|
In the book of Matthew, Jesus claimed
that He would be “in the midst” of believers who call upon Him:
“Again I say unto you, That if two of
you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask,
it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them.”
(Matthew
18:19-20)
This
is another passage that equates Christ with the Holy Spirit. Take
note, Jesus said, “there I am in the midst…” If Jesus is not
the Holy Spirit in a personal sense, He took credit for
something another “person of God” would do. Of course, this cannot
be true, or else Jesus would have sinned.
Instead,
there is only one God, who is one Spirit and one person. This one
God was incarnate in a man, His Son. And, since the “Holy Spirit” is
the presence of this one God moving within creation, there is no
contradiction. The person who was incarnate in Christ is
the Holy Spirit. After the resurrection, Jesus made this
promise:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.” (Matthew
28:19-20)
We
also read this passage in Mark:
“So then after the Lord had spoken
unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand
of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord
working with them,
and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark
16:19-20)
Jesus
continued to work with the apostles after
He ascended into God’s “Right Hand.” Yet, we know that it was the
power of the Holy Spirit that worked with the apostles. Again, Jesus
is again personally equated with the Holy Spirit, even
though He is distinct from the Spirit (He is God in
the lesser form of a man, and the Holy Spirit is God’s essence
moving within this universe.)
©
2008 By Russell Redden. All Rights Reserved | 
