The Holy Spirit (23)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on March 12, 2013
Topic: Now That the Holy Spirit is in You (3.3): He Sanctifies You With Truth
No audio available for this study.Background
The last time we met to discuss the theme, “The Holy Spirit”, we saw that when a person becomes a believer in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in him, which implies that the individual in whom the Holy Spirit has taken up residence, should begin to manifest some of the nature of the Holy Spirit, one of which is truth. But we noted that this is not the case, for, some so-called believers do not manifest truth, therefore, we set forth to see how Christians can begin to manifest this nature of the Holy Spirit, among others.
We noted that if a Christian is to be able to manifest the nature of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, as is expected of him (Romans 8:29), he ought to have been transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit in him. Hence, the work of transforming the believer in Christ into the image of Christ, and thus make him manifest the nature of Christ, and by implication, the nature of the Holy Spirit; is the major work of the Holy Spirit when He comes into the believer’s life, beginning with truth! We saw that the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in the life of the believer in Christ, which brings about permanent change in his life, is through the agency of the word of God, which is truth! And because the Holy Spirit is the energizer or quickening Spirit, He revives and enlivens the believer in Christ through the word of God as the believer receives God’s word into his spirit. It is this combination of the energizing work of the Holy Spirit and the received word of God into the inner man which enables the transformation of the believer into a person who embodies truth.
Thus, we saw that if we, as believers in Christ, are to embody truth, we will have to be able to receive (welcome, accept) and take hold of the word of God into our spirit man. The inability of any believer in Christ to accept and take hold of God’s word by faith has been the reason why many are unable to embody truth. Also, we said that if you are in love with someone, you would regularly interact with him, and, before long, you will take on some of his mannerisms, and imbibe all possible attributes of the person. In the same way, if you truly love Christ, His Spirit, and His word (which are all one and the same), you will be more than willing to receive His abiding presence, the Spirit of truth, as well as His word! And if you, as a believer, are more than willing to receive the abiding presence of Christ, then, over time, you will begin to look more and more like Him; being truthful, honest, reliable, and faithful. In other words, as long as the believer remains or dwells in Christ, His Spirit, and His word, he will continue to grow and glow from glory to glory!
Scripture Text(s)
John 14:16-17
When the Lord was about to leave the world for eternity with His Father, He told His disciples that He would send another Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, Whom the Lord also referred to as, the Spirit of truth. So far, we have seen the implication of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth—He cannot lie, and so He is a trustworthy Companion; He exposes error; and, He rubs off His nature of truth on the believer whom He indwells, and who permits Him to transform Him through truth. Two weeks ago, we saw that without sanctification, we will not enter into the kingdom of God on the Last Day. Tonight, we shall be looking at Sanctification as it relates to our walk and work here on earth. May the Holy Spirit work a work in us that will make us fitting to our God, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sanctification is a major aspect in the life of a Christian; yet very many Christians do not manifest its essence in their lives. It is the moral and spiritual purity intended by God for all believers in Christ. Sanctification is what makes a regular (or ordinary) and unholy person to become a peculiar (or special) and holy child of God. It transforms an ordinary and unholy person, who once was at the beck and call of the devil, into a person fit for divine use! This is unarguably, the most significant work of the Holy Spirit in a believer!
Haggai 2:10-14; Titus 1:15-16; 2 Timothy 2:20-21; 1 Peter 1:2; John 17:17; 6:63; 8:31-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Esther 2:8-17; Matthew 25:1-13.
Conclusion
At salvation, a person is cleansed completely from past sins; thus, he is sanctified instantaneously at the new birth. However, there is the need for such a person to remain sanctified in the face of the challenges of everyday life here on earth; else, he will soon become unsanctified. Also, we have seen that if an unclean person touches anything, he defiles it. This means that unless a person stays sanctified he will corrupt or defile everything he touches or lays his hands upon to do, including, the work of God! Thus, if a believer in Christ is not to defile anything, he must remain continually sanctified; and this is what the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of truth) continually does in the believer—this is known as continuous or progressive sanctification. There are thus two works of sanctification; the instantaneous work, which is entirely a work of grace; and the progressive work, which is both of grace and of works (that is, requiring the involvement and cooperation of the believer)!
As we have seen from biblical case studies from the Book of Esther, and the parable of the ten virgins, there is a process of continuous sanctification which gives access into the heart of the King of kings, and which makes our service to Him acceptable by Him. Through instantaneous sanctification at salvation, every believer becomes a virgin; but before this ‘virgin’ is able to go before the King of kings to serve and be pleasing to Him, he must undergo a process of sanctification—progressive sanctification—which takes time, and which prepares him for divine service. Progressive sanctification is achieved by the operation of the Holy Spirit upon the heart of the ‘virgin’ through the agency of the word of God. As the ‘virgin’ yields to the Holy Spirit in every respect and accepts the word of God, just as Esther responded only to what those set over her asked her to take with her when she went to see king Ahasuerus, and was pleasing and acceptable to the king, even so must the believer in Christ yield totally to the instructions of the Holy Spirit through the word of God, if he is to be fit for the Master’s use. And as the five wise virgins in the parable of the ten virgins took extra oil, so must the believer in Christ have this extra and exceptional work of the Holy Spirit in his life, otherwise, he will not be able to enter into the kingdom of God on the Last Day!
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