Announcements / Continuations

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9

(Holy Spirit, continued from page 6)

The purpose of this indwelling may be found in Romans 8. He helps us resist temptation (v. 5-9), providing we do not quench the Spirit (1 Thess 5:19) by rejecting His counsel through the Word. He preserves spiritual life (v. 10-13). He certifies our relationship with God (v. 14-17). He strengthens us in times of weakness (v. 18-25). He helps us in prayer (v. 26-27). Whether The Holy Spirit does all these things indirectly through the Word only or in some other manner, we do not know, because the Bible does not reveal it. Nevertheless, we through faith trust in Him to do His glorious work in the manner of His choosing.

Conclusion

For many, the Holy Spirit and his work has been a subject of mystery and great confusion. However, if one will carefully study the scriptures, one will find that the Holy Spirit is no more mysterious or confusing than knowing the Father or the Son. He has wrought many wonderful works on behalf of man and His work continues to abide today through the word, which He inspired (2 Tim 3:16-17).

Ted Parks
Vacaville, Ca.

(Temptation of Eve, continued from page 4)

as the seminal example of the permanent, enduring power of the Biblical text. He finds the temptation, ultimate seduction, and the fall as the greatest example of man’s yearning for freedom from God. Shattuck, though not a Christian, describes the “timelessness of the Biblical verses" as having "epic dimensions.”

Last, but certainly not least, Satan tells Eve that she will be “like God.” Did Eve think that Satan had this special and enlightened point of view because he had already partaken of the forbidden fruit? Was this the angle that she was led or perhaps wanted to believe? “How would he know this unless he has already experienced this newly found (and blissfully rebellious) state?” To be “like God” is essentially to be God. The Scripture plainly says that God created man in His “image,” not His “essence.”

Here however, we have another lie that continues to itch the ear of man even today. It is found most prominently in the ideology of Humanism, a belief in the preeminence and independence of man above all. This philosophy dismisses any belief in a supreme being by placing evolution at its core, and placing man on a solitary universal pedestal. This is the fallout from the disobedience of Eve; this is the result of Satan's temptation.

Johnny Oxendine
San Mateo, Ca.