Latter-day Saints may forget that many people (both ancient and modern) have experienced the Light of Christ, as well as both the nearness of the Person of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit. Spirit-filled Christians regularly cherish their experience with both the Person of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit. Of course, because they are not members of the LDS Church, SFC do not experience the LDS priesthood Gift of the Holy Spirit. These concepts are dealt with in greater detail in Chapter Three.
Besides the language barrier, there are some basic differences in mindset and thought patterns between Spirit-filled Christians and Latter-day Saints. Three of the most prevalent differences in viewpoint are:
(1)Each group has its own church traditions and beliefs regarding the best ways to invite and encourage the presence of the Holy Spirit. Because He (“the Spirit”) will always come when honorably and sincerely invited in the name of Jesus, each group has experienced Him within the ways their church traditionally teaches and operates. By stepping outside our comfort zones, and by being willing to look beyond our personal favorite and comfortable traditions, each of us can experience the Holy Spirit in ever expanding ways. As we choose to love, to exercise faith and to trust in Him to lead us, incredible glories will be opened up to us. God has so much more for us beyond the familiar traditions of our forefathers (see Part Two: Holy Spirit).
(2)Latter-day Saints cannot imagine the Celestial Kingdom (Kingdom of Heaven) without the Priesthood and without families. Spirit-filled Christians cannot imagine the Kingdom of Heaven (Celestial Kingdom) without Holy Spirit anointed, consecrated and consummated praise and worship, and without a King. Neither of these viewpoints excludes the other. The focus of the respective groups will reflect their particular viewpoint.
(3)Spirit-filled Christians tend to focus more on the concept of the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon an individual (Acts 1:8). Latter-day Saints focus more on a believer in Christ allowing the Holy Spirit to flow out of them (John 7:38). The result is that Spirit-filled Christians tend to talk more about God’s part in the process of sanctification, whereas Latter-day Saints tend to talk more about the individual’s part in the same process. Neither of these viewpoints excludes the other. Latter-day Saints tend to focus more upon an individual’s choice to submit to and obey God’s revealed will (commandments), while Spirit-filled Christians focus more upon yielding to the Holy Spirit’s promptings, which will then inevitably keep that person in the center of God’s will.
Of course there are some doctrinal differences between SFC and LDS, besides believing whether or not Joseph Smith was a prophet and the Book of Mormon is from God. Three of these major doctrinal differences are:
(1)Whether or not Heavenly Father has a glorified body and what He looks like:
Spirit-filled Christians know that Jesus Christ has a glorified celestial body with glorified, celestial flesh and bones. Although the Bible has many verses that talk about our Heavenly Father sitting on a throne, having eyes, ears, face, back, etc., LDS beliefs go a step further. They believe Jesus’ glorified resurrected body of flesh and bones resembles that of our Heavenly Father’s, who also has a glorified body of celestial flesh and bones (see Part Two: Physical Body of God).
(2)When to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
The LDS belief is that every person ever born will at some point hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have opportunity to repent of their sins and be saved (come unto Christ). Repentance can occur even after someone dies. Spirit-filled Christians, on the other hand, feel this belief is a terrible deception, which Satan uses to lead unsuspecting people quietly to hell. SFC feel this teaching ignores the urgent need to come to Christ during a person’s time on earth.
(3)The best ways to experience and invite the Holy Spirit:
The most significant doctrinal difference between the LDS and SFC is that although each are regularly accustomed to inviting and experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit in both their congregational and personal worship, each group uses different methods. Each group’s favorite methods are often not shared by the other group. This perpetuates the belief that the Holy Spirit is not welcome and/or present in the other group’s personal and congregational worship, and that Satan is in fact deceiving the other group. When either group limits how the Holy Spirit is invited to manifest His presence, it grieves the Holy Spirit. He is called to be our Counselor and Teacher. When we limit Him to our traditions, this also limits our ability to grow “progress” in the Lord (see Part Two: Holy Spirit). Spirit-filled Christians may refer to this as “tying His (the Holy Spirit’s) hands behind His back.”
Chapter Two: The Brick Wall
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Does This Sound Familiar?
Setting: Cafeteria
Eve and Justin: Two acquaintances, each deeply committed to their faiths.
Eve: (softly singing) “There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.” That was an awesome worship service last night! The Presence of the Lord was so strong … Oh, it’s my turn. “I’ll take the chicken please, and can I have extra vegetables? Thanks.” (Eve picks up her tray and walks into the lunchroom). Now, where am I going to sit? Jesus, please direct my path, just like we talked about last night. I want to be a fisher of men for Your glory.
Justin: (looking up) “Hi, Eve. Are you waiting for someone, or would you like to join me?”
Eve: (smiling) “I’d love to join you, Justin. Thanks.” (She sets her tray down). “That’s a huge project we’ve been working on. I was glad to get a break from it over the weekend. Um … I always say grace, so please excuse me for a minute.” (Eve bows her head and silently prays): Dear Father, Thanks for this food. Please bless it. And please help me and anoint me to share Christ with Justin. He always seems so nice and maybe even open to spiritual things… but I’ve heard he’s MORMON. Jesus, I love you, and I want to share Your love. Holy Spirit, give me the words to say that will minister to Justin’s heart, and draw him to the Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. “So, how was your weekend?”
Justin: “It was great. I went to the temple with my family.” I really want to bear testimony to Eve. She’s such a good person, and we share so many of the same values.
Eve: “Temple?” HOLY SPIRIT, HELP ME!!!!!
Justin: Heavenly Father, please help me bear pure testimony, in Jesus’ name. “Yes, the temple is a place where we can learn about Heavenly Father’s plan, and receive special ordinances so that we can return to live with Heavenly Father again. We can be sealed and our families can be together forever. My brother came with us. It was a very special time.”
Eve: Families together forever? What’s he talking about families for? I want to talk about Jesus! ‘Heavenly Father’? That sounds so stilted. God’s not distant and uncaring! Yikes! I wonder if he even knows God? What was it that I heard about Mormons … that they put their trust in Joseph Smith and don’t believe the Bible? I don’t think that’s right. Justin seems OK to me… “Um … what was that about ‘Heavenly Father’s plan’?”
Justin: “There’s a reason we’re here on earth. Heavenly Father wanted us to have the opportunity to have joy and become more like Him. This plan is described in the scriptures. “This is My work and My glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Dear Father, may Eve feel the Spirit as we talk.
Eve: Become more like God? That sounds horrible. Wait a minute … Maybe he means we’re supposed to become more like Christ. That would be OK. What else did Justin say? What’s the difference between immortality and eternal life? I have no idea what he’s talking about. At least he mentioned God. But