"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
The earlier two meditations might have been delivered to you with the nuance that, possibility of salvation is opened even to the people outside of the church. It is right. There are two reasons for this. First, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the universal power of salvation. Second, the power of God’s creation is able to overcome the evils of men. Having these reasons in hand, now it is time to give the third reason.
The Holy Spirit, a person of the Trinity, is the spirit of life. The Spirit is the spirit of creation, the spirit of resurrection and the spirit of everlasting. The spirit creates life not only in the church community but also in the entire world. Christianity alone cannot completely monopolize the life. In other word, Christianity cannot monopolize the Holy Spirit.
According to the teachings of John’s gospel, the Holy Spirit is just like the wind which we do not know where it comes from and where it goes. To be free like the wind has some personal implications. He creates life in the world in his own way and at his own discretion. Christians believe the spirit of life as the one God. Therefore, we should not put a limitation on the activity of the spirit by confining his activity within the walls of Christianity.
I hope you do not misunderstand what I mean. I do not mean that all the religious activities in the world are the acts of the Holy Spirit. Many of them are controlled and occupied by the evil spirit. Idol worship is an act of being manipulated by the evil spirit. An act of incantation and spell of charms is also the work of evil spirit at the cost of damaging man’s spirit.
Furthermore, we must understand the fact that complete submission of ourselves as an empty vessel for the work of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we fall into a religious autism. There is a big difference between a state of belief that firmly holds on one’s wholehearted resolute belief and that easily falls into a religious autism.
The Holy Spirit who works beyond our thoughts and imagination is the Spirit of life. The Spirit fills the entire universe. O Come, Holy Spirit!
The earlier two meditations might have been delivered to you with the nuance that, possibility of salvation is opened even to the people outside of the church. It is right. There are two reasons for this. First, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the universal power of salvation. Second, the power of God’s creation is able to overcome the evils of men. Having these reasons in hand, now it is time to give the third reason.
The Holy Spirit, a person of the Trinity, is the spirit of life. The Spirit is the spirit of creation, the spirit of resurrection and the spirit of everlasting. The spirit creates life not only in the church community but also in the entire world. Christianity alone cannot completely monopolize the life. In other word, Christianity cannot monopolize the Holy Spirit.
According to the teachings of John’s gospel, the Holy Spirit is just like the wind which we do not know where it comes from and where it goes. To be free like the wind has some personal implications. He creates life in the world in his own way and at his own discretion. Christians believe the spirit of life as the one God. Therefore, we should not put a limitation on the activity of the spirit by confining his activity within the walls of Christianity.
I hope you do not misunderstand what I mean. I do not mean that all the religious activities in the world are the acts of the Holy Spirit. Many of them are controlled and occupied by the evil spirit. Idol worship is an act of being manipulated by the evil spirit. An act of incantation and spell of charms is also the work of evil spirit at the cost of damaging man’s spirit.
Furthermore, we must understand the fact that complete submission of ourselves as an empty vessel for the work of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we fall into a religious autism. There is a big difference between a state of belief that firmly holds on one’s wholehearted resolute belief and that easily falls into a religious autism.
The Holy Spirit who works beyond our thoughts and imagination is the Spirit of life. The Spirit fills the entire universe. O Come, Holy Spirit!
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