The Power of True Belief and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit
As Christians today, believing in God and receiving the Holy Spirit are essential to our spiritual journey. However, it is important to ask whether our belief and the power we receive are genuine. For instance, in these verses, John 1:12-13 and John 3:18, we are told about the nature of true belief: “To all who believed him and received him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 As???? n?ng báo t? 13 Their salvation is not something they did by themselves. It is the gift of God, 14 not a result of works, so that no one can boast.” (John 1:12-15).
John 3:18, on the other hand, tells us that those who do not believe are already condemned: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (John 3:18). This raises the question: How can our belief be genuine if we do not have the supernatural power received after Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5)?
The Internal Power of the Fruits of the Spirit
The fruits of the Holy Spirit are described in Galatians 5:22-23 as “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”. These fruits are internal, reflecting our relationship with God and our character. Jesus, although having these fruits, was often unrecognized in His lifetime. Yet, His supernatural power and the revealing of those fruits through Him is what will grant us eternal life in heaven.
When discussing the power of the Holy Spirit, it is essential to focus on the spiritual fruits this power brings, as this will lead us to the promises of heaven (Acts 1:8). Speaking in tongues, as some Christians practice today, does not necessarily represent the biblical style of speaking in tongues. According to the Bible, tongue-speaking is when others can hear, and it is a miraculous gift from the Holy Spirit.
The Dangers of Misinterpretation and False Teachings
It is important to avoid creating a religion based on a pastiche of out-of-context sound bites and hoax miracles. This can lead to false beliefs and a misguided understanding of God's will. Many Christians today are vulnerable to such false teachings that lack biblical foundation. Lying and misinterpreting scriptures can mislead people and create confusion.
Scripture Twisting
Scripture twisting is the practice of using unrelated verses to support a personal agenda, which is a form of misinterpretation. For instance, Acts 1:5/8 describes a personal conversation between Jesus and His apostles, where the promised power was intended to grow the church. This was to be given in the form of gifts, listed in 1 Corinthians 12, which were chosen by the Holy Spirit.
Typical Misinterpretations
False 'Holy Spirit Baptism' - John 14:12 and Acts 1:5/8 were taken out of context. John 14:12 does not talk about a human 'holy spirit baptism,' but rather about doing greater works through faith in Jesus. Acts 1:8 talks about the apostles receiving power for witness and mission, not about individual baptisms. False Tongues - Speaking in tongues is a miraculous gift from the Holy Spirit, when others can hear and understand, not just a display of fake languages. Using this gift for personal validation or to prove salvation is not biblical. False Judgments on Salvation - Matthew 7:5 warns against being hypocritical in judging others' salvation, a practice that lacks true spiritual insight.True Christian Baptism
True Christians are baptized by the Holy Spirit at the moment they accept the gospel (Ephesians 1:13): “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” (Ephesians 1:13-15). In these verses, the promise of the Holy Spirit is connected to the forgiveness of sins and the transformation into a new spiritual dimension.
In conclusion, the true power of belief lies not in creating individual human rituals or proving one's salvation, but in living a life that reflects the love, joy, and peace of the Holy Spirit. It is important to avoid misleading teachings and focus on true biblical values.