Heart of the Matter: Exploring the Holy Spirit

Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host.

Show 16 493 The Holy Spirit – Part III April 19th 2016.

Our prayer tonight will be given by:

Remember, we have a new book out now and I personally believe it is the most important thing I have ever put together. It’s called Knife to a GunFight – misinterpreting the purpose and place of the New Testament. It’s what I feel is one of the only reasonable critiques of the man-made doctrine called Sola Scriptura and I would really like to hear a non-religious, non-dogmatic response to its contents. Knife to a Gunfight is available by going to www.hotm.tv

The Concept of Brick and Mortar Religion

BRICK AND MORTAR (Thanks to Tyler Doty for this insight)

Our ministry has long been antagonistic toward what I labeled brick and mortar religion. In my mind, Brick and Mortar was an appeal to physical institutions that require top heavy servicing, big budgets, and are laden with outward demands. I borrowed it from the tech world that would refer, for instance, to an actual “brick and mortar bookstore” versus one that exists online or “in the cloud.” Carrying this theme over I’ve applied it (in what I believed was a far MORE applicable way) to Christianity as the faith abides in the heart and mind of individuals (the cloud or online) and is not the product of a brick and mortar building or institution.

I never ever appealed to the term in a scriptural manner as I was unaware that it was a concept therein. Until this morning (April 16th 2016) when a fan of the show called me and told me that his in-laws put on Jewish Cedars – and last week he and his wife attended. In the ceremony they read from Exodus (which in and of itself is a very telling book title – EXODUS) and they read the following from chapter one:

Exodus 1:11-14

Exodus 1:11-14 And they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pithon and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the sons of Israel. And they made their lives bitter with hard work in mortar and in bricks, and in all kinds of work in the field; all their work in which they made them do was with harshness. (NEW KING JAMES)

Hearing this it became apparent what we have been resisting.

• Putting believers in the place of building “treasure cities” for Pharaoh, Rithon, and Raamses”.
• Believers being afflicted in the process.
• Allowing these types to make other’s lives bitter with hard work in mortar and bricks, and in all kinds of work in the field.
• And refusing to get people to labor through harshness.

His yoke is easy, His burden is light. When people come unto Him He gives them REST – not more burdens. This is the difference between the brick and mortar religions and the relationship all people can have directly with Him in the cloud – the brick and mortar are heavy and require strenuous labors in order to make treasure cities. But the Lord has borne our burdens, He came and freed the captives and opened the prison doors and broke the chains that held us bound. There is NO THING a religion should put on a congregate but the Word of the Lord by the Spirit and to let Him do the work on the soul.

Light, God, and Man

And with that how about a moment from The Word.

On Sunday in our Meat gathering (by the way you can go to www.campuschurch.tv to watch any of our verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. teachings through the Milk or Meat of the Word) but in our Meat gathering last Sunday we were covering just one verse – 1st John 1:5 which says:

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

And we spent an hour talking about Light and God and Man. But when I was talking about this passage with Cassidy the other day I realized something about it – it helps prove that the errant historical tradition within Christianity that hell is a hot and fiery place of literal flames is incorrect.

Let me explain. Light

Understanding Light and Darkness

It seems that the world – even perhaps the universe – can be broken up into these two spheres. One that illuminates another that obfuscates. One that warms and comforts, another that chills and creates discomfort. It has long been admitted that darkness is really no entity in and of itself – it’s merely the absence of light. Light actually exists and can be studied and measured and refracted. It is said to make matters clear, brighten the path, lessen the dangers that lurk in the distance through revelation, and even kill disease.

Where light is, darkness is not. So in the absence of light there is confusion, disease, corruption, despair, depression, and deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God..

Biblical Perspective

In the 1st Epistle of John we read, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” God is light. Fully God is fully light. Lesser God is lesser light. And lesser God gets to the point that shadow, obscurity, obfuscation, and ultimately shades of grey, darkness and black exist – but not of their own accord – just as a result of the absence of Him.

God so loved the world that He gave or sent us His only begotten Son, who describes Himself as “light that is come into the world.” (John 3:19) Earlier in the same Gospel John the Beloved writes of Jesus: In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:4-5

Absence of Light and Its Implications

There is a power in darkness, (Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son) but the power is one that thrives on the absence of light not having a power of its own. Only that of vacuity, emptiness, dearth and depredation. It is life taking. It corrupts only what it has taken or stolen from others. It’s fuel is the absence of light and in the end its product is nothingness. Zero. Similarly it has been said that cold does not exist; that things are cold because they are not warm or they are lacking heat. Heat can be measured and studied but cold is merely the absence of heat and so what we measure is how much heat is missing.

And again, similarly, misery, woe and depression do not exist. They are also simply the absence of joy, hope, love and light (or God). Those who are said to “love the darkness more than the light” are really just people who “love the absence of God more than His presence.” Again, dark and darkness has no essence – in the face of it we are only observing the absence of Light (or God). The total absence of God is a person named Satan.

The dark or the darkness has no essence except God is removed from the area or person. Remove God from an area or person and the result is a hollow, dark, empty void. On earth that void needs to be filled and so attempts are made to fill it with things other than God – substitutes, idols, false Gods – but all they are all substitutes for the real living God of light. In the end we cannot assume that the Lake of Fire (God is a consuming fire) is run by the Devil where people burn forever in their sins and he is heaping coals on the fire. Fire is light and the source of it is God. The burning is in the presence of God and the burning is His light purging those who cared nothing for Him having the contents of their soul melted away and rendering only the good in them, or the light in them useful.

Spiritual Essence

After reading Matthew we can conclude: That God is a spirit that is holy. His spirit is synonymously called – Hagias pneuma Pneuma Theos (just) pneuma Pneuma hoomane pater Moo pneuma

AND We also learn that

Man has a spirit that is not necessarily holy (but apparently can be). It is called pneuma

Our CONCLUSIONS FROM MARK add in that
Christ has a spirit. It is called pneuma

Our New CONCLUSIONS FROM LUKE include that God has a spirit that is holy. It is synonymously called – Spirit kurios AND Men and women have a spirit called Ow-tos Pneuma AND There are also other spirits out there called pneuma When Luke writes

The Nature of Spirit and Its Manifestations

that Jesus “gave up the Ghost” he was NOT saying He gave up the Spirit within Him or the soul. He was saying that He “expired His last breath” as the Greek word is different from straight up pneuma – its ekpneo – but it IS related to spirit, which in our world might be best defined as wind or breath.

Thus far I am convinced that God is ONE. That God is SPIRIT. That from His spiritual mouth He “breathes” and with that breath He speaks and that these things – His Words and His breath – actually engage with Man as Jesus (in flesh) and as His Holy Spirit or motivating invisible force. I also believe that as God has always existed so have His “Words and breath” always existed. That God’s Words and Breath are equal to Him because they are Him. That Words are different than Breath but they are related to each other – inextricably linked to each other. Again God, His Words and His Breath are all Him.

Because He and His breath and words are all Spirit it is VERY hard for us to comprehend their make-up or ontology – though people have tried. To capture them as “beings” or persons may or may not be correct – might be, because who knows how the very words of God related to us or exist – not me. However, to assign them personhood with expressed personalities of their own, where God’s words and breath have ideas or personalities that are different than His, or they have a lack of knowledge that He does not, is a fail in my book. To me they ARE Him – His Words and His breath cannot be teased apart from His person – LISTEN – anymore than we can tease our words and breath apart from our persons.

Insights from John's Gospel

CONCLUSIONS FROM JOHN

John presents us with an important summary passage I believe is very important. Its in John 3:6 which says:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit .

From this I would say that there appears to be a world of flesh and there appears to be a world of spirit.
God is pneuma
• He is a Holy Spirit
There is a pneuma in Jesus
There is a pneuma in humans
There are evil and good pneuma.

Observations from Acts

CONCLUSIONS FROM ACTS

We find a remarkable increase in the use of the terms related to the Holy Spirit, Spirit and/or Holy Ghost in Acts (compared to all of the four Gospels combined) which refer to the Holy Ghost twenty-six times and in Acts alone the Holy Ghost is mentioned on forty-one occasions. This illustrates the import of the Spirit in the Body of Christ post ascension. Certainly there was an ebb and flow between the material church and the Spiritual – which is what the book of Acts and actually all of the New Testament typifies – but this book shows that the church is in the hands of the Holy Spirit moving in and through people.

Additionally, in the Greek there is no differentiation between the Spirit in Jesus, Paul, evil beings and even God. There is one word to prove that they are spirit – pneuma – and it is used across the board in referring to all of them. We only know the differences that exist in the Spirit by words that are added to it – like hagias for Holy – etc. Because of this we can reaffirm that we are either talking about material things or we are talking about spiritual things; and spirit (or spiritual things) can be as black as night or as bright as the Sun. When scripture speaks of human beings “following or walking in the SpiritLiving in trust and love under God’s Spirit—free from law or religious obligation.” it is tacitly understood to be speaking of the Holy Spirit of God.

The Spiritual Dimension in Human Experience

But all things have spiritual sides – even demons are all spiritual – so we have to remember that all warfare and all division and all differences in the flesh are spiritually divided, not a fleshly thing. What this means is all differences, all wars, all antagonisms, all evil, all lust (as drivers that we say are of the flesh) are truly driven by spiritual forces which work on and through the flesh of human beings. Therefore there must be spirits of this world, spirits that abide in the flesh of things, spirits that reign in murder, rape, lust, greed, stealing, lying, gossip, control, and all the things that separate us from God. They are

Spiritual Warfare

All – ALL – under the influence of spiritual forces from on high (or below) – therefore our war is not flesh to flesh (there must also be a spirit that tempts us in this area) but it is ALWAYS a spiritual battle fought by and through spiritual means! In other words, in the realms that we do not see, there is a battle between light and dark spirits – so dark and so bright that we cannot fathom what drives their evil nor their beauty. But this is where the war wages – not in the penis, or the aggravated mind, or the violent oppressor, nor the mean-spirited gossip. It lies in all that is in the world (of dark spirits and black spiritual forces) which move upon us (human beings, animals, people groups, systems, societies, mass-movements, art forms, governments, cultures) to do evil and be evil! It is ALL ALL ALL driven in and through the spiritual worlds!

Spirits of Darkness

There are spirits of adultery. Spirits of gluttony Spirits of laziness Spirits of lust. Spirits of theft Selfishness Pride Anger Depression Angst Addiction Spirits of capitalism Communism Fascism Murder Etc.

Of course, they may all dwell in elements of Man or the Flesh or simply ooze from the dark, but they are poignantly geared toward things of darkness. Possibly they come from another source, but they are driven by spirit forces – because in the flesh itself, in art itself, in sex itself, or food itself – there is no evil. God is the creator or such. So the evil or darkness lies in the spiritual sway and influence that suggests we appeal to these things inappropriately – and use, apply or abuse them to harm others, to dominate, to control, to manipulate, or whatever motivation we are moved to embrace that is not agape loveSelfless love marked by patience, mercy, and humility—central to living in spiritual liberty..

Since God is . . . Light A Consuming Fire Love Truth Goodness Holiness Then we can see what Spirit is out there fighting or resisting the Dark.

Overcoming the Darkness

It is by and through . . . It is by and through . . . It is by and through . . . Him and His Spiritual light and love that we overcome ourselves, our inclinations, our predilections, our flesh. AND It is by and through . . . (It is by and through . . .) (It is by and through . . .) Him that we overcome ourselves in working and learning to live and love OTHERS!

We do not WAR against flesh and blood. The war is not against the flesh nor blood. The war is SPIRIT AGAINST SPIRIT! And since we are propagators of Him and His Spirit, we KNOW that we war using Him and His methods and not methods that are BASED and FOUNDED in the flesh!

Whenever we come across a man who is mean, we recognize that such a man has been invaded (to some extent or another) by the spirit of meanness. In other words, the man who is mean, in and of himself, is not a mean or bad person, he has (for whatever reason) allowed or been consumed by the spirit that causes him (in his flesh) to be mean. It may be his background, it may be his desires, it may be the way he gets by in life, but he has invited or allowed that spirit (and this is NOT to say that there is a special spirit of meanness abiding in him – dark is dark and its influences move the man to apply its power where appropriate) to thrive and move him to mean behaviors.

And this is a singular case. Most of all allow our flesh (influenced by dark spirits) to reign in a number of areas that are all interconnected and related. So, in the face of this, we can say that there are spirits that play to evil and spirits that play to light – and we decide which stage or fields we will house in our bodies and minds. In the end, we will all serve the invisible motivating forces we have chosen to house, and feed, and nourish and coddle.

We THINK we are coddling our flesh but in reality we are coddling spirits that reign in the realms of our flesh. And the rewards for sowing such seeds are commensurate to the fruit such seeds bear. See, here in the flesh, in the material world, sowing to the flesh and the material reaps benefits. And so to sow in realms where material results are produced, we will only reap here in the material harvest. But to sow in the things of the spirit – dark spirit or light – will

Spiritual Harvest and Victory in the Spirit

produce a harvest only in those places where a spiritual harvest can be rewarded – after this life. Because God has had the victory over sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and death by and through His Son, those who live by the Spirit here will LIVE there (meaning the areas that were fed by His Spiritual life will continue on and thrive into the eternities) but those who thrive by dark forces (which abide in the flesh) will ONLY harvest in those areas where they allowed spiritual light to thrive – the rest will be lost.

Conclusions from Romans

Chapter 8! Chapter 8!! Chapter 8!!! Fifteen times (15) Spirit is used in one way or another – and the another ways are vast – as Paul opens us up to the concept of Spirit vastly in this chapter. 1st Corinthians 12 speaks of the Spirit 7 times by comparison. Galatians 5 speaks of Spirit 6 times. 1st John 4 speaks of Spirit 5 times. And Revelations 2 four times. Nothing speaks more to the Spirit than Romans chapter 8! Romans 8 introduces us to a number of unique descriptions of the Spirit and even spirits, including:

Ro 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
Ro 8:6 speaks of being spiritually minded
Ro 8:9 the Spirit of God dwell in you.
AND the Spirit of Christ.
Ro 8:11 the Spirit of him AND his Spirit
Ro 8:15 the spirit of bondage AND the Spirit of adoption
Ro 8:16 our spirit
Ro 8:27 mind of the Spirit

Unique Spiritual Descriptions in Romans

In the Book of Romans, Paul also introduces us to a number of concepts relative to these unique statements related to the Spirit, including:

That Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (in other words it was at His resurrection that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power).

That Paul refers to his own spirit in Romans 1:9 saying: “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”

That people are inwardly Jews today (Romans 2:29) when the heart is circumcised “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

That the Holy Spirit brings love to our hearts (Romans 5:5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

That believers, freed from the Law ought to now serve “in newness of Spirit” (Romans 7:6) “and not in the oldness of the letter.”

That “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

That it’s “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)

That the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us when we walk by the Spirit (Romans 8:4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Mindset: Flesh vs. Spirit

That what we place on our minds, and think about, and talk about and serve tell us whether we are about the flesh or the spirit: Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

That (Romans 8:6) “to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

That the spirit of Christ is synonymous with the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9) 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,” and if we do NOT possess the “spirit of Christ” God has nothing to do with us.

That there is a way to tell if Christ is in us: Ro 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

That by the same spirit God raised Jesus from the dead He will “quicken us” (Romans 8:11) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead.

The Role of the Spirit in the Christian Life

"Shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. That… 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." Romans 8:13

The Guidance of the Spirit

That the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. (Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”) That there are spirits that adopt us and spirits that free us: Ro 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

That spirit speaks to speak and in this way tell us all that we are His: Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. That we have the firstfruits of the Spirit in us as we await to be fully adopted by God at the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Intercession of the Spirit

The Spirit also helps us pray. Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. So much so that He that searches our hearts and knows “the mind of the Spirit” is able to make intercession for us according to the will of God. (This is WILD WILD WILD) Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

That there appears to be a spirit of slumber which God delivers to accomplish His purposes. Romans 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. We are to be fervent in Spirit. Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

The Spirit in Everyday Life

That the Kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future. is all spirit. Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. We are to abound in Hope by and through the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

We, of course, are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. We do things for God by the Spirit of God, which is synonymous with God Himself, who is Spirit. Romans 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. We ought to have a love for God, which is a love for His Son and a Love for the Spirit. Romans 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.

Reflections from 1st Corinthians

And some CONCLUSIONS FROM 1st Corinthians (where I’ll end). One thing that stands out in the study of Spirit and 1st Corinthians is the unique ways which Paul speaks of things of the Spirit, spirit, spirits. He speaks of… The Spirit of our God, The Spirit of the World, The Spirit which is of God, Quickening Spirit. I really don’t know how to explain spirit and spirits after having done this study. The closest thing I can liken it to is water, where there is really pure water and there is really polluted water – but all of it is H20.

I cannot believe that there are spirit persons engaging with other spirit persons – though it seems and sounds like this is the case. Instead, after this study it seems that there is light and the absence of light as a force – with God the ultimate source of the former and non-God the form of the latter.

GRAPHIC

Discussion about the Holy Spirit

Insights from the Word of God

First, some interesting facts that we have not mentioned:

• Hands down the book of Acts talks more about the Spirit than any other NT book.
• Romans 8 is the chapter that speaks most about the Holy Spirit.
• The Book of Ephesians mentions (something about) the Spirit in every chapter.
• 2nd and 3rd John do not mention the Spirit.
• II Peter, Titus and Philemon mention Spirit only once.
• James mentions it only twice.

The Word Spirit – along with any added terms – is always “pneuma” in the Greek and Ruach in the Hebrew. (from 4154) It means a current of air, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit . . . (in humans it’s) the rational soul, (by implication it’s a ) “vital principle, even a mental disposition (in life it’s a “force” (in superhuman form it’s) an angel, demon (and speaking of the divine, its) the invisible motivating, active force of God, Christ's spirit, and is called the Holy Spirit:

Understanding the Nature of Spirit

To refer back to our From the Word discussion on 1st John 1 who says God is light and there is no darkness in him at all, I would add that God is also pure spirit, pure love, pure light and we could place Him at the right end of the spectrum:

As we move to the left we begin to encounter specs or elements of darkness and as we get to the far left end we wind up with the exact same terms, ruach and pneuma but they are winds or motivating forces of darkness.

I think the important thing to understand about this is all if it is pneuma or ruach. God’s is utterly pure and the dark is utterly rotten but the life or death force of each is spirit. We tend to think of the Holy Spirit as a being sitting at one end of the spectrum and devils sitting at the other end but I suggest that they are all of a spiritual nature (without form or body) and exist along this continuum somehow.

Most NT References to Spirit

1. Acts 63
2. 1st Corinthians 37
3. Romans 34
4. Luke 24
5. John 19
6. Galatians 18
7. Ephesians 16
8. Revelation 16
9. Matthew 15
10. 1st John 14
11. II Corinthians 13

Chapters with biggest focus on Spirit:

1. Romans 8 – 15 mentions
2. 1st Corinthians 12 – 8 mentions
3. Acts 19 – 7 mentions
4. Luke 1 – 7 mentions
5. Galatians 5 – 6 mentions
6. 1st Corinthians 2 – 6 mentions
7. 1st Corinthians 14 – 6 mentions
8. Acts 8 – 6 mentions
9. Matthew 12 – 6 mentions
   Others John 3, II Cor 3, 1st John 4, Acts 10, 11 and 5

So again, from what I can see we can divide spirit into one of three categories:

• God, Good, Light, Life
• Evil, Dark, Death
• Neuter or human

Holy Ghost
The evil spirit
Spirit
Spirit
The spirit of slumber
Her Spirit
Holy Spirit
The spirit of bondage
Manner of Spirit
My Spirit
The spirit of the World
The Ghost (KJV) Luke
Spirit of your Father
Another spirit
His Spirit
His Spirit
All filthiness of the . . . spirit
Nor spirit
The Spirit of Wisdom and of Revelation
The spirit that works in the children of disobedience
A spirit
A Spirit
Seducing spirits
Our spirit
In the Spirit
The spirit of fear
Spiritually Minded
The Spirit of Truth
Every foul spirit
My spirit (Paul)
Mind of the Spirit
The Spirit of Man
Spirit of Adoption
One Spirit
The Spirit of Him
Your Spirit
The Spirit of God
Same Spirit
The Spirit of Christ
The Spirit of your mind
The Spirit of Life
Your whole Spirit
The Spirit of Holiness
Thy Spirit
The Spirit of Our God
The Spirit which is of God
In Spirit
The Spirit of meekness
Quickening Spirit
The Spirit of the Living God
The Lord is that Spirit
The Spirit is the Lord
The Spirit of Faith
The Earnest of the Spirit
The Spirit of His Son
The Sword of the Spirit
Holy Spirit of Promise
The Spirit of the Lord
The Spirit of Jesus Christ
His Spirit in the inner man
The Holy Spirit of God
Fellowship of the Spirit
Worship God in the Spirit
His Holy Spirit
By Spirit
The Spirit of His Mouth
The Eternal Spirit
The Spirit of Grace
Meek and Quiet Spirit
Spirit of Glory
Spirit of Christ
The Spirit of Prophecy

Testimonies of Faith Transition

Gods plan. A few months ago God led a pair of LDS missionaries to my home and we have been meeting weekly. I have been trying to show them the love and grace of Christ. I truly believe God had been preparing me all those years by giving me a desire to know their faith so I would be prepared to meet them. Do you have a representative near Pittsburgh? It would be so helpful to me. I appreciate your ministry very much!

Olivia Tunnell

Messages of Support

Subject: Amen, amen, amen, AMEN!
Message Body:
Way to go Shawn! Keep up the great work! I just recently found your videos and websites and I can't get enough of your new, fresh, TRUE teachings of the Bible. I was born into mormonism and, like you, I had the same issues with the LDS doctrine. I became inactive at the age of 18, way before the age of the Internet, and I had to research the church history manually. What really opened my eyes back then was a book called Mormon Murders. As you know, it is not easy to break away from the church even though you know it's wrong, especially with family members being LDS and a father in the Seventies. I used to get visits from the missionaries but they eventually stopped coming because I would ask too many deep, difficult questions – thus shaking their faith. You are truly doing God's work and I thought you should know it is very much appreciated. -Dave

Life-Changing Experiences

From: Jessica Vietas
Subject: No longer LDS thanks to you and bishop Earl!
Message Body:
Hi, I just wanted to reach out and tell you that you have changed my life and helped me find The Lord. I am eternally grateful for your ministry and the fortitude and bravery it must have taken to embark on such a mission in SLC when you started. I know you have touched hundreds, thousands of lives and that is such an awesome and powerful thing! I was born LDS (in the covenant in SLC but was raised in San Antonio, TX). My LDS heritage traces back to the pioneers and the start of the church. My family was active and well respected in our ward. My father passed away when I was 14 and we became less active after that. Long story short… I left for college and was inactive for the next 16 or so years. My husband was raised Catholic- but not very active or believing. We did not really attempt to pursue a church until 2013 when my husband and I moved to San Antonio (he is active duty Air Force).

By that time we had three children 2,4 6. We tried several churches (because previously we had agreed not to raise our children either Mormon or Catholic) but I could not ever accept a church or feel okay bc I always had it in the back of my head that the LDS church was the ONLY TRUE CHURCH. So, despite the fact that Bob (my husband) had listened to the missionary spiel several times and always rejected it… we started to go to the LDS church. Talk about being welcomed with open arms. My husband is a naturally easy going, friendly guy so everyone assumed he was a member at first… when they found out he was not it was like white on rice… ants to a picnic. The full court press was on! I would be remiss in not admitting a major reason we decided we needed church in our lives was bc I had some major personal failings (I am – finally- a recovering alcoholic) but my husband was desperate to help our family and 'fix' things. So, I'm sure he joined a bit out of desperation. But, immediately our relationship got better and things were looking up. We were in a great community and part of something, going to church, and trying to be perfect Mormons (I, however, was still leading the draining double life of a sinner pretending to be someone I was not…. very draining.) 8 months after my husband was baptized he was given short notice orders to deploy for 14 months to Afghanistan. Our stake pres. petitioned the first pres of the church and was granted a waiver for us to go to the temple and be sealed as a family before he left (Sept 2014). WOW. The temple was something else. I'm not sure where people claim it is the most peaceful place on earth bc I did NOT get that feeling at all. I thought

A Journey of Faith and Self-Discovery

It was just strange and there was something completely off about the entire experience. I remember leaving and NEVER wanting to have to go back and then feeling there was something wrong with me because I didn't have all that wonderful temple effusive praise. I think a major turning point was sitting there while you pledge to give all your talents…. I was expecting to pledge all to Jesus…. I was stunned and disgusted when it was the church. That seemed so wrong. Anyway.

My husband left, and I started doing some reading and researching on topics I had heard about but never looked into. I read Grant Palmer's book, Rough Stone Rolling, BH Robert's book and really started to believe the church wasn't true. It was a bit of a heartbreak at first.

Even though we grew up in San Antonio, we spent quite a bit of time in SLC— which I always considered a second home. We would spend a month every summer at my grandparents' house (they lived right across from the SLC country club in 'parley's first ward'… old school!) and two weeks over Christmas split between skiing at Park City and their house. My grandfather had polygamists on his side. Well… after this reading and lots of studying I happened upon bishop Earl's exmormonfiles on Roku. Ironically enough, I was trying to find the Mormon channel because it had just been GC weekend (OCT 2014) and my visiting teachers were coming. I had not watched ANY of it but I knew they would ask me about it/ see if I had a favorite talk etc… interview me to make sure I watched it.

Instead of finding the Mormon channel… or should I say in addition to… I found Earl's program and started watching like crazy. I remember watching you on the program and thinking I should watch/ listen to you. When Bob finally got home (Oct 2015) I was so excited to share all I had learned with him about the church… him being a recent convert I did not expect a large resistance… I was so wrong. I tried for a couple months and then gave up. I tried my best to go back to church (after everything I learned AND STILL pretending to be someone I was SO NOT.) It was so draining. I was miserable, desperate and finally broke down on a Saturday night (April 2016)… desperate to know what direction the Lord wanted me to go.

Finding New Perspectives

Sunday morning I woke up and during the course of the day had the idea to listen to your show (which I had always meant to do). So I found it online and realized there was about a decade of choices to choose from. I just somehow found myself on the 2015 broadcast of the BUY-Idaho devotional 'Millions Shall Know Brother Joseph'… and it was basically the answer/ straw breaking the camel's back. After this program… I started watching/ listening to you from 2006 onwards as much and as often as I can. I love your show.

A Renewed Faith

Afterwards, I talked to my neighbor, who is a born again Christian, and visited with her about Jesus and just solidifying things I already knew thanks to you and bishop Earl. This past Sunday I went to my first Christian church service with my neighbor and LOVED IT!!! I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior and my heart is so filled with happiness and hope that I cannot even describe. I have found myself listening and LOVING Christian music (before I would scoff at) and finding Christian sermons to listen to online. It is a new world/ view on life and one I would not give it up for anything. Thank you for your ministry and leading me to Christ. God Bless you and your family. Regards, Jessica

Subject: Your subject matter and your detractors Message Body: First of all, I am reminded of Pauls' interview with the authorities, "Saul. Your much learning has made you mad." And so, it sometimes seems. I'm not sure what the deeper impact of the criticisms leveled against you by 'true' Christians. They're only slight differences from my distant perspective. You accept GAWD, He comes. You make a mistake, He accepts your change of heart. He knows you, me, everything everywhere . . . in fact, He made it/us/we/all. I'm pretty sure a Person who gave his life for your sins, is not going to break the deal for some mistakes in revelation or interpretation. As I recall, He was quite specific on that account. So, why do your Christian

Exploring Doctrinal Variances

Allies and brothers take such an issue (Rhetorical – I figured it out already) with your variances in the application of faith. Anyone who sincerely accepts Jesus will be saved by Jesus. Is it a faith issue? Is it a doctrine issue. A control issue? Frankly, it just seems like a bunch of jerks with control issues. But I've never been one to soft pedal bull shitake. My wife once complimented me, saying "You're the only one I know crazy enough to drive a Honda into a Harley shop, and ask directions.". That said, I am solidly against EVER accepting that Jesus n' Lucifer were BFFs at ANY time. That and any doctrine that holds Jesus was a sissy, and Satan was macho. They got a lot of devil worshipping in your neck of the woods. I would not want to give the bad guys any slack at all. Once again, Thanks for Listening The Truth at Any Price Richard

1. From: Patric Alan
   Subject: 'Mormon' Doctrine is Biblical
   Message Body:
   Dear Sir, I have studied the Bible for many years, and I have found that the LDS Gospel and Doctrine are the ones which are supported by Biblical Scripture, far more than the 'traditional Christianity' that has filtered down to the simplistic 'other gospel' about which we have been warned by our Saviour and His true Disciples. Unfortunately, when I show these true things from the Bible, the 'born again' Christians will not discuss them. So I'm hoping that someone among you loves the truth and is willing to discuss them with me. Sincerely, Your Bro
   — This mail is sent via contact form on Heart of the Matter http://hotm.tv

MY RESPONSE:
When and where?

Discussion on Scriptural Interpretations

2. Shawn
   Here and now (by email), one topic at a time (please include as many of your supporters as possible in on the discussion) each topic to be debated by the Bible scriptures to its logical conclusion before going to the next topic. You can choose the first one, if you like. Or else we can begin with my first choice, which would be 'salvation'.

Sincerely, Your Bro

MY RESPONSE
Sorry. Not gonna happen. No time. No inclination. Been there done that. I do know the bible fairly well and also tge lds view of things. Believe how you'd like my friend but this suggestion is not the best use of my time. Please don't take this wrong but we are a media-based ministry and one-on-one debates are not the best use of our time. God bless.

Differing Views on Salvation

3. I'm sorry too, Shawn, because this might be your first and last chance to learn what the Bible really teaches. But it appears to me that the so-called X-Mormon Files is composed of 'Mormon' people who are Bible-ignorant, anyway. I'm not surprised, however, as all this is part of the fulfillment of Book of Mormon prophecy. Since you don't have time to learn what the Bible really teaches, perhaps you could put me in contact with one of your people who is still on the quest for truth.

Sincerely, Your Bro

MY RESPONSE
From: Shawn Aaron McCraney shawn@alatheamedia.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 10:33:51 PM
To: Patric Alan
Subject: Re: 'Mormon' Doctrine is Biblical

Your humble manipulations do not surprise me in the least and only serve to validate my decision toward your offer. Best of luck.

HIS FOURTH EMAIL
I guess I just don't understand, Shawn, the real reason you have left 'Mormonism'. As far as I can tell, all of those interviewed on the X-Mormon files seem to use the same lame excuse, saying they have finally been studying the Bible, and claiming to have found the 'real' Jesus, which turns out to be some mysterious, incomprehensible, non-biblical being, and the 'true' Gospel, which turns out to be a 'pick your favorite verses and ignore the rest'; in other words, “another gospel” about which we have been warned, by Paul in his writings to the Corinthians and the Galatians.

Scriptural Congruence with LDS Doctrine

In their ignorance of what the Bible actually teaches, they fail to recognize that its concepts are actually in perfect harmony with the doctrines which have been restored by our Lord through the prophet, Joseph Smith. For example, in 2 Nephi 25:23 we are clearly taught that, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” This matches exactly the understanding of salvation, as taught in the Bible. The only reason I can understand why the so-called 'traditional' Christians have invented “another gospel”.

The Challenge of Salvation

(which our Lord Himself, has described as “an abomination”) is because they prefer to join Satan's third of the former hosts of heaven, rather than to “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” as Paul advised the Philippians; or as our Savior taught, that before we can be saved we must “…endure to the end…” in our seeming endless efforts to become perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect, which, as you know Shawn, is one of the instructions from our Lord, Himself.

Rejection of Obligations

But I know that you X-Mormons have already rejected these things, as you reject our obligations to work to qualify for salvation by His Grace, and thus, you have rejected the Bible. So I don't expect to hear from you again as your admitted lack of time or interest in discussing these things is a clear demonstration that you don't love the truth, and so, in accordance with 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, God will continue to send you the promised strong delusions to which you so fervently cling.

Final Thoughts

Sincerely, Your Bro

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