Its the term they use for most non-catholics Reg. Just humor them Reg it allows you to move on to the next subject quicker. One less gnat to strain and one less camel to swallow. :-)
We just can't win. If we lump you all into one category you don't like it.
If we bring up the dreaded "28,000" categories, you don't like that either. :-)
SD
I had thought I would find possibly a hundred or so, and then I would simply do a subject check on each one, to find out what the Spirit did in each case, put them together into one subject matter, and then the results would tell me exactly what or how the Spirit manifested It’s self in each individual case.
I first had expected to find, that it was in complete harmony with each person who had it, and I thought it would show that the Spirit was always identified by its fruits being the same on certain outward signs.
I had in mind that I would find, several dozen scriptures stating that this person could interpret the word, or several dozen saying the Spirit speaks as one voice, or that it is always love, or gives wisdom or faith or meekness or so on, and I reasoned that by categorizing all of them, I would then be able to see how it manifested it’s self in us.
To my surprise, I found I was wrong on all points, first there were over 250 times the words were used from Acts to Revelations, and when I went through each one of them and picked out the main word that described what the Spirit had imparted in man, I found that there were 145 different words used to identify that sign, or fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Out of those 145 signs, the subject of being “sealed “ was used 5 times, and the same for “prophesy”, “wisdom”, and “faith”.
The next were the words,”Knowledge”, “dwells in us,” and “meekness,” which were used 4 times each. That leaves approximately 113 word descriptions that most of which were used one time each, showing that almost all of the 145 references to the Holy Spirit, were totally different for each use, meaning that you can not identify the Holy Spirit by any one or two or three signs, but they are as different as we are, and it manifest it’s self differently in each person.
Each writer of the epistles wrote with their own personality, and although they are all different perspectives, they are still in the bounds of God’s Spirit.
We non-Catholics have allowed the Catholics to call us diverse, in chaos, confused, in disarray, with no leader ship, and no solid structure, therefore proving we haven’t got the Holy Spirit,.. otherwise we would be in total harmony as they are.
They have structured their church from the top down, saying that the pope and those directly under him, relay God’s will, down to its members, by always having one unified voice in all matters. If this is the case, then there was no need for scripture to tell us that we are responsible for our understanding the word.
This is simply quenching the Holy Spirit by one human being, taking it on him self to determine what the will of God is, then forcing all those under him to agree with his decision, or they are made to feel they are going directly against God.
1 Thess 5: 19. Quench not the Spirit.
Ro 12: 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 Cor 13: 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Gal 6: 4. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. V-5. For every man shall bear his own burden. V-6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. V-7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
1 Thess 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
The RCC’s, tell us that the hierarchy gives them the truth, then it is up to them to verify it as to it’s authenticity, but what recourse do they have if it turns out to be against the scripture, do you then tell them that God gave them this truth?…that greater minds then you have studied this and came to these conclusions?
That the Bible isn’t the only source of truth?…. Do you ask if they are questioning the authority of the church?…. Or are you polite, and tell them you will bring this up at the next conference, ..or ask then to send your questions to the bishop, and he’ll get back to you?
The point being that if you are an average member of the Catholic Church, it does you no good what so ever to.. “search the scripture, whether these things are so”. This way of doing things, …can be justified by your total unity, that phrase makes everything worthwhile,… but do you know something?…I can find nothing in the word saying that the signs of the Holy Spirit are that they are in full unity on all matters, in fact, … one of the signs of the Holy Spirit is the ability to discern, and with out choice you can have no discernment.
You may also want to remove all scripture that tells you to prove all things.
We are told to be one in Christ, and that we are one in a marriage, 4:31, but do you act exactly as your wife, or vice versa.
My wife and I are one, but total opposites.