| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net We’ve been talking about the Holy Spirit, and in an effort to personalize this person of the Trinity, let’s attempt to dispel some common misconceptions about Him. This doesn’t mean however, that we will diminish Him in order to make Him more accessible, but rather the opposite is true. To all believers, He is not something that is to be conjured up or even sought, but rather must be suppressed (quenched or squelched) in order to live in a worldly fashion. So what exactly is He? Well first, He is the Spirit of the Lord, or the Spirit of Christ. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” - Col. 1:27. Also: “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Crist from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Rom. 8:10-11. Nugget: Just as the word “Word” is capitalized in John 1 to signify the deity of Christ, so is “Spirit” capitalized above. Hmm? Does it still seem vague when Paul admonishes us to “put on Christ”? What has this to do with you as a Christian? Remember from our last visit, that God desires to do Supernatural things in/through your life. It isn’t enough to circle the wagons as Christians, and to endeavor to persevere till we get to go to Heaven. That’s not what we have been called to do. We’re in a war, and to relegate the Holy Spirit to the role of passively participating in our agenda, is to render ourselves defenseless. Now it makes sense when we read the words of Jesus in John 16:7: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” This is to your advantage, because without the Holy Spirit, you are absolutely defenseless. Nugget: Note the capitalization of the C in Comforter (King James) and even the H in Helper of other translations. Spiritual Switch: Do you ever envy the disciples for their proximity to Christ? - That they walked with Him in person, for three years? I will submit to you that they would have traded places with you, as a post Pentecost Christian. What? If you asked them then, (and I know they received the Spirit later): “Would you Peter rather be in Jesus’ presence for three years, or have Him living in you for ever?”. What do you think he would say? My wife is forever reminding me that: “it isn’t always about you”. This is revealed clearly in one very powerful verse. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son fo God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,” - Gal. 2:20. Nugget: It isn’t faith “in” the Son of God, but rather faith “of” the Son of God. He is the “author and perfecter” of our faith. The source and maintainer. This is our only hope of actually living, and not just talking about, a Christ-like life. Do you have the Holy Spirit? If so, how much time does He spend in your side-car? God Bless. |
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