Can there be Christianity without the Holy Spirit? A better question is what is authentic Christianity? What specifically makes a person a genuine Christian?
If you are serious about understanding God and your place in the universe, it is wise to grasp what Scripture says about this. What was it that generated the birth of Christianity?
Scripture reveals that the birth of Christianity began with John the Baptist. John was filled with the Spirit in his mother’s womb and he would pave the way for the Lord Jesus...
Luke 1:15 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”
Scripture also states that God transferred His Son Jesus into Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit:
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Jesus came to earth by being conceived with the Holy Spirit and with the human DNA of a righteous woman, Mary. This process made Him fully human, but still fully God. However, Jesus’ ministry didn’t start until John the Baptist baptized Him and then the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove.
Scripture states that Jesus “emptied Himself” of His Godhead in order to be with the people He loves. Consequently, Jesus Himself, while on the earth appeared to be dependent on the Holy Spirit.
And what did Jesus say what would happen after His resurrection? He would send the Holy Spirit from the Father to be a counselor and comforter to the followers of Christ—and the Holy Spirit is also the guide to all truth. This happened at Pentecost, when Christianity exploded on the scene.
It was the power of the Holy Spirit that empowered the apostles to proclaim the gospel and to endure the hardships they faced. Right after the event at Pentecost, the apostle Peter refers to the prophecy of Joel in the Old Testament:
Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh”
When a person actually has an authentic born again experience, he or she will receive the Holy Spirit as a seal proving that person belongs to God. This is actual evidence of being a genuine Christian, and as Paul states in Romans 8:9, if a person does not have the Spirit of God indwelling within, he or she does not belong to Christ.
Only the Spirit of God can actually transform someone into what the Lord desires. When we receive His Spirit, we become the bride of Christ, “married” to Him because there are two spirits living as one flesh. We are a temple of God.
1 Corinthians 6:17-20 “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him... Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Considering the above scripture and what happened at Pentecost, how can some teachers claim that the gifts of the Spirit died out at the end of the apostolic age?
Many also insist that God created the bible as a replacement for the Holy Spirit—now all we need to do is study scripture. Not only does this defy the words of Jesus and prophecy, this mindset also denies the power of God!
Christianity is a relationship with the Lord via His Holy Spirit. Paul writes in Romans 14:17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
The question is how can one have a loving relationship with words?
Scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit, so we also need to rely on the Holy Spirit to understand it properly.
How does Christianity operate without the Holy Spirit? The result is a focus on activity. Unfortunately, many who claim that they are Christian, do all types of “Christian” stuff, but are really operating from obligation, egotism, or they are operating under the power of a different spirit.
Could this be the reason why modern Christianity is so powerless?
Many have surrendered their reasoning and biblical instruction over to “leaders” who are leading them astray. Much of “church” these days is about stimulating the emotions of the congregation and creating a passion of hype. It isn’t the Holy Spirit that is their desire, it is a desire to elevate oneself with oneself and the drum beating of the leader.
How many attend church, do all that Christian stuff, but aren’t really Christian? This is why Christianity has lost much of its power and influence; it is more about process and procedures, a religious event that promotes human effort to put on the face of goodness and righteousness.
Instead of following leaders and systems, the person who truly loves God, who has respect and fear of the Lord, will earnestly seek the REAL Spirit and want to please the Lord. Of course, one has to be born of His Spirit in order to do so. Otherwise…
Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
“I never knew you” means that these pretenders were never born of His Spirit—they do not belong to the Lord. This is why there is an avalanche of false teachers, cults, and con artists who claim to be Christian. They do not have the Spirit of the Lord to guide them to truth—they are in it for themselves.
Yes, you can “believe” in the Lord Jesus and do your best to be righteous, and perhaps you will escape the “the outer darkness.” It depends on your heart and how committed you are to His authority. However, if you are this person, and you want to actually partake in the amazing and wonderful essence of the Lord, you need to submit to the Lord’s authority and receive His awesome Spirit—this is true Christianity!
And please know this: getting sprinkled with some holy water as a baby in a religious service does absolutely NOTHING! You DO NOT get the Holy Spirit in this manner regardless who claims this is so! Joining a church doesn’t save you. You get the His Spirit only by admitting your sins, truly repenting, and acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus. This must be done with all of your heart.
If He calls you, please quit resisting and embrace His wonder. By yielding to His Spirit, you will learn how to love the Lord and be empowered to live a joyful and fulfilling life. You will also discover just how amazingly excellent and wonderful the Lord truly is!
Plead with the Lord to give you more of His Spirit. However, you must want to be His, want to belong to Him, and want to live for Him first.
Luke 11:13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
Go ahead and do it, discover the worthiness of the Lord, why He is so amazing and adored—He is the pinnacle awesomeness!
Warmly,
John Nieminen
