has spiritual connotation)
10 - animals
3 - idols
The Spirit is that which fills the void between heaven and earth. This is why breathing has a spiritual quality. The Spirit is that which produces life. From the third article of the Nicene Creed; “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life…”
In the second creation story, Genesis 2:4b-25, God breaths life into the adam, the earth creature. Genesis 2:7 - "then the Lord God formed man (adam, earth creature) from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being."
In the New Testament, the healings/exorcisms of Jesus often have to do with speaking. The physical act of moving air over the vocal chords. When we cannot speak for ourselves, when we are possessed if you will, we cannot articulate who we are. In the healing stories, Jesus restores the ability to speak, for the person to claim who they are.
Idolatry has a nuance of possession. When we are possessed by something, when we place other things before God, we no longer articulate our identity as God’s own creation. Jesus moves us into a place where we can speak for ourselves and claim our identity as God’s sons and daughters. God’s spirit moves in us as an act of healing, reminding us of our identity so that we can tell the story of God’s work in the world.
Images of the Spirit in Scripture.
The Dove. Matthew 3:16 - “And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.”
Why the dove? Perhaps its because it is a creature of the air, something that lives in between heaven and earth. Doves also live close to humanity, something we recognize. A bird that can be used for communication. We have evidence from as early as 1000 BCE of doves being used in a mail system; doves used to communicate.
The Advocate. John 14:25-26 - “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. (26) But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”
Fire. Acts 2:1-4 - “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. (2) And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. (3) Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. (4) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”
In baptism we have both the symbols of water and fire. Both are signs of cleansing and creation. Baptism by immersion has the rich image of a metaphorical drowning - losing the ability to breath, dying to sin - and the first breath when raised out of the waters is the breath of new life.
The Power of the Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit helps us to discern God’s continuing work in our world. The story of Acts chapters 10-15, the acceptance of Paul’s mission to the Gentiles by Peter and the other apostles demonstrates the power of the Spirit. While they could not always agree on what was happening, they continued to meet and pray and affirmed that God was indeed doing something in their midst.
Key for us - Even if we don’t always agree, we believe God is doing something, even something new. Communal discernment, prayer, and conversation are integral.
Power of Spirit expressed in two ways.
1- Spirit disturbs any status quo, system of power. The Spirit stirs up that which is “frozen/static.” It is by the power of the Spirit that people are made free. Example - Exodus, God’s Spirit parts the waters, making a way for God’s redeemed to cross over.
2- Spirit is that which comforts, brings tranquility in the midst of chaos.
The Spirit scatters and gathers. If we are too busy being gathered, the Spirit may enter and say, “Peace by with you” - “Now Go!”
What does a Spirit driven community look like?
Acts 2:37-42
After Peter’s Pentecost Sermon - “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers and sisters, what should we do?” (38) Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (40) And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (41) So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. (42) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
Four marks:
- Devoted themselves to teachings of the apostles
- Fellowship
- Breaking of Bread
- Prayers
No comments:
Post a Comment