Jesus and God's Spirit - God E19

00:00
00:00

Welcome to another episode in our series on God as a character in the Bible! Today, Tim and Jon dive into Paul’s understanding of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The passages that Tim shares are commonly referred to as the “Trinitarian texts” of Paul. These passages were fundamental to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.
In part 1(0-11:00), Tim uses an example out of Galatians 4.
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Torah, so that He might redeem those who were under the Torah, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Here, Paul invites people to see that the same Father-Son love that was communicated by the Spirit at Jesus’ baptism is inviting us into the community of divine love as well. Tim says you quickly reach the point in Paul’s letters where all the terms are interchangeable. Jesus’ Father becomes “Our Father”.
In part 2(11:00-21:50), Tim shares another example, this time out of
Jesus, the Spirit, and God’s Life [Romans 8:9-11]
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. [Romans 8:14-15] For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
Tim points out that this statement is very similar to the Shema. Paul has taken the God/Spirit unity and put Christ in the middle of it. Paul and the early Christians believed that Jesus was divine from the very beginning. Christ’s divinity, identity as God, and the doctrine of the Trinity, are beliefs that the earliest Christians shared, it was not an idea later imposed on Christianity.
In Part 3 (21:50-end),
Tim outlines part of his own personal journey of faith. He shares that when Paul says we are known by God more than we actually know God. Fundamentally, Christianity is experiencing God, living in a relationship with God. It is secondarily about arranging facts and knowledge. To us the metaphor of a parent and child, a child never truly knows a parent. But a parent knows a child.
Resources:
Our Video on God: https://bit.ly/2Spyf3H
N.T. Wright’s course on the Apostle Paul: https://bit.ly/2Qwqrzy
Gordon Fee, Paul the Spirit and the People of God.
Music:
Defender Instrumental: Tents
Praise Through the Valley: Tae the Producer
He’s Always There: Tae the Producer
Produced by:
Dan Gummel. Jon Collins.

Released on 3 Dec 2018

Share this page...

Vote for Your Favourite Carol!

Tell us why your favourite holds a special place in your heart.

Help us crown the Premier Favourite Carol of 2024 by voting for your top three songs that best encapsulate the warmth of Christmas for you. Vote Now.

VOTE NOW

Premier Christmas Radio

We are SO excited to announce the return of Premier Christmas radio for a second year running! It's finally time to get festive with our pop-up Christmas radio station. Allow us to fill your days with HopePeaceJoy and Love this winter with our carefully crafted Christmas radio. Listen Now

Listen Now

Raise Your Praise

This winter autumn your favourite worship station will be advertising a message of hope and joy across the nation.  Share your blessing with us and help us raise a true spirit of praise on Premier Praise throughout the month of November. Either send us a message at [email protected] saying how God has blessed you through one of these tracks, or better still send us a voice note on our WhatsApp number 0303 040 4000

FIND OUT MORE