The Person And Work Of The Holy Spirit
by Pr. Mark Stocker, Spring Road Evangelical Church, Southampton, UK. (Reformed Ministers’ Conference 2014, Kuala Lumpur.)
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- Talk 1: The Deity, Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
- (PDF Print Version Talk 1)
- Talk 2: God’s Word and the Spirit
- (PDF Print Version Talk 2)
- Talk 3: The Spirit’s Work in Conversion
- (PDF Print Version Talk 3)
- Talk 4: The Spirit’s Role in Adoption
- (PDF Print Version Talk 4)
- Talk 5: The Promise, Purpose and Power of the Spirit
- (PDF Print Version Talk 5)
- Talk 6: The Effect of the Spirit’s Outpouring
- (PDF Print Version Talk 6)
Talk 1: The Deity, Person and Work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18; 25,26; 15:26-16:15)
I have been asked to speak on this wonderful person, the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. If we understand Him and His work—faith greatly strengthened and we will avoid much false teaching.
Imagine a person who gets so much done: they do so much in the home or the church by way of preparation, encouragement, comforting, assistance and labour: yet we never notice them. They never draw attention to themselves — they have such a wonderful humility! This is just like the Holy Spirit. He never draws attention to Himself but always want attention to be given to Christ.
Many say that our views are faulty — that we have neglected the role and work of the Holy Spirit. Yet this have never been the case amongst Reformed theologians or pastors. Reformed theology has always given proper place to the Holy Spirit.
He doesn′t seek to draw attention to Himself. Yet God has given us in much in His word concerning Him and the wonderful provision God has made. I can′t do justice to all that has been revealed concerning Him in six messages.
One of the biggest problems in my country over past 50 years—done terrible damage to churches—wrong teaching on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
(1) The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person
Some people teach that the Holy Spirit is an “it” a force or power and that He has no personality. But He′s not an “it” – He′s a “He” – a person.
In John 14-16 Christ gives us teaching on the Holy Spirit. Now John, in writing his gospel, to impress upon us the personality of the Holy Spirit, he breaks the rules of Greek grammar.
May know in Greek language there are three forms of noun—masculine, feminine and neuter. In NT Greek whenever the word spirit is used—such as when Pauls says: I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother, he uses the word spirit in it′s neutral or neuter form. This is how the word should always be used.
Do you know what John does in chapter 14-16 when speaking of the Holy Spirit? He goes against this rule of Greek grammar and uses not the neuter, but the masculine every time for the Spirit!
See—the Spirit is a “He”. This is why John does it and what He wants to stress. It is clear that the Holy Spirit has His own personality and being. He is not just a force or power—He is a person.
Here Christ says He will teach and bring things to remembrance (14:26); He will testify (15:26); He will convince (16:8); He will guide, hear, speak, show and glorify (16:13-14). These are things that a mere force or power cannot do—He is a person.
Now what we are being taught here in John confirmed in many other places of Scripture: Acts 13:2: Spirit speaks. Elsewhere we ssee the Spirit can be grieved, lied to and called upon. These are things you can only do to a person!
Now this person Christ tells us is a Spirit whom the world does not see or know (14:17). He is sent by the Father in the Son′s name (14:26). Yet it is also true that this person is sent by the Son from the Father (John 16:7), although it is stressed that Christ sends Him from the Father and that the Spirit proceeds from the Father.
So who can this person be who is uncreated Spirit and yet eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. Believe only one conclusion—that He must be divine—in very nature God Himself.
What is not stated explicitly here, but is inferred, is made explicit in other Scriptures. In Psalm 95:8, 9 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, When your fathers tested Me.”
This is God speaking. It was God who they tested. Yet Hebrews 3:7-9 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me.”
Here the Holy Spirit says that He was One who the Psalmist declares as being God, who they tested in the wilderness. The Spirit is God. And what can only be said of God, is said elsewhere of the Spirit.
He is all knowing, He is Holy (only God is Holy), He does all He pleases, raises the dead, the honour which is paid to God alone must be paid to Him; He can be blasphemed; there is only one person who can be blasphemed and that is God.
Now Paul says this in Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
This divine person, the Holy Spirit, is sometimes called the Spirit of God (here we believe it is a reference to the Father) and also the Spirit of Christ. As said He is sent by the Son by the Father.
Yet we must never forget that though He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, He is yet a distinct person. Christ says: John 15: 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”
It is plain that the Holy Spirit is not the Lord Jesus Christ, for Christ promises to send Him. It is clear also that the Holy Spirit is not the Father, for Christ sends Him from the Father. Each is God and each is distinct.
So as Christ and the Scriptures reveals to us—the glories of this the third person of the Godhead. He is not an it or a thing, but a He. He has all the attributes and qualities of God, and He is truly divine.
But what are some of the works of the Spirit? (We will briefly introduce some of theses and look in more detail later).
(2) The Spirit is the Author of Scripture
Christ makes this work of the Spirit very clear. Notice he says: 14: 25, 26: “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Also 15:26: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”
Also 16:13: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
Here Christ is speaking of the divine aid that the Spirit will give to His disciples after He has gone, so as to be able to remember all he taught them. For what purpose—well we know that it is through the Apostles and those who relied on their testimony, that the New Testament Scriptures were written.
Christ is here anticipating and preparing for the writing of the New Testament. We weren′t there to hear Christ speak. But it is wonderful that those who were wrote it down, with the aid of the Spirit, which Christ speaks of here, so we too can hear Christ speak.
The Spirit so moves upon these men that though they freely exercise their own minds and wills—they wrote so guided and lead by the Spirit, that they wrote only what God wanted written.
We see the same thing in the OT. With David—we see all his character in all the Psalms he wrote. Yet what did he say? “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me and His word was on my tongue!” (2 Sam. 23:2)
But something else that the Lord Jesus makes clear here. Not only is it through the Spirit that we are given the Scriptures but the Holy Spirit…
(3) Continues Christ’s Earthly Ministry
Now it was the Holy Spirit who empowered Christ′s earthly ministry. Isaiah speaks of Christ and says: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles…He will not fail nor be discouraged (Isa. 42:1,4a).
It is the Spirit who will sustain Christ in his earthly ministry and so empower Him to fulfil God′s will. And it is the Spirit who unfailingly attends Christ′s earthly existence and ministry. A young believing virgin receives shocking news. She is to be with child and what′s more that child is to be the Son of God!
Incredible—she asks, how can this be since I have not known a man? I′m unmarried.
The angel answers her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
The Trinity will be active in Mary′s womb! The One conceived will be the Son of God. It will be because the power of the Highest God will overshadow her. Yet note: – it is also because the Holy Spirit will cause a virgin to conceive.
At Christ′s baptism—the Trinity is again present! The Son is baptised; the Father declares from heaven—”This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” But then—what also happens?
“And behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him” (Matthew 3:16).
What is all this showing? The whole of Christ′s earthly work is to be done by the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Christ goes into the synagogue, takes up the scroll of Isaiah. What does He say? “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me—because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.” Christ has the empowering of the Spirit to perform and fulfil His earthly ministry. John the Baptist tells us what? He has the Spirit without measure.
All He did He could only do in and by the power of the Holy Spirit who moved and sustained Him.
And there is Christ, hanging upon the cross—suffering the terrible agonies as He bore the weight of His people′s sin. Creation is disrupted, convulsed by the sight of the Creator, who has become as a creature, suffering in man′s place.
There is this terrible darkness at noon as the sun hides its face. What sustained Christ during those three hours of darkness? We are told that He offered Himself up to God at Calvary—how? Heb 9:14: “Through the Eternal Spirit!”
But marvellously on the third day these sad and grieving women go to the tomb wondering how they will move the great stone so as to anoint Christ′s body. Yet they get there and the stone is moved! An angel tells them: “He is not here—He is risen!”
How did He rise? Paul tells us (Romans 8:11) “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
You see all of Christ′s birth, life, death and resurrection were all directed and empowered and accomplished in and by the Holy Spirit.
Well the one who oversaw and sustained Christ′s ministry then, will now be the one who continues it once He has left this word. Christ says: John 16: 7, 8: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”
Christ is no longer physically present on the earth. Yet He is still present and doing His great works in and through the person of the Holy Spirit. Christ says that it is to their advantage that He goes away—why is this. Well we can think that when Christ was physically present on earth the disciples were very much dependent on His visible, bodily presence.
Though Christ often demonstrated the fact being truly God that He was all knowing and could be everywhere present, He generally restricted Himself. But once He has gone and comes in the person of the Spirit—there will be no restriction on His influence or ministry.
However, the main advantage Christ makes clear in Him leaving is that then He can send the Spirit as promised and the Spirit can then apply more fully all the wonderful blessings of redemption that will come to God′s people AFTER the cross.
It is the Spirit who will comfort them now and sustain them and continue the work and ministry of Christ in them and in others. And one of the chief ways He will do this is through the fact that the Holy Spirit is:
(4) Agent of the New Creation (Indwells)
Now the Holy Spirit was the agent of the physical creation. We see this in Genesis. All that was made comes forth because of the powerful command of God. “And God said, ‘Let there be…’” and it was so!”
Yet we know that Christ is also present at the creation of all. We read in John′s gospel that “through Him all things were made and that without Him, nothing was made that was made!”
And yet there is another being without whom the created universe would not exist. We are told in Genesis that he Spirit is there at the beginning hovering over the face of the waters. The idea is of a brooding Spirit—who is ready to act and work in response to the command of God.
Job says that it is by the Spirit that God adorned the heavens and that “the Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” The psalmist says that the Spirit gives all things life!
See without Him, nothing was made that was made. He is the agent of the physical creation, which is called into being of the Father, made through the Son, by the Spirit.
But not only is He the agent on the physical creation but he is also the agent of God′s new creation.
Man is in a terrible state because of sin. The most terrible thing is that he is blind and dead to spiritual realities. It is God′s sun, God′s water, God′s air that he breathes – he hears God’s word and God′s gospel, but it is all foolishness to him. He can′t see it for what it is and left to himself he will prefer the damnation of hell rather than know His God!
How can he be changed? Is there anyone in this world can change a stone into a flower? Who could do this? No one. Yet what God does far exceeds even that! Who does this work of changing a heart of stone to a heart of flesh?
John 16:8: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
These people were careless about sin! “Yes I do wrong—but I′m not as bad as others!” Yet now see that in is not my sin is not so much that which makes life difficult for others, it is an affront to God!
They used to laugh about judgement: “You wait—I′ll tell God a thing or two!” But now they realise that he judgement is real and what′s more they are facing it!
And they now realise that they need cleaning from sin and a perfect righteousness. Who told them? No perfect life any where in this world. Yet they realise they need a perfect righteousness and their sins cleansed. How?
The Spirit has done it. The Spirit has worked. Titus 3:5: not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
By Him—the Spirit—their blindness is taken away—their eyes are opened— their opposition is conquered and they are made willing to come to Christ for salvation! They are regenerated by the Spirit!
They now call Him Lord—this One who was mocked, rejected, ridiculed and crucified. How? BY THE SPIRIT! No one can call Christ Lord, but through the Spirit of God!
They join a church—here they find their true family—a place where they feel they really belong. They love those they would never have naturally loved! Why? “For by one Spirit, they were baptised into one body… The Spirit has brought them into the family.
They show love and strive to bear with each other. Why? They endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. They bring forth the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith and self control.
And what′s more, some are eventually called to be office bearers in the church. Who sets apart such men to such a work? We read in Acts 20 that it is the Spirit who sets men apart to such a work.
There is another large area we could look at: Why is it that every Christian has some gift to use for the good of the rest of the church—whether ministering practically or in a spiritual way. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
Helps and administrations — practical things are all things that he Spirit helps believers to do in the church. See it is the Spirit who is the agent responsible for this new creation and who brings the believer into the enjoyment of the life that we know in Christ and into the life of the local church and the unity we enjoy with other believers. The many essential, varied and different ways He is working!
But what a wonderful person the Spirit is. How selflessly and quietly He works. Yet how vital is His work. Without Him, we would have no Scripture, Christ would not have been sustained in His earthly ministry and work of redemption and there would be no converts and no believers, and so much less help for believers.
Charismatics claim to be the ones who truly give the Spirit His place. But for them there is much focus upon the sensational and supposed prophecy and tongues as if that were the sole preoccupation of the Holy Spirit.
Some people claim deep experiences of the Spirit. Claim to have a fuller experience of the Spirit—that they really love the Spirit. Yet they have no love for God′s word! In many supposedly Spirit filled churches the word is given second place to all else, and when it is preached people are happy with a superficial understanding.
“Illustration: I love the artist Constable; but don′t like looking at his paintings—his works.” Some can look at God′s word as dry, dead and a confining thing! It is not—it is the very book the Spirit wrote. If we truly have the Spirit and have the Spirit dwelling all the more in our hearts, it will produce a deeper appreciate and love for the word of God.
May the Lord help us to fully appreciate the ways and works of this glorious person and so be strengthened and guided as we seek God′s glory.
Talk 2: God’s Word and the Spirit (2Peter 1:16-21)
What is one of the greatest, if not THE greatest works of the Spirit? Some would say regeneration. Yet what we must remember is that without the Spirit’s work in giving us the word, there would be no regeneration.
God is wise and so He has given us His marvellous word. Here is all we need to be strong and survive spiritually and to be delivered from our enemies, all our lives. So important that we appreciate this and understand the centrality of God’s word and the work of the Spirit in giving it how He helps us understand it today.
Today our subject is: God’s Word and the Spirit
(1) The Spirit Wrote the Word (2) The Spirit Explains the Word (3) The Blessing of the Spirit’s Light
(1) The Spirit Wrote the Word
Often people try and say that he Bible is full of mistakes. They say — it must have mistakes, because it was written by men, and men get things wrong. Maps of the world. Some old ones were very wrong. Men make mistakes: wrong idea and shapes. “Well just like they did with maps, so they did with God’s word.”
Well it is true that the Bible didn’t just drop down from heaven, already written. The 66 books of the Bible were written over some 1,550 years by many different men all with different lives and temperaments. One was a priest, one was a scribe, another a doctor; fisherman; rabbi; shepherd; king.
Some used legal words; some pictures of farm and farming life; some long sentences; some short; some were poets; some were prophets. Some wrote in Hebrew; some used Aramaic — a language they adopted when in exile in Babylon; the NT is written in Greek.
When God used them to write Scripture they didn’t become like this microphone. Just a machine that has no personality or humanity and just repeats all I say. Their personalities were unchanged. If you read Paul’s letters, you can tell it’s Paul. If you read Peter — you can tell it is Peter. If you read Amos — you realise he was a farmer. There are great differences in the way they write.
Though their characters were unchanged — didn’t become “robots” — yet God, by His Spirit so guided what they said that what they wrote was without error or fault. It was all true.
Peter says v21R. What he is saying is this. Yes the will of these men was involved — they knew what they were doing and they wrote as they would write anything else. Their whole person was involved in the writing. But what they wrote was not JUST their own thoughts and ideas — they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guided them.
The word “moved” Peter uses here, is the same word that is used to describe the movement of a sailing boat in Acts 27:15. The boat is moved by the wind. Can we see the wind? No! But we do see what it produces — how it affects things. So when these men wrote they were guided, moved by the unseen invisible Spirit of God.
Do you know — the fact that God could take men and make sure that what they wrote was what God wanted them to write, without making them into machines — Paul was still Paul, Peter was still Peter, David was still David — they were unchanged as people — this shouldn′t surprise us. Why? Because this is exactly what God did in Jesus Christ.
Christ has a true human nature, but it was united to His divine — he was also truly God. Both were united in one person, but neither nature changed the other. (one up / the other down.) He didn′t become a higher superman or a lesser God. He was still fully man and fully God.
So with Scripture there is a joining of the human and the divine. The thought and word of man is joined to the Spirit of God in writing Scripture. The book is written by men, but it is also written by God. Man′s character and humanity is still there, but because of the work of the Spirit it means it is God′s book, which is without error.
V20,21R.
Peter is speaking of the OT. The NT hadn′t been completely brought together when he wrote. But Christ made it clear that when the NT was written, God would use the same way of giving us the NT as He had in giving the OT. He says to the disciples: John 16:13-15: 13 R “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”
What the Apostles and those who were with them would write, would be truth. They would be guided and helped by the Spirit.
Peter understood this and spoke very highly of Paul′s writings: He says; (2Peter 3:14-16): “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation — as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”
Peter knows of Paul′s letters — he found some of them hard to understand — and so do we! Yet he says they are Scripture. Peter can see that God is using Paul to write His word. And Paul knew his own writings were Scriptures. He says to the Corinthians — “What I write to you is the commandment of the Lord.” He gave his writings the same authority as the rest of Scripture.
How can it be that the message Moses gave us in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers is in agreement with the message Paul gave us 1,500 years later? How could Isaiah agree with Luke 700 years later? Luke quotes from Isaiah in his book. How could Peter agree with King David — they never knew each other?
Peter makes it clear v20, 21R. “Private interpretation” — not talking about how we make sense of the Bible. Interpretation can mean “origin” or “idea”. Peter saying that the teaching of Scripture hasn′t come from men′s own thoughts — men haven′t decided what should be taught — it′s not all the ideas of men. No. Scripture doesn′t come from men′s strange ideas — it comes from God, the Holy Spirit who moved men to write what they did.
This is why Moses agrees with Paul, Isaiah agrees with Luke and Daniel agrees with John? Though they never knew each other and were separated by 100s of years, the same Spirit of God guided and worked in every one of them. The same Spirit who wrote Isaiah, wrote Luke.
Do you know — just to see how all the Bible agrees with itself, is enough to show men and women the nature of this wonderful book — that it is the word of God. How could men, separated by 100s of years, write of the same wonderful Saviour and gospel and all say the same thing? It is because this books alone is God′s word.
To say the Bible is “made up” is madness! To say that the Bible is not God′s word is like saying that KL does not exist. The evidence is so clear and undeniable. Men and women don′t want to accept it, because they don′t like its message — which the proud sinner finds too humbling.
Men can marvel at the way they can build great things — buildings, airplanes. We may marvel at the wonders we see in nature… But there is no greater wonder than the way that God brought this book into being.
But not only did the Spirit write the Word but
(2) The Spirit Explains the Word
Peter says v19 R. He believed we could heed, that is understand God′s word. God′s word wasn′t given so we could then not understand it. We are to heed and understand God′s word.
But remember – the Pharisees believed the Bible was God′s word. Christ never condemned them for believing this — because He knew that it was true. But though they believed it was God′s word, they were in complete darkness and blindness. They didn′t understand what it was saying. They came up with completely wrong teaching and believed they could get to heaven by their good works.
Christ said to them: John 5: 39: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”
They had God′s word and believed it was God′s word, but they could not see that it was pointing them to Christ. There are people like this today. They will come up with all sorts of strange teachings, which deny the truth — just like the Pharisees.
The cults (like the JWs) come up with strange teachings, by taking one verse and twisting it. We know this is what the Devil did with Christ when He was tempted. He took a Scripture and twisted it to teach something it didn′t.
The Roman Catholic Church says that only the Pope and the priest can explain the Bible to us — we cannot understand it for ourselves. They say, we can read it, but only a holy man can explain it — we cannot understand it for ourselves! This is not true! Many have been truly converted by reading the Bible alone and without anyone to teach them what they needed to know.
How is it that we come to understand the Bible properly? In 1John 2:27 we read this: “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”
If someone wrote you a letter and you didn′t understand, but the writer happed to be in the next room, what would you do? Go and ask the writer. So John is teaching us that we have been anointed as believers by the Spirit — He is with us.
Thomas Manton: “God′s mind is revealed in Scripture, but we can see nothing without the spectacles of the Holy Spirit.” And the One, who wrote the word, can explain it to us, if we ask Him. Because we have the Spirit, we don′t have to depend on any man! We can ask God by His Spirit to show us and guide us.
((Mormons teach that we need not only the Bible but the book of Mormon to help us understand the Bible. I once showed a Mormon verse — 1John 2:27 — “You do not need that any man should teach you.” He was speechless.))
In other words, if we come to the word, without prejudice (having already made up our minds), humbly, sincerely and ask God to speak to us — he will do so and instruct us in God′s word.
But now you might say: well if that is true — I don′t need any man to teach me — what are you doing then? You have just put yourself out of a job! Well though it is clear we can all look to God for help to understand His word and for the Spirit to explain it to us, we still accept that God tells us in His word that He also uses preaching to build up His church.
Paul tells us in Ephesians that God has given ministers to His church to build up the saints. Ministers are called to labour to understand and then explain God′s word, so that God can also use them to build and strengthen God′s church all the more.
But that is a wonderful promise in 1 John 2:27: By His Spirit, God will explain His word. God Himself will teach us. This was the text of the Reformation — each man can know what God is saying to him in his word.
And it is wonderful to see that the true people of God have always believed the same gospel all the way down through the ages. There is a unity (agreement) of belief amongst all those who have submitted to Scripture alone, as being God′s word, down through the centuries.
Hundreds of years ago there were very different views to today about medicine and the world. Years ago some people thought it was good to drink metal (mercury) and that the world was flat. We know these things aren′t true now. But it is wonderful to see how people from all different times, countries, tribes and places, have all come to see and know the same message of salvation. There is no difference between them — though separated by hundreds of years or by thousands of miles. This is why the gospel you believe in Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia, is the same gospel which is believed by the Lord′s true people in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, South Korea and England.
The gospel Paul believed in Antioch in the first century is the gospel that John Calvin believed in Switzerland in the 16th century, and is the same gospel that CH Spurgeon believed in London in the 19th century, which we believe today.
The same Saviour you love and serve and the same message you declare here in Malaysia, is the same message we believe and declare in England. We are all united in the same understanding of the Bible and of salvation. Why? Because the same word and Spirit has taught us — by the Spirit we have all been given the same understanding.
((Some happy just to give the Bible — the Spirit and the word alone can save. False teachers are not happy just to give the Bible. You would never come to their views if you just read the Bible alone and asked for the Spirit′s help.))
((It is wonderful that we have a complete Bible now. We have everything we need to know to show us how we can be right with God and how we are to live as Christians. We are told in Jude that our faith is: the faith once delivered to the saints. It has been given to us once and for all — all we need to know is in God′s word.))
Now if the Spirit has written every part of God′s word as Peter tells us in verse 21, we must follow the rules that the Spirit has put into His word in seeking to understand it. Not time to look at this in detail (interpreting the Bible), but here are a few pointers.
Look for example at John 16:14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you”. The Spirit, who wrote the word, longs to show us Christ. Through God′s word we have come to know the One in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells, who is found from Genesis to Revelation — the Lord Jesus. The Bible is like a great palace with 66 rooms. Some are large and some are small, but the King is found in everyone. So we should expect to find Him in all the Scriptures.
Another thing: The Spirit has authored it all, so the will Spirit will not write one thing in part of His word, only to deny it in another part. And so no part of Scripture will go against another part. And so this means that as we seek to understand God′s word, we can compare Scripture with Scripture. If we are stuck with one verse, we can go to another clearer verse to explain it to us. Thomas Watson: Nothing can cut the diamond but the diamond; nothing can interpret Scripture but Scripture.
Another thing: Christ and the Apostles often explained things by going to clearer Scriptures. Christ used this to show how wrong the religious leaders were. The Sadducees didn′t believe in the resurrection. They tried to catch Christ out by talking about a woman who married several brothers after each one died. Christ took them top a clear Scripture which made the truth of the resurrection plain. “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Another thing: If the Spirit has written the word, then we must also remember that He has placed certain Scriptures where He has for a reason. We must be careful about taking one verse out of its place and not allowing the surrounding verses to guide us.
Another thing: If we look at the writings of the NT — we find that there is always application to our lives. The Spirit wants us to not just be hearers, but doers. As ministers of the word we will appreciate this: “Application is the heart of preaching.” We will not only seek out what the Spirit is saying in the word, but apply it. We will aim to be appliers of the word.
But above all — if the Spirit has written the word, we must pray before we come to read God′s word and ask God to bless us and by His Spirit help us and open our eyes to understand His word as we should. Commentaries can be good — very helpful — but we should come to God first and ask God to show us and teach us what the Spirit has said in His word.. The Psalmist said: “Open my eyes to behold wonderful things from your law.”
Well Finally —
(3) The Blessing of the Spirit′s Light
It is wonderful when we see the truth in God′s word for ourselves. It comes to us with a force and a power — with a real conviction. We must seek to read or hear it read regularly — going through it step by step, not jumping all over the place — allowing the Spirit who ordered the word to unfold it to us. We must balance harder parts with easier and clearer parts. If we are reading through the OT law, it is good if we can be reading parts of the gospels as well. If we are reading a hard letter of Paul, we can balance that by reading the Psalms or some of the OT history books.
Isn′t it wonderful! God has given us His word. Here we have the mind and will of God! All we′ve got. Many of the OT believers had so little — for a long time they only had the first 5 books of the OT.
Men still want to gain more and more knowledge. They want to explore and discover. We have the great joy of exploring God′s word and discovering more of the wonders there. The child of God has made the greatest of discoveries.
We need to encourage our people to be people of the book. We need to encourage them to know God′s word and its teaching and promises. We generally find that he most strong and spiritual Christians have a good grasp of God′s word. (Psalm 119)
There is much uncertainty in this world and in our lives. Yet we are certain about God′s word to us and His plans for this world and for us! God has spoken. God will guide us by His word. Let us walk by its promises, obey its commands, and find comfort from it and great help in our trials. It shows us eternal, heavenly things. Let us use it as a great weapon in our spiritual warfare and evangelism.
God has given us all we need in His word. The word is the Spirit′s gift to the church. May we continue to behold many wonderful things in God′s word — more of Christ, until that day we shall see the One revealed in God′s word, face to face there in heaven.
Talk 3: The Spirit′s Work in Conversion (John 15:26-16:15)
See the self centeredness of the disciples. V5,6: “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.”
They are pre-occupied with self and so overwhelmed with sorrow. We′ve all been like this. We feel so sorry for ourselves—we can′t enter into the ordeal of others. They are focusing on self—yet think of all that Christ is facing.
They must realise—it will be an advantage when he goes away: V7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”
If He goes away—then the Spirit will come! All the aid He, the Spirit, is going to give them—comfort, help, peace, deeper understanding of Christ′s work. But notice here there is a further encouragement: v8: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
Now often the Christ speaks in these passages of the help the Spirit will be to the people of God. Not so often does He speak about His work in the world. Here He does. Not Hs work in His people so much as His work in unbelievers.
The word “Comforter” has In many ways, a legal idea. He speaks on behalf of God′s people. When assailed by doubts and fears and trials—He speaks Comfort by assuring them of their standing and position before God in Christ.
But here the Spirit will speak, not to reassure believers, but to convict and trouble those who do not as yet know Christ.
The Spirit will work in unbelieving men′s hearts. He can use the light of nature, circumstance and conscience to convict. But here it seems that Christ is speaking of the Spirit′s use of the preaching of the gospel and the testimony of His people.
He says in 15 V26,27: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”
It is the witness to Christ that the Spirit will use here to convict those who are not the Lord′s. Their words may be weak or poor, yet the Spirit can take them and apply them powerfully to the hearts of unbelieving men and women.
This of course is something that Reformed believers have always stressed. The Arminian says that man is not without some natural ability and power to respond. But this is wrong. The Bible says, man is powerless to save Himself. He does not have it within His gift to come to God. He is dead in trespasses and sins: He hates the light: the things of God are foolishness to Him. If He is to be saved there must be this prior work of the Spirit in His heart to change Him so as to bring Him to salvation.
Here we are looking at the first convicting work the Spirit does. We know that there is a further work after this, which we aren′t going to look at, when the Spirit regenerates granting faith and repentance.
There are lessons for us all here. If we are the Lord′s we must remember what the Spirit does, and our aim should be to remember and look for this in our evangelism.
(1) The Spirit Shows Us Where We Stand
If we only had verse 8 we might wonder what Christ meant “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
There have been all sorts of views. But as we seek to interpret sin, righteousness and judgement we must come up with an understanding which agrees with Christ′s explanation which He gives us in v9-11.
He says that men and women will be convicted of sin v8, why—v9: “of sin, because they do not believe in Me;”
We know that naturally we are guilty of many sins—we sin with our minds, our words and the things we do. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” God hates all sin. So why is Christ focusing on this sin of not believing on HIM?
We if we ask—is there a sin which really is the definitive sin. In other words—is there a sin which is the ultimate test of where we stand?
If you were to put acid in one container and water in another can be hard to see at first which is which. Both flow the same way; both have the same colour; neither may smell. How can we know which is acid and which is water? We have a thing called the litmus test.
Can take a piece of blue litmus paper and put it into both solutions. Water will not change the paper′s colour but the acid will turn the blue litmus red. We have a definitive—a definite test which shows us unmistakably which is which. People in our country talk of a “litmus test” in all sorts of situations—a test which will clearly show what′s what.
During certain persecutions by the Romans—they could accuse someone of all sorts of things to try and show that they were a Christian. They could say that they wanted to overthrow Caesar; that there was immorality in their love feasts; that they resorted to cannibalism at communion; All these things the Christian could happily deny.
However there was a test; there was something which no Christian in their right mind could do – curse Christ. They could never agree to curse Christ. This was a definitive—a litmus (a clear) test of where they stood. It showed their clear allegiance to Christ.
So with this verse. A group of unbelieving people could be accused of adultery—one man says: “I′ve never done that.” They could be accused of murder—several say—I′ve never done that. Theft—a young man says—I′ve never done that.
But if you say to all, “Have you believed on Christ?” THEY ARE NOW ALL SILENT! No one can answer. All are condemned—this is the sin of unbelief which sows us where we are, where we stand before God—regardless of everything else concerning Christ and God.
This exposes us. This shows us our true state and rebellion. We will not come to Christ—we will not humble ourselves and look to Him.
The unbelieving Saul of Tarsus—we could have asked him if he ever robbed, murdered or committed adultery—he could say No—I never have! What showed Paul where he truly stood? Acts 9:4,5: Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
For all His moral and religious life—he realised he was guilty before God. Why? He was rejecting Christ. That was the verdict upon Him on the Damascus Road—the thing that brought it home to him.
This is why in part, he was so shocked. So moral, so religious, so zealous for the law—yet like a bolt of lightening he realised he was in rebellion to God!
This is what Christ says in John 3:19: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil”. Men reject the light—the knowledge of Himself that God gives to them. What is the thing that show men naturally don′t want the light?
The previous verse—v18: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” They are condemned because they haven′t believed!
So as the gospel is proclaimed there will be this effect—this is what the Spirit does. None can escape it! We call on men and women to repent and believe on Christ! Those who refuse—in their hearts they realise they don′t want to do what they should do! As a result it is clear where they stand—they are convicted of their state before God.
Paul says: 2Cor 2:15, 16 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.
The gospel divides. Some receive life—others are condemned. But even those who refuse to believe realise that they are under the sentence of death as they refuse to receive the gospel.
But
(2) The Spirit Shows Us How Far Short We Come of God′s Standards
Christ says: V10 “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more.”
What’s the connection? Well in Acts 2:23, 24 we read: “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Then 2: 32, 33a: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God.”
This is the thing! The Jews—the world—had declared Christ to be an impostor—an unrighteous man—not worthy of life. They had rejected Him!
However, God′s verdict is very different. What′s God′s verdict on Christ? Raise Him—Exalted Him—Received Him. Christ′s going to the Father in heaven shows the divine approval of the Son. It is a declaration of Christ′s righteousness.
The world branded Him as a deceiver, an impostor as unrighteous. His victorious going to the Father would make it clear to all and mark Him out, undeniably as the Righteous One. The Father gives Him His approval.
You see—it is His life which shows us the righteousness that God accepts. This is the standard which God will use to measure all men′s behaviour; even at the last day we are told that He (God) has appointed a day when He will judge the world by the man Christ Jesus whom He has sent.
Remember hearing of a woman who was quite a good part time artist. She had done a series of paintings and felt she had done them well. Then she went and looked at a show of painting put on by a professional—she suddenly realise how far short she came of that standard. The standard was far higher than she realised.
AS the gospel is preached and Christ′s person and works are proclaimed and as the Spirit applies the word—men and women are convicted as to how far short they come from God′s standards, when compared to Christ—the One called the just One.
But then
(3) The Spirit Shows Us What We Are Facing
Again Christ says: V11: “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
Christ is soon to die. Here He anticipates the effect of His death. He did this before in John 12. He considers His death and says: 27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save Me from this hour”? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
But then in verse 31 he says this: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”
The devil and the world will seek to destroy Christ, yet in so doing the world will bring down judgement on themselves . For the devil—it will be his undoing—because the cross (the very means He uses to destroy Christ) will in fact be the very means God will use to destroy him and his power over men and women.
He will bruise Christ′s heal, but Christ will crush His head—He will give Satan his death blow from which He will not recover.
BUT ALSO it will be a judgement on the world and the devil, because they will do their worst—but in the end Christ will overcome them and rise victorious. All this will show that hey cannot overcome Christ and that hey cannot overcome God.
They′ve done all they can, yet they cannot overcome Him or escape his anger and judgement.
Recent 70th anniversary of D-Day in my country—American, Canadian and British troops landed in France to liberate and fight the Germans. Many lost their lives.
Something they came up against which caused them great problems was a German vehicle called the Tiger Tank. Nothing seemed to be able to stop it. Eventually captured one and took it back to examine it. Set it up—many generals watching. Fired an anti-tank round very close.
Bounced off and landed near generals—very shocked. Realised that if even this had , had no effect – bad sign—ominous sign—they were in real trouble.
So Christ is saying that the fact that the devil has been judged and overcome at Calvary—they have thrown everything at Christ and it has had no effect is a bad sign—an ominous sign for the world – for all! The devil and the world have done all they can—thrown everything at Christ—yet it has failed!
This is a sign—a warning—that you cannot overcome God and you cannot overcome Christ. God is opposed to and determined to deal with all sin and rebellion. The declaration of this is made unmistakably at the cross.
This world is under judgement and only awaits the final sentence to be executed. The verdict has already been GIVEN because of the defeat of the world and the prince of the world at the cross and the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
Men and women are to be made aware of the judgement that awaits all who rebel against Christ and God—because the ruler of this world is already judged!
Courts martial. Man tried. Goes out to await the verdict of the officers who try him. When he comes in he knows the verdict before the sentence is given. He can tell from the way that he sword is lying.
Pointing away from him as he enters—he is innocent. Point towards him—he is guilty. If it is pointing to him—He is already condemned. All he awaits is the sentence that will come.
As the gospel is preached—men and women realise that because of Christ′s victory, over the world and the devil, because of the eventual outcome of the cross—JUDGEMENT IS COMING!
So really it seems that as the gospel is preached the Spirit will take it and use it to convict sinners powerfully of where they stand before God—their unbelief shows their sinful and rebellious state before God.
Also they are shown how far short they come—of their failure—they realise that God′s standard is not their standard, but the perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And they are made aware of what hey are facing as a result—God′s righteous anger and judgement!
(4) Promoting the Spirit′s Work
It is clear that the Apostles were guided by the Spirit in their evangelism—they knew what the Spirit′s INITIAL WORK and AIM WAS—to show people were they stood before God, how far short they came and what hey were facing.
Acts 24:24,25: And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
Really righteousness, self control—or sin and judgement. Felix is convicted by the Spirit—he is afraid / concerned. Where the Spirit does a work—he first troubles men and women.
As He works they realise how they stand in God′s sight—fact they refuse to believe and are in rebellion; that they fall short of God′s standards and so are rightly facing His judgement.
Alas—so many evangelicals are not concerned about this work of the Spirit.
Pilgrim′s Progress—Pilgrim finds someone climbing over he wall to get onto the narrow way. They don′t enter by the strait gate. They think they are a Christian, but they have not been truly saved.
The gospel that is preached by so many is an inadequate gospel. I used to have such a message.
I would say that God loves them—Christ has died for them. Life without Christ is purposeless and meaningless. If they come to Christ it will truly make life worthwhile and give a reason to live and the certainty of heaven. This is all true, yet it is not the focus of the gospel.
It is like Jesus Christ is just an insurance policy, or He is like a dishwasher or a new gadget that can help improve life′s difficulties and frustration. This is what I used to proclaim!
This I am afraid is the gospel of (the alpha course) much of the charismatic movement and much modern evangelism. People want to see great results—many decisions for Christ. So they don′t want people offended—so they give a message where the offence is watered down or taken away.
So their real need is not made plain—this is played down. Often there is little emphasis on repentance or the true nature of sin and of the judgement to come.
Often seekers are encouraged to just pray a prayer — to “make a decision”. But there is no questioning of whether they are truly repentant. Salvation is not something man can just decide to have when he likes it — it is a gift from God that God must give to those who seek Him and cry to Him for it until God brings him from death to life.
Some good reformed books have this. They have good content, but then at the end they are spoilt by this idea that all is needed is for a seeker to pray some prayer of commitment and then —It is all most definitely done – they are most assuredly saved. Now some have been saved as a result of this non-Biblical method, but great damage has been done, as the Spirit′s convicting work has been negated — short circuited. Tragically many are told they are Christians when they are not.
Paul could have so easily wanted to impress Felix and not offend and so compromise his message. But no—he was faithful and makes Felix realise where he stands before God, and want his true need is.
Christ is not some luxury or accessory for life—who just there for us to make life better. We are under the wrath of a Holy and Just God and we need to be reconciled to Him and saved from sin and the judgement to come.
If someone is to be truly saved—they must know what they are being saved from. We should not compromise the message, but promote the Spirit′s work and so preach a faithful gospel.
Now of courses, it is not that we just hammer people and go on and on about how terrible they are and how they are going to hell! Having ploughed up hearts and made them tender as they see their sin, we must always remember to apply the healing balm of the gospel. But there has to be this work whereby we want folk to see where they stand. We don′t just seek to destroy — but we do it with a real concern and care for them.
When our Queen opens Parliament she walks past two statutes – one of justice—the other of mercy. It is to stress that in the laws she delivers she must remember both.
The gospel is not us just ranting on and on about sin. It is the message of good news—how such as we are can be put right and forgiven and reconciled and come to know this glorious God. Not just of justice but of mercy.
If we proclaim Christ faithfully, why He died, the meaning of the cross, who it was who died, of the need to believe on Him—the Spirit will do His work—convicting of the sin of unbelief and of the need of righteousness an d of the judgement to come. Where we stand—how far short we come, what we are facing.
Israeli pastor Baruch Maoz. He was approached by someone who wanted to know how to repent. He replied, ‘If you are aware of your sin and your need of God’s forgiveness, just call out to him, and keep on calling until you know that he has answered. Then come and tell me about it’ What wisdom! The seeker found the Lord. He was not given assurance by the pastor, but by the Lord!
We shouldn′t tell them they are saved. We allow God to do that. Premature babies can be still born — because they are not ready — not viable. It is the same with the gospel — we mustn′t force the birth, but allow God to take them “full-term.”
We mustn′t negate, seek just to short circuit the Spirit′s work, but promote it! Not just get people to pray a prayer and say they are saved — allow the Spirit to do His work. And when hearts are tender and concerned, we must show them Christ! Show them the glory of the Son of God and His work. If they have been brought by the Spirit to truly see their need, they will gladly come to Christ and look to Him and knew the Spirit′s power in changing them and giving them eternal life and peace with God.
Talk 4: The Spirit′s Role in Adoption (Romans 8:14-17)
Ever gone to a market—or stood in one of our large supermarkets: taken in the rich variety of fruits and vegetables there are – all the varied colours and shapes and wonderful tastes. Reds, greens, yellows, purples, blues. Or ever gone to a flower market! The wonderful colour and varieties and designs of flower.
Whatever God does—He does well. He is not a God who is miserly or meagre in His provision for both man and beast. He could have made it that we get all our sustenance from one bland looking lump. But no—such is God′s wonderful nature that He is extravagant in His kindness. He always gives an abundance and is rich in His provision.
And it is no different regarding redemption—salvation. The vastness and the varied ways that God provides for us in His grace. The richness of His provision here.
Looking at the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is very much involved with what many regard as the climax, the peak , the crowning glory of our salvation. We are going to look at that passage we read (and especially verses 14-17):
(1) The Meaning of Adoption
Paul says: v15: For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption.
Paul doesn′t just use this term “adoption” here but on several other occasions in his letters as well. Eph. 1:3-5: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
And again: Gal. 4: 4, 5: But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Well what does Paul mean by this word “Adoption”? What does it mean when a Christian is adopted by God? Well Paul is a Roman citizen and he is using here a word which describes a practice of Roman society.
Imagine a wealthy, powerful member of the Roman senate. He decides to adopt a young boy. Now this Roman senator has several other natural children. And having adopted this child some might feel that the adopted child is always inferior to the natural sons—that he is second rate.
But in Roman law, when that senator adopted that child, the moment he was adopted and the papers signed, the adopted boy had all the legal rights and status of one of the natural sons. There was to be no difference. He was looked upon fr