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1.5 Azusa Street & ACOP Legacy
Compare both these quotes that Wes read, one by Andrew Argue, and one by Frank Bartleman.
"Being hungry for God's best, I went to Chicago to witness what was taking place. Here I saw number being filled with the Spirit which continued to deepen my hunger. I waited on God for 21 days. During this time I had a wonderful vision of Jesus. His countenance was so radiant that as I lifted my hands before Him they became transparent. At the end of 21 days I was filled with the Holy Ghost, speaking with other tongues at the Spirit gave utterance." - Andrew Argue.
“Jesus should not be slighted… by the exaltation of the Holy Spirit and of the gifts of the Spirit. There seemed to be a great danger of losing sight of the fact that Jesus was all in all. I endeavored to keep him as the central theme, the figure before the people. Jesus will always be the center of our preaching. All comes through him and in him. The Holy Spirit is given to show us the things of Christ. The work of Calvary, the atonement, must be the center of our consideration. The Holy Spirit never draws our attention from Christ to himself, but rather reveals Christ in a fuller way. We are in the same danger today. There is nothing deeper, or higher than to know Christ, everything is given by God to that end. The One Spirit is given to that end. Christ is our salvation and our all…" – Frank Bartleman.
What do these quotes have in common? What important piece of pneumatology (theology about the Holy Spirit) do they call us to keep in mind? Reflect in a paragraph.
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35 Replies
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Our focus should staying in a restored relationship with God. He know when our hearts are ready for more of Him, and the Holy Spirit comes to make that happen. Again, it is a self-ful to desire the gifts without a sustained functioning relationship with the giver.
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Both quotes emphasize the importance of maintaining a Christ-centered focus in the midst of experiencing the Holy Spirit’s power and gifts. Andrew Argue’s quote highlights his personal encounter with God, where he was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Frank Bartleman’s quote, however, serves as a cautionary reminder to keep Jesus at the center of our experiences with the Holy Spirit, ensuring that the Spirit’s work always points to Christ and reveals Him more fully. The common thread between the two quotes is the importance of pneumatology being Christocentric. They call us to remember that the Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Jesus, reveal His character, and draw attention to His redemptive work, rather than overshadowing or replacing Christ. This balance is crucial in maintaining a healthy and biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.
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Both Bartleman and Argue emphasized the Holy Spirit’s role in pointing us to Jesus. The Spirit does not supersede the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and our Saviour, rather He points us to Jesus as the source of our salvation, and the One who sends the Spirit as the Church’s Comforter and Advocate. Both these men saw that an important role of the Holy Spirit was illuminating the person and work of Jesus. This demonstrates a unity within the Godhead as the Spirit points to Jesus, who in turn points people to God, who sends both the Son and Spirit to reveal Himself to His creation.
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The Holy Spirit always points us towards Jesus! And as the Holy Spirit points us towards Jesus we should make sure to always keep Jesus as our focus and pursuit. This includes the gifts of the Spirit, those are also to point us and others towards Jesus and are for His glory and not ours.
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