--Holy Spirit--Who may receive Salvation?--

Hi Ya'll,

It has come to my attention that there seems to be some Confusion about the Holy Spirit and if we have to know Jesus as such before receiving the Holy Spirit?

Let us consider the Old Testament before Jesus came into the Game plan as such?

Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

This was David, a man after God's own heart, whom made it Clear that he had God's Holy Spirit and did not want God to take it away from him !

Remember that Jesus as such had not showed up in the Game plan as of yet !

Proverbs 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Here we may see that mankind does --NOT-- have God's Holy Spirit within himself, until God gives it to mankind !

Could this mean that we 1st must be of a willing heart and have not rejected God?

Maybe these verses may give the answer?

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have strecthed out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; 30 They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 for the turning away of the Simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whosoever hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

As one may see if we choose to reject God when he calls us in the beginnings of our Life's struggles, then when we find ourself at the end of our physical life and are in Pain and Suffering because of our Foolishness, God may allow us to continue to Suffer unto Death from our Poor choices in Life !

Upon Death: Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

This does not sound like anyone is going to Heaven upon Death, as some preach?

Here is another case of God giving man a New Spirit(Holy Spirit):

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Again, this is Clearly showing that mankind does not have the Holy Spirit within himself, until God gives it to mankind !

After Death of the Dis-believer's:

Ezekiel 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the lord God; Behold O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you unto the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves. 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land; then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and preformed it, saith the Lord .

Maybe I should make note that in the above Ezekiel was addressing the Israelites?

Again this seems to point out that mankind does --NOT-- have the Holy Spirit, until God gives it to us?

And Jesus was not present in the Flesh as such yet?

For those interested in more Depth, one may also read Joel 2:28-32

The above was just taking into consideration the Old Testament time frame before Jesus Christ came into the Game plan in the Flesh !

Now let us consider the Time frame after Jesus Christ has come into the Game:

Luke 11:13 if ye then, being evil, know to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.

Again we may see that mankind does not automatically have the Holy Spirit in him, but that God will give it to us if we ask !

Now let us consider a person who is Carnal and does not have the Holy Spirit and what the Holy Spirit may be viewed as by God:

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be; 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is Dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore , brethern, we are Debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Now let us consider what Romans is telling us?

1st it states that if any man have not the --Spirit of Christ,-- he is none of his.

2nd it states that : if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Maybe this is where Many folks may be missing the Simpleness of those from the old Testament whom Never knew Jesus Christ or the man in the desert on his Dieing bed who never knew of Jesus Christ, but they all had asked God to give them Truth and God gave them the same Spirit to Guide them, which may be the Holy Spirit, which is the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ !

Thus again: if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Because of this reason, could it be that this saying: if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Thus could it be that those whom are of other cultures and have not known of Jesus Christ as such, but have asked God for Truth, that God as he gives to all his Children whom ask of him in Faith to him shall have received the Holy Spirit from God?

And this Holy Spirit is of Jesus Christ, thus the circle is complete without knowing the name Jesus Christ?

As usual not everything may be as it may 1st seem to be !

Could this be WHY I keep comming back to the Fruits of the Spirit, which there is NO law against Living as such?

With the Fruits of the Spirit we shall Seek God and ask his guidance and he has stated that he shall give us the Holy Spirit if we shall ask !

Thus WHY there may be folks of all cultures whom may inherit the Kingdom of God, if they have received the Holy Spirit from God and are Living by the Fruits of the Spirit, not knowing about Jesus Christ as such?

As usual not everything may be as it may 1st seem to be !

Smile Tis your choice.