Certificate or record?

NORSK

Our daughters found it timely to make some fun on my behalf when I in my Norwegian version of the blog wrote that “my birth certificate is issued in Stavanger”. The correct way of referring to this document in Norwegian, translates “my birth record”, which again sounds strange in English.

Today I will take this certificate or 'record' one step further. The point is that the certificate bear witness to the fact that a birth has taken place and that I as a consequence am registered as a citizen of the kingdom of Norway.

Do I have an equivalent certificate to bear witness to the fact that I am a citizen in the kingdom of God?

Several bible verses may be used as a certificate, and since this is about being born of God, I choose this:

For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
1 John 5:7-8

For years I wondered what this means. That the Spirit testifies, was fine, but what about the water and the blood? 
If you have read the blog in recent days, you will remember that John had a strong focus on water and blood. Some will immediately associate the elements with baptism and communion, and the symbolism of the sacraments will have links to the new birth.

However, for John the water and the blood primarily represent the birth fluids. He interprets them as the physical evidence to the fact that Jesus was human. The Spirit of truth gives the divine confirmation that Jesus is a physical human being as well as the son of God, but the same Spirit also confirms that the new birth has taken place in those who believe.

Therefore, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem is only the first stage. From the place of birth, the 'born of God continues to walk into all the world as the visible 'Jesus' people can see and touch today.

‘Manna’ for today:

The new birth is the new incarnation

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It is about fruit in the right time

NORSK
In a spiritual perspective, it is expected that the fruit-bearing is constant, which means that it should always be possible to find fruit on the ‘tree of life’. It is therefore interesting to read about those who find joy in reading the word of God and ponder upon it day and night, because

They are like a tree replanted by streams of water,
which bears fruit at just the right time
and whose leaves don’t fade.
Psalm 1:3a CEB

I do not think that there is a contradiction between ‘constantly bearing fruit’ and to bear fruit in ‘the right time’. I believe ‘right time’ is about a situation occurring, which will need a ripe fruit with a specific quality.

I have been in many situations where I have asked myself:
“Will I be able to show love?” – “Will I handle this great challenge?”
The answer is simply: “No!”
However, very often the experience has been that the Holy Spirit has given me exactly the fruit I need just at the right time. The fruit has been ripe in the very moment I needed it.

Paul quoted Isaiah in several of his letters, and to the Corinthians he wrote: “I listened to you at the right time, and I helped you on the day of salvation” (1). But Paul did not stop with this, he continued:

Look, now is the right time! Look, now is the day of salvation!
2 Cor 6:2

This tells me that there will always be a time that is right for one or the other of the qualities of the Spirit’s fruit. And if I am to bear that fruit, the precondition is that I am ‘like a tree planted by streams of water’.

‘Manna’ for today:

Every day is just the right time to bear the fruit of the Spirit

NB In John 7:6 Jesus said: '...any time is right for you.' (2)
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(1) Isa 49:8
(2) See reflection on this verse (NB in Norwegian only)

It is about a variety of images

NORSK
I have already reflected on some symbols or images of the Holy Spirit. Many are yet to be mentioned. Here are just a few examples:

• The Dove – was taken as a strong confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s presence over the life of Jesus when he was baptized by John the Baptist (1).
• The New Wine – is another image of the Holy Spirit. It is likely that I will write more about this image later in the series (2).
• The Living Water – as described by Jesus (2) and (3).
• The Sacred Anointing Oil – I promise that I will write more about this in several entries during the autumn. For me “anointing” together with “language” are among the strongest images of the Holy Spirit.

I take the following verse as a confirmation of my last claim.

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
1 John 2:20 

The mission of the Holy Spirit is to make Jesus known – and because they are “one” a better knowledge of Jesus will lead to a better knowledge of the Spirit. The two persons will always mutually confirm one another.

‘Manna’ for today:

Images are used to make Jesus better known!

Tomorrow I will continue with “My image” – does that make Jesus known?
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(1) Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” John 1:32-34
(2) An early entry in this series: “It is about drinking...” relates to this theme.
(3) On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39