"Okay, I'd like to try the Holy Spirit...how?"
- Christine DiGiacomo
- 30 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Free gift, no purchase required!
Point-of-sale items are placed near the check-out stands because they snag people like me. And 'Gift with purchase' often attracts me to department-store cosmetic counters. 'Free gift, no purchase required'? Well, that makes me ponder, 'what's the gimmick?' and look a little more closely.
God is the greatest gift giver ever... why, He spared nothing and gave us his best, Jesus Christ! Think of it: the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, had a monumental choice: obey God, love him first, and be free forever, OR disobey in one thing, put self first, believing the serpent's claim that 'in the moment they partook of the one tree of which God said 'no', they would be like God,'1 and be encumbered by sin forever. [Be warned: the tempter appealed to their pride]
As we know, the second choice was made, separating man from God by a wide chasm of sin. Mankind has been trying to cover, recover and atone for sin ever since. Yet from the moment of the breach, God began to make a way for relationship with the crown of his creation, us. All of the Old Testament scriptures point to Jesus Christ.
Why do we need Jesus? To the western mind, the problem is one of relativism. I have had actual conversations like this: 'What do you mean I need to be saved from sin? Why, compared to so many people I know, I am hardly a sinner! I don't cheat, kill or lie... well, hardly ever anyway; I am a good person - really I am.' To which I say, 'Ma'am, I am sure you are; maybe even compared to me, you are a better person. But since we are looking at matters of sin, only One can judge: an all-holy God. Now, compared to him, compared to God, I ask you, Sir, are you a sinner? Oh, and if it comes down to being a 'good' person - how good do you have to be? I mean, what is the percentage...like, what if you are 68 percent good, is that good enough? Hmmm. And who decides? Only One.
And so it goes. But the fact is, God is eternally just, all holy, and a perfect being, therefore only perfection can be in his presence; no percentages of goodness are sufficient. Our human condition brings us up short. And so mankind tries. Why? Because we are keenly aware of our incompleteness. Still, within ourselves, we know our attempts are rather lame. I suppose religion helps, and through rituals and practices, offers us a role to play. Hinduism and Buddhism recognize the problem is self, and through meditation, a practitioner attempts to eliminate selfish desires and ways, in an effort to become nothing. Hmmm...
But there is no assurance or real hope to be had.
Judaism and Islam are religions of law, with elaborate rituals and codes to uphold.2 Pray five times a day. Pack up and go to Mecca. Sacrifice a lamb or a goat. Fast. Wear a long beard. Keep kosher. In the end, there is only hope, not assurance. There is no loving relationship with a present God, and certainly no guarantee of heaven when we die. To say it leaves a longing within is an understatement.
Christianity alone says that to enter God's kingdom, perfection is required; being good is not good enough. Like the Hindus and Buddhists, Christians recognize that the self must be extinguished, but we admit our powerlessness in making that happen. Christianity also admits that humanity will not be able to perfectly uphold God's laws or commands. And so, God ...
God came to us.
We can stop our striving, and grapple with grace instead.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith,
and this is not from yourselves,
It is the gift of God."3
'Wait a second, Christine - hold up a minute. I told you I'd like to try the Holy Spirit you have been talking about... you know the One you said brings peace and comfort...joy even! The One who you said assures me I am a child of God...why in the world are you talking about all this other stuff right now?! Like seriously, did you see a squirrel and get distracted? Man, you've got me aggravated right now. What is your deal?'
To which I respond, 'Don't you see - that's just it. No Holy Spirit to lead and guide, comfort and give peace without acknowledging our need and desire for the only perfect One, Jesus Christ. God requires that we humble ourselves and accept Jesus' complete work by dying on the cross for our sins, that we seek Him for forgiveness of these sins of ours, ask him to lead and guide our lives. And then, the Holy Spirit comes, makes his home in us.' 'See?
God gave us himself. You don't have to be good enough ... Stop S t r I v I n g. Reach out and accept his free gift of life and love eternal. What do you have to lose, Friend? Believe in the complete work of Jesus Christ, and you will be saved ... really... starting right now! Saved from sin into life eternal, knowing God's presence, [made known through the Holy Spirit], and love forever. You and I will never be given a greater gift than that. So...
So, wanna try the Holy Spirit?
Accept God's free gift of grace, believe and receive Jesus Christ
by inviting him into your life,
then God the Holy Spirit will reside in you forever.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,
who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.
The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now
and later will be in you.4
We are living in the 'later' Jesus is talking about.
All other religions besides Christianity - you must do.
But the Father comes to you, and says, 'In Jesus, Done!'
Oh man, this is better than any other offer that will come your way.
Free gift, no purchase required.
Listen to this song - Testimony, by Terrian and CeCe Winans:
Christine
HOLY SPIRIT: who or what? no.6
1 - Genesis 3.5
2 - What's so Great About Christianity? Dinesh D'Souza, "Jesus among other Gods: the Uniqueness of Christianity
3 - Ephesians 2.8
4 - John 14.16-17
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