Sunday, 04 January 2009
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I Was Brought Up to Fear the Holy Spirit...
Guest post from LifeNeedsProtection
I was brought up to FEAR the Holy Spirit. You know that verse in the Bible -Mark 3:29 (NIV) 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."I used to walk around wondering IF I did this?? Even as a Christian I didn't want to end up like Ananias and his wife. DEAD!! Struck down by the Lord himself.
I remember hearing that story in my hard and uncomfortable Baptist pew and it scared me to death! So many times, I think my upbringing was not of love but of fear. I loved the FATHER and the SON, but ooooo stay away from the Holy Spirit. No one spoke of the Holy Spirit less you die. When I would hear sermons about the Spirit moving and convicting people I pictured something horrible.
Man that was going to hurt!!
Then my Baptist judgmental nature began to HELP the Holy Spirit with His work. I'll point out ALL the sinners sitting in the church who need to be WHACKED over the head with conviction. That will serve them right!! Ooooo...I was a mess. Doctrinally and Theologically ...a mess!! And then I heard a preacher in my latter years about the Holy Spirit being a real person. I know that doesn't make sense to some, b/c how can a spirit be a real person? But isn't the trinity three persons? How could I be so blind to leave out the Holy Spirit. Doesn't the Holy Spirit desire our fellowship, our longing for Him? Doesn't The Holy Spirit desire our love, too? I'll refer to the Holy Spirit as a Him, just because.
Helper, Guide, Comforter, Teacher, and so much more. The Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Rather than trying to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. I simply cannot do this by myself.
Then I began to think about the dove. The Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a dove. Of course I do not believe that the Holy Spirit looks like a dove. The Bible uses metaphors all the time.
Actually the dove is quite symbolic for the Jewish people.
"Just like a dove once she meets her mate never leaves him for another… just as a dove whose fledglings are taken from her nest still doesn't abandon her nest…, so are the Jewish people faithful to God.
A whole new meaning to me...as a Christian who wants and desires to be led ...by the Spirit.
How did you understand the Holy Spirit when you first became a Christian? What about now, are there differences?
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Comments (19)
I really appreciate this post, :)! It gave me something new to think about, this part of your post..
"I think my upbringing was not of love but of fear."
That being said, my comment is not related to your question, but rather a different aspect of the above statement in your post...It pretty much reached out and captured my thoughts wherein I felt I needed to comment solely about it...hope you don't mind that, :) And it's not related to my "upbringing" but rather my way of coming to find Him.
This immediately reminded me of HOW I found Him...through a hell, fire, and brimstone sermon...yes, pretty much through fear regarding hell as a 9-year-old. Many Christians have said that if you found God that way, then one really didn't receive Him or receive Him the right way because you came to Him out of fear...out of a fear or burning in hell with being unsaved. I do not believe that God cares how or what situation it takes for us to find Him, only that we find Him. Many would disagree with my opinion on this because of the finding him through love versus fear issue as related above, as I said....Most people, at least I have heard tell, come to find Him through the hardest situation in their life, drugs, addictions, near death experiences, et cetera. That is not the way I found Him personally. Sometimes I honestly wish it was so I would have an amazing testimony as some of the other Christians, :). Some have told me that because I came to Him through the HF&Brimstone sermon, I didn't truly find Him...To them I say, my prayers and convictions say otherwise, :), as well as the evidence of His presence in my life, :)
Thanks for causing me to think about that. I think NOW, at this point in my life, with some maturity behind me, I'm going to consult God, just in case He has something to add on that issue, :)
Thanks again, :)
I used to be very afraid of God in general, and the Holy Spirit seemed distant and mystical, like He didn't really fit in the Trinity with the Father and Son. I was afraid of what He would do, of His moving. Now my perspective on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has changed. I am coming to know the Holy Spirit as a tender friend and helper who wraps me in tangible arms of love and won't let go until I'm exactly who He wants me to be, who works on me and comforts me and empowers me and uses me and keeps me safe. He is firm and merciful, peaceful, satisfying, and beautiful.
As a Catholic I learned that the Holy Spirit procedes from the Father and the Son. That has to be love. God is family, Father, Son and the love that binds them, the Holy Spirit. That's a mouthful for a child but at least I wasn't scared.
One would have to be truly wicked to blaspheme against Love, himself.
I too began my Christian walk fearing the Holy Spirit. But He is referred to as the Helper, Comforter, Counselor, etc., and Jesus even said in John 16:7 that it was to our advantage that He go away so the Helper would come to us. So I gradually began to see the Holy Spirit as a person and living part of the Trinity, and the One through whom God builds and sustains our relationship with Himself. As I grew in that understanding, I began to see the numerous references to the Holy Spirit and His work throughout scripture not only in the affairs of nations but also in each believer. Although Him being Spirit is part of the mystery of God -- as is the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is now for me a precious part of our wonderful, loving God.
i too, was raised to be afraid of God...we were under his watchful eye, cowering, waiting for him to smite us...well, it wasn't that intense, but there were more hellfire and brimstone sermons than about God's love. of course, that didn't stop me from straying, but i felt like i was on a ticking time bomb. i wasn't afraid of the holy spirit per se, but i wasn't too keen on speaking in tongues. i hadn't really thought about all of this in awhile, so i'm glad you brought this up, thanks for sharing!
I grew up Baptist too but I had a different fear, I hated reading Revelation. The sermons on that scared the crap out of me. LOL But then I read a book by a Messianic Jew on Revelation ((by Dan Juster. Revelation: The Passover Key)) and I've loved reading and studying the book of Revelation ever since.
I was also sort of afraid of "going to heaven" because one pastor used to say (during long sermons and *boring to me* singing) "if you don't enjoy this, I don't know how you are going to enjoy heaven!" I was like 8 years old and I had images in my head of the most boring eternity awaiting me. My perspective is very different now, thank you GOD!
I've always been curious about the whole "God-fearing" thing. I am non-religious myself, but that is one of the reasons why I've never been able to convert (the other reasons have to do with faith vs. logic and aren't relevant to this post).
I just don't like the idea of behaving a certain way just to avoid punishment, and I just can't wrap my head around the idea that otherwise good people would be punished just for not believing. Nor do I like the idea that somehow, people can't be good without the carrot of heaven dangling in front of them and the threat of hell being held over them. Or why God would feel the need to reward/punish people.
One of my friends said that "God-fearing" was more being in awe of God, not being afraid --is that it? I don't know...I guess the God in the Bible just seems far too human in my view. Still, an interesting post!
@just_the_average_jane@xanga - I know the term God-fearing is difficult, but the word fear is being used in a very different way.
One verse in the Bible actually says God is feared because He forgives (Psalm 130:4). It means we Christians are in awe at how loving and merciful and all-powerful He is, not that we are terrified of being smashed to bits.
Christians believe that we have a parent/child relationship with God (among other ways of looking at the relationship). We can approach Him any time and receive His love and affection as His kids. He's not an abusive dad. I know from experience that He's infinitely patient and affirming and kind. He's also firm and committed to helping us become who we need to be, but He never abuses or rejects us. He's the perfect dad, and we do not have to live in terror of Him because He accepts us into His family and loves us completely.
Here is a passage that deals with the idea of unhealthy fear of God:
(1 John 4:18-19) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, becausefear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.
What this is saying is that God's love drives out all of our terror. We are safe with Him and secure in His love.
To summarize: We're dealing with two different uses of the word fear. The one you asked about is positive, and it means living in awe of an all-powerful God who is also merciful. It motivates us to live for Him because we love Him so much and respect His greatness.
The other use of the word fear is the way we usually think of fear-as terror, anxiety, etc. God's comforting, embracing love frees us completely from that kind of fear.
I hope this helps clarify a little :)
I remember one Easter service when I was a child, where the Trinity was compared to an egg--the shell is the Father, the white is the Son, and the yolk is the Holy Spirit. I never really thought much about the Holy Spirit, so I never really feared Him. I've always felt more of the love rather than the fear.
I have to say though...if the Holy Spirit looked like that picture of the reaper, that would be AWESOME.
Mark 3:29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
I think the Holy Spirit probably doesn't exist and is just a silly story someone made up a long time ago, especially since it makes no sense ... Like a couple dudes centuries apart got drunk and tried to add onto each other's stories and failed miserably.
.... oopsy daisy!
Off to hell for me!
A healthy fear and respect of God is a good thing.
But I think your church was doctrinally wrong to teach you this without teaching you about the Trinity and how important that is to central orthodox Christian doctrine. I know a lot of Baptist churches aren't too sound on doctrine these days.
@just_the_average_jane@xanga - I always was taught that "fearing God" was not the same as fearing His punishment or wrath. "Fear" in this case is having a sense of reverance. I guess you could think of it in the same sense that you would "fear" your boss. When the boss is in the room, most people work harder and faster than they do when the boss leaves. In the same way, most Christians behave better when they think God is looking. Mostly during church. Unfortunately, we miss the point that the bible is trying to make, that God is with us all of the time and we need to do the right thing all of the time. Which brings up another misunderstanding that people have as to why we should behave the way the bible speaks. We do not follow what the bible commands so that we can make it to heaven, but because it leads to a more fulfilling life for ourselved and those that we come into contact with.
Heaven is beside the point. I never really thought about it until I just started reading the Bible from page 1. If you think about it, all of the commandments are/were directly beneficial to our health, safety, national security and happiness. They aren't just a bunch of arbitrarily chosen rules just so God can see if we want to follow Him. Maybe that's why God seems so human to some people, because God made these commandments for our benefit, not His.
Your post really touched me.
Like you, though for different reasons, I too questioned whether I had committed this unforgiven sin. It was never explained to me just how you blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, so I believed I might have, as I had become unexplainably ill, unable to eat, losing large amounts of weight, and a horrible burning sensation in my body. No physician could find the cause, so I determined I was being punished by God, for the unforgivable sin.As quickly as this illness had began, it ended the same, no rhyme, no reason.
It was years later, that I realized the Holy Spirit was my guide, my comforter, and that God is a God of love, peace, hope, and joy, not fire and brimstone.
I do believe that God did cause this experience as he has caused other trials in my life, not to punish, but to strengthen my faith.I consider these experiences to be a blessing, for through my trials, I discovered a peace and love in my spirit, and faith.
I remember once on a youth meeting where they spoke about one sin that can never ever be forgiven was like you said - when you blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I got so scared and just like you I started think: "Have I ever done that?". But I think that when God seeks to save you and he "asks" you the question - will you accept him into your heart? And some say yes and some say maybe or I will do that later, but there are also those that say no with a straight answer. I believe that is the actual sin that can't be forgiven, but those people arefew I believe and even though we think that some have said no they have only said maybe or later.
Anyone else ever read R. A. Torrey's books on the Holy Spirit? Very well worth your time.
@mini_mayfield@xanga - You don't understand the original Greek wording of that phrase and in context. What some translations lose is the saying in its intended meaning in the passage. The Greek is communicating that one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit is guilty of an eternal sin, one that keeps a person away from eternal life. That is, calling the work of Christ the work of the devil (as did the religious leaders of Christ's day) keeps one from trusting Christ for eternal life. See "Mark 3:29," in A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Oak Harbor , WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997).
Sitting in church at three or four years of age I would hear the congregation sing songs saying, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." So I always pictured the Father and Son as looking like regular (bearded) people, but the Holy Ghost as... well, a ghost, and of the cartoony Halloweenish variety of my childhood brain. Terrible, I know. Ghosts were scary! So even if He was God, the Holy Spirit seemed a little scary to me as a kid. Luckily, I've learned more since then, even though my understaning is quite shady still in comparison to what I know about the Father and the Son. I want the Holy Spirit to live inside of me, but I really have a hard time visualizing Who I'm praying will guide me. Reading what you said about a dove is nice, though, and it helps. So often I find that I simply think of the Holy Spirit, indwelling or not, as a force like gravity and not a Person.
The Bible doesn't talk nearly as much about what the Holy Spirit is like compared to the Father and the Son. Jesus calls Him the "Comforter," which I find very appealing.
Thank you for reminding me, writer and commenters, that the Holy Spirit is a Person and an important member of the Godhead. <3
Well this is a very interesting post I'm actually giving a talk on the holy spirit this weekend at a retreat :)
For catholics The holy spirit is given to us at baptism and the holy spirit being the 3rd part of the trinity god sent to us and he believed that it was BETTER than him. I'm still trying to figure it out there are a lot of analogies out there for it though :) check the chocolate milk one out via google
@JUSTAVAPORHERE@xanga - @Pickwick12@xanga - @armstrong - @PlAySliKeAnAnGel@xanga - @Havlik@xanga - Ash Wednesday is on Feb 25th this year so Catholics will be perhaps thinking about the idea of holiness tomorrow. It's a good opportunity to talk about this theme. I just did a study on Leviticus, "Seeing God" and it helped me understand how holiness is the only way we can really see more of God in our lives and working through us. Jesus pointed out that holiness leads to joy in Mattew 5.8 and though we may be saved through fear, I believe we are to walk in relationship more in the joy of the Lord. The only unforgiveable sin is to completely reject the Holy Spirit, because then we can't be saved. It's unforgiveable because it includes rejecting Jesus and the cross and so this is blasphemy.