Jesus is a Man

One of the lesser known biblical doctrines concerns Jesus as a man right now.  Many do not know that right now, in heaven, Jesus is a man, though in a glorified body.  Some object to this and cite various reasons (answered at the end of this paper) for denying His present humanity.  They are in error.  Following is a biblical demonstration that Jesus is still both divine and human in nature:

It is biblically correct to say that Jesus is a man right now in heaven -- though a glorified man . But, it would wrong be to say He was only a man.  He is both divine and human in nature at the same time (Col. 2:9); He is both God and man, right now.

Furthermore, Jesus' humanity now is important for two reasons.  First, this is what the Bible teaches.  Second, as a man, Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.  As a priest He forever intercedes for us.

• "where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek," (Heb. 6:20).
• "Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them," (Heb. 7:25).

In order to be a priest, Jesus has to be a man.  A spirit cannot be a priest after the order of Melchizedek and if Jesus is not a man now, He could not hold His priesthood and He could not be forever interceding for us.  Therefore, to deny Jesus' present humanity is to deny His priesthood and His intercession on our behalf. Without His intercession, we are lost.

1. Jesus died
   1. There is no dispute that Jesus died on the cross --except for some non-Christian religions and various atheistic groups who deny the biblical record.  Nevertheless, the scriptures teach us that Jesus died.
      1. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus," (1 Thess. 4:14).
2. Jesus rose from the dead physically
   1. The bible teaches us that Jesus rose from the dead.  Unfortunately, some Christians are not aware that Jesus actually rose from the dead in the same body in which He died, though it was a glorified body.  We see that Jesus prophesied the resurrection of His physical body inJohn 2:19-21 and fulfilled this in other verses:
      1. "Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  20 The Jews therefore said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"  21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body," (John 2:19-21).
      2. "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have," (Luke 24:39).
      3. "When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."  20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side.  The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord," (John 20:19-20).
         "Then He *said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing." (John 20:27).
      4. "and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain," (1 Cor. 15:14).
         1. Merely asserting that Jesus rose is not enough.  If must be stated that Jesus rose physically, lest the very words of Christ be denied.

Jesus is God

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me," (Isaiah 43:10).

JESUS	IS	GOD, "YAHWEH"
John 1:3, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." Col. 1:16-17, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."	Creator	Job 33:4, "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Isaiah 40:28, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom."
Rev. 1:17, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.’" Rev. 2:8, "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again." Rev. 22:13, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."	First and Last	Isaiah 41:4, "Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD -- with the first of them and with the last -- I am he." Isaiah 44:6, "This is what the LORD says -- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God." Isaiah 48:12, "Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last."
John 8:24, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (NKJV) John 8:58, "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" See Exodus 3:14 John 13:19, "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He."	I AM "ego eimi"	Exodus 3:14, "God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’" Isaiah 43:10, "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me." See also Deut. 32:39
2 Tim. 4:1, "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge..." 2 Cor. 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."	Judge	Joel 3:12, "Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side." Rom. 14:10, "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat."
Matt. 2:2, "...Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." Luke 23:3, "So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied." See also John 19:21	King	Jer. 10:10, "But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath." Isaiah 44:6-8, "This is what the LORD says -- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God." See also Psalm 47
John 8:12,"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Luke 2:32, "a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." See also John 1:7-9	Light	Psalm 27:1, "The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear?" Isaiah 60:20 ,"our sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end." 1 John 1:5, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."
1 Cor. 10:4, "...for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." See also 1 Pet. 2:4-8.	Rock	Deut. 32:4, "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." See also 2 Sam. 22:32 and Isaiah 17:10.
John 4:42, "They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’" 1 John 4:14, "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world."	Savior	Isaiah 43:3, "For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" Isaiah 45:21, "...And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me."
John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Heb. 13:20, "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep," See also John 10:14,16; 1 Pet. 2:25	Shepherd	Psalm 23:1, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Isaiah 40:11, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."

Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the NASB.

Jesus' Two Natures: God and Man

Jesus is the most important person who has ever lived since he is the savior, God in human flesh.  He is not half God and half man.  He is fully divine and fully man.  In other words, Jesus has two distinct natures: divine and human.  Jesus is the Word who was God and was with God and was made flesh, (John 1:1,14).   This means that in the single person of Jesus is both a human and divine nature, God and man.  The divine nature was not changed when the Word became flesh (John 1:1,14).  Instead, the Word was joined with humanity (Col. 2:9).  Jesus' divine nature was not altered.  Also, Jesus is not merely a man who "had God within Him" nor is he a man who "manifested the God principle."  He is God in flesh, second person of the Trinity. "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word," (Heb. 1:3). Jesus' two natures are not "mixed together," (Eutychianism) nor are they combined into a new God-man nature (Monophysitism).  They are separate yet act as a unit in the one person of Jesus.  This is called the Hypostatic Union.

The following chart should help you see the two natures of Jesus "in action":

GOD	MAN
He is worshiped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33).	He worshiped the Father (John 17).
He was called God (John 20:28; Heb. 1:8)	He was called man (Mark 15:39; John 19:5).
He was called Son of God (Mark 1:1)	He was called Son of Man (John 9:35-37)
He is prayed to (Acts 7:59).	He prayed to the Father (John 17).
He is sinless (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15).	He was tempted (Matt. 4:1).
He knows all things (John 21:17).	He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52).
He gives eternal life (John 10:28).	He died (Rom. 5:8).
All the fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9).	He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

The Communicatio Idiomatum

Verses showing identity, ministry, and personhood of the Holy Spirit

1. The Holy Spirit mentioned on equal level with God
   1. Matt. 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,"
   2. 2 Cor. 13:14, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."
   3. Eph. 4:4-6, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all."
   4. 2 Cor. 3:16-18, "but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."
2. Names of the Holy Spirit
   1. Spirit of God
      1. Rom. 8:9, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."  See also Gen. 1:2
   2. Spirit of Christ
      1. Rom. 8:9, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."
   3. Spirit of your Father
      1. Matt. 10:20, "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
   4. The Spirit of Truth
      1. John 14:17, "that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you."  See also, John 15:26.
   5. The Spirit of the Lord
      1. Acts 8:39, "And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing."  See alsoJudges 15:14; 1 Sam. 16:12
3. The Holy Spirit is referred to as a person by scripture
   1. Who
      1. Rom. 8:11, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you."
      2. John 6:63, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life."
      3. 1 John 5:6, "And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth."
      4. See also 1 Cor. 2:12; 2 Tim. 1:14;
   2. He
      1. John 14:26, "These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
   3. Himself
      1. Rom. 8:16, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,"
      2. Rom. 8:26, "And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words"

The Manner of Islam

THE WICKED SHALL NOT INHABIT THE EARTH

Wickedness takes many forms and at different times;   however, the greatest wickedness facing the Righteous at present, and I speak of the nation of America and the world, is the religion of Islam.  Yet, I’m afraid that the leaders of our nation do not really know or understand what the religion of Islam actually is.  This is the type of ignorance that can kill you.

The following will be some simple facts that all need to know.  It is derived from  “Cullen’s Find on Islamization, adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond’s book: 

Slavery, Terrorism and Islam:  The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat.”

Dr. Hammond said, “Islam is not merely a religion, nor is it merely a cult; in its fullest form, it is a complete, total, 100% system of life.  Islam has religious, legal, political, economic,social and military components.  The religious component is a beard so to speak, for all of the other components.“Islamization begins where there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their religious rights.  When politically correct, tolerant, and cultur ally diverse societies agree to Muslim demands for their religious rights, some of the other components tend to creep in as well.  Here’s how it works:

“As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be for the most part regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens.  This is the case in the following nations:

United States – Muslim 0.6%

Australia – Muslim 1.5%

Canada – Muslim 1.9%

China – Muslim 1.8%

Italy – Muslim 1.5%

Norway – Muslim 1.8%

PROSELYTIZING

“At 2%-5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs.  This is happening in:

Denmark – Muslim 2%

Germany – Muslim 3.7%

United Kingdom – Muslim 2.7%

Spain – Muslim 4%

Thailand – Muslim 4.6%

A DEMAND FOR MUSLIM WAYS TO BE ADOPTED

“From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population.  For example, they will push for the introduction of ‘halal’ (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims.  They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature ‘halal’ on their shelves—along with threats for failure to comply.  This is occurring in:

France – Muslim 8%

Philippines – Muslim 5%

Sweden – Muslim 5%

Switzerland – Muslim 4.3%

The Netherlands – Muslim 5.5%

Trinidad and Tobago – Muslim 5.8%

SHARIA LAW

“At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their own ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law.  The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia Law over the entire world.

LAWLESSNESS AS A MEANS TO HAVE THEIR WAY

“When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions.  In Paris, for instance, the world saw the car-burnings.  These were Muslims.  Any non-Muslim action offends Islam, and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam.  Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, such as:

Guyana – Muslim 10%

India – Muslim 13.4%

Israel – Muslim 16%

Kenya – Muslim 10%

Russia – Muslim 15%

JIHAD MILITIA FORMATIONS

“After reaching 20% of the population, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, Jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian Churches and Jewish Synagogues such as in:

Ethiopia – Muslim 32.8%

TERROR ATTACKS

“When the population reaches 40% Muslims, such nations will experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:

Bosnia – Muslim 40%

Chad – Muslim 53.1%

Lebanon – Muslim 59.7%

Jesus: From Genesis to Revelation

The Bible, from cover to cover, answers the question,
“Who is this Jesus?”

In the Old Testament:

- In Genesis, He is the Creator God.

- In Exodus, He is the Redeemer.

- In Leviticus, He is your sanctification.

- In Numbers, He is your guide.

- In Deuteronomy, He is your teacher.

- In Joshua, He is the mighty conqueror.

- In Judges, He gives victory over enemies.

- In Ruth, He is your kinsman, your lover, your redeemer.

- In I Samuel, He is the root of Jesse.

- In 2 Samuel, He is the Son of David.

- In 1 Kings and 2 Kings, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

- In 1st and 2nd Chronicles, He is your intercessor and High Priest.

- In Ezra, He is your temple, your house of worship.

- In Nehemiah, He is your mighty wall, protecting you from your enemies.

- In Esther, He stands in the gap to deliver you from your enemies.

- In Job, He is the arbitrator who not only understands your struggles, but has the power to do something about them.

- In Psalms, He is your song–and your reason to sing.

- In Proverbs, He is your wisdom, helping you make sense of life and live it successfully.

- In Ecclesiastes, He is your purpose, delivering you from vanity..

- In the Song of Solomon, He is your lover, your Rose of Sharon.

- In Isaiah, He is the mighty counselor, the prince of peace, the everlasting father, and more. He’s everything you need.

- In Jeremiah, He is your balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for your sin-sick soul.

- In Lamentations, He is the ever-faithful one upon whom you can depend.

- In Ezekiel, He is your wheel in the middle of a wheel–the one who assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again.

- In Daniel, He is the ancient of days, the ever- lasting God who never runs out of time.

- In Hosea, He is your faithful lover, always beckoning you to come back–even when you have abandoned Him.

- In Joel, He is your refuge, keeping you safe in times of trouble.

- In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one you can depend on to stay by your side.

- In Obadiah, He is Lord of the Kingdom.

- In Jonah, He is your salvation, bringing you back within His will.

- In Micah, He is judge of the nation.

- In Nahum, He is the jealous God.

- In Habakkuk, He is the Holy One.

- In Zephaniah, He is the witness.

- In Haggai, He overthrows the enemies.

- In Zechariah, He is Lord of Hosts.

- In Malachi, He is the messenger of the covenant.

In the New Testament:

- In Matthew, He is king of the Jews.

The Holy Spirit In The Life Of Christ

In Luke 1:35 the angel Gabriel announces to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Then in Matthew 1:20 an angel says to Joseph “Do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

In these verses we learn that the Holy Spirit “overshadowed” or “conceived” Jesus. This is a key point when trying to understand how Jesus can be human yet also be without sin.

Mankind was made in the image of God which means we’re spiritual beings. The problem is that the image of God in us has been tarnished by sin. So when humans reproduce they pass on that tarnished spiritual image. That’s why David says in Psalm 51:5 that “in sin my mother conceived me.”

But Jesus wasn’t conceived through humans, He was conceived through the Holy Spirit. He’s fully human, but because He didn’t inherent our sin nature, instead of being predisposed to sin, Hebrews 7:26 tells us that he was “separate from sinners”. The result is what we see in Hebrews 4:15 Jesus was “tempted as we are, yet was without sin.”

Moving to Jesus’ childhood Luke 2:52 tells us that “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:40 says the same thing saying the “Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” You hear people ask all the time what did Jesus do during His childhood and here we have our answer. He increased in “wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.”

Now it’s important to note here that this verse and others like it are referring to Jesus’ human nature. Jesus is fully God and fully Man. As God He’s unlimited in His power and knowledge. But as Man He willingly laid aside His position and Philippians 2:7 tells us “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant.”

Jesus, when He took on a human nature, willingly limited Himself and needed to grow physically, mentally and spiritually, but did so without ever sinning.

The Holy Spirit aided Him every step of the way. In Isaiah 50:4 we find Jesus saying that “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.”

From 1 Corinthians 2 we know that the Spirit helps us to understand spiritual truths. In the case of Jesus it seems He received unique personal training.

So in His birth and childhood the Holy Spirit aided Jesus by separating Him from sinners and by teaching Him what He is to say.

That leads us to…

The Holy Spirit in the Ministry of Christ

When Jesus was baptized in Luke 3:22 we read that “the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’”

What Does The Holy Spirit Do?

In this study, we’re going to cover four things the Holy Spirit does:

1) The Holy Spirit Reveals God’s Will
2) The Holy Spirit Applies Salvation
3) The Holy Spirit Indwells Us
4) The Holy Spirit Give Us Spiritual Gifts

And along the way we’re going to contrast how the Spirit did these works in the Old Testament and how He does these works in the New Testament and today.

1) The Holy Spirit Reveals God’s Will

Specifically He reveals God’s command of Acts 17:30 that “all men everywhere repent.”

The Holy Spirit “convicts the world of sin, and righteousness, and judgment,” in John 16:8. In other word the Spirit show us that we are sinners, separated from God, and that forgiveness is found through Christ.

In the Old Testament He convicts through the prophets who 2 Peter 1:21 tells us “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

In the New Testament He convicts through the apostles who in John 14:26 the Sprit, “taught them all things, and brought to their remembrance all things that Jesus said to them.”

And in Ephesians 4:11 we see that He convicts through us today by given gifts to some to become “evangelists, pastors and teachers.”

1 Corinthians 2 show us that another aspect of the Spirit revealing of God’s will comes by opening our hearts to spiritual truths. This gives us the ability to both understand and respond to God’s calling.

So the Holy Spirit reveals God’s will to Man by using messengers who faithfully proclaim His Word and by giving him the ability to understand their message.

2) The Holy Spirit Applies Salvation

The Holy Spirit applied salvation to both Old and New Testament believers. The difference being that in the Old Testament believers looked forward to what Christ would do whereas in the New Testament and today we look back on what He has done.

Now 1 Corinthians 6:11 tells us that we were “washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

So once the Spirit has convicted us of our sin, and has given us the ability to understand the gospel, He washes us of our sin once we respond. He does this by sanctifying us, which means He sets us apart from the world and unto God to receive salvation and become more like Him.

Then we’re justified, or declared innocent of sin. This is done when the Spirit takes Christ’s perfect sacrifice and credits it to our account. This means that when God looks upon us He sees Christ’s perfection and not our imperfection.

Who Is The Holy Spirit?

Think about the last time you went to a sporting event. After the game did you say, “Wow, the lighting in the arena was really great!” Of course not. The light was there in the background allowing you to clearly see the players. In the same way the Holy Spirit acts as a light that allows us to see Christ clearly.

The Holy Spirit points us towards Christ by testifying of Him in John 15:26 and convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment” in John 16:8.

Because His role is to point us towards Christ instead of Himself many people misunderstand who the Holy Spirit is. Cults, for example, present Him as merely a force or power and as a result deny the Trinity. It’s critical that Christians understand who the Holy Spirit is and are able to see from Scripture why we believe what we do about Him. So we’re going to take some time and, from the Bible, establish two points:

1) The Holy Spirit Is A Person
2) The Holy Spirit Is God

While this won’t be an exhaustive list of proof texts it’ll be enough to give you a flavor of what the Bible teaches.

1) THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON

By “Person” I mean the Holy Spirit is not an inanimate force, like many cults teach, but a being with intelligence, emotion and will. The Holy Spirit is not an “it” but a “he”.

In Scripture we see the Holy Spirit exhibiting attributes of a person.

For example He displays His will in 1 Cor 12:11 distributing gifts to “each one individually as He wills.” And in Acts 13:2, “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” And again in Acts 16:6 where Paul and Timothy, “were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.”

He teaches in 1 Cor 2:13, “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches.”

And He shows emotion in Eph 4:30, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Will, intelligence and emotion are all attributes of a person.

MBINU ZINAZOTUMIKA NA WAISLAMU ILI KUHARIBU IMANI YA KIKRISTO KATIKA KARNE YA 20-21 (21st CENTURY ISLAMIC STRATERGIES TO ELIMINATE/CORRUPT CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA)

Utangulizi:

Leo hii, ukitembea sehemu mbalimbali hapa duniani utakutana na waislamu wengi. Waislamu wameenea kila Bara kama vile Ulaya, Afrika, Asia, na America. Inaaminika kuwa kwa kila watu watano hapa duniani, mmoja kati yao ni mwislamu. Tunashuhudia baadhi ya wakristo wakiacha imani yao na kukumbatia uislamu. Katika Bara la Afrika, uislamu umeenea kwa kasi ya ajabu. Je, ni nini kinachofanya uislamu uenee hivyo? Je, ni mbinu gani zinazotumika ili kueneza uislamu? Fuatilia somo hili ili uweze kujua hayo yote.

1. Maana ya neno "lslam"
Neno 'Islam' Asili yake ni lugha ya 'kiarabu' lenye maana ya 'utii' au 'amani'.

2. Mwanzo wa Dini ya Kiislamu
Neno "Islam" ni tofauti na "Dini ya Kiislamu". Hii ni kwa sababu neno "Islam" lilitumika na waarabu hata kabla ya kuanza kwa dini ya kiislamu. Kwa hivyo "Dini ya kiislamu", maana yake ni "kujisalimisha chini ya amri za Allah" au "Amani chini ya sheria za Allah".

i. Muhammad aliambiwa na Allah asema: -
Quran 39: 12 Suratul Zumar (Makundi / Vikosi)
"Na pia nimeamrishwa niwe wa kwanza wa (viumbe) wanaojisalimisha (kwa mwenyezi Mungu)"

Quran 6: 14 Suratul Al- An'am (Wanyama)
Sema "je nifanye mola (wangu) asiyekuwa Mwenyezi Mungu, (Ambaye ndiye) muumba wa mbingu na ardhi" naye hulisha wala halishwi" sema hakika mimi nimeamrishwa niwe wa kwanza katika wenye kusilimu na (nikaambiwa). usiwe miongoni mwa wanaomshirikisha (Mwenyezi Mungu).

Katika ufafanuzi wa aya ya 19-20, katika Suratul Yusuf 12:20 kuna maneno haya--
Unaona kuuzana kulikuwako zaidi ya miaka 4000 kabla ya kuja dini ya kiislamu aliyokuja nayo nabii Muhammad. Kisha wakausingizia uislamu kuwa ndio uliokuja na kuuza watu.

Kadiri ya aya hizi zote tunaona ya kuwa dini ya kiislamu ilianzishwa rasmi hapa duniani Ramadhan siku ya Jumatatu mwezi 17 sawasawa na Tarehe 27 December mwaka 610 Baada ya Kristo (B.K), na mtu aitwae Muhammad Bin Abdalah Bin Abd-Muttalib Bin Hashim Bin Abd Manafu Bin Kusay. Mama yake aliitwa Amina Bint Wahab.
Ama baada ya kuona mwanzo wa Dini ya uislamu sasa tuanze kuangalia mbinu za waislamu.

3. Mbinu Zinazotumika na Waislamu
Mwanzoni Muhammad, mtume wa waislamu, alitumia mbinu hata za kivita ili kueneza dini yake ya kiislamu. Hata wafuasi wake waliamrishwa kupigana kwa ajili ya dini yao. Qurani inasimulia hivi---

Qurani 5:35 Suratul Al -Maidah (Meza)
Enyi mlioamini mcheni mwenyezi Mungu na tafuteni njia ya kumfikilia (kufikilia pepo yake). Na piganeni kwa ajili ya Dini yake ili mpate kufaulu.
Katika Qurani, kitabu kinachowaongoza waislamu, zipo aya nyingi zinazowaamrisha waislamu
wapigane. Baadhi ya aya hizo ni Qurani 47:4 Suratul Muhammad na Qurani 9:123 Suratul At - Tawba. Muhammad mwenyewe alisema hivi katika kitabu cha hadithi zinazoaminiwa na waislamu wote:-

Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 4 Hadith na 196, Ukurasa wa 124:
Imesimuliwa na Abu- Huraira: Mtume wa Allah akasema, Nimeamrishwa kupigana na watu hadi watakaposema hakuna apasaye kuabudiwa ila Allah; Na yule atakayesema kwamba hakuna apasaye kuabudiwa ila Allah, maisha yake na mali yake yataokolewa nami…

Tafsiri ya Kiingereza:
Narreted Abu-Huraira Allah's Apostle said, I have been orderedt fight with the people till they say, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah ; his life and property will be saved by me…

Hivi ndivyo alivyosema mtume wa waislamu Muhammad,aliye mfano mwema wa waislamu wote (Qurani 33:21 Suratul Al-Ahzab). Muislamu ni lazima atekeleze kama alivyoamurishwa Muhammad na Allah. Tena tunajua kwamba, watu wote hawawezi kusema "hakuna apasaye kuubudiwa ila Allah". Hao wasiosema hivyo, kadiri ya Hadith hii, wanatakiwa kupingwa na kuawawa mara moja. Kadiri ya Qurani, miongoni mwa watu wanaotakiwa kuangamizwa ni "Wayahudi na Wakristo" (Qurani 9:30 sSuratul At-tawba). Katika kufanikisha uendelezaji wa uislamu hivi sasa, waislamu wamebuni na kutumia mbinu mbalimbali.

I. Kuunda Jumuiya na Taasisi Mbalimbali za Waislamu
Hatua ya kwanza iliyotumika na waislamu ni kuunda jumuiya. Waislamu wana jumuiya nyingi hivi sasa na taasisi nyingi Lakini nitazieleza baadhi yake.

i.Jumuiya ya Organization of Islamic Conference (O. I. C.)
Jumuiya hiyo ilianzishwa baada ya kumalizika vita kati ya Israeli na mataifa kumi na tatu (13) ya kiarabu. Vita hivyo vilipiganwa kwa siku sita na vikamalizika tarehe 5/6/1967. Katika vita hivyo waisraeli waliyashinda mataifa yote 13 ya kiarabu. Ina aminika kuwa wakati huo waisraeli walikuwa ni watu wachache wapata watu 400,000 tu. Baada ya kushindwa huko ndipo mataifa hayo 13 ya kiarabu yakafanya kikao cha kutathimini vita hivyo. Mkutano huo ulifanyika mjini Rabat nchini Morocco chini ya mfalme Hassani. Kikao hicho kilifanyika tarehe 25/9/1969 (kalenda ya kiislamu ni mwezi 12 Rajabu 1389), ndipo mataifa hayo yakaanzisha rasmi jumuiya hiyo ya Organization of Islamic Conference (O.I.C.). Hadi kufikia mwaka wa 2001, jumuiya hiyo imeweza kuwa na wanachama mataifa 56 duniani. Na juhudi zinafanyika ili kupata wanachama zaidi. Jumuiya hiyo ndiyo inayopanga na kutekeleza mbinu ya kuendeleza uislamu duniani.

ii.Kuanzisha kwa Jumuiya ya Islam in Africa Organization (I. A. O.)
Jumuiya hii ya 'Islam in Africa Organization' ilianzishwa chini ya O. I. C. na wawakilishi wa dini ya kiislamu kutoka mataifa 24 walikutana na kuunda jumuiya hiyo. Mkutano uliounda jumuiya hiyo ulifunguliwa na aliyekuwa Raisi wa Nigeria aliyeitwa Ibrahim Babangida.
Jumuiya hiyo ndiyo inayohusika kupanga na kutekeleza namna ya kuendeleza uislamu katika bara la Afrika. Jumuiya hiyo ilianzishwa tarehe 28/11/1989 kule Abuja Nigeria chini ya usimamizi wa O.I.C.

iii.Taasisi za Fedha (Tafakari kuhusu Sharia Banking System)
Ili kuendeleza dini ya kiislamu, mataifa ya kiarabu ambayo yana utajiri mkubwa unaotokana na mafuta yamezipatia nchi hizo mtaji usiotazamiwa kumalizika. Utajiri wao unatumika kueneza uislamu kwa kuishambulia imani yetu wakristo. Taasisi za fedha zilizoundwa chini ya jumuiya ya O.I.C. na I.A.O. ni hizi: -
Islamic Development Bank
Islamic Development Fund
Jukumu la taasisi hizo za fedha ni kuhakikisha kuwa wanatoa fedha za kuendeleza shughuli za kukuza na kusaidia nchi wanachama katika kuendeleza miradi ya uchumi, viwanda, biashara, hospitali, visima vya maji, barabara na mashule. Vile vile, taasisi hizo zinatoa fedha ili kuwashawishi hata viongozi wa mataifa mbalimbali ili wajiunge na jumuiya za O. I. C. na I. A. O. Kwa mfano, taifa ambalo lilipewa fedha nyingi mara baada ya kujiunga na jumuiya hizo za kiislamu ni Nigeria ambayo ilipewa dola za kimerikani US $ 21 BILLION. Kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya waislamu. Hata aliyekuwa Raisi wa nchi hiyo, Ibrahimu Babangida, alipokubali nchi yake iwe mwanachama wa O. I. C. na I. A. O., November 1989 kule Abuja Nigeria, Account yake iliyokuwa katika Bank inayoitwa Arab-African lnternational Bank, ilionyesha alikuwa na dola za kimarekani US $ 57.48 Billion. Aidha mawaziri wawili na mkuu wa jeshi, Account zao zilikuwa na fedha nyingi nazo zilionyesha fedha hizi:-
Mmoja alikuwa na US $ 15.2 Billion
Mwingine alikuwa na US $ 17.8 Billion
Mwingine account yake ilikuwa na US $ 24.9 Billion
Na hii ilikuwa ni motisha kwao. Jambo hili linatishia kuangamizwa kwa imani yetu sisi wakristo.