A SUPERNATURAL POWER
"Hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us." Romans 5v5.
Having outlined the panorama of God's salvation, dealing comprehensively with past, present and future, he now introduces two supernatural elements that make all this possible. This is the first time in the letter to Romans Paul has mentioned these, namely the superhuman love of God, and the Holy Spirit of God. It is not the last time he will refer to these, indeed in chapter 8 he will boldly state that nothing in heaven or earth can separate believers from the love of God, and also in chapter 8 he will develop the extent of the work of the Holy Spirit. Today we will focus on the Holy Spirit, a subject I feel has been rather neglected in our teaching and in our thinking these days, but we must understand that this justification by faith was much more than a human agreement between man and God, it was in fact empowered by the third person of the Godhead. Paul has stated some amazing facts concerning those who believe; past guilt has been taken away, present grace has been made available, future glory has been guaranteed. God introduces trials and tribulations, not to prove to himself the reality of our faith, for He knows all, but to enable us to prove to ourselves the reality of it. Great things have been pronounced in heaven concerning believers, but we were not there to hear them or see them and so we need deep spiritual persuasion to instill within that assurance necessary for the Christian life.
The astonishing truth of the indwelling Holy Spirit in a believer's life has been, regrettably, sidelined today by some and abused by others. This teaching needs to be revived because it is the very essence of the spiritual power that all Christians need for their lives. The reality of the presence of the Holy Spirit today is taught by the Lord Jesus Christ in John chapters 14 - 16, it is taught by Paul in Romans chapter 8. It occurs throughout the New Testament and we do well to uncover this teaching and live in the good of it. Jesus said that He was going away, but He would not leave them as "orphans", to make their way through this world without Him; He would send another Comforter equal to Himself who would be with them forever. This is the outstanding feature of the present age, in times past the Holy Spirit would come upon people at times, and for a specific task, but never at any time did He dwell with any individual permanently. We are going to trace how the Holy Spirit is involved in our lives from our conversion right through to our glorification, but the amazing fact is this, that every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit from their new birth until the day of their death. We may grieve Him at times, we may even quench Him but He never leaves us " HE WILL ABIDE WITH YOU FOREVER." John 14 v 16
The Christian life is not only dependent on the presence of the Holy Spirit, it is also empowered and enriched by it.
No-one is a believer without the indwelling presence of the Sprit of God. This is made clear in Romans 8 v 9 "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His." If you do not have the Spirit of God within you, you are not saved, nothing could be clearer.
We now look at this from three angles. Firstly, the role of the Holy Spirit of God in our conversion. This is the work of regeneration, first cited to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 "except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Simply put no one will be in heaven apart from the regenerating work of the Spirit. Again Jesus says in the same portion " ye must be born again. The wind blows where it will and you hear the sound thereof but cannot tell whence it comes and wither it goes; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." Paul thus relates the work of the Holy Spirit as vital to our justification. It was not my faith alone in God's word that saved me, it was that plus, simultaneously, the empowering, regenerating work of the Spirit within. He further says the same in Ephesians 1 v 13 "In whom also, on believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." At the very point of conversion every believer receives the Divine seal of the presence of the Spirit within them; and finally he states in Romans 8 v 16 "The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God." How do I know I am saved? The indwelling Spirit tells me.
Secondly, as already stated He is with us all the way through. The subject matter is too vast to deal with here but we can say that He makes good to us what Paul has described as "our standing in grace." He interprets scripture for us, He convinces us, He persuades us, He empowers us, He enables us, He reveals things to us, He gives us all things necessary for life and godliness as we make our way through this world. This is His work in sanctification.
Thirdly, He will be involved in the glorious final act, the completion of our salvation, described by Paul in Ephesians 1 v 14 "Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise which is the pledge (or guarantee) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." What is Paul talking about ? In Romans 8 he explains "if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit which dwells in you." This is His work in glorification.
From conversion, described by Paul as justification by faith, through life described by Paul as a standing in grace, into the future, the glorification of our mortal bodies, the Holy Spirit is active and with us from beginning to end. Says Paul in Romans 5 v 5 all these blessings we would not have in the first place without the Holy Spirit, neither can we enjoy them without Him. He is our ultimate assurance, He is our strength for life, He is our guarantee of future glory.
There are times when believers will hear the word of the Spirit, and will not fully understand it, yet there will be a glow in their hearts beyond their understanding. This is the Holy Spirit.
IT'S BETTER FELT THAN TELT!!
Tomorrow d.v. we look at how the Holy Spirit makes good divine blessings within us.
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