Did I accidentally blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
The way Jesus explains blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, it doesn't sound like something you can do accidentally. It also doesn't sound like something you can do if you aren't properly…
The Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments
"How does the ministry of the Holy Spirit differ in the Old and New Testaments? Were Old Testament believers permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit, or did the Spirit simply come upon them for…
Lessons on Repentance - Psalm 51
People often ask, "How Do I Repent My Sins Before God?" God's answer is found in Psalm 51. David wrote this Psalm. It is one of the seven penitential Psalms (Psa. 6, 32, 40, 102, 130, 143). It is a…
Tongues Have Ceased
(This answer represents my personal views and not necessarily those of everyone at Thirdmill). Introduction Perhaps no other issue has so divided the modern church more than the gift of speaking in…
What is the sin that leads to death?
We receive a lot of questions regarding the sin that leads to death and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Individuals are concerned and are wondering if they have committed such a sin. Actually, no…
Muhammad and the Holy Spirit
John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor…
Is Catholic Penance Biblical?
"Catholic Penance" is not a biblical doctrine or sacrament. What is Penance? Penance in the Catholic sense is a sacrament. It is essentially an act of devotion - a work ( Catechism of the Catholic…
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
In the immediate context of Luke 12:10, there is not much to indicate specifically what Jesus meant by "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." It seems to be somewhat paired, at least in a rhetorical way…
All Nine Gifts?
The short answer, from my perspective, is that there are more than nine gifts, and no one has them all. Check out the answer I wrote for the question "Have the Gifts of the Spirit Ceased?" While that…
Filled with the Holy Spirit in Eph. 5:18
In his letter to the Ephesians Paul uses the term "be filled" or "keep on being filled" with the Holy Spirit. "Don't be drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit," and then he…
Regeneration and the Spirit
On the regeneration/filling question, they are different. The Holy Spirit has a multi-faceted ministry. When we are born again (regenerated), the Holy Spirit gives life to our spirits. At that same…
Slain In The Spirit
Well, the fact that your pastor won't discuss the merits of the teaching ought to tell you something significant. Not that Benny Hinn or his theological compatriots are wrong about everything, but…
What are the Names of God?
We should begin by noting that there are a number of instances where no name of God is employed, but simply where some derivative of "the name of the Lord" is referenced. A few of these are: (1)…
Benefits of Being Covenant with God
Unsaved people do benefit from being in covenant with God. Just as in the Old Testament the nation of Israel was in covenant with God, and not all of Israel was what we would call saved; that is, not…
"Holy Spirit", Not "Holy Person"
We at Third Millennium are staunch Trinitarians -- we believe and affirm the doctrine of the Trinity. As it has traditionally been formulated, the doctrine of the Trinity is that there is only one…
Coveting Gifts
Exodus 20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." 1…
Ontological and Economic Trinity
The distinction between the economic and the immanent or ontological Trinity is the distinction that corresponds to the early church's distinction between theology proper and economy – between God in…
ESP and the Bible
ESP or extrasensory perception is also called the sixth sense because of a claimed perception of data, information or knowledge that is allegedly gained through the mind and not the normally…
What is the open heaven concept?
The open heaven concept is a false teaching that has been making its rounds for a number years. It fundamentally teaches that heaven and its many blessings were open to the likes of Jacob, Moses…
Miracles as Signs
John's gospel often refers to Jesus' miracles as signs to show us that they are not merely bursts of power, not merely meant to cause wonder and awe. Both of those are used in John and in the other…
What is the meaning of Zech. 4:6?
Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. First a little history. In 1 Kings 11, Solomon…
The Protection of the Holy Spirit
You know, one of God's great gifts at salvation is the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the Bible speaks in so many different ways about how the Spirit ministers in our lives as Christians to ultimately…
Trinitarian Formulas in Scripture
One of the key questions in Christian thought is, how does the language of the New Testament fit into the later developed language of Trinitarianism? And then as we read through the New Testament, it…
What is the Holy Spirit's role in salvation?
There is much about the Holy Spirit we do not know. However, when we speak of salvation, we can make some brief but definitive statements. While this is in no way a complete study on the Holy Spirit…