Tag: spiritual experience

Theology Ruins Everything

I was just listening to a very nice worship song that I’ve had for a while now, when the line comes up that says, “I’ve been looking for a deeper place when we can finally be as one.” And I thought, really?  when we can finally be as one?  You haven’t found that deeper place yet?  Are you in Christ or aren’t you?  What was your baptism for, then?  Look, mate, you have the Holy Spirit, the first fruits of your identity in Christ. You’re supposed to take the rest of it on faith.  That’s why the feeling of intimacy isn’t always there – so you can lean on His word instead.  Look man, you only undermine your faith when you look to the wrong things to sustain it.  The Christian walk is designed to thrive on a taste and a promise.

Consequently, this song, or at least that line, has been ruined for me.  Thank you, theology.

The Spirit of the Lord Rushed upon David

1 Samuel 16:13,

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.”

You read a text often enough, and you start to wonder what’s behind it. Who wrote 1 Samuel? Did he interview people? How did he know that? What does it mean, that the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David?

I’m assuming David told somebody, later, that he felt something. How else would he know that the Spirit “rushed” on him? The ’84 NIV says that the Spirit “came upon him in power.” Which begs the question of what it means to come upon somebody in power, as opposed to just coming upon them the normal way. We’re still left with the impression that David had some kind of experience that he felt. Maybe that experience had later results in terms of supernaturally increased ability to lead or sing (prophesy?), or go to war. But for it to be noticeable, at just that moment, David had to have an experience.

That semi-mystical experience then had enough theological value to be included in the text of scripture as an example of what it means to have the Holy Spirit come upon you.