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-53-
The God Who Is
He Guides
In John chapter 16, beginning in verse 12, Jesus said, "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." The people were yet immature, and not teachable. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." Note that "he shall not speak of himself." His work is to testify of Christ. "He shall glorify me," Jesus said, "for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you" (verse 14).
The Holy Spirit does not speak of Himself. Jesus said, "He shall glorify me." If they emphasize God the Father where we attend church, they are in error. If we go to a church where they emphasize the Holy Spirit, they are in error, because God has given Christ Jesus a name that is above every name "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth" (Philippians 2:9,10).
He Bears Witness
In Romans chapter 8, note verse 16. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God...." Paul, like John, speaks of the inner witness of the Spirit who testifies that we belong unto Him. The apostle tells us the work of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness that we are the children of God.
Someone may say, "I do not know whether or not I am a child of God." Paul exhorted the Corinthians, "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates?" (II Corinthians 13:5). Put yourselves to the test. Go out into the world and see what kind of Christian you are. See whether or not you are in the faith. Prove it by the way you live, lest after you preach unto others, and are yourself a castaway.
He Helps and He Intercedes
Consider the fact that "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26). We do not know for what we should pray, or how to pray "as we ought." The Spirit makes intercession for us "with groanings which cannot be uttered." Spurgeon says of this verse, "Often the groanings which cannot be uttered are the prayers that cannot be refused."
He Sanctifies
It is the work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify the people of God, i.e. to make them holy. It is not His work to entertain them, or to make them feel good.
In Romans chapter 15, we read in verse 15, "Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost."
It is the work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify. Whom God justifies, or declares to be just, He sanctifies, or makes holy. The Lord sanctifies His people by convicting them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; by teaching them, by guiding them, but not by entertaining them.
He Searches
In I Corinthians chapter 2, in verse 9, we read, "But as it is written, `Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.'" The eye of man has not beheld what God has prepared for them that love Him. His imagination has not considered it. There is no language written that can express it.
"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." We must rely upon the Holy Spirit to search for us the deep things of God. It is His work to discern and to weigh them for us. If our churches are Spirit-filled, why is there no more emphasis upon teaching?
He Seals
The apostle Paul declares that it is the Holy Spirit who seals believers in their salvation. The Holy Spirit is the "earnest," or the "down payment" of their inheritance. Paul declares, "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:12-14).
"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30). It is the work of the Holy Spirit to seal us, and according to the first chapter of Ephesians, it is the principal work of the Son of God to redeem us, while it is the principal work of the Father to elect us.