ITTF Hope Chapel Discussion by Paul

Instructions

paul1629 — 2025-09-28 15:56:00 UTC

This is the discussion board for the Hope Chapel ITTF course. Use this to post questions, comments, responses to seminar exercises, or to carry out further discussions.

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Happy discussing!

The Holy Spirit

2025-10-14 08:28:46 UTC

I grew up being taught that the Holy Spirit is only for Christians — that you receive the Spirit when you believe. Of course, I know this can look a bit different from denomination to denomination, but what most of them seem to have in common is the idea that only believers have the Holy Spirit. But now, in Trinitarian theology, you say that the Spirit has been poured out over all flesh. I actually believe that too, but it’s easy to slip back into the old way of thinking when you read some places like acts 2:38. Could you help me understand this, compared to how it’s often interpreted as just something that a believer get.

About John first epistle and the “if–then” feeling

2025-11-11 10:47:25 UTC

When I read John first epistel, it feels very conditional — almost like an “if–then” gospel. For example, if you do this, then you receive this gift. How should we think about that when we encounter such language in Scripture?

“God-breathed” Scripture

2025-11-11 10:48:34 UTC

You’ve talked about how Scripture is God-breathed — not as something that happened once and then stopped, but as a living process that continues. could you explain that a bit more.

God’s presence in Hades / Death

2025-11-11 10:49:42 UTC

Before Jesus died, was God not present in Hades or Death? I once heard Brad Jersak explain that when Jesus entered Hades, there was no longer any place in existence where God was not. But that makes me wonder — was there a time that God was nor present there? If all creation is in Christ, is there anything that exists outside of Him at all?

“why this gospel?”

2025-11-11 10:52:07 UTC

A common question I get when I talk about the undiluted gospel is: “What makes this more true than what we believe?” I sometimes find it hard to answer that. How would you respond to that question — what makes this understanding of the gospel truer or more faithful than the others?

Athanasius quote "lapsing into non-being"

2025-11-11 10:54:34 UTC

What does the phrase “lapsing into non-being” mean?

Feminine Holy Spirit

2026-02-16 19:30:19 UTC

Paul,

Something that has slightly bugged me but I keep forgetting to ask about.

Baxter refer to the Holy Spirit as feminine back in week 2 (I think).

This feels a bit new age, mother earthy.

I looked this up with ChatGPT and Jesus never refers to the Holy Spirit as female.

Wondered your thoughts on this?

The name of Jesus

astromalbin — 2026-03-02 18:51:11 UTC

What does the name of Jesus mean? We say it a lot in prayers and in songs, and sometimes it feels like a magical word. What is the meaning behind it?

Worthy

astromalbin — 2026-03-02 18:52:01 UTC

What does it mean that Jesus is worthy, as in “worthy is the Lamb”? What are we saying when we say that?

In the name of Jesus

astromalbin — 2026-03-02 18:54:38 UTC

What does “in the name of Jesus” actually mean? We use it often in prayers and songs, and it can feel like a kind of formula or magical phrase. When Jesus says that we should pray in his name, what is he really referring to?

Living from the tree of life instead of the tree of knowledge of good and evil

astromalbin — 2026-03-14 08:37:41 UTC

Paul you said on a call one time that we should live from the tree of life and not the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I just thought that you could share it here for everybody else to hear it. If you understand what i mean:)

Personal Salvation

charlieferdinando — 2026-03-16 13:30:28 UTC

Hey Paul,

One of the things about the course so far seems to be trying to shift from a gospel that separates to a gospel that says that the default is that everyone is made in God's image and is included and if I've got it right, i like that reading. However, I've always struggled with a reading of salvation that focuses on the main thing being our personal salvation. My reading of the gospels is that the Kingdom of God seems to be the central theme and this kingdom seems to me to be broad including political, social etc focuses as well as so called 'spiritual'. Most of what we've focused on seems to have had a personal salvation slant - where do you see this wider gospel fitting as part of a trinitarian faith?