'The Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance— Joh_14:26'
'As we continue our study of the revelation of
the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, we turn first to the prison epistles -
Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.
The primary
references are found in the letter to the church at Ephesus. There Paul sets
forth the Holy Spirit as the builder of the Church. (Eph. 2:22)
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
Then he specifically
warned the church - "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption." (4:30)
In Hebrews, the Holy
Spirit is portrayed as One who speaks. "The Holy Spirit saith" (3:7);
and "The Holy Spirit . . . had said before" (10:15).
Heb 3:7 Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if
ye will hear his voice
Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to
us: for after that he had said before
Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with
them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them
The first quote is
from the 95th Psalm, while the second is taken from Jeremiah. (31:33)
The early church
recognized that the Holy Spirit spake "by the mouth of David." (Acts
1:16)
Act 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs
have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before
concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I
trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
However, Jeremiah
clearly says that what he wrote was a "Thus saith the Lord." (31:31)
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto
them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my
law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
There is a
relationship between the "Lord" of the Old Testament, and the Holy
Spirit of the New.
As noted in Part I,
Paul declared - "Now the Lord is that Spirit." (II Cor. 3:17)
We also noted the
same picture in the epistles of Peter. Peter wrote that "holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (II Peter 1:21)
Yet these men -
prophets - searched "what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in
them did signify." (I Peter 1:10-11)
Peter also adds that
this "Spirit" was "sent down from heaven" as a co-laborer
with the Apostles as they preached the gospel. (I Peter 1:12)
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto
themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported
unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost
sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The final writings
of the New Testament - those of the beloved John - give a full revelation of
the Holy Spirit which completes the picture and solves for us the problems
intimated in the rest of the New Testament, occasioned by the Incarnation.
In fact, the test by
which we can know we are confronted by the true Holy Spirit, and that the
Spirit is indeed guiding a professed messenger of the gospel involves the
doctrine of the Incarnation. John wrote - "Hereby know ye the Spirit of
God." And how do we know? "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God." (I John 4:2)
('Another Comforter -- A study on the Holy Spirit' --
by W. H. Grotheer)
*******
The Holy Spirit.
We know the Spirit
of God because we CONFESS that Jesus Christ came in the flesh and is OF God. God the Father, God the Son
Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a
reality.
The Holy Spirit can
be grieved.
The Holy Spirit can
teach.
The Holy Spirit will
put God's law into our hearts.
The Holy Spirit- a
REALITY.
More tomorrow by
God's mercy and GRACE, in HIS LOVE!
*******
Please LORD Jesus, come soon, please.
Please LORD Jesus, come soon, please.
No comments:
Post a Comment