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What do Protestants believe in the matter of the Holy Spirit leading the church? Especially the Catholic church. The first mention of the catholic church was about the 1st. century.

Did the Holy Spirit stop working in apostles and others that time christian leaders? Did he start working again in people in 15 century? Was He quiet the whole time since the first century? In order to believe this, isn't this kind of against Jesus promise, that he will stay with us and he'll give us his Spirit?

Isn't this sinning against the Holy Spirit? Mark 3:29

so 2 questions: 1. Was HS gone during 1600 years? 2. Believing this, isn't it sinning against HS?

LCIII
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Grasper
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    Protestants believe that the Holy Spirit can lead any and all believers--not just the leaders of the church. Additionally, being a leader of a church does not mean the Holy Spirit will lead that person--or that the leader will follow that leading. God does not restrict His influence to select classes of people. There is now neither Jew nor Greek. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers. – Narnian Jul 30 '14 at 15:20
  • You should phrase this question in way that does not appear disparaging. – Narnian Jul 30 '14 at 15:21
  • Does it mean we shouldn't trust protestant leaders too as they might not also be led by the HS but we should always trust our own judgment? – Grasper Jul 30 '14 at 15:29
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    As Paul wrote, there is one Mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ. We do not need someone else, priest or pastor, to go to God on our behalf. We all have direct access to God. No, we shouldn't trust our own judgment. We should trust God's judgment. He wrote a book, you know. – Narnian Jul 30 '14 at 15:40
  • Grasper, it might help to define some of the terminology in the question. Are you equating "working in the apostles" with "leading?" Your question is about the Spirit "leading the church." Leading in what way? When you say "start working" again in the 15th century, is there something specific you have in mind? – DJGray Jul 30 '14 at 15:49
  • no, just general leadership. Preserving and recognizing the truth that JC left – Grasper Jul 30 '14 at 16:19
  • @Narnian, He wrote the book I know but I also know my own interpretation, not His. So I shouldn't ask people to pray for me? Just ask Jesus directly? – Grasper Jul 30 '14 at 16:27
  • You're really twisting things. What does asking others to pray for us have to do with the Holy Spirit working through each of us? Of course we should follow the biblical example of asking people to pray for us. However, we should not think that we have to have a priest or pastor to mediate for us. We all have access by faith to the throne of God through no other mediator than Jesus Christ Himself. – Narnian Jul 30 '14 at 17:06
  • isn't praying for others, mediating for others? – Grasper Jul 30 '14 at 17:14
  • Again, you are twisting things. Are you running for office? – Narnian Jul 30 '14 at 19:15

1 Answers1

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Pentecost is called the "Church's birthday" for a reason, and that reason is the Holy Spirit.

As for the idea of "Was He quiet the whole time since the first century?"

Um, no.

The Protestant Reformation was just that - a re-formation of the original church. While we may disagree about what it means to be the first church, we acknowledge that we are descended from the Catholic church. While it is true that there is a definite strain of anti-catholicism for historical reasons, even at its height, nobody said the Holy Spirit was gone after the apostles. (If there was a date the Spirit got disgusted, typically it is said to be in the 400s or 500s at the earliest).

Our theology holds to traditional norms of the first church.

At most, we find that the Holy Spirit has been less active (aka Cessationalism)

But no serious, mainstream Protestant denomination believes the Holy Spirit to have been absent.

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Affable Geek
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  • Please note, the meat of your answer really is going to be in the links to other questions. – Affable Geek Jul 30 '14 at 15:52
  • but also the members of the Catholic Church tried to reform the church and their reforms didn't make them to leave the church. I'm talking about saints... – Grasper Jul 30 '14 at 16:30
  • @Grasper, I think you're asking a different question with that comment. – Joe Jul 30 '14 at 20:23
  • I think cessationists would object to the idea that they believe the Holy Spirit is "less active." Less visible, perhaps. – Mr. Bultitude Jul 31 '14 at 00:01
  • @Mr.Bultitude as a somewhat-cessationist, my self, I agree with you personally, that less visible is a better way if describing it than less active- but I was saying "at most," implying that even if you wanted to be extreme in your cessationalism you still wouldn't deny that he was active in the church at all. – Affable Geek Jul 31 '14 at 01:52
  • Fair enough. :) – Mr. Bultitude Jul 31 '14 at 03:10