Hi Jeremy,
When I say it was the SAME SPIRIT that gives life to animals (and all physical life), I mean it all came from the ONE spirit OF GOD (remember, the spirit has MANY FUNCTIONS - this is the KEY I am talking about).
I understand where you are coming from, all being the same spirit, but with different functions. But I am looking at how the Scriptures use this word as "spirits."
We have in Hebrews "Father of spirit
s" implying there is more than one spirit.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the
Father of spirits, and live?
In Romans we have where "the Spirit of God" is spoken of separately from "our spirit," this would also imply more than one Spirit.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with
our spirit that we are children of God,
Then there is this in Revelations about "the seven Spirits of God" and I'm not real clear on this one, but it does indicate more than one spirit.
Rev 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the
seven Spirits of God.
Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath
the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
We know "all things are from God" (1 Cor. 11:12), so to say it's the same because it came from God could apply to everything, even "unclean spirits," mentioned many times in the NT.
When the Scriptures speak of the "same spirit," it is always speaking of the Believers who have been given the Holy Spirit.
1Co 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit.
v. 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the
same Spirit,
v. 9 to another faith by the
same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
v. 11 But one and the
same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
2Co 4:13 And since we have the
same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
2Co 12:18 I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the
same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
This may all be a matter of semantics, as we may all be trying to say the same thing but just saying it in different ways. But we all need to say the same thing, so as to understand each other
mercy, peace and love
Kat