Bible Discovery: True Spirituality

1. What promise did Jesus make to His disciples just before He died?

John 14:16-18 “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth.... you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.... I will come to you.” The “Counsellor” is the “Holy Spirit” who will teach us all things and remind us of Jesus' words” (John 14:26).

2. What is Paul's desire for Christians at Rome?

Romans 1:11 “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.”

3. Where do spiritual gifts come from, for whose benefit, and who determines which gifts people receive?

1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, 7, 11 “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.... There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.... Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good ...just as he [the Spirit] determines.”

4. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?

Ephesians 4:12, 13 “...to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” The “body of Christ” is “the church” (Ephesians 1:22, 23)

5. When we are taught by the Spirit, what do we express?

1 Corinthians 2:13 “This is what we speak ...in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” “ Spiritual wisdom,” “spiritual blessing,” “spiritual songs” etc come from life in the Holy Spirit (see Colossians 1:9; Ephesians 1:3; 5:19).

6. How do we know we are in Christ?

1 John 4:13 “We know that we live in him [Jesus] and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” Paul says, “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ ...because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:9, 14).

7. Who empowers Christians as witnesses of Jesus?

Acts 1:8 ”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses ...to the ends of the earth.”

8. How do we receive the Holy Spirit?

Ephesians 1:13, 14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession— to the praise of his glory.”

9. What is the fruit of the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22, 23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

10. What will show that we have the fruit of the Spirit?

John 13:34, 35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”