What is "Walking in the Spirit"?

[Tenchi]

So you don't recognize that "walking" and "filled" etc. are metaphors?

Not sure how you got this from what I wrote...

Can we actually climb inside the Spirit of God and walk there? Can we actually have the Holy Spirit fill up our body? Does the Holy Spirit actually rest on the head or shoulder when He "comes upon" one?

??? I've neither stated, nor implied, any of these things. Why are you jumping to such...odd questions? It seems to me, your reply is essentially a red-herring where, rather than deal with the substance of my actual remarks, you imply through the sorts of questions you've asked that I may hold silly views that I don't.

 

[John of Japan]

Not sure how you got this from what I wrote...

I expected interaction, but you avoided that and gave me no interaction on my statement, which I believe is an essential point for interpreting your OP. I have studied pneumatology for many years, and teach it to sophomores in a doctrines class, and I believe this is a very important point to make about the doctrine.

??? I've neither stated, nor implied, any of these things. Why are you jumping to such...odd questions? It seems to me, your reply is essentially a red-herring where, rather than deal with the substance of my actual remarks, you imply through the sorts of questions you've asked that I may hold silly views that I don't.

You see, I simply said that I believed the biblical terms you are using are metaphors, but you ignored that and posted your own views. That's fine, but it simply means that I see no point in further contributing to your thread.

Enjoy your thread. Catch you later.

 

[Tenchi]

I expected interaction, but you avoided that and gave me no interaction on my statement, which I believe is an essential point for interpreting your OP. I have studied pneumatology for many years, and teach it to sophomores in a doctrines class, and I believe this is a very important point to make about the doctrine.

No, I'm not avoiding interaction. Rather, I'm expecting you to consider what I've written and arrive at sensible conclusions about it.

I'm glad to know you've studied pneumatology for many years. You're not the only one who's done so. Along with all your study, I hope you've "walked in the Spirit," too.

Anyway, are "walking" and "filling" metaphorical descriptions of what an immaterial Being does in his interactions with us? Obviously, yes. And so, you'll notice that nowhere in what I've written in this thread, do I speak of being literally filled with the Spirit, like a cup is filled with water. There is, though, some correspondence between a metaphor and what it characterizes, otherwise the metaphor is not only uselessly employed but potentially misleading.

 

[John of Japan]

Not sure how you got this from what I wrote...



??? I've neither stated, nor implied, any of these things. Why are you jumping to such...odd questions? It seems to me, your reply is essentially a red-herring where, rather than deal with the substance of my actual remarks, you imply through the sorts of questions you've asked that I may hold silly views that I don't.

Did not imply that you hold silly views. I simply wanted a reply about metaphors. I think there is much nonsense out there about the filling, baptizing, etc. of the Spirit that can be cleared up by this simple fact. If you choose not to discuss that, that's fine. It's your thread.

Metaphor: "Figure of speech in which a word or expression normally used of one kind of object, action, etc. is extended to another."
P. H. Matthews, Oxford Concise Dictionary of Linguistics, 2nd ed., 243.

 

[Tenchi]

You see, I simply said that I believed the biblical terms you are using are metaphors, but you ignored that and posted your own views. That's fine, but it simply means that I see no point in further contributing to your thread.

Enjoy your thread. Catch you later.

But you didn't "simply" say that you believed the terms/phrases were metaphorical, you also implied that I didn't believe this. But I've never denied the metaphorical nature of the terms you've inquired about, nor written about them as physical events. Why, then, ask me if I think they are metaphorical? It seems pretty evident to me from what I've written that I think the non-physical Holy Spirit "fills," or "comes upon," or "baptizes" people in a non-physical manner.

In any event, I don't think, actually, that you will "catch me later." I've been posting on various Christian forum sites for more than twenty years now and this one is - by far - the slowest, most spiritually stifled and dreary one I've frequented. I think this will likely be my last post on this site.

 

[John of Japan]

But you didn't "simply" say that you believed the terms/phrases were metaphorical, you also implied that I didn't believe this. But I've never denied the metaphorical nature of the terms you've inquired about, nor written about them as physical events. Why, then, ask me if I think they are metaphorical? It seems pretty evident to me from what I've written that I think the non-physical Holy Spirit "fills," or "comes upon," or "baptizes" people in a non-physical manner.

I see no way possible that I "implied" anything whatsoever about you. That was certainly not my intention. I was simply replying to your one post with a thought of mine.

In any event, I don't think, actually, that you will "catch me later." I've been posting on various Christian forum sites for more than twenty years now and this one is - by far - the slowest, most spiritually stifled and dreary one I've frequented. I think this will likely be my last post on this site.

Wow. Well, then, move on elsewhere for your "excitement" and "spirituality."

 

[Marooncat79]

“Keeping in Step w the Spirit”

By J I Packer

It’s old but very good

You can prob pick up a copy for $8-10

 

[John of Japan]

“Keeping in Step w the Spirit”

By J I Packer

It’s old but very good

You can prob pick up a copy for $8-10

Good reccomendation. Packer's always interesting and thought provoking, even when I disagree with his theology.

I love the older authors: John R. Rice, The Power of Pentecost; R. A. Torrey, The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does (this one affected me greatly), and How To Obtain Fullness of Power; A. J. Gordon, The Ministry of the Spirit, and The Holy Spirit in Missions; H. A Ironside, The Mission of and Praying in the Holy Spirit. I also have The Holy Spirit by John Owen, but have never read it through.,

 

[Aaron]

What is the point you're wanting to make, @Tenchi ? Is that pronounced "Ten Key," as in the calculator?

 

[John of Japan]

What is the point you're wanting to make, @Tenchi ? Is that pronounced "Ten Key," as in the calculator?

Tenchi has left the building! (We are not spiritual enough for him, and we are dreary according to Post #65. ) In Japanese, tenchi means "heaven and earth," and is pronounced ten + chi as in "cheat."

 

[JesusFan]

Good reccomendation. Packer's always interesting and thought provoking, even when I disagree with his theology.

I love the older authors: John R. Rice, The Power of Pentecost; R. A. Torrey, The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does (this one affected me greatly), and How To Obtain Fullness of Power; A. J. Gordon, The Ministry of the Spirit, and The Holy Spirit in Missions; H. A Ironside, The Mission of and Praying in the Holy Spirit. I also have The Holy Spirit by John Owen, but have never read it through.,

When first saved, someone gave to me the book The Holy Spirit by Billy Graham

 

[John of Japan]

When first saved, someone gave to me the book The Holy Spirit by Billy Graham

I'm sure Graham would be good in that area. He was mentored in the 1940's by my grandfather when he was a young evangelist.

 

[JesusFan]

I'm sure Graham would be good in that area. He was mentored in the 1940's by my grandfather when he was a young evangelist.

Book was very more a practical treatment of the Holy Spirit then being a textbook on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit proper, as to How He is third person of trinity, His attributes etc, as Dr Graham focus on him being the One who empowers us in prayers and living and working unto the Lord Jesus by his aid now