Title: The Holy Spirit and the Saints
Content br> In this chapter, we will look at what the Holy Spirit does to the saints. When Jesus Himself was on this earth, He revealed that the coming of the Holy Spirit would benefit the saints.
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; the Counselor will not come to you unless I go away; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).
What does the Holy Spirit do to the saints when Jesus said that the coming of the Holy Spirit would benefit us?
First, the Holy Spirit works to make sinners into saints.
Although we are saints now, we were sinners who died in our trespasses and sins before we were saints. At that time, we were children of wrath by nature, walking in transgressions and sins, following the customs of this world and living according to the world's currents. He lived as a slave to the greed of the flesh.
But now I am a saint. How did this happen?
The Bible gives the answer to this. It was because of the work of the Holy Spirit.
“He saved us, not because of our works of righteousness, but according to his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
“Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7)
No one could become a saint without the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who made us saints. To become a saint means to become a holy man, that is, a sinless man. How can a sinful sinner become a sinless man? It is because sins are forgiven. It is only through repentance and faith that sins are forgiven. That is, I repented after believing that Jesus, the Son of God, died for my sins, and came before Jesus.
“Peter said to him, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
“Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, that days of rejoicing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).
“To him who works not, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5).
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Repentance and Faith! Faith and Repentance! Who raises up the work of that power to justify sinners in the heart of an infinitely hardened sinner? It is the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, Jesus said, "Unless one is born of water (the Word) and the Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God." Paul, the man of Jesus, testified that "by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."
When the Holy Spirit works in the heart of a sinner, he can repent. When the Holy Spirit works in the heart of unbelief, we can believe in the truth that we are sinners and that Jesus died for our sins. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, with human brain, human effort, and human talent, we cannot repent and believe in the truth of the gospel of the cross.
“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
"To those who, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Holy Spirit, to obtain obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you many more" (1 Peter 1:2).
"Became a saint" means "be born again" and "sin has been forgiven" "became righteous" "became holy" "become a child of God" "become a member of the Lord's church" "heir of righteousness" It is the same as saying "became a citizen" "became eternal life" and "became a citizen of heaven".
How great is that? What an amazing miracle. Is there a greater miracle than the miracle of a sinner becoming a saint? This great miracle was performed by the Holy Spirit.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
Second, the Holy Spirit convinces us as saints that we are children of God.
Regarding this, the Bible says:
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, for we must suffer with him in order to be glorified with him” (Romans). 8:16-17)
“Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of the Son into our hearts, calling him Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6).
We became God's children by receiving forgiveness of sins and salvation through repentance and faith. However, when we do not fully realize this wonderful miracle of the soul or fall into sin again due to the weakness of the flesh after becoming children of God, we become God's children. You may not be sure that you are a child, and you may wander spiritually.
At this time, the Holy Spirit helps our souls with new grace, convincing us that we are children of God, and allowing us to boldly call our God our Father. It is the grace of the Holy Spirit that convinces us of His Sonship that we dare to call the Creator of the universe God our Father.
Third, the Holy Spirit dwells in the saints.
The Holy Spirit is the one who indwells the saints. The meaning of the word that the Holy Spirit dwells in us means that the Holy Spirit dwells with the saints forever. The truth that the Holy Spirit never leaves the saints and dwells with them forever is a great doctrine about the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Himself spoke this truth.
“He will give you another Comforter, that he may be with you forever” (John 14:16).
“He dwells with you, and he will be in you” (John 14:17b).
Paul, a man of God, also testified of this truth.
“If the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Christ” (Romans 8:9).
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not yours” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
The reason the Holy Spirit dwells in the saints is because they have received the Holy Spirit from the viewpoint of the saints.
If you have not received the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is outside the saints, not in the saints, independent of the saints.
The Bible speaks about this.
“On the last day of the feast, on the great day, Jesus stood up and cried, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. (Because Jesus had not yet been glorified, the Holy Spirit was not yet upon them)” (John 7:37-39).
“Peter said to him, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
“Therefore, God has given them the same gift as we did when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Who am I that can resist God?” When they heard this, they remained silent and gave glory to God, saying, “Then God also gives life to the Gentiles.” He has given you repentance that you will find.” (Acts 11:17-18)
“I tell you this only, did you receive the Holy Spirit by works of the law or by hearing by faith?” (Galatians 3:2)
“Therefore, when I saw that they were not walking rightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all, saying, As a Jew, after a Gentile and not a Jew, why do you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:14)
The question of when a person receives the Holy Spirit and when does the Holy Spirit continue to indwell him is a very important doctrine among the doctrines about the Holy Spirit. Many people are deceived by false teachings about this, and as a result, they are tricked by evil spirits who disguise the Holy Spirit rather than the Holy Spirit, and even fall into slavery of evil spirits.
It is the moment of great spiritual miracle that a person believes and repents when he receives the Holy Spirit. At that time, I received the Holy Spirit, and because I received the Holy Spirit, I became a “saint.”
The Holy Spirit does not leave the saints after he begins to dwell in them. dwells forever. Even when the saints sin, the Holy Spirit dwells in them. Even when the saints are being tested, the Holy Spirit dwells in them.
These days, the voices of false prophets saying that we must receive the Holy Spirit anew are high.
To believe in Jesus is to believe, and regardless of your faith, you must receive the Holy Spirit again. This is "the grace of my second."
However, this claim is false. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in the saints when they first believed in Jesus, and since then, he has never left that person. False prophets tell us to come to a special place ○○ and a special meeting to receive the second favor. And they do bizarre things. And he says he has received the Holy Spirit. They did not receive the Holy Spirit. It has been possessed by a demon. There is no pseudo-spirit, and there is no pseudo-evil spirit.
They say that they teach in tongues in order to receive the Holy Spirit, tell them how to speak in tongues, and fast for several days if necessary, raising their voices and praying with all their might.
These are things not in the Bible. They deceive souls with plausible adaptations of what is written in the Bible.
For example, Jesus told his disciples to