By: General James Green – 2020
“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.” -2 Cor. 3:2-3
“I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is (written) within my heart.” -Psalm 40:8
Epistle: [Greek: epistole – “a written message, letter, i.e. to communicate.”]
Simply put, we who are born-again/Spirit-filled are “LIVING EPISTLES.” We are to communicate the Gospel of Christ to others. Paul, who wrote 2 Cor. 3:2-3, also wrote 1 Cor. 9:2: “If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am for you. For you are the SEAL (i.e. certification) of my 26 apostleship in the Lord.”
N.T. EKKLESIA (a.k.a. Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ is supposed to be a Living, Breathing entity that, as one scholar once said, “….inhales her people, holds her breath, and then exhales them out, scattering them as missionaries disguised in various vocations, roles and responsibilities throughout the world.” That is one way of looking at the “Living Ekklesia.”
For sure, we’re to have the Living Holy Spirit within us, not merely being just a dead Church member. Many, too many, in Church la la land are dead because they have never repented of their sins, been forgiven, born-again, and Spirit-filled. They simply joined a Church.
What makes us “Living Epistles”? The SPIRIT (ruach in Hebrew). The word ruach means “spirit, breath/wind.” In the Greek language it is “pneuma,” which means “spirit, mind, or breath.” [Just a side note: this is where we get the word “pneumonia”-a condition of breathing or the lack of it].
WAIT -TARRY
Jesus told His disciples, “Behold, I send the promise of the My Father upon you; but tarry….until you are endued with power from on high.” -Luke 24:49. We know that this reference was to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (see Joel 2:28). I have written dozens and dozens of articles on this great subject, so I will just briefly touch on it here, just to remind us that we are “Living Epistles.”
ALLOW ME
Allow me to employ a phrase that is much used today, especially by Black Lives Matter and their supporters in reference to the killing of George Floyd (black) by the police. His dying words were, “I can’t breath!” Those three words have become the battle cry of the Left. Well, after 50 years of Christian service, I can truly say many, too many, churchites can’t breath, meaning they are dead, not alive in Christ. We are to be the living, breathing Church! Joel 2:29 says, “….I will pour out My Spirit in those days,” -New Testament days. This is what the whole book of Acts is about-THE SPIRIT.
We know we can learn Biblical things, but learning is not being spiritually filled. It is the (human) spirit in man that causes him/her to live; it is the Holy Spirit in the same that causes them to live spiritually: the Holy Spirit gives new life, i.e. Spirit/Breath (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:5; John 3:5,6; etc.) It is the Holy Spirit that makes the Christian’s heart strong (Eph. 3:16). So many in the flesh have heart trouble; so do many in the Church, for they do not take care of their health (spiritually).
The Holy Spirit leads us deeper into the Way and Will of God, not into the way and will of the world (Rom. 8:14 says we are LED by the Holy Spirit, not our human spirit). It is the Holy Spirit that tells our human spirit we are the children of God (Romans 8:16). It is the Holy Spirit that produces spiritual fruit (see Gal. 5:22,23), leading us into all truth (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20). The Holy Spirit is not just the Spirit that keeps the spiritual body of Christ ALIVE, but it is the brain as well, teaching us (John 14:26; I Cor. 2:9-14; Isaiah 64:4; 65:17). The Holy Spirit also speaks about the Good News/Power (Acts 6L:10; I Cor. 2:1-5). The Holy Spirit also helps our prayer life (Rom. 8:26,27; Eph. 6:18). I could go on and on about what the Holy Spirit does in us, especially about all the Spirit’s gifts (I Cor. Chapter 12). Research the subject yourself and you will be amazed and blessed.
There is a vast difference between churchianity and Biblical Christianity: one is run by “religious” men and women; the other is governed by the Holy Spirit and Power. It is said that the Living Church stands as an alternative and prophetic space, a Spirit Colony of Heaven in a country of DEATH: there is the Spirit-filled Living Colony, and there is the dead colony-churchianity.
Scripture makes plain that we are to be “Living Epistles” read by all men. The old saying is true: “It’s not what we say but what we do.” The world reads us; other believers read us. Jesus not only spoke TRUTH, He lived TRUTH-He was/is TRUTH.
The Holy Spirit is called:
-The Holy Spirit-Matt. 4:1 -The Spirit of Truth-John 14:17 -The Helper-John 14:26
-God’s Spirit-Rom. 8:9
-Christ’s Spirit-2 Cor. 3:3
-The Holy Spirit of Promise-Eph. 1:13
-His Spirit-Eph. 1:17
-God’s Holy Spirit-Eph. 4:30
-The Spirit that lives forever-Heb. 9:14
-The Spirit-Rev. 2:7, 11, 29
The Holy Spirit is like:
-A Dove-John 1:32
-Like Water-John 7:38, 39
-Like Oil-1 Sam. 16:13
-Like Wind-John 3:8; Acts 2:2
-Like Fire-Acts 2:3
-Like Clothing-Judges 6:34; Joel 2:28; Ezek. 39:29; Zech. 12:10; Isaiah 54:13
The Bible makes mention of those who have hearts that will not listen to Him-the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). It goes on to say that they work AGAINST the Holy Spirit. I have met my share of “Christians” who say those who are “Spirit-filled” are of the devil (beware Spirit-haters! Matt. 12:31, 32 warns them). It is the Holy Spirit that works in and through TRUE believers, not merely “religious flesh” as we see today. I have also met my share of those who once were Spirit-led/filled but began to deny Him. Hence, they stopped BREATHING!! (see Acts 5:32 and I Thes. 5:19).
Soooo….
It is vital that we are born-again and Spirit-filled so as to be LIVING EPISTLES. Sadly, most today are merely “pulp” books that have not the true Spirit Life but merely religious language. Be ye FILLED with the Holy Spirit of God and BREATH!