Volume 6 / Issue 1 | January 2019
The Apologetics Newsletter
of the Missouri Baptist Convention
In this issue: Is the Holy Spirit a person? ... The parable of the wedding banquet ... Is the Holy Spirit divine? ... A biblically faithful view of wealth and health ... and more! Take the survey on the Holy Spirit, and see the results of last month's survey on the afterlife.
Is the Holy Spirit a person?
Why do Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force? Does the Bible offer evidence that the Holy Spirit is, in fact, a real person who speaks, uses personal pronouns, and demonstrates a will? The answer is a resounding yes.

The parable of the wedding banquet
The poor guy just showed up for a wedding banquet, and the king who invited him is now chewing him out in front of the other guests. What's up with this parable of the kingdom of heaven?

Is the Holy Spirit divine?
The Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is a He , not an it . But if the Spirit is a person, is He divine? Does He share a co-equal and co-eternal place in the Godhead with the Father and the Son? Scripture affirms the deity of the Holy Spirit.

A biblically faithful view of wealth and health
If the prosperity gospel is false, then what does God's Word really have to say about a proper perspective on wealth and health?

What every Christian should know about salvation
The MBC has released a new resource for personal or group study. What Every Christian Should Know About Salvation explores 12 Bible terms that describe God's work of redemption. Each chapter concludes with summary statements and probing questions that help individuals and groups dive deeper into the crucial doctrine of salvation.

Which of the following views of the Holy Spirit is most faithful to Scripture?
The "holy spirit" is an impersonal force
The Holy Ghost is a divine being who inhabits the spirit world
The Holy Ghost is a god; the Holy Spirit is his breath
The Holy Ghost is one of three gods, along with the Father and Son
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune Godhead
Results from last month's survey:
Which of the following views of the afterlife seems farthest from Scripture to you?
Thirty-seven responses:
Reincarnation (Hinduism) - 16
Operating Thetan (Scientology) - 6
Purgatory (Roman Catholicism) - 5
Soul sleep / annihilation (Jehovah's Witnesses) - 5
For Christians, absent from the body, present with the Lord - 5
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