The Call Of Believers

What are believers called to do?

I was ending a walk recently when I came across a student of a local Bible school in front of my house.  I asked him if he had read what the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) said in the Sermon on the Mount that believers needed to do to be great in his kingdom.

Instead of answering my simple question, he started telling me about his efforts at leading people in “The Sinner’s Prayer”.  He then asked me how many people that I done this with.

I guess that this is what he thought the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount for people to do to be great in the kingdom of Heaven.  However, it had nothing to do with what the Man of Truth actually said.

In his kingdom, a few will be part of the nobility, and most will be part of the commoners, with all under the rule of one king – the Man of Truth!  He said that which class believers will be in depends entirely on what they do with the least important commandments of the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law) (Matthew 5:17-19)!

Those who keep the lessor matters of the Law of Truth as well as the weightier matters of the Law of Truth – and teach others to do the same – will be part of the nobility.  Those who keep only the weightier matters of the Law of Truth will be part of the commoners.

So, the commandments of custom are for separating those who will be part of the nobility from those who will be part of the commoners in the kingdom of Heaven – not to be part of the kingdom!  Those who try to keep only these commandments will not even enter the kingdom (Matthew 5:20)!

In fact, any who does not keep the weightier matters of the Law of Truth will not be inheriting a place into the kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  The great deception is telling people otherwise.

However, there is a problem with his entire approach to evangelism.

The Man of Truth never called us to lead people in “The Sinner’s Prayer”.  He called us to make disciples out of people by baptizing them and then teaching them to obey his commandments (Matthew 28:19-20).

The Man of Truth called us to preach the Gospel throughout the entire world (Mark 16:15).  He called us to preach that people must repent to obtain the forgiveness of their sins that his death, burial, and resurrection made possible (Luke 24:46-47).

The type of “evangelism” that this man espoused has been proven to be totally ineffective in studies by groups like the Billy Graham Association.  A study of commitment cards filled out by people who were led to say the magic words in places with large populations like Atlanta that held crusades numerous times over a decade proved this.

It found that sometimes the same person “made a commitment” as many as five times at five consecutive crusades.  Some even did so every night of a crusade that went on for multiple nights.

Follow up interviews revealed things like some people went down just to shut up the person who brought them to the crusade.  They hoped by going down and saying the magic words that the person would stop talking to them about the Man of Truth.

Others went down to make a commitment because they were overwhelmed with emotion.  However, as soon as the emotions that moved them dissipated, so did their commitment.

Yet others were very sincere but after they filled out their card they were given no further instructions.  So, a year later they were back at another crusade because there had been no meaningful change in their lives, and they were just as lost as before.

So, the Billy Graham Association conducted another study to find out why this was happening.  Their study showed that the root of the problem was that those who “made a commitment” were never disciplined afterwards. 

So the Billy Graham Association changed the way they conducted crusades to work with local churches to ensure that those who came down were afterwards placed in a local church and taught from the Book of Truth.  After they began following the actual instructions of the Man of Truth, then the number of recycled committers went down greatly.

All of these things concerning large crusades are also true about street “evangelism” focused on getting people to repeat “The Sinner’s Prayer”.  The man may as well have been asking me how many people I got to repeat a prayer out of emotion or just in hopes that doing so would cause me to stop talking to them about the Man of Truth.

The reason that people like this man do this is that they can get a whole bunch of people to repeat the magic words in the same amount of time that it takes to really disciple just one person.  It would take a real commitment on their behalf to meet with someone weekly and be available during the week to provide guidance to help them learn how to really follow the Man of Truth through the challenges of life.

It is much easier to talk to people whenever it is convenient than to do this.  It is much more comfortable to tell people that they only need to repeat the magic words than to tell them that they must make a commitment to obey the Man of Truth in everything and the cost of keeping that commitment.

So, they get a lot of people to repeat the magic words or fill out commitment cards.  It is easy to get a lot of people to make a commitment that costs them nothing.

We were never called to get people to make a commitment that costs them nothing.

Our commitment must be genuine so that we cannot be run off by the brutality of this world nor bought off with the things of this world (Matthew 13:19-23).  We are called to keep our commitment to obey his words at all times (Luke 8:11-15).

The Man of Truth warned us that family members would cause us to be killed for obeying him (Matthew 10:21).  He called us to turn our families into our enemies by obeying him (Matthew 10:34-37). 

The Man of Truth called us to be hated by everyone so that we are forced to flee our homes to save our lives (Matthew 10:22-23).  He called us to cause our friends to reject us, insult us, and speak badly about us to other people for obeying him (Luke 6:22).

The Man of Truth called us to die when he called us to follow him (Luke 14:26-27).  He called us to become martyrs as we take the Good News to the remotest parts of the Earth (Acts 1:8).  [The Greek word translated as “witnesses” is “martyr”.]

Even though not everyone who obeys the Man of Truth is going to be killed for doing so, all of us will be persecuted in some manner (2 Timothy 3:12).  If we let that persecution cause us to back off from obeying him, then the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) will have no pleasure in us (Hebrews 10:38-39).

If we do not tell others about the Man of Truth and deny knowing him before people, then he will not tell  the Father of Truth about us and will deny knowing us before Him (Matthew 10:32-33).  If we are ashamed of him, then then he will be ashamed of us (Mark 8:38).

So, it is better to never make a commitment to the Father of Truth than to make one and not keep it (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).  Therefore, the Man of Truth told us to count the cost of our commitment to follow him and not to make that commitment if we were not willing to pay the cost (Luke 14:28-33).

So, the Man of Truth has called us to break every rule of this world for winning friends and influencing people by revealing the true cost of their commitment before asking them to make it.  In fact, the world would title a book of his methods as “How to Lose Friends and Irritate People”.

However, this man had been trained at the Bible Training Center to talked about how the Father of Truth wanted to give them health and wealth.  It is not hard to see why he was able to get lots of people to say the magic words so the Father of Truth would give them prosperity without the commitment that the Man of Truth demands.

We were never called to preach prosperity.

This man then told me that I had a poverty mentality because I was not dissatisfied with the things that I had.  He could not see that I had given up the worthless pursuit of gaining bigger, better, newer things so I could gain true riches.

I told him that I was putting my treasure in Heaven as the Man of Truth had told us to do (Matthew 6:19-21).   I told him like Peter the Jew (Sh’mon aka Simon aka Simeon aka Cephas aka The Apostle Peter) and John the Jew (Yochanon ben Zebedee aka John son of Zebedee aka the Apostle John), I had something better than financial prosperity (Acts 3:6).

I told him that I was heeding the warning of the Man of Truth to not spend my life working for things that will not last into eternity (John 6:27).  I told him that I have a 100% chance of losing my house, my car, and everything else in this life, so I was investing my time, talents, and treasure in things that mattered (1 Timothy 6:6-7). 

I told him that that the Man of Truth relied on others to take care of his basic needs while he was preaching (Luke 8:1-3).   I told him that the Man of Truth did not even have a place to lay down his head (Luke 9:58).

I told him that the Man of Truth said that life does not consists of what we own (Luke 12:15).  I hold him that Paul the Jew (Shaul aka Saul aka The Apostle Paul) commanded that if we have food, clothing, and shelter to be content (1 Timothy 6:8).

I told him that real ministers of the Father of Truth like Paul the Jew suffer lack at times (2 Corinthians 6:4-5).  I told him that they are content whether they have little or much because their strength comes from the Man of Truth (Philippians 4:11-13).

I reminded him that we are warned against those who teach that gain is godliness (1 Timothy 6:3-5).  I told him that by faith the Prophets of Truth went about in goatskins, destitute, and living in caves, but the world was not worthy of them (Hebrews 11:37-38).

I then told him that Elisha the Prophet of Truth died from sickness (2 Kings 13:14).  Even the wife of Ezekiel the Prophet of Truth died from a stroke (Ezekiel 24:16-18).

Also, Epaphroditus had been sick and almost died from working so hard in the ministry with Paul the Jew (Philippians 2:25-30).  I reminded him that Paul the Jew had left Trophimus at Miletum sick (2 Timothy 4:20).

I reminded him that the Man of Truth said those who had health and wealth were often blind and poor (Revelation 3:17).  So, he told us to see the world through his eyes so that we would no longer be blind and gain the true riches that can only come through the fire of persecution (Revelation 3:18).

At this point, the man told me to stop judging him.  I told him since I had only quoted from the Book of Truth, that I was not judging him, but the Holy Spirit was convicting him.

We were warned to never get off of the path that we were called to walk.

This man then began to speak a lot of nonsense about how the Father of Truth was going to take away my health for the warnings that I had given to him to seek after true riches.  He said that he was speaking the Word of Faith.

At this point I got angry, so I told him to stop speaking out of his own head and saying it was from the Father of Truth for that is what the Prophets of Lies did (Jeremiah 23:16).  I told him that the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost) is never going to give a message that is contrary to the Word of Truth that came from the Spirit of Truth (2 Peter 1:21).

I told him that the Spirit of Truth is only going to give us messages to guide us in walking in the way laid out in the Word of Truth (Isaiah 30:21).  I told him that the Father of Truth gave us the Word of Truth to use in warning each other when we get off the path that we had been called to walk (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I also told him how the Man of Truth had stood between death and the Impossible Girl three times.  I told him about how my son had died from Covid and the Father of Truth raised him from the dead as confirmed by many witnesses in stories on two different news stations.  I told him how a year ago that I could not walk more than five minutes without having to stop to catch my breath, but the Father of Truth had been restoring my health over the last year to the point where I can walk at least an hour now.

I told him that the Father of Truth did things like this to confirm that the Word of Truth that I spoke to other people was His words (Mark 16:20).  I told him that I had never healed anyone by my own power or holiness, but these things were done by the Spirit of Truth to confirm that the Word of Truth that I preached was from the Father of Truth (Acts 3:12-15).

Then he asked me if I wanted to pray with him and I shouted “No” at him because once we know the truth then we should never agree with a lie (1 John 2:21).  The Spirit of Truth will only give us truth that agrees with the Word of Truth, so we are called to not pray in agreement with someone who speaks anything that is contrary to the Word of Truth (1 John 2:27).

This man proceeded to go ahead and pray for me anyways.  He asked the Father of Truth to bless my health, my family, my money, and so on.

However, there is no reason to believe that there was any power in his prayer.  After all, power is given to confirm the Word of Truth that came from the Father of Truth – not the Word of Faith that came from the imaginations of men.

We are called to demonstrate the power of the Good News.

The Man of Truth told his disciples to wait until they were given power before they began to preach the message of repentance and forgiveness of sin (Luke 24:47-49).  The last thing he told them before returning to Heaven was to not go around telling people about him until after the Spirit of Truth came upon them and gave them power (Acts 1:8-9).

So, the Apostles of Truth confirmed the message of the resurrection of the Man of Truth with great demonstrations of power – healings, signs, and wonders in his name (Acts 4:29-33).  In like manner, Stephen the Jew – who waited on tables – demonstrated great power to confirm the message of the Gospel (Acts 6:2-8).

Paul the Jew also brought the Gentiles into obedience to the Man of Truth by confirming the message of the Gospel with demonstrations of power from the Spirit of Truth (Romans 15:18-19).  He did not win them over with enticing words but with demonstrations of this power (1 Corinthians 2:4).

The kingdom of the Father of Truth is not built by people speaking words out of their own imagination but by these demonstrations of power (1 Corinthians 4:19-20).  This power comes from preaching the Word of Truth (2 Corinthians 6:7).

The power to perform signs and wonders to confirm the Gospel is the greatest when persecution for preaching the Gospel is the greatest (2 Corinthians 12:9-12).  The message of Gospel comes with power to confirm it and persecution to oppose it (1 Thessalonians 1:5-6).

The power to confirm the Gospel will never come without persecution for preaching the Gospel (2 Timothy 1:8).  Therefore, we are commanded to keep away from those who deny that the Father of Truth still confirms the Gospel with demonstrations of power because they do not love the Father of Truth enough to endure persecution for preaching the Gospel (2 Timothy 3:4-5).

So we are called to have all five experiences that come from a relationship with the Spirit of Truth in our congregations.  However, we can never experience the power that comes from the Spirit of Truth without experiencing the persecution that comes from the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil) as this man had been taught at the Bible Training Center.

We are called to do everything for the glory of the Father of Truth!

The Man of Truth called us to pray for the kingdom of the Father of Truth to come so that His will will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven as well as for our daily bread (Matthew 6:9-11).  He told us to seek His kingdom first, and the Father of Truth will make sure that we have food, clothing, and shelter (Matthew 6:31-33).

In like manner, whoever gives to help the poor lends to the Father of Truth and He will repay them (Proverbs 19:17).  They will never lack anything (Proverbs 28:27).

Therefore, the Man of Truth called us to give to the poor and promised what we gave would be given back to us in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:30-38).  He told us to give to the poor and we would store treasure in Heaven – and our heart would be there instead of in this world (Luke 12:33-34).

The Man of Truth called us to give up everything in this world to follow him and promised that we would get it all back greatly multiplied as well as eternal life (Matthew 19:27-29).  He however told us upfront that these things would come with persecution (Mark 10:28-29).

We are called to give up everything that we have a 100% chance of losing anyways in order to gain something far more valuable that we can never lose (Romans 8:18).  We are called to suffer for a short while in this temporary life to gain exceedingly great wealth in a life that lasts forever (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

So, there is nothing unreasonable about the Man of Truth calling us to sacrifice our lives to show our love for him (Romans 12:1).  After all, he gave up everything to show his love for us (Philippians 2:5-8).

If we suffer for the Man of Truth, then we will also reign with him (2 Timothy 2:12).  Therefore, we have been given everything that pertains to life and godliness, so we can have a part in the divine nature that comes from the glory and virtue that we were called to experience (2 Peter 1:3-4).

Therefore, we are called to do everything for the glory of the Father of Truth (1 Corinthians 10:31).  After all, He has called us to share in that eternal glory by sharing in suffering with the Man of Truth (1 Peter 5:10).

However, this man had his eyes on this temporary world, so he thought that I had a poverty mentality when in truth I have been pursuing true riches.  He had been blinded by teachers who had their eyes on the temporary instead of the eternal.

Finally, I told him what I had been led by the Spirit of Truth to tell him in the first place.  I told him what the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount that we must do if we want to be great in his kingdom.   

He could not believe that the Man of Truth really said this.  It meant people that he thought were great in the kingdom were least in the kingdom – if they were in the kingdom at all.

So, it is important to understand everything that we have been called to do.

Like many, this man had zeal in his efforts to do the will of the Father of Truth, but without the knowledge of what the Man of Truth called us to do (Romans 10:2).  Paul the Jew even persecuted believers when he had zeal without this knowledge (Philippians 3:6).

Those who have zeal for the Father of Truth - but do know Him - will even think that they are doing His will by killing believers (John 16:2-3).  Therefore, our zeal must be accompanied by the knowledge of what we were called to do if it is going to be good (Galatians 4:18).

We must know that the Father of Truth watches over the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:17-18).  He is a father to the fatherless and the defender of the widow (Psalm 68:5).

He has called us to also take care of the poor and fatherless (Psalm 82:3-4).  There is no true repentance that leads to salvation unless we answer this call (Isaiah 1:16-18).

Likewise, the Man of Truth had called us to no longer be part of this world (John 15:19).  He has called us to bring the Word of Truth to the world without being part of it (John 17:14-18).

We are called to even think differently than the people of the world because our minds have been renewed by the Word of Truth (Romans 12:2).  We are called to live in a manner pleasing to the Father of Truth in this present world and to never be ungodly like the world nor desire the things that the world desires (Titus 2:12).

Therefore, we are called to not love secular (means “of the world”) music and the like because we are called to make known the love of the Father of Truth that is opposed to these things (1 John 2:15-16).  We are called to a religion that is pure in His sight that takes care of the fatherless and widows WHILE ALSO keeping ourselves unspotted by the world (James 1:27).

So, we must remember that the Man of Truth faced every temptation that we face in this world, but without ever sinning (Hebrews 4:14-15).  This means that he never transgressed the Law of Truth because sin is transgression of the Law of Truth (1 John 3:4). 

We are called in like manner to live a sinless life like him since he has taken away our sins (1 John 3:5-6).  We are called to also obey the commandments of the Father of Truth while living in this world (1 John 5:1-4).

This is impossible for those who have a mind that is dominated by their flesh which interacts with this present world (Romans 8:7-8).  However, we have been called to have the mind of the Man of Truth (Philippians 2:5).

We can keep the righteous commandments of the Law of Truth because we are called to let the Spirit of Truth direct our lives (Romans 8:4-5).  The Spirit of Truth dwells in every believer so we can live a righteous life because the Man of Truth lives in us (Romans 8:9-10).

Also, The Spirit of Truth strengthens us so the Man of Truth can live in us (Ephesians 3:16-17).  Therefore, we can hope to live like the Man of Truth in this world because he makes us strong enough to do so (Colossians 1:27).

The Man of Truth became like us, so we could become like him (1 John 3:1-2).  Therefore, we are called to be like him while living in this world (1 John 4:17).

Are you doing what believers were called to do?

Perhaps someone has led you in the Sinner’s Prayer or you filled out a commitment card.  However, that is not what the Father of Truth requires you to do to be saved.

It is not even enough to be baptized, for you must show that have truly repented by doing what the Father of Truth desires (Matthew 3:6-8).  You must take meaningful action to show that your faith in the Man of Truth is genuine (James 2:14-18).

You must do the will of the Father of Truth to be saved (Matthew 7:21-23).  You must obey the Man of Truth in everything to be saved (Luke 6:46-49). 

There is no salvation without true repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).  There is no true repentance without total surrender (1 John 2:3-5).

The Man of Truth showed this by living in total surrender to the will of the Father of Truth (Luke 22:42).  He was even obedient in going to the cross, so you must likewise be obedient to him in everything (Hebrews 5:7-9).

Total surrender is the narrow way to salvation that few will find (Matthew 7:13-14).  The call of total surrender goes out to many, but only those who answer it will be chosen (Matthew 22:10-14).

Total surrender is the only means of eternal security.  The time of salvation begins with total surrender.

You may not have lived in total surrender to the Man of Truth up to this point, but you can come into the House of Truth today.  After all, it is how you end that determines if you are one of the chosen few.

Come to the Man of Truth in total surrender because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).  Then you will be able to answer the call to come out of darkness and live in His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Come into the House of Truth!

Holy Spirit Relational Experiences

What experiences come from the Spirit of Truth?

Lately, I came across several different groups of people arguing over what experiences were and were not from the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost).  The people on the various sides of this were basically the same in the defense of their position -  it was based on what they had been taught by someone else.

Each group gave scant - if any - scripture to back up their positions.  The scripture that they did give was almost aways taken out of context.

It was foolish of them to argue about something when they had not investigated the matter for themselves first (Proverbs 18:13).  It is fitting for the Children of the King to spend the time to search out what the Father of Truth has placed in His Word for themselves (Proverbs 25:2).

The Book of Truth should be their ultimate source for determining this and many other matters.  The experiences that come from the Spirit of Truth are plain to see when we rightly divide the Word of Truth.

So, I am going to show from scripture what experiences come from the Spirit of Truth.  I encourage everyone to not just take my word for it, but to be like the Bereans who were more noble for searching the scriptures for themselves to verify what  Paul the Jew (Shaul aka Saul aka Paulus aka The Apostle Paul) told them about the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) (Acts 17:10-11).

So, I am providing scripture that shows each of my points.  I am even providing links to make it easy for you to see for yourself.

I am also providing links to allow you to see the original language where appropriate as well.  These links will take you to tools to let you verify each word for yourself.

I encourage you to investigate everything I say thoroughly.  The links are provided to make that easier, but please delve deeper that what they provide if you are still unsure.

We will begin with the Greek words used to describe these experiences.

There are five Greek words used to describe these experiences.  Three of those are related, although they have very different meanings.

They are often translated into English as words that are similar in meaning like fill, filled, and full.  Sometimes, two of these Greek words are translated into the same English word in different places.

So if we examine the various passages about the Spirit of Truth that these English words occur in, then we will come to conflicting and confusing conclusions.  However, if we examine the various passages about the Spirit of Truth based on which Greek word is used, then these conflicts disappear and so does the confusion.

Therefore, we will identify each Greek word and define it according to how it was used in Greek literature at the time that the Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament) was written.  Then we look at the result that occurs in each passage where that Greek word is used in connection with Spirit of Truth.

The first of these Greek words is “Oikeo”.

“Oikeo” means “to dwell”.  It is used in ancient Greek literature of a woman coming to dwell in the house of her husband when she is married.

In the Renewed Covenant it is either suffixed by or followed by the Greek word “en”, which means “in” in English.  So, the compound word “Enoikeo” means “indwell” while the prepositional phrase ”Oikeo En” means “dwell in”. 

So, both the compound word and the prepositional phrase express the same relationship.  Therefore, we will look at passages that convey this relationship with the Spirit of Truth to determine the experience produced by that relationship.

This relationship is one that every Child of Truth must have (Romans 8:9).  Their bodies will not be raised from the dead to eternal life without it (Romans 8:11).

This relationship causes the Children of Truth to be the temple of the Father of Truth (1 Corinthians 3:16).  It causes them to be able to keep the good thing that was committed to them (2 Timothy 1:14).

Now we will look at this relationship in the context of the whole Book of Truth.  That will clarify what experience is produced by that relationship.

The Children of Truth must be born again through the Spirit of Truth (John 3:5-8).  They are born of the seed of the Father of Truth when this happens (1 Peter 1:23).

The Man of Truth spoke of the Spirit of Truth flowing out of the Children of Truth, but this could not happen until after his resurrection (John 7:38-39).  He told them at the last supper that the Spirit of Truth had been with them but would later be in them (John 14:17). 

So after his resurrection, the Man of Truth breathed on the Children of Truth and they received the Spirit of Truth (John 20:22).  It is receiving the Spirit of Truth that causes people to be adopted into the family of the Father of Truth (Romans 8:15). 

So, this relationship produces adoption into the family of the Father of Truth.  This adoption causes the Children of Truth to live for Him in this  present world and will cause them to live with Him in the world to come.

The second of these Greek words is “Baptizo”.

“Baptizo” means “to completely cover”.  It is used in ancient Greek literature of sunken ships being submerged underwater and making pickles by cucumbers being immersed in vinegar. 

English translations often retain an English form of the Greek word such as “baptized”, but a word like “immersed” or “submerged” would better convey the literal meaning.  So, when you see a word like “baptized” remember that it means “completely covered”.

So, the relationship expressed by this word is being completely covered on the outside by the Spirit of Truth.  Therefore, we will look at passages that convey this relationship with the Spirit of Truth to determine the experience produced by that relationship.

Just as John the Baptist (Yochanon the Mikveh Man) immersed people in water, so also would the Man of Truth completely cover people in the Spirit of Truth (Matthew 3:11).   The Man of Truth is the only one who can do this (Mark 1:8).

This is because the Man of Truth was greater than John the Baptist (Luke 3:16).  The Spirit of Truth rested on him after he was completely covered in water by John the Baptist to show that the Man of Truth would be the only one that could completely cover people in the Spirit of Truth (John 1:33).

So right before returning to Heaven, the Man of Truth told his disciples that they would soon be completely covered in the Spirit of Truth just as people had been completely covered in water by John the Baptist (Acts 1:5).  Years later, Peter the Jew (Sh’mon aka Simon aka Simeon aka Cephas aka The Apostle Peter) remembered these words when Cornelius had the same experience (Acts 11:16).

Then Paul the Jew wrote this about the importance of being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth: “Yet as we are united as one in being covered completely in the Spirit of Truth, all are united as one united as one in being completely covered in the body” (1 Corinthians 12:13).  This is not how the first part of this verse is usually translated, but it is what it literally says.

The Greek word “eis” that appears in this verse three times is the word used in the Septuagint for the Hebrew word “echad” – which means “united as one”.  It is also worth noting that “eis” appears only once concerning being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth but twice in a row concerning being completely covered in the body.

This doubling indicates that being completely covered in the body (of Messiah) is much more important than being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth.  So, being part of the family of the Father of Truth by the Spirit of Truth dwelling on the inside is much more important than being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth on the outside.  It is like how drinking water is more important than bathing.

The Apostles of Truth received the indwelling of the Spirit of Truth after the resurrection of the Man of Truth but had to wait until after the Man of Truth returned to Heaven to be completely covered in the Spirit of Truth.  It should be obvious that these are two different relationships.

Now we will look at this relationship in the context of the whole Book of Truth.  That will clarify what experience is produced by that relationship.

The Man of Truth told his disciples that being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth after he returned to Heaven was the promise of the Father of Truth that they were to wait in Jerusalem for (Acts 1:4-5).  Their wait was over at Pentecost when the Spirit of Truth caused them to speak in languages that they did not know but other people understood (Acts 2:4-11). 

Peter the Jew told those who witnessed this, that it was proof the Spirit of Truth had been poured out on the disciples of the Man of Truth as foretold by Joel the Prophet of Truth (Acts 2:12-18).   He told them that if they would repent and be completely covered in water to show their faith in the Man of Truth, then they too would receive the gift of the Spirit of Truth that had been promised by the Father of Truth (Acts 2:38-39).

Later, the Spirit of Truth began dwelling in people at Samaria after they had come to believe as evidenced by being completely covered in water to show their faith in the Man of Truth (Acts 8:12-13).   Yet, Peter the Jew and John the Jew (Yochanon ben Zebedee aka John the son of Zebedee aka The Apostle John) were sent to Samaria to lay hands upon these new believers, so they could receive the Spirit of Truth (Acts 8:14-15).

The Spirit of Truth had not rained down upon any of these new believers when they had been completely covered in water, but this happened when these apostles laid their hands on them (Acts 8:16-17).  Simon the Samaritan saw proof that these believers had received the Spirit of Truth outwardly as well as inwardly when this happened (Acts 8:18-19).

After that, the Spirit of Truth rained down on Cornelius and the other Gentiles when they believed (Acts 10:44).  Peter the Jew and the Jews with him were convinced these Gentiles had received the gift of being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth (Acts 10:45).

The proof of this was that these Gentiles were speaking in languages that they did not know (Acts 10:46).  So, these Gentiles were then completely covered in water to show their faith in the Man of Truth (Acts 10:47-48).

When the Spirit of Truth rained down on the Gentiles, Peter the Jew remembered that the Man of Truth had said that believers would be completely covered in the Spirit of Truth just as John the Baptist had completely covered people in water (Acts 11:15-16).  The Father of Truth had given the Gentiles the same gift of being completely covered in the Spirit of Truth to show that Gentiles had also been given the opportunity to come into the House of Truth (Acts 11:17-18).

Years later, Paul the Jew met disciples who had been completely covered in water by John the Baptist but had not received the Spirit of Truth (Acts 19:1-3).  So, he told them about the Man of Truth and then completely covered them in water in the name of the Man of Truth (Acts 19:4-5).  After that, when he laid hands on them the Spirit of Truth rained down on them and they began speaking languages that they did not know (Acts 19:6).

Paul the Jew later wrote that believers speaking in languages that they did not know when only other believers were present did not help anyone unless someone could interpret what they said (1 Corinthians 14:2-5).  He said that believers have to pray for an interpretation so they will understand what they said after they spoke in a language that they do not know (1 Corinthians 14:13-14).

Paul the Jew explained that he would pray and sing with the Spirit of Truth in languages he did not know, but he would also do these things in languages that he understood (1 Corinthians 14:15).  He said that believers must do these things in a language that the hearers understand for the benefit of the hearers (1 Corinthians 14:16-17).  So, even though he spoke in languages that he did not know more often than the entire congregation, he spoke in languages that the congregation understood when he was among them (1 Corinthians 14:18-19).

Paul the Jew explained that believers speaking in languages that they did not know was foretold in the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law) as a sign to those who did not yet believe the Good News that it was from the Father of Truth (1 Corinthians 14:21-22).  However, if the entire congregation spoke in languages that neither they nor the hearers understood, then those who had not yet believed the Good News would think that they were crazy (1 Corinthians 14:23).

Paul the Jew explained that for this reason, only two or three believers were to speak in languages that they did not know in the congregation one at a time while another interpreted what they said (1 Corinthians 14:27).  If there was no one that could interpret in the congregation, then they were to wait until they were not in the congregation to speak to the Father of Truth in languages that they did not know (1 Corinthians 14:28).  He concluded that people were not to be forbidden from speaking in languages that they did not know in the congregation, but it must be done in a decent and orderly manner (1 Corinthians 14:39-40).

Paul the Jew first explained how the Spirit of Truth dwelling in believers was much more important than the Spirit of Truth completely covering them.  Later, he explained to this same congregation about believers speaking in languages that they did not know.   

When believers are covered completely in the Spirit of Truth, they might even speak in groanings that are not even a language, but the Spirit of Truth understands the meaning of these groanings (Romans 8:26-27).  They might even speak in the language of angels instead of human language that they do not know (1 Corinthians 13:1).

So, this relationship produces believers speaking in languages that they do not know.  This is the sound of power that is so important that the Father of Truth has provided five ways to start this fire.

The third of these Greek words is “Pimplemi”.

“Pimplemi” means “to mostly fill”.  It is used in ancient Greek literature of filling a glass to a little below the brim. 

So, the relationship expressed by this word is being mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth.  Therefore, we will look at passages that convey this relationship with the Spirit of Truth to determine the experience produced by that relationship.

John the Baptist was mostly filled with Spirit of Truth before birth (Luke 1:15).  His mother Elizabeth also became mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth when Mary the wife of Joseph came to visit her (Luke 1:41).  His father Zacharias the Priest of Truth also became mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth after he was born (Luke 1:67).

The believers at Pentecost were mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth as well as being covered in the Spirit of Truth as proved by speaking in languages that they did not know (Acts 2:4).  Peter the Jew was again mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth when asked by what power or name that the lame man at the gate of the Temple had been healed (Acts 4:8).  After that, the believers that had been mostly filled at Pentecost were again mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth along with the other believers when they all congregated together (Acts 4:31).

Later, Paul the Jew was mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth when Ananias the Jew laid hands upon him to end his blindness (Acts 9:17).  Thirteen years after that, he was once again mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth when he stood against Elymas the Sorcerer (Acts 13:9).

So, people were able to be mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth before the Man of Truth was even born.  The Spirit of Truth dwelling in people or completely covering them was not possible until after his resurrection.

Also, the same believer can be mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth more than once and on different occasions.  The indwelling of the Spirit of Truth only happens once at the time someone is born again, and people are only completely covered in the Spirit of Truth once - being able to speak in languages that they do not know after that.

These difference should make one thing clear:  A person being mostly filled with Spirit of Truth is not the same as the Spirit of Truth dwelling in a person nor the same as a person being covered with the Spirit of Truth.

Now we will look at this relationship in the context of the whole Book of Truth.  That will clarify what experience is produced by that relationship.

This relationship caused John the Baptist to have the boldness of Elijah (Eliyahu) the Prophet of Truth to prepare people for the Messiah of Israel (Luke 1:16-17).  It caused his mother to boldly prophesy that Mary the wife of Joseph was pregnant with the Messiah of Israel (Luke 1:42-43).

This relationship caused Zechariah the Priest of Truth to boldly prophesy that the God of Israel was coming to visit the people of Israel as the son of David – the Messiah of Israel (Luke 1:67-69).  It caused him to boldly proclaim that his son John the Baptist would prepare the people of Israel to hear the Messiah of Israel (Luke 1:76-79).

This relationship caused Peter the Jew to raise his voice and boldly tell the crowd that the believers speaking in languages that they did not know was the sign of salvation predicted by Joel the Prophet of Truth (Acts 2:14-21).  It caused him to boldly tell the crowd that they had killed the son of David – the Messiah of Israel – but the Father of Truth raised the Man of Truth from the dead as foretold by King David (Acts 2:22-32).

This relationship caused Peter the Jew to boldly tell the crowd the Man of Truth had returned to Heaven as King David had foretold and had rained down the Spirit of Truth to show that the Father of Truth had made him absolute ruler of the human race (Acts 2:33-36).  It caused him to boldly tell the crowd to repent and they would also be saved as well as have the Spirit of Truth rained down on them (Acts 2:37-40).

This relationship caused Peter the Jew to boldly answer the High Priests and those with him that they had killed the Messiah of Israel (Acts 4:9-13).  It caused the entire assembly to speak the Word of Truth with the boldness that they had prayed for (Acts 4:29-31).

This relationship caused Paul the Jew to boldly preach the Man of Truth in the synagogues of Damascus instead of destroying his disciples (Acts 9:20-21).   It caused him to boldly dispute with the Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-29).

This relationship caused Paul the Jew to boldly confront Elymas the Sorcerer years later (Acts 13:10-11).  It caused him to boldly rebuke those Jews who reject the Man of Truth and tell them that he had been commissioned to cause the Good News to be preached to the Gentiles throughout the entire Earth (Acts 13:45-47).

So, this relationship produces boldness in telling people about the Man of Truth.  This boldness can lessen over time, so people sometimes need to be mostly filled again with the Spirit of Truth just like they need to drink water again after the refreshment has lessened.

The fourth of these Greek words is “Pleroo”.

“Pleroo” means “to fill completely”.  It is used in ancient Greek literature of filling a glass with wine to the point where it cannot hold another drop.

So, the relationship expressed by this word is someone being filled completely with the Spirit of Truth.  Therefore, we will look at passages that convey this relationship with the Spirit of Truth to determine the experience produced by that relationship.

The believers in the house at Jerusalem were filled completely with the Spirit of Truth (Acts 2:2).  In like manner, the believers in Iconium were filled completely with the Spirit of Truth (Act 13:52).

Paul the Jew desired the believers in Rome to be filled completely with the Spirit of Truth (Romans 15:13).  He also desired that the believers in Ephesus  to be filled completely with the Spirit of Truth (Ephesians 3:19).  He said that they should do this instead of getting drunk on wine (Ephesians 5:18).

So, filling completely is not the same as mostly filling.  Filling completely leaves no room for more, while mostly filling leaves room for a little more.

Now we will look at this relationship in the context of the whole Book of Truth.  That will clarify what experience is produced by that relationship.

When some mockers saw the believers filled completely with the Spirit of Truth in Jerusalem, they thought that those believers had to be drunk on wine (Acts 2:13).  However, Peter the Jew told the mockers that these believers were not drunk on wine as they thought, but what they saw came from the Spirit of Truth (Acts 2:14-17).

The believers filled completely with the Spirit of Truth in Iconium became filled completely with joy (Act 13:52).  Also the believers that filled completely with the Spirit of Truth in Rome became filled completely with peace (Romans 15:13).  Moreover, the believers filled completely with the Spirit of Truth in Ephesus became filled completely with love (Ephesians 3:16-19).

So, Paul the Jew told those in Ephesus not to be unwise by getting drunk on wine, but to live in line with the will of the Father of Truth by being filled completely with the Spirit of Truth (Ephesians 5:18-19).  Then the Spirit of Truth would cause them to break out in singing (Ephesians 5:20).

In order to understand this correctly, we have to look at what Ephesians 5:18  literally says – even though not usually translated this way.  It literally says, “And be drunk – not drunk on wine in which is unsavedness – but be filled completely in the Spirit”.  So, being filled completely with the Spirit of Truth leads to being drunk on the Spirit of Truth. 

Indeed, there are some similarities on the effect on behavior of both being drunk on the Spirit of Truth and being drunk on wine.  This is why the mockers thought that the believers in Jerusalem were drunk on wine.

When some people are drunk on wine they are overcome with joy like the believers in Iconium.  Others become peaceful without concern about anything like the believers in Rome.  Yet others just go around telling everyone that they love them like the believers in Ephesus.

This effects their behavior in other ways as well.  They do things like breaking out in singing like Paul the Jew told the believers in Ephesus.

Also, since Paul the Jew told the believers in Ephesus to get drunk on the Spirit of Truth instead of getting drunk on wine, then believers must be able to choose when to do this.  That is another way that being drunk on the Spirit of Truth is like being drunk on wine.

However, being drunk on the Spirit of Truth is in line with the will of the Father of Truth while  being drunk on wine is contrary to His will.  People who are drunk on the Spirit of Truth will never do stupid things to endanger themselves or others like walking in front of traffic on a busy highway at night or sinful things like engaging in sex with people that are not their spouse.

So, this relationship produces behavior similar to being drunk.  Yet this behavior will never include foolish or sinful things that the unsaved do when they who get drunk on wine.

The last of these Greek words is “Pleres”.

“Pleres” means “completely full”.  It is used in ancient Greek literature of something being so completely full that there is no room left.

So, the relationship expressed by this word is someone being completely full of the Spirit of Truth.  Therefore, we will look at passages that convey this relationship with the Spirit of Truth to determine the experience produced by that relationship.

The Man of Truth was completely full of the Spirit of Truth when he was led into the wilderness (Luke 4:1).  Also those who distributed the food after the Man of Truth returned to Heaven had to be completely full of the Spirit of Truth (Acts 6:3).

Steven the Jew was one of those who were completely full of the Spirit of Truth (Acts 6:5).  He was completely full of the Spirit of Truth when he saw the glory of the Father of Truth (Acts 7:55). 

Barnabas the Jew (Levi) was also completely full of the Spirit of Truth years later (Acts 11:24).

So, the Spirit of Truth filling completely a believer is not the same as a believer being completely full of the Spirit of Truth.  It is like the difference between someone growing up and someone being a grown up.

Now we will look at this relationship in the context of the whole Book of Truth.  That will clarify what experience is produced by that relationship.

After the Man of Truth returned from the wilderness, he was full of the power of the Spirit of Truth (Luke 4:14).  Not long after that, he demonstrated power to confirm his message by casting a demon out of a man (Luke 4:31-36).

Stephen the Jew was also full of power to do signs and wonders to confirm the message about the Man of Truth (Acts 6:8).  Afterwards, he saw the Man of Truth standing at the right hand of the Father of Truth (Acts 7:55).

Barnabas the Jew caused much people to come to the Man of Truth and sought out Paul to help him in Antioch (Acts 11:24-26).  He also did signs and wonders to confirm the Good News about the Man of Truth (Acts 15:12).

So, this relationship produces the power to do signs and wonders.  This power confirms the Good News about the Man of Truth.

So, let us review all five Spirit of Truth relationships and the experiences they produce.

All believers have the Spirit of Truth dwelling on the inside.  This happens when they are born-again and causes them to be adopted into the family of the Father of Truth.

Some believers are completely covered on the outside by the Spirit of Truth.  When this happens they begin speaking in a language that they do not know – human, angel, or one that only the Father of Truth understands.

Some believers are mostly filled with the Spirit of Truth.  When this happens they become bold beyond their own ability in telling people about the Man of Truth.

Some believers are filled completely with the Spirit of Truth.  When this happens they behave similarly to someone who is drunk on wine – but without doing anything stupid or sinful.

Some believers are completely full of the Spirit of Truth.  When this happens they are full of the power of the Spirit of Truth to perform signs and wonders to confirm the Good News about the Man of Truth.

These things are for everyone who comes into the House of Truth (Acts 2:38-39).  So, surrender control of everything to the Man of Truth because you believe that his Father raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Come into the House of Truth!