Annie wrote:
Most of what you wrote is good. You read Scripture and thought it through well, but a couple of times, you let your inner man speak and not the Spirit of God speak through you.
1. Man was made in the beginning to be a habitation of God. He was to work the works of God. Angels might have done this. But God chose a man to do it. And that is the reason that man was created without any of the instincts that are found in the animals. God wants to direct our lives Himself, personally.
This statement is not true, and I don't believe you will find Scripture to back it up. Man has many instincts like those of lower creatures.
2. Men, indwelt by the Creator, have done great exploits. Such have written the Scriptures. God put the words in their mouths. So the Scriptures have been God-breathed. The apostles went out and did greater things than their Lord did. He told them that they would. It was like the double portion of Spirit upon Elisha after Elijah was taken away.
Jesus said we could do greater things, but has anyone done so? Has anyone's faith been that pure, including any of His disciples?
Annie
Dear Annie,
God Bless you, and thank you for writing. We thank you for your comments on the teaching "A Habitation Of God." We wrote this speaking from our "Old Man," not the New or Inner Man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
As for "The apostles went out and did greater things than their Lord did. He told them that they would." This is correct and stands; here is some Scriptural evidence.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Our Lord Christ Jesus did not say they may or might He said they SHALL.
The word shall
G4160
poieo
poy-eh'-o
Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct): abide, agree, appoint, avenge, band together, be, bear, bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, content, continue, deal, without any delay, (would) do (-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, journeying, keep, lay wait, lighten the ship, make, mean, none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, have purged, purpose, put, raising up, secure, shew, shoot out, spend, take, tarry, transgress the law, work, yield. Compare G4238.
This word is only used when the absolute outcome is assured.
Looking at the first day of being spirit filled, the results were:
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Act 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Act 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews, and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Our Lord did not do this, and though one may argue that it is not a greater work, the results were:
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Act 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Act 2:47 Praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Our Lord never had such results during His earthly ministry and this was just the first day. God tells us they shall it is our job to believe and to rest in the Truth that all the great works were done by Jesus Christ, as Peter so clearly tells us in:
Act 3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
Act 3:12 And when Peter saw it , he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
Act 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Act 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Act 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Act 3:17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it , as did also your rulers.
Act 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Act 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
It's nice to see that you are studying and willing to comment and help.
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
