Christian, What Do You Believe? Probably a Heresy About Jesus, Says Survey

Christianity Today ^ | 10/23/2018 | Jeremy Webber

[SeekAndFind]

American evangelicals are “deeply confused” about some core doctrines of the Christian faith—and the fourth-century heretic Arius would be pleased, according to a new survey.

For the third time, Ligonier Ministries has examined the State of Theology in the United States, conducted by LifeWay Research and based on interviews with 3,000 Americans. The survey, also conducted in 2014 and 2016, offers a detailed look at the favorite heresies of evangelicals and of Americans at large.

Ligonier wanted to know what Americans “believe about God, salvation, ethics, and the Bible.”

“Overall, US adults appear to have a superficial attachment to well-known Christian beliefs,” stated the ministry. “For example, a majority agreed that Jesus died on the cross for sin and that he rose from the dead.

“However, they rejected the Bible’s teaching on (1) the gravity of man’s sin, (2) the importance of the church’s gathering together for worship, and (3) the Holy Spirit,” stated Ligonier. For example:

• More than two-thirds (69%) of Americans disagree that the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation—and 58 percent strongly disagree. Ligonier finds this “alarming.”
• A majority of US adults (58%) said that worshiping alone or with one’s family is a valid replacement for regularly attending church. Only 30 percent disagree.
• A majority of US adults (59%) say that the Holy Spirit is a force, not a personal being.

Ligonier cites relativism for such a “casual outlook.” In the survey, 6 in 10 Americans agree that “religious belief is a matter of personal opinion [and] not about objective truth”—and 1 in 3 evangelicals (32%) say the same.

[lurk]

All sin separates us from God.

The Holy Spirit is not a person.
..................
John, chapters 14 and 16.

[Zathras]

More than two-thirds (69%) of Americans disagree that the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation—and 58 percent strongly disagree. Ligonier finds this “alarming.”

A majority of US adults (58%) said that worshiping alone or with one’s family is a valid replacement for regularly attending church. Only 30 percent disagree.

Scripture says nothing about either of these line items.
This is denominational dogma passed down since 1600’s.

[ConservativeMind]

No where in the Bible does it ever state the Holy Spirit is a person.

We call the “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” the “Trinity,” but that word is not in the Bible. It definitely does not mean those three are people and not instead different forms of God.

[ConservativeMind]

Neither chapter calls the Holy Ghost a person. It is a Spirit.

[ConservativeMind]

How can you not see that every example you gave of the Holy Spirit is of a spirit form and not a person?

[caww]

How can you not see the personhood of our triune God is the real question.

The Holy Spirit is not some extra-terrestrial creature that zooms in on people.

I do have another question though....are you a Jehovah Witness? I ask because that would explain your position.

[Gamecock]

Ping

[ConservativeMind]

I am not a Jehovah’s Witness.

Every example given by you and others is not showing that the Holy Spirit is a person. That is a totally human-centric view and nowhere in the Bible IN ANY REFERENCE GIVEN.

Are you Mormon?

[imardmd1]

>> All sin separates us from God. <<

God forgives sin. God offers fellowship to the Sinner. Jesus bridges the gap of separation.

>> The Holy Spirit is not a person. <<

Oh?

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter^{of the same kind as Myself},
that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. . . .
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (Jn. 14:16-17,26 AV; my comments and bolded emphases added).

Jesus said, and the Holy Scripture records it for all to read, that the Holy Spirit is a person Whose Name/Title is grammatically neuter; though He is in fact, like Jesus, masculine in Person and Being.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name^{neuter, singular} of the Father,^{masculine, singular},
and of the Son^{masculine, singular}, and of the Holy Ghost^{neuter, singular}: . . ." (Mt. 28:19 AV; grammar facts in superscript added).

Your claim is incorrect, and a sin of ignorance.

[ConservativeMind]

It is obvious that the Holy Spirit is masculine in Being, not in Person, from everything you gave.

[caww]

Well There are several religious groups who think as you do....Christian Science, mormons, Church of God, Jehovah Witness and others define the Holy Spirit as a ‘force’ or such as ..magnetism” or “electricity in one way or another rather than a true person of the Godhead.

So I’d have to ask how would you yourself define Jesus...or for that matter a person? Without the distinction of what that is truth will not be discovered.

[ConservativeMind]

Also, if Jesus bridges the gap, then, as long as we repented once and accepted Christ, we can sin without ever repenting again, then? It must be true, or Jesus alone doesn’t “cover” it all, for all the rest of time. We still repent and ask for forgiveness in our ongoing prayers because every sin separates us from God and we know this lack of personal responsibility is wrong if we truly have respect for what Christ has provided.

Unlike many others here, I will give verses that clearly describe the true knowledge from the Bible. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, 1 Peter 3:14-22, and Romans 6.

[21twelve]

“...has all the attributes of personality and is not merely an impersonal force.”

I like that - He has personality. Not sure that makes Him a “person”. We also refer to God as He, Father, etc. and He is not a person.

To me, a person is someone with a physical body. Jesus was a person. (Hmm - seeing as he did not die and had a body when He ascended into Heaven - is He still a person? I would guess so. Of course He is still more than just a “person” - He IS God.)

I think we can get a bit lost in trying to completely understand the Trinity. We CAN learn a lot about it - but I imagine at a certain point it ends up a “mystery” for our feeble minds and spirit.

But as one of my pastor’s says “It’s a mystery - but I’m okay with that. It’s not a mystery to God.”

[ConservativeMind]

God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all God in three forms. I believe a human is a person and only humans or persons have frailties.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/human#

[Campion]

A “spirit” is a “person”. A “person” is an individual substance of a rational nature.

[ConservativeMind]

A “person” is not a spirit and is not God. Persons have frailties, while God does not.

[Campion]

So Satan is a person?

Satan is absolutely a person. All angels, fallen or otherwise, are persons.

God is God. He’s not a “person,” either.

True enough. God is three Persons in one substance.

Are you sure you're not confusing "person" with "human being"? Human beings are persons, but not all persons -- in metaphysical terms -- are human beings. A "person," as I said, is an individual substance of a rational nature.

[Campion]

You’re using the term “person” to mean “human being”. “Person” is a technical term of art in philosophy and theology. It is not synonymous with “human being”. The definition of “person” requires rationality (a rock is not a person) but says nothing about “frailty”.