Hello and thank you for your web site and Jesus for helping me find it. My boyfriend is a new born again believer and I know he received the Holy Spirit about a year ago; as the Spirit knows the Spirit. I was born again 36 years ago. He is right now in prison (we are separated by 500 miles) we have letter and phone communication. I, by the way, am the victim, and also, the one Jesus used to bring him to his recent conversion. It’s quite a testimony, to say the least. I had my boyfriend’s counselor ask me recently, “How can you love a man who did all the things he did to you?” My answer came quickly and perfectly from The Holy Spirit as I replied, “You’ll have to ask God that.” Anyway, brief introduction aside, I need specific scriptures that I am unable to come up with myself this time and so I turn to you. At the present time, my boyfriend is reading The adversary by Mark Bubeck. I have tried to explain my firm conviction that this is not a book he should be reading now or ever. I’ve quoted scripture given to me via The Holy Spirit; as He promises to bring to remembrance the word when needed and nothing I’ve been able to put together is having any affect on his continuance to read the book. Please, help me if you can. Having something concrete from someone, somewhere other than me, is, I feel, imperative to get the book away from him. I thank you in advance and lift you up in prayer as I write, for the help you might be able to give us. In Christ Jesus, Rebecca Almeida
Dear Friend, thank you for your kind words about Gospel Gazette Online, as well as your confidence that I might be able to provide some insight about inquiry. I hasten, though, to say that not every response to a question that one person may ask of another is exactly what is desired. This may be the case this time, but I assure you that I am sincerely interested in your spiritual and physical wellbeing.
Your reference to Scripture respecting the Holy Spirit providing remembrance of God’s Word refers to John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26 NKJV). John chapters 14-16 were spoken specifically and exclusively to the apostles of Christ. The promise of John 14:26 of the Holy Spirit was to them alone. Jesus told His apostles the Holy Spirit would bring to their “remembrance all things that I [He] said to you [them]” during His three-year, earthly ministry. That is why your sincere but misguided belief that the Holy Spirit gave you Scripture references, but that they were inadequate, prompted you to ask a mere mortal for additional help. This is not meant as criticism, but simply providing you with necessary information.
Today, everyone must turn to the inspired Word of God, the New Testament in particular, for instruction in religion. God’s written revelation is the standard of authority in religion today, and it will be until the end of time. Consider these two passages, though many more similar Scriptures are available for examination.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)
I am not familiar with the book title about which you write, other than to know that it is a popular title according to a quick Internet search. Of course, popularity in no way validates the worthiness of even a religious book. While it may be harmful, there are other matters that also need to be addressed, too. (1) You need to become more familiar with God’s Word so that you can determine for yourself, according to what is written in especially the New Testament, how God has determined to save mankind from sins. Thereby one can have great confidence about eternity and know that he or she knows, based on biblical evidence, that he or she is saved. In addition, a careful student of God’s Word can better know how to conduct himself or herself in Christian living, Christian service and Christian worship. Please find the church of Christ in your community, and caring Christians will help you to know God’s Word more perfectly. Contact me if you need help finding such a congregation near you.
(2) You indicated that your boyfriend is receiving counseling in prison. That is a good thing, of course. However, you need to receive counseling as well, forasmuch as you identify yourself as a victim. You need to be able to distinguish clearly between your ongoing love for this man as opposed to experiencing an emotional syndrome that draws one to his or her abuser. There is a difference between forgiving someone of something and providing them future opportunity or temptation to resume as before. For example, though one might forgive a church treasurer for embezzling church funds, it is probably unwise to reinstate him as treasurer. Though a spouse may forgive his or her spouse for committing adultery, Jesus provided for the divorce of the guilty party and the remarriage by the innocent marriage partner (Matthew 19:9).
Gospel Gazette Online is a resource of thousands of archived pages of religious writings, true to the Bible. I hope that it proves useful to you. Personal encouragement by Christians can help one put his or her life back together and hand-in-hand make the pilgrimage through this life to the eternity of heaven with God.
