Answers

You ask Elim experts the questions. This month, it’s Senior Pastor of New Springs Church, Loughborough, Phil Weaver

How can we ‘catch the wind of the Spirit?’

This is a lovely question, and the language of catching the wind is a great image. John 3:8 uses wind as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

We can’t control the wind, but we can position ourselves to catch it.

Be open to the Spirit of God – invite the Spirit to move and be ready for God to surprise you.

Be rooted in Scripture – the Spirit will never contradict what God has already said.

Be persistent in prayer – create space to listen, not just to speak.

Be in community – the Spirit often moves through the church, through encouragement, wisdom and prophecy.

Be willing to obey – sometimes the wind catches when we take the first step.

Did Jesus go into Hell after Calvary?

Although there is a great deal of debate in this subject, it is important to understand that this is not a core doctrine of Christian faith; it is a theory with various interpretations.

The most cited Bible passage that supports this idea is 1 Peter 3:18-20, which speaks of Christ preaching to “spirits in prison”. It also has roots in the Apostles’ Creed, which includes the phrase, “He descended into hell.”

However, in many modern translations and theological understandings, “hell” in this context is interpreted as “the dead” or “Hades”, the realm of the dead, rather than the place of eternal punishment. It constitutes a portion of the biblical narrative of how God saves us through Jesus Christ.

The Apostles’ Creed is not Scripture, but it reflects early Christian belief. The phrase “He descended into hell” has also been rendered as “He descended to the dead.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that He entered Hell. Rather, it asserts that, in death, He truly experienced the full human condition, including what it means to die.

Should we read apocryphal texts?

I love reading widely and deeply, including apocryphal and other ancient religious texts. Such works can provide historical, cultural and theological insights, reflecting beliefs and practices from the period between the Old and New Testament.

However, there are key considerations. The apocryphal texts are not regarded as inspired Scripture by Protestant traditions and do not have the same authoritative status as the 66 books of the Bible.

While the Apocrypha can offer valuable background information, they should not be used to establish doctrine or supersede the teachings of canonical Scripture.

If you choose to read these texts, do so with discernment, using the Bible as the primary guide. It can be helpful to approach them as historical documents rather than divinely authoritative, and to seek wisdom through prayer and trusted Christian leaders.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.