LT Module 10

Review and Finish up from last week

How can we discern whether a prompting is from the Holy Spirit or from ourselves?

(Refer to 1 John 4:1–3 – “test the spirits.” The Spirit of God always confesses Jesus as Lord.)

Excellent — that’s one of the most important (and often misunderstood) questions students will ask when discussing the Spirit’s work. Below are key biblical principles and examples to help them discern “How do we know if something is truly from the Holy Spirit?”

You can weave these into your lecture’s “The Spirit Speaks and Guides” section. I’ve organized them under five biblical tests — each with Scripture, a short explanation, and a reflection question.

1. The Test of Jesus – Does it point to Christ?

Scripture:

John 15:26 – “When the Counselor comes... He will testify about Me.”

1 Corinthians 12:3 – “No one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

Explanation: The Holy Spirit always glorifies Jesus, never Himself or a human personality. If an experience, teaching, or prompting makes much of Christ’s love, His lordship, and His gospel — that’s the Spirit’s fingerprint.

Question to ask:

Does this draw me closer to Jesus or toward myself and my own power?

2. The Test of Scripture – Is it consistent with God’s Word?

Scripture:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”

2 Peter 1:20–21 – “Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Explanation: The same Spirit who inspires Scripture will never contradict it. Any “word from God” that opposes biblical truth is not from the Spirit.

Question to ask:

Does this align with the character and commands of God revealed in Scripture?

3. The Test of the Fruit – Does it produce Christlike character?

Scripture:

Galatians 5:22–23 – “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

James 3:17 – “The wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits.”

Explanation: If something truly comes from the Spirit, it will result in spiritual fruit, not pride, division, or chaos. The Spirit’s work leads to humility, unity, and peace.

Question to ask:

What kind of fruit does this produce — love and peace, or confusion and control?

4. The Test of Community – Is it confirmed by other Spirit-filled believers?

Scripture:

Acts 15:28 – “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” (the Jerusalem council discerning together)

Proverbs 11:14 – “In an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

Explanation: The Spirit speaks not only to individuals but within the community of believers. The early church discerned God’s direction together through prayer, fasting, and dialogue.

Question to ask:

Have I brought this before mature believers who listen to the Spirit? What do they discern?

5. The Test of Peace – Does it bring peace, not confusion?

Scripture:

Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

1 Corinthians 14:33 – “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”

Explanation: The Spirit may challenge or convict us, but He does not produce panic, chaos, or manipulation. His conviction comes with a sense of God’s steady peace and direction.

Question to ask:

Even if this is hard, do I sense God’s peace or fear and confusion?

Summary for Whiteboard

How to Discern the Spirit’s Voice:

Exalts Jesus (John 15:26)

Aligns with Scripture (2 Tim 3:16)

Produces Spiritual Fruit (Gal 5:22)

Confirmed by Community (Acts 15:28)

Brings Peace, not Confusion (Col 3:15)

5. The Outpouring of the Spirit (Pentecost) (15 min)

WHITEBOARD:

Acts 2:1–4 Wind 🔥 Tongues

Joel 2:28–32 Promise fulfilled

“Old Temple → New Temple = Us”

Teaching (from your Pentecost notes): Since Genesis, God’s desire has been to dwell with His people. At Pentecost, that desire is fulfilled — His presence no longer in a building but in believers. The sound of wind recalls creation; tongues of fire recall God’s glory filling the temple. Now God’s glory fills people.

Contrast: Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) scattered languages; Pentecost unites them — God redeems diversity.

What sin divided, the Spirit unites.

Application: The same Spirit that filled those disciples now fills us. God’s presence makes us holy and empowers us to witness.

Reading tie-in (They Speak with Other Tongues and Practicing Christian Doctrine, p. 183–185):

The Spirit’s gifts are not for spiritual elitism but for the common good. Diversity of gifts = unity of mission.

Ask:

How does Pentecost reshape the way we think about church and mission today? Where do you see the Spirit breaking down walls of division (race, gender, class) in our world?

6. The Spirit Unites and Empowers (10 min)

WHITEBOARD:

Acts 1:8 – Power to be witnesses

Ephesians 4:3–4 – Unity of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 – Fruit of the Spirit

Teaching: The Spirit empowers both gifts (for ministry) and fruit (for character). Power without love corrupts; love without power is ineffective.

Reading link (Gracious Christianity, p. 83–84):

The Spirit’s gifts are given through people for the world, not to people for status.

Encourage discussion:

Which seems harder for you — letting the Spirit empower your witness or transform your character? Why?

7. The Spirit in Us Today (10 min)

WHITEBOARD:

“Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19)

“Walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16)

“Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18)

Teaching: The Spirit continues to fill believers daily. Pentecost wasn’t a one-time event but an ongoing reality. Every believer is invited to live Spirit-filled — attentive, obedient, courageous, compassionate.

Reading tie-in (Jones, p. 190–191):

We practice pneumatology by discernment and trust. The Spirit’s work brings courage, interdependence, and holiness.

Reflection Exercise (Formation Exercise #9):

Acts 2:1–21 & Galatians 5:16–26 — Spend 15 minutes this week in listening prayer. Journal what you sense the Spirit speaking.

8. Conclusion and Call (5 min)

Recap on whiteboard: The Holy Spirit…

Is God.

Gives Life.

Speaks and Guides.

Unites and Empowers.

Module 10 Lecture – I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church and the Communion of Saints

Opening and Connection (5 min)

Last week we ended with the words, 'I believe in the Holy Spirit.' We explored how the Spirit gives life, guides, and unites. Today we move to what the Spirit creates — the Church itself. **WHITEBOARD:** I Believe in the Holy Spirit → The Holy Catholic Church → The Communion of Saints The same Spirit who hovered over creation now breathes life into a people. The Creed moves from the personal ('I believe') to the communal ('the Church').

What We Mean by ‘Holy Catholic Church’ (10 min)

When the early Christians confessed belief in 'the holy catholic Church,' they didn’t mean Roman Catholic. The word catholic (Greek kat’ holos – 'according to the whole') meant the universal community of all believers united in Christ. Around AD 110, Ignatius of Antioch first used the phrase 'the catholic church,' describing the Church as wherever Jesus Christ is and where the faithful are gathered around Him. By the time of the Nicene Creed (AD 325/381), the Church was described with four marks: **WHITEBOARD:** One – Holy – Catholic – Apostolic Ephesians 4:4–6 – 'There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.'

The Nature and Doctrine of the Church (20 min)

It is by strict theological logic that the Creed confesses faith in the Holy Spirit before proceeding to the Church. For though Father and Son have loved the Church and the Son has redeemed it, it is the Holy Spirit who actually creates it, by inducing faith; and it is in the Church, through its ministry and fellowship, that personal salvation ordinarily comes to be enjoyed (Packer, p. 121). The Church is not merely a human organization—it is a supernatural community brought into being by the Spirit. The Spirit forms faith, joins believers to Christ, and unites them to one another in love and mission. **WHITEBOARD:** The Church as People of God – Body of Christ – Temple of the Spirit 1 Peter 2:5,9 – 'You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood... you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.' The Church is holy not because it is flawless but because it belongs to God. It is catholic because it includes all who belong to Christ. And it is apostolic because it is grounded in the teaching of the apostles, recorded in Scripture. Roman Catholic theology emphasizes the visible, hierarchical unity of the Church; Protestant theology emphasizes the spiritual fellowship of all believers under Christ as Head. Both acknowledge one Church, yet define it differently. Protestants insist that authority belongs to God speaking in Scripture, and all doctrine must be open to its correction. **WHITEBOARD:** Trinitarian Identity of the Church – Family of the Father, Body of the Son, Temple of the Spirit Ephesians 2:19–22 – 'You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people... built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.' The Church looks back with gratitude for redemption and forward with hope for glory (Colossians 3:3–4). She must always remain open to the reforming work of the Spirit—'disorderly vigor is infinitely preferable to tidy deadness' (Packer, p. 125). Every local congregation is a visible outcrop of the universal Church—Spirit-filled, humble, and sent for mission.

The Communion of Saints: The Life of the Church (10 min)

*Transition:* 'So if the Holy Catholic Church is the community the Spirit creates, the Communion of Saints is how that community lives.' **WHITEBOARD:** The Holy Catholic Church = Who We Are; The Communion of Saints = How We Live In the Creed, these two phrases appear separately, not because they describe different realities, but because they express two dimensions of the same truth. The Holy Catholic Church names the Church’s being; the Communion of Saints describes her lived participation in the life of Christ. Ben Myers reminds us that Jesus didn’t write books or build institutions. He handed on a way of life—His way of living, loving, forgiving, feasting, and dying—and He invited His followers to live the same way. To become a Christian is not to join an organization but to be included in the circle of Jesus’ friends. We are washed with the same water of baptism, share the same meal of communion, and live under the same Word. In these practices, we enter into communion with Jesus Himself. As Myers puts it, 'I want my life’s small story to be tucked into the folds of Jesus’ story.' **WHITEBOARD:** Communion = Participation, Sharing, Fellowship (koinonia) This communion is both vertical and horizontal—union with Christ and union with one another. It’s the Spirit who binds us into this fellowship so that, as Paul says, 'we cry, Abba, Father!' together (Romans 8:15–16). Our lives, joined with Christ, are also joined to every believer across time and place—'your life is hidden with Christ in God' (Colossians 3:3). The Communion of Saints means that every life of faith becomes part of the one great story of Jesus and His friends. The world itself, Myers writes, 'is too small for such a book. Life and death are too small for the communion of saints.' *Teaching:* The Creed lists these separately because doctrine must become practice; belief must become embodied. We confess belief in the Church (what the Spirit has made) and in the Communion of Saints (how we live that reality together—through worship, forgiveness, and shared life).

Model vs. Meaning: The Shape of the Communion of Saints (7 min)

*Transition:* 'We’ve seen that the Communion of Saints is not just an idea—it’s a lived pattern. But what does it look like when the Church gathers?' **WHITEBOARD:** Model = Form / Structure | Meaning = Purpose / Spirit The *model* refers to the visible practices of the Church—teaching, worship, prayer, fellowship, generosity, and service. The *meaning* refers to the deeper reality: these acts draw us into the life of God and the life of one another. Acts 2:42–47 – 'They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… All the believers were together and had everything in common.' 1 Corinthians 14:26 – 'When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.' Hebrews 10:24–25 – 'Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together… but encouraging one another.' The model gives structure; the meaning gives life. Form without Spirit becomes ritual. Spirit without form becomes chaos. But when form and Spirit unite, true communion emerges. **WHITEBOARD:** Form + Spirit = Communion Our gatherings must embody both order and openness—the pattern of the early Church and the presence of the living Christ.

Living Out the Church — Fellowship, Service, and Love (15 min)

**WHITEBOARD:** Worship – Fellowship – Mission Acts 2:42–47 – 'They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer... All the believers were together and had everything in common.' John 13:34–35 – 'A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.' Ephesians 5:21 – 'Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.' *Teaching:* Submission here does not mean subservience—it means mutual humility, a willingness to place others’ needs before our own because we revere Christ. **WHITEBOARD:** Generosity – Grace – Discipline Generosity: The early church shared everything so that no one was in need (Acts 4:32–35). Their giving wasn’t driven by obligation but by gratitude. Grace: In our life together, grace must shape how we speak, forgive, and bear with one another (Colossians 3:12–14). Grace creates the atmosphere in which holiness can grow. Discipline: Love also corrects. Matthew 18:15–17 reminds us that accountability is an expression of care. Discipline in the Church is not punitive—it’s restorative, aiming to bring healing and reconciliation. *Teaching:* A healthy communion of saints practices all three—generosity that meets needs, grace that heals wounds, and discipline that restores relationships.

Closing Reflection — Why the Church Matters (5 min)

The Church is God’s Plan A for revealing His kingdom; there is no Plan B. **WHITEBOARD:** The Church is the Spirit’s visible work in the world. To believe in the Church is to believe that God continues to work through imperfect people to make His love visible in the world.

Course Notes – Midterm & Personal Credo Outline (10 min)

**WHITEBOARD:** Final Project: Personal Credo – Due Nov 17 The final assignment asks each of you to write a personal creed — a statement of faith connecting doctrine and life. Example Outline: I. Introduction – My faith centers on Jesus Christ. II. God the Father – Creator and Sustainer. III. Jesus Christ – Son and Redeemer. IV. The Holy Spirit – Giver of Life. V. The Church and Communion of Saints – Body of Christ, mission, community. VI. Christian Hope – Resurrection and New Creation. VII. Conclusion – Personal statement of lived faith.