Who Does God Hate?

Psalms 11:5 ESV
(5)  The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

Most of us will admit that it is not godly nor right to watch shows or read books with highly sexual content.  How many though will admit to watching R-rated shows that are gruesome in their violence, showing bodies being ripped apart or atrocities being committed with no redeeming value (such as documentaries on the Holocaust)?

I believe that God doesn’t want us to get callous over the suffering that goes on in this world and think of it as mere entertainment.  I think He put this verse in the bible to remind us not to love violence.  While just wars or self-defense might be necessary, the righteous man will feel no love for what he had to do.

We should examine our hearts to find if we have let this commandment slip.

The Holy Spirit comes when…

John 14:16-18 ESV
(16)  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
(17)  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
(18)  "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 20:22 ESV
(22)  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus ascended on the 40th day after Passover.  Pentecost is fifty days after Passover.  Did Jesus leave His disciples alone for 10 days? Or did He impart the Holy Spirit to them before He left earth?  I would contend that Jesus did not leave His disciples alone for ten days.

Now the question becomes – what happened on Pentecost?

Matthew 3:11 ESV
(11)  "I baptize you with water for 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.

Luke 24:49 ESV
(49)  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Acts 1:4-5 ESV
(4)  And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me;
(5)  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Acts 2:1-4 ESV
(1)  When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
(2)  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
(3)  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
(4)  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The bible never says that they “received” the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.  It clearly says they were baptized in the Spirit.  Verse four of Acts two defines what that means

1. Filled with the Spirit
2. Speaking in tongues

Thus, there is a difference between receiving the Holy Spirit (which I believe happens at the moment of salvation) and being baptized in the Spirit. 

Welcome

Welcome to my redesigned weblog! In this blog I will be posting short bible studies that are meant to provoke thinking. Honest comments are of course welcome, trollers and spammers will be deleted. 2 Tim 3:16