God’s Friendship Made Real by Holy Spirit
Jim Davis
When I was growing up in my endeavor to become a Christian somehow I subordinated the work of God’s Holy Spirit solely to the realm of Scripture. I believed that God’s Holy Spirit had guided the apostles through inspiration to write the Scriptures, but then it was solely up to me to live out God’s commands on human strength alone. I studied the long and endless debates on the work of the Holy Spirit and the medium he used to direct our lives. I concluded that the Spirit’s help was confined solely to delivery of scripture in written form. I wasn’t sure whether the gift of the Holy Spirit was given at baptism or not. I wasn’t sure what the gift of the Spirit was.
Acts 2:38-39
38 Peter replied, "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. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call." NIVI was never sure what Peter meant when he said, "And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." But I felt that the gift of the Spirit had nothing to do with God’s Spirit dwelling within me. I concluded that it was simply the gift of salvation. Somehow in all my confusion I totally removed the Spirit from the context of an intimate personal relationship with God.
I believed that the first Christians had a measure of the Spirit that I didn’t have. The major reason I reached this conclusion was because the first Christians performed miracles that we can’t perform today. Somehow I had fixed firmly in my mind that when the age of miracles, signs and wonders was over, the Holy Spirit’s work was completed. The Spirit had given us the word; he had confirmed the word with signs and miracles, now it was solely up to us to obey it without any help from the Spirit.
The Fallacy of this View
There was one major fallacy in my view; it left me powerless to live out the principles found within the inspired text. I was seeking obedience though the power of the flesh rather than seeking to be led by the Spirit of God. Denying the Spirit’s presence within left the Spirit powerless in my struggles. It left my sinful nature in control although outwardly I appeared to be a Christian.
It is obvious that Paul’s fleshly struggle to live according to God’s law was a failure.
Romans 7:21-8:8
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Paul writes, "For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." It is obvious that Paul understands and delights in God’s law intellectually, but the law of sin at work within his fleshly body is waging victory over the law he delights in, and sin is winning.
It was the law of the Spirit of life that set Paul free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-8
8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. NIV
The law of the Spirit of life goes beyond accepting Christ sacrifice as an offering for our sin, as it leads us to have our minds controlled by the powerful presence of the Spirit of God.
Without the presence of the Spirit the study of the word becomes solely a fleshly exercise. It is possible to relegate the work of God’s Spirit to an intellectual exercise. When we relegate the work of the Holy Spirit to the intellectual realm we deny for ourselves the power of God.
John 5:39-40
39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. NIVThe flesh must be put to death by the power of the Spirit of God so that his power can raise us to live a spiritual life.
Romans 8:9-17
9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV
These verses make it clear that spiritual life is the result of the Spirit’s power working within us. Paul writes, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you . . . if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
These verses make it clear that we must put to death the misdeeds of the body through the power of the Holy Spirit as he leads our lives. Baptism is a command (Mark 16:15-16), but baptism is more than fleshly obedience to an external command. Paul tells us, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27).
It is impossible to understand our part in the act of baptism without recognizing the Holy Spirit’s part in our baptism. Paul writes, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink" (1 Corinthian 12:13). The Holy Spirit was baptizing us into Christ. His present made the new birth possible.
Titus 3:3-8
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. NIVRecognizing the Spirit’s presence and power in our conversion is essential for it is through him that we find spiritual renewal.
The word of God is a tool the Spirit uses to direct our lives, but the word of is not the Spirit. Paul writes, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17-18 NIV). The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, but it is not the Spirit. The power of the gospel is realized when the Holy Spirit uses God’s message to us to penetrate our hearts.
1 Corinthians 2:10-15
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: NIVPaul is revealing how he received his message, but in the same breath he is telling us that a person without the Spirit of God cannot understand the message. Paul writes, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Another concept is that the work of the Spirit of God does not operate in our lives separate and apart from the word of God. However, Paul teaches us that this new covenant must be written upon our hearts by the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:1-3
3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. NIVIt is the Holy Spirit that brings God’s word to life in me. It is God’s Spirit that actively brings God’s word to fruition in my life.
Hebrews 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. NIVThe written code alone brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:4-6
4 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. NIVIt was a fleshly mindset that led Corinthian Christians to do irrational things with their spiritual knowledge of Christ.This is what happened in Corinth, but we fail to realize that they were seeking to direct the use of their spiritual knowledge with carnal wisdom, or should we say fleshly minds. Paul states in the outset of his letter to Corinth, "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-4 NIV)
When the flesh motivates us to keep the law of God; it creates jealousy and quarrelling. It leaves us wretched. It is in sharp contrast to how the Spirit seeks to lead us to unity in the bond of peace. The Corinthian’s fleshly use of their knowledge of God left them puffed up one against another.
1 Corinthians 4:18-21
18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit? NIVIs it our knowledge or immaturity that is causing so much trouble in the church today?
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. NIVWhen Christianity is solely based upon fleshly knowledge in the absence of the Spirit’s presence we will lack the spiritual wisdom and discernment to accomplish God’s purpose for our lives.
James 1:5-8
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. NIVThe Holy Spirit’s is a reality in our lives, and he intercedes for us as we face trials and tribulations. He enters our lives to bring God’s word to fruition in our personal walk with God as he leads through wisdom received from God.
Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. NIVHave we totally removed the Spirit from the context of an intimate personal relationship with God? The fellowship of God’s Spirit is a reality for us today.
2 Corinthians 13:14
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.NIVGalatians 4:4-7
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. NIVSome Misconceptions of Christianity
We may map out what the church is through a doctrinal statement, but embracing the doctrinal statement is not the same thing as having a personal relationship with God. We have confused the map with the territory; studying a map of St. Petersburg, Florida, tells you nothing about the experiences of someone who lives in St. Petersburg. We come to think that knowing the map is the same thing as knowing God, or knowing the correct doctrine is the same thing as knowing God.
We may be able to explain our experiences, but the explanation is not the experience. Some think that telling others of their vacation experiences is a way to share their vacation experiences with other, but the explanation of the experience is never equal to the experience . . . truthfully they are usually very boring. Likewise teaching the gospel must go beyond merely relating the story of the experiences of first century Christians. The ability to explain what was transpiring in the first century and what their experiences were is not the same thing as experiencing the truths for ourselves. It is not enough to go back and restore biblical principles that the prophets and apostles taught, those principles must be written upon our heart by the Spirit of God so that we can experience their application to the times in which we live. Then and only then will the Bible’s teaching bring us into a relationship with God.
Dry propositional truth is not relational truth. The Bible is relational truth. Paul writes,
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4 NIV) Paul is speaking of the truths of the Bible as they relate to need for endurance and encouragement in our trials . . . I can’t receive endurance and encouragement from the Scriptures without experiencing them as they are applied my life . . . this is relational truth. This is truth that guides every relationship in every circumstance we find ourselves. It is truth that invades life’s experiences.
When propositional truth becomes the sole basis of our relationship, relationship can only be had as long as we agree on the propositions of the truths we believe. Relationship is then based upon our ability to agree rationally.
I think this explains why there is so much division within the church at the present. Our unity has always been based upon the idea that we must agree on the intellectual propositions of our doctrine. This places untold stress upon us because of our cultural, intellectual and maturity differences among us. An effort to have unity without recognizing our these differing levels either forces us to acquiesce or divide because there is no way we can agree upon every issue. As we do this we deny the Spirit’s desire to lead us in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace regardless of our ability to agree on all our doctrinal propositions. However, when we are unable to agree we must maintain the mind of Christ concerning our relationships with each other.
Fear Quenches the Work of the Spirit
Fear has quenched the work of the Spirit. We may be afraid of anyone who doesn’t confine the work of the Spirit solely to the word of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. NIVIf the Spirit dwells in our inner being to strengthen us, we need never to be afraid of where he will lead us for he will never lead us to do anything contrary to the inspired word he has given us. This is one way to test the spirits that seek to lead you. Just ask yourself, "Is what I am about to do supported in the written Scriptures that the Holy Spirit has given me?" We must also seriously consider whether the Spirit is motivating us to do what is written, or is it the flesh motivating us? Getting a handle on our motives is much more difficult than getting a handle on the Scripture.
We are afraid that the Spirit’s presence will make us irrational. The big debate a few decades ago within the church was how the Holy Spirit operated. I was in college in those days, and it seemed that our greatest fear was that those who believed the Spirit dwelt in them would become totally irrational. However, the Spirit’s presence doesn’t encourage irrationalism. When we become irrational we can rest assured that we are not being led by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s presence in our lives is more real than something better felt than told.
1 Corinthians 14:13-17
13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. NIVWe are afraid that admitting the Spirit’s presence will encourage subjectivity. The primary splits of the restoration movement have been over subjectivity. By subjectivity in Bible study I mean subjecting the Scriptures to our own private interpretation. The person who is led by the Spirit can understand what is plainly written without relying upon his/her own private interpretation.
There is a sure way to tell when we have gone beyond what is written. It is when we are lifted up by pride to war against each other.
1 Corinthian 4:6-7
6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? NIVThe word of God can be to twisted and used in such a way that it becomes merely a written document that kills and stifles, and produces works of the flesh and not the fruit of the Spirit. These inspired writings could be used in a way contrary to the will of God.
When we seek to use the Word separate and apart from the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Word becomes solely a written code.
In 2 Timothy 3 they held to the form of godliness but they denied the power of it. They professed to be Christians, professed the forms of Christianity, but the real dynamism, the real power of it was gone. They were void of the real power of the Spirit to change their lives.
We are afraid that the Spirit’s presence will overwhelm us in such a powerful way that we will no longer have control of our lives. Israel was led by God’s Spirit, but no where in the wilderness were they forced to follow God. The Spirit leads, but does not drag people. The Holy Spirit is subject to the control of the one in whom he dwells.
1 Corinthians 14:29-33
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. NIVGod has subjected his Spirit to my willingness to follow. This leaves me responsible for what I do, and I can rest assured that the Spirit is not present to make me do something against our will.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil. NIVWe have the freedom to put out the Spirit’s fire. Therefore, we need not fear losing control of our lives because the freedom to quench the Spirit is ample proof that we are not going to lose our free will. In fact, we should test the direction for our lives with the Scripture, and we must remember that the Holy Spirit will never lead us to do something contrary to God’s word.
Conclusion:
We must test the direction of our lives. Are we being led by our only fleshly desires as they are incensed by evil spirits, or is it God’s Spirit directing our lives.
1 Timothy 4:1-2
4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. NIV1 John 4:1-3
4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. NIV