I started with a bible reading program this week; I hope to finish the bible from cover to cover in three months, I can remember the benefit I received years ago when I did this, when I read the old testament, spiritually I was in one of the best positions of my life, call it a pleasant peaceful spiritual high. I have the time on my hands, and we are told to occupy the day wisely. John piper urges us not to waste our lives, how much time I have wasted! But I love the Apostle Pauls encouragement, he instructs us to forget those things that are behind us, even if we have wasted time in our lives with trivial nonsense, we are told to forget what is behind and to press toward the mark of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus. Today is a day we can all start with new beginnings, if you have fallen into bad habits, today is the day you are afforded another opportunity to leave them behind, isn’t that a beautiful thought! We now have His Spirit, in fact we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Salvation, He comes and makes His abode with every true born again believer. He equips us for service to honour God. Do not confuse the outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit as found in the book of Corinthians with the infilling of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) at Salvation. Without the Holy Spirit guiding me in spiritual matters I would be like a dumb mute, in fact blind as well! It is frustrating at times of how bad a memory I have, I cannot remember names, and I struggle with the day to day activities that most people find mundane. However, although I have never been one to enter into the practise of memorising verses, I can say this, by the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, I am able to recall many verses without thought. It is all of God and has nothing to do with my several natural abilities. I am thankful for this attribute to my life it just reminds me of how dependant I am on my God and Saviour. Where do I get this thought from you may ask, well no doubt, the Word of God of course: “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 that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
The disciples must have seen their task in furthering the Gospel message as somewhat daunting, it was not as if they went from town to town with a note pad in the hand always making reference to what they had experienced when the Lord walked with them here on earth. The Lord reassures them, that they would receive a helper, not any assistant, but God the Holy Spirit! In fact He told them that; “even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17)
Do we see the different approach to our understanding on the subject of the purpose of God the Holy Spirit? Because the hyper-charismatic’s abuse their so called right to call upon God the Holy Spirit, does that mean we should shy away from the correct teaching of what He has come to achieve, God forbid! I am ever so thankful for His work in my life; I am grateful for my Saviours resurrection and return back to His Father in Heaven. For as He taught, if He did not return He could not send the helper. Let us never forget His work in our lives, we may not see it as apparent as the daylight sun but be sure He is at work beyond our wildest imaginations; this is only true in your life if you belong as an heir to the household of God. Only if you have found repentance and you have believed in your heart that God has raised the Lord Jesus from the dead and you verbally confess Him as Lord of your life. I will make no pretences that I am not gifted as a scholar, and I am not amongst that number, but be warned that as a scholar, never forget the role of God the Holy Spirit in your life. Calvinists believe strongly as a rule in a God-centred application to life and we shy away from a man-centred mindset, but this I say, if you block out the work of God the Holy Spirit in your life and you do not recognise the work as His work, then you are living a man-centred life. How seriously does God take this? I will not speak as a fool and dare to speak on His behalf, but I will make reference to one of the Lord Jesus’ quotes; “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:32)
“We have been saved by GRACE through faith which is a gift of God not of works least any man should boast.” May we never forget this, we must always be reminded of this truth, we often begin with this understanding but soon we look to find justification by what we do and not what our Glorious Saviour has achieved on our behalf. He will share His glory with no other, and then again why should He! He alone bled and died on a cruel Roman cross, praise His glorious name! It is God the Holy Spirit who constantly reminds us of this truth and He will never let us forget it!
“NO TRUTH is more plainly taught in God’s word than this, that the salvation of sinners is entirely owing to the grace of God. If there be anything clear at all in Scripture, it is plainly there declared that men are lost by their own works, but saved through the free favour of God their ruin is justly merited, but their salvation is always the result of the unmerited mercy of God. In varied forms of expression, but with constant clearness and positiveness, this truth is over and over again declared.
Yet, plain as this truth is, and influencing, as it should do, every part of our doctrinal belief, it is frequently forgotten.
Many of the heresies which divide the Christian church, spring from a cloudness upon this point. Were that word "grace" but fully read, marked, and learned, the great evangelical system would be far more firmly held, and plainly preached: but forgetfulness that "by grace ye are saved," is a common fault among all conditions of men. Sinners forget it, and they seek salvation by the works of the law; they refuse to surrender to the sovereign grace of God, and entrench themselves behind the tottering fence of their own righteousness. And saints forget this, too, and therefore their minds become dark, their spirits fall into legal bondage, and where they ought to rejoice in the Lord unceasingly, they become despondent, and full of unbelieving dread.
Brethren, I am incessantly preaching here the doctrines of grace, they are growingly dear to me; but often as I preach them, I trust they are not wearisome to you; and if they should be, that sad fact would not induce me to be silent upon them, but rather urge me to proclaim them more frequently and fervently, for your weariness of them would be a clear proof that you required to hear them yet again, and again, and again, until your souls were brought to delight in them.” (C.H.Spurgeon)
Signing off
Tyrone
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