The Spiritual Beings And God 's Messenger

In Christian mythology they talk about angels and devils. In the story the people who find the man think he is an angel at first, but then the priest says he may have been sent to them by the devil. “He reminded them that the devil had the bad habit of making use of carnival tricks in order to confuse the unwary” (p2). In the story it refers to the myth many times without explaining it. The people tried to see if the man with wings had a navel “They spent their time finding out if the prisoner had a navel” (p3). According to mythology, angels don't have navels, because they are not

In this paper, I will review Robert Gromacki’s book The Holy Spirit: Who He is, What He Does I will detail what I feel the book is about. I will emphasize various points given by the author that stood out to me. Finally, I will give my personal evaluation of the book.

Throughout the course of humanity’s history many questions have risen that have posed a problem to us as a species. Questions such as the following: What is the proper relationship between individuals and society? What is beauty, and why is it important? Is there purpose in human existence?, and many others have caused enough trouble in humanity’s short existence on the earth to cause a near identity crisis. However, all of these questions fall under the shadow of the main question that has been asked since the creation of Adam- “What exactly is the real relationship and purpose of humanity towards the divine?”

Lastly, the old man, who is an angel, symbolizes Jesus Christ. The old man and Jesus Christ are very much alike. They are both doubted by the people around them even though they had already performed many miracles that no ordinary human can do. They are also both mistreated by people despite of their power. In paragraph 4, “tossing him things to eat through the openings in the wire as if weren’t a supernatural creature but a circus animal”. From this line, we can conclude that the angel was treated like a freak show by the people. The same as Jesus Christ, he was tortured by the soldiers even though it is clear to them that he is a supernatural being.

The godly soul on the other hand, is as positive as it sounds, it is pure as fresh snow. “it does not require food, money or even others ' appreciation. It need not accumulate anything. Those godly desires are considered pure”(Bergstein 6). Therefore, it is represented by the angel who tells of the good decisions.

The goodness of the “angel” in this story is often overlooked and misused by the townsfolk, yet he represents many of the good qualities associated with God or a godly figure. This irony comes into play by the fact that the townspeople were actually correct in calling him an angel (of sorts), while most of the time people are incorrect when first naming or labeling something, and there is certainly a lot of incorrect information associated with religion in general. “‘He's an angel,’ she told them. ‘He must have been coming for the child, but the poor fellow is so old that the rain knocked him down’” (1).

Angels are also usually portrayed as Caucasian; I have many in and around my house and vehicle.

While each of the different traditions had very different beliefs on the details of angelology, such as the exemplified Catholic and Protestant differences, each agreed upon the necessity of angelology, which West reveals through the words of John Calvin. Beyond the question of the rank, West expounds upon controversies about the nature, purpose, substance, ability, activity, and humanity of angels throughout every age of history from the Greek and Roman empires to Milton’s seventeenth-century England to both contextualize the book’s subject for readers and to illuminate the significance and depth behind John Milton’s own literary representation of angels.

Professor Martin Espinosa’s initial discussion in Sexuality in the Black Church class presented a range of stimulating and informative topics. The area that stands out most in my mind was the dialogue about identifying and casting out various types demons. Typically, a demon is referenced as a demonic presence seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. However, Professor Espinosa points out that destructive messages being passed down or transferred is also a demon that needs to be cast out, in order to enjoy the fullness of a relationship with people and ultimately, Jesus. Interestingly enough, we are all victims of negative ideas, thoughts, or actions that has been passed down from one generation to the next.

He also interprets the vision of the prophet Daniel. They both have a profound effect on a mass of people and their lives. Gabriel serves as an antithesis to the Archangel and symbolizes the frailty of mankind. Though he is a preacher of the gospel, he is actually overtaken with sin. Gabriel blames

When an individual comes to faith in Christ he or she is not left alone to battle the struggles of sin, lead people to Jesus, experience heartache and sorrow, find God’s will, or live a life that is pleasing and honoring to the Lord. No, Christians are given an awesome gift that cannot be purchased or earned. Believers are blessed with the gift of a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 14:16, “ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.”(ESV) Sadly, many believers do not have a correct understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, or what He does. The purpose of this paper is define the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit of God is the active force or power in one’s life, which most certainly includes spiritual formation (Pettit, 2008, p. 46). When Jesus was speaking with his disciples he made it clear – by using the analogy of a vine and branches – that apart from him they could do nothing (John 15:5). Only if one is connected to Christ will they have the ability to bear fruit and the way Jesus empowers those connected to him is through the Holy Spirt that that father will send in his name (John 14:26). The fact is that the triune God dwells in the Christian in and through the Holy Spirit. One sees this when they place multiple passages together to gain a full understanding of this concept. For example, Jesus made it clear that he and the father would come and make their home with the disciple (John 14:23). In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul reminds the Corinthians that their bodies are the very temple of God because the Holy Spirit dwells in them which is similar to what Jesus said would happen when he sent the Holy Spirit after his resurrection and ascension (John 14:17, 16:7).

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and is equal in essence and in power in the Trinity to the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit was originally sent by Jesus after his ascension into heaven, Jesus himself saying that he would send a “helper” after he departed from the earth. This spirit is worshipped just as the Father and the Son are, and also participated in the creation of the world, sustaining and giving life continually to all things, and exhibits the uniqueness and characteristics of the third person in the Trinity. This is the same Holy Spirit that divinely inspired the infallible word of God, and although the canon is now closed, the Holy Spirit still works powerfully and constantly in the life of the church and in believers. The Holy Spirit is the giver of spiritual gifts, which are given at conversion and help the believer become more like their creator. The presence of the Holy Spirit is evident in the life of all true believers, and this Spirit turns cowardly men into mighty warriors for Christ who accomplish actions way beyond their natural ability.

Angels are eluded to 103 times in the Old Testament and 93 times in the New Testament. These angels, described as spiritual beings created by God, serve Him. Still, angels are created higher than man. Angels are separated into two major categories, good angels and bad/fallen angels. The good angels continue to obey God and follow His will. The fallen angels disobey God. In fact, fallen angels oppose everything God stands for. For this reason, the fallen angels no longer reside in their holy positions. Furthermore, the fallen angels work against the plan and will of God. Three other familiar terms referring to angels are seraphim, cherubim, and ministering spirits. Both the Hebrew and Greek word for angel means “messenger”, describing one who completes the purpose and will of the one whom they serve. Thus, the good angels follow God, and the fallen angels serve Satan. One angel, unlike any other, is the “angel of the Lord.” “The angel of the Lord”, identified as God, speaks as God and states to utilize the entitlements of God. According to the Christian belief, unlike one worldly perspective, angels are not the spirits of deceased human beings. Instead, they are created beings made for a purpose (Keathley).

An angel is a pure spirit created by God. The Old Testament theology included the belief in angels: the name applied to certain spiritual beings or intelligences of heavenly residence, employed by God as the ministers of His will.