After Pentecost

By Colin P. Norris

There are almost 300 million Pentecostal Christians in the world. (Those who believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still active in the Church, and live accordingly.) That’s over 12% of the estimated number of Christians around the world. Yet they are routinely publicly maligned and ridiculed by influential non-Pentecostal church leaders who have never experienced the gifts of the Holy Spirit as described in the New Testament, but instead insist that the gifts ceased with the death of the first apostles.
On the other side are the Pentecostal ministries that attract ridicule by clearly misrepresenting the Holy Spirit and making a “show” of operating in the gifts including false healings, false signs and wonders, and false prophecies.
Concerned that both extremes blaspheme and grieve God the Holy Spirit, and dishonour Christ, Colin Norris undertook this objective examination of the majority of verses and passages in the New Testament that mention the Holy Spirit, with the intention of separating the errors of doctrine, tradition, academia and story telling, from biblical truth. What he clearly saw, and hopes the reader will also clearly see, is a vital aspect of the Church that has been widely ignored for a very, very long time.
Colin’s hope for this book is that it will help non-Pentecostals welcome the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit into their lives and churches; help Pentecostals correct their hyper-spirituality so they can experience the genuine presence of the Holy Spirit; and heal much of the disunity in the Church stemming from this issue, with the end result being that all Christians may grow into the fullness of the character of Christ, fully equipped for every good work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Colin P. Norris
• Release date: Mar 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9780975716878

Colin P. Norris

Born in England in 1959. Born again in Tasmania Australia in 1986 because a demon appeared in his flat.But having been raised a nominal Christian, Colin was not quick to accept the Christian narrative he had been given even though it did resolve the problem with the evil spirit. So he went on a journey to question and test everything he was hearing and reading about Christianity. This lead him to Bible College where he continued to question. When he was told by the teachers to not ask questions in class any longer, he spent all his spare time in the College library looking there for the answers the teachers were not able to supply.After 5 years of questioning, Colin one day realised he no longer doubted that the Bible was inspired by God, and that everything He says in it is true. That didn't stop Colin asking questions, but at least he found one source in the world he could trust - against which he would continue to test all claimed "truths" including the myriad of Christian denominational and ideological truths.Now having spent most of his life as a Christian he has found a great many answers, but is still testing. Much of the result of this can be found in the abundance of articles Colin has written based on his Bible studies, written to help clarify and galvanised his understanding, but also to be available to other Christians who are having the questions he had.Four of his studies have resulted in books.* Before You Stop Believing (2005) - A look at 9 areas of church doctrines that cause confusion and damage to most Christians - Faith; Sin & Righteousness; Salvation; Church; Prayer & Fasting; Blessings & Curses; Money, Giving & Tithing; The Devil, Demons & Christians; Holy God & Holy People. (Updated in 2022 and published as an eBook.)* As Your Soul Prospers (2018) - 8 Steps for Christians to Overcome Personal Difficulties, starting with helping them understand the Body, Soul, and Spirit, and the way people become who they are and then change after becoming a Christian.* After Pentecost (2021) - The role, purpose and gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church, as revealed through the New Testament. (Particularly looks at most of the passages in the New Testament mentioning the Holy Spirit, and delves into the different views about those scriptures to reveal the most likely truths.)* Intentional Marriage Workshop (2022) - A DIY Marriage Workshop to help Christian couples identify and achieve their ideal marriage. (Based on the many lessons Colin and his wife Diane learned by the things the suffered, which brought them to a blessed and God glorifying marriage they didn't know was possible.)* Believe & Deceive (2022) - An extensive Bible study of the scriptures used by Word of Faith, which when read in context and compared to the rest of Scripture, clearly reveals that the Word of Faith is based on False Teaching! Areas covered are the "Little Gods" doctrine, the Faith Power doctrine, the false gospels of WoF, what the Bible actually says about "Abundant Life", and the believe it and claim it doctrine of perfect health by "Jesus' Stripes". A Bonus Section of the book looks at every passage in the Bible on tithing, then takes a close look at the give-to-get tithing message promoted in many churches to show that it is dishonest.Now at the far side of 60, Colin is even more eagerly studying the word, asking questions, and testing truths, because he knows his time is short - three score and ten, eighty if by strength. He hopes to leave a legacy of resources for his children and grandchildren so they have answers at their fingertips when he is no longer around to help with answers and encouragement - which he never had access to growing up.

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After Pentecost

[eBook]

A thorough Bible Study of the role, purpose and gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church, as revealed through the New Testament.

By Colin P. Norris

~~~~~~~

Copyright 2021 Colin Peter Norris

Published by Colin P. Norris

[Smashwords Edition]

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only, therefore it may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover Design: Frog Print WA (frogprint.com.au)

Cover Photo: adobestock.com

Contents

Introduction

Bible Study

Matthew

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

1 Thessalonians

Titus

Hebrews

1 John

Jude

Conclusion

Addendum (Mark 16:17-18)

Bibliography

About the Author

Introduction

I remember as a relatively new Christian, over 30 years ago, reading in a Christian magazine an article stating that the number of Pentecostal Christians in the world was estimated to be 40 million. [By Pentecostal I refer to those who accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit as still being widely active in the Church, including speaking in tongues.] When doing this study I looked on the internet for the current estimates – 297 million! That’s a little over 12% of the total estimated number of Christians.

So it disappoints and frustrates me to hear many church leaders and celebrity Bible teachers, who have never spoken in tongues, explain what the New Testament means when talking about this gift (or any other gift of the Holy Spirit). They may say that it happened in the early Church but it definitely doesn’t happen any longer, so those 297 million Christians who do speak in tongues are just speaking gibberish and doing it by their own flesh. It is absolutely NOT by the Holy Spirit!

I am also sometimes saddened by such leaders in the Church who use their position and popularity to ridicule and disparage Christians who are sincere in their use and support of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. My view is that such people should judge and debate the issue according to scripture, not laugh at and use ad-hominem attacks against believers who have a different experience (which can be defended scripturally).

On the other hand, having spent most of my Christian years in Pentecostal churches, I am sometimes saddened by the carnal extremes Pentecostals reach as the spirit moves them.

Concerning for me, is the way both sides of the issue manipulate scripture using extra-biblical teaching and anecdotes to prove their stand. Ironically, advocates on both sides claim to be biblically driven and to use scripture to interpret scripture.

But most concerning for me is that in both extremes the Holy Spirit is surely grieved, and at worst blasphemed. It’s dangerous to use the gifts unrighteously, and it’s dangerous to deny them if indeed they are still for use in the New Testament Church.

My aim with this Bible study is to bring some clarity into the area of the Holy Spirit and His role and purpose in the body of Christ, and thereby repair some of the breach in unity.

What makes what I have to say worth considering is mainly that I have no allegiance to any camp on the topic. My views are based as much as possible on what I see through study and reason as the clear teaching of scripture. If scripture clearly shows that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for the contemporary Church, I would have an anti-Pentecostal stance. Therefore, not being subject to any particular school of theology, I tend to be able to stay free of any particular bias on the subject. Instead I read multiple commentaries so that my understanding is formed and determined primarily by scripture rather than using scripture to support inculcated doctrines.

Because speaking in tongues is just one gift of the Holy Spirit, it’s crucial that we look past that one issue, and investigate what the New Testament says about the Holy Spirit and how He operates in the lives of believers and in the Church. This should then give us a clearer understanding of speaking in tongues, as well as the other gifts.

The method of this study is to work through the New Testament beginning at Matthew, looking at as many passages as possible to get a clear view of what God tells us through scripture. You will notice that as we progress through the scriptures a picture of the person, purpose and role of the Holy Spirit will progressively reveal itself. When the scriptures highlight controversial doctrines they are more fully investigated to see how well they fit within either camp. The intention of this study is not to prove any particular stance on the issue, but simply to show the scriptures on the issue as clearly and as objectively as possible, and let you come to your own conclusions.

Please do not rush through this study. If you rush through it you might overlook or quickly disregard information on this vital topic because it is contrary to the doctrines you have been taught. Ideally, to get the most out of the study, look at the scripture references mentioned, and read the context when it is recommended. It’s not a race you win by getting to the end, but by finding the treasures along the way. (The margins in this book are wide so you have some space to make notes if necessary.)

Scriptures quoted in this study are from the New King James Version (unless otherwise indicated). But be sure to check the scriptures in context in your own Bible – preferably not a paraphrase which will express the biases of the writers.

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Bible Study

Matthew 3:11 – I [John] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. As with all scriptures, it is vital to read this in context to help gain the best possible under-standing. We will look at 3:10-12 but ideally you should read all of chapter 3.

John the Baptist is preaching that the expected Messiah (the Christ) is soon to come, so he is warning his audience to repent – to turn from their sins back to living righteously. When some religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) come to where he is preaching and baptising those who repent, John warns them too. But they say they don’t need to repent because they are the sons of Abraham – they believe the Messiah will reward them and bless them solely because of that.

John says in verse 10, And now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Then he says that the One who is coming will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. In verse 12, he goes on to say, His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Also Luke 3:15-17.)

Many non-Pentecostals hold that this fire the Messiah will baptise with (verse 11) refers to either the tongues of fire on the heads of the disciples in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost, or that it means refining. Many Pentecostals hold that the fire means the power, signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Other Pentecostals hold that it also refers to the power of the Holy Spirit which enlightens and purifies people’s souls, and kindles a fire in them for good works and reaching the lost. But, given the context regarding burning the chaff and burning the trees that do not produce good fruit, the most likely meaning is that if you repent now you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit (possibly including purification), but if you don’t repent it will be the fiery judgement of God when He divides the wheat of the true believers from the chaff of the hypocrites. (See Isaiah 33:14-16.)

[My formative years as a Christian was in Pentecostal churches so I believed the fire referred to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I mention this so you can see I will always adjust what I believe so it aligns with the clear teachings of scripture.]

Matthew 10:19-20 – But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (For context read from verse 5 to 26. See also Mark 13:11.)

We are assured that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us in times of difficulty or peril (Hebrews 13:5-6). So it is, when Christians are persecuted and prosecuted for saying things the lawmakers don’t want to hear but want to silence, the Spirit of God stands with us to inspire us with what to say.

When Paul was on trial in Rome for his life, Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:16-17 – At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Stephen didn’t have the same outcome at his trial. (Read his account and defense in Acts 6:8 to 7:60.) Just before he was taken out and stoned to death we are told, But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! Stephen was FULL of the Holy Spirit. There was no room in him for anything else, not fear, not cowardice, not regret, not hate, not anything contrary to the nature of God. Hence with his last words Stephen could say, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. (Acts 7:60).

Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak. What were the words Stephen and Paul spoke? The gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit stands with us to strengthen us in speaking the gospel, even if doing so will lead to our physical death.

Matthew 12:28 – But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Also Luke 11:19-20.)

The emphasis here is the coming of the kingdom of God (where God is ruling), and by implication that Jesus is truly the Messiah. And here it says that the kingdom has come when the Holy Spirit is asserting the authority of God. [I like the account of this in Luke where instead of the Spirit of God he writes finger of God. I often imagine the Holy Spirit of God using His finger to flick away the demons, like we would flick away an annoying insect.]

It’s important to read this passage in context with verses 31 and 32: "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." (Also Mark 3:28-30 and Luke 12:10.)

Blasphemy means to speak evil of, especially calling what is good evil, or here, what is of God of Satan. But note the distinction between the Son and the Spirit due to their different roles. The Son came expecting to be blasphemed for a purpose, but the Holy Spirit is sent to believers – those in the kingdom of God, and He does not speak of His own but what is from Christ. The Holy Spirit will not defend Himself, so the Son and the Father take attacks on Him very seriously.

The warning here which is relevant to this study, is that if speaking in tongues in the contemporary Church is in fact a gift of the Holy Spirit and a sign of His work in a person, to say it is ungodly or evil (as I have heard a number of well known ministers say), one is walking on dangerous ground.

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Luke 1:15 – For he [John the Baptist] will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

This verse is part of what the angel said to Zacharias about the son he would soon have. It is included in this study to address some Pentecostals who claim that before the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came UPON people, but after the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came INTO people – they are filled with the Holy Spirit. And though this is generally the case, the point is that verses which seem to contradict ones doctrines should still be taken into account.

Probably the most sensible approach is to look at the meaning of the word translated filled (Strong’s Greek 4130 – pletho). It means to be filled to the maximum, filled to capacity, or filled in the fulness of time (completion, accomplished). It is used as being filled with wrath or rage (Luke 4:28, 6:11), filled with fear (Luke 5:26), filled with wonder and amazement (Acts 3:10), filled with indignation (Acts 5:17), filled with confusion (Acts 19:29), and filled with the Holy Spirit.

So John, from the time of his birth, would be fully influenced by the Holy Spirit. The things of God would fully occupy his thoughts, actions and words right up until he was beheaded.

In Luke 1:41 when Mary visited her cousin Elisabeth the mother of John, when Elisabeth heard the voice of Mary, and John leaped in her womb, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied regarding Mary and the child which Mary would have. But Elisabeth did not stay fully filled.

In Luke 1:67, when John was circumcised, Zacharias his father was also filled with the Holy Spirit and also prophesied about the coming Messiah and the role of John. But Zacharias did not stay fully filled.

As we shall see, when believers are filled with the Holy Spirit it generally immediately precedes prophesying (speaking the things inspired by God).

Luke 2:25-27 – And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,...

The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon. The result was that he was directed to the temple at that time by the Holy Spirit where he blessed the Child Jesus and prophesied about Him.

This is another of the verses used to show that before the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit generally came upon people which moved them to speak or do something directed by God for the benefit (including correction) of His people. For example: Numbers 11:25 – Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.

In Numbers 24:2 the Spirit of God came upon Balaam. In Judges 3:10 the Spirit of the LORD came upon Othniel. In Judges 6:34 the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon. In Judges 11:29 the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah; and in Judges 14:6 the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon Samson. Yet Joshua was different: And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. – Numbers 27:18.

Note though that the Spirit of the LORD did not abide in anyone in the Old Testament as we will see He does in the New Testament.

Nevertheless, an interesting passage in Ezekiel tells the Israelites, I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. – Ezekiel 36:27. Be sure to read that in context at least from verse 16 to 38. It points to the Christian new birth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which enables people to walk righteously; and to the promise of God to restore the Promised Land and make it like Eden (which we should expect when Jesus returns).

Just to encourage you to not get too precious