Many Christians Say Holy Spirit Is Fake
We live in a crazy time where nearly every Christian believes in the Bible, but many think the Holy Spirit is just a myth created as a symbol representing God!
In partnership with George Barna, Arizona Christian University in 2021 released its Worldview Inventory. The results were disappointing and potentially discouraging. Out of 176 million Americans who identify as Christian, just 6% hold a recognizably “Christian worldview.”
Barna calls those who subscribe to a Christian worldview “Integrated Disciples.” Here’s some good news about the beliefs of Integrated Disciples:
- 99% believe the Bible is the accurate Word of God.
- 99% believe God is the all-knowing, all-powerful good and just Creator of the universe who still rules today.
- 88% believe God has a reason for everything.
Now, here’s the difficult news about the beliefs of this most committed group of Christians:
- 25% say there is no absolute moral truth.
- 33% subscribe to karma.
- 52% believe people are basically good.
- 39% contend the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of God’s power, presence or purity.
There is no way to understand the Book of Acts without recognizing the work of the Holy Spirit. Some Biblical Scholars have suggested that title of the Book shouldn’t be “The Acts of the Apostles,” but rather, “The Acts of the Holy Spirit!” There are 55 references to the Holy Spirit in Acts alone.
Because we have the empowering of the Holy Spirit in our lives, you and I can now fulfill the mission mandate found in Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
In our final teaching of the current series, “Living Our Mission,” we will look together at Acts 17:1-15. Some enemies of the Gospel said the following about the mission team recorded in Acts 17:6: “These people have turned the world upside down.” This small group of Spirit-filled early Christians are credited with turning the world upside down!
We will be challenged with the truth: “To turn the world upside down, the Word must first turn us inside out!”
According to Acts 17, you and I have two primary roles if we hope to see the world changed by the Gospel:
1. Examine the Word, and
2. Explain the Word.
When the Holy Spirit brings the truth of the Word of God to life in our hearts and minds, we will find ourselves participating in the dynamic process in which God is changing people from the inside-out, and turning the world upside-down!
We build our lives on God’s Word, and we walk joyfully in the life of the Holy Spirit received by faith, and in and through us, God works his mission of salvation and healing in the lives of all who hear and receive the Good News of Jesus Christ!
Please join us at 11 a.m. on Sabbath Saturday for this powerful discussion that is certain to change your World View and make you a more devout Christian!
Your Pastor,
Duff
