This evening, I had the privilege of hearing the eminent Prof James Dunn speak at the seminary's annual Simeon Lectures. He is one of the foremost New Testament Scholars and is a prolific writer. In fact he was one of the first to really examine the whole Charismatic movement from a Biblical point of view by doing an exegetical study of the experience in Scripture. The fruit of this study is the book "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" which was written in 1977 but is still in print today!
At the end he was asked a question about his view as a New Testament Scholar on the work of the Spirit in the church today and he said something that really deserves some serious self examination from those of us in mainline churches.
He pointed out that too many churches have seen the Trinity as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Bible...or God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Church. We have failed to see God revealed as God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And he ended by saying, "Whenever good order becomes more important than the life of the Spirit, then the Spirit bubbles up elsewhere."
Ouch! that's too true!
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