GOD- THE HOLY SPIRIT  LESSON 4 SEPTEMBER 23, 2000

These lessons are from the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Toronto

 INTRODUCTION

The Holy Spirit is probably the most mysterious person of the Godhead, and in the Old Testament Scriptures has often been confused with God the Father.  In the New Testament he has played a most critical role in the life of Jesus, the Apostles and the members of the Church of Christ.

 Because the Holy Spirit does his work in both the period covered by the Old and New Testament Scriptures, apparently enjoying the absence of the glare of the spotlight, people seemed to become easily enamored with the tremendously powerful, mysterious, yet invisible force he exerts on both man and nature.  They often developed all kinds of heretical notions above the Spirit, claiming for themselves special relationships with the Spirit, because they so love the idea of possessing the mysterious power that the Holy Spirit brings with him.

It should be made clear however that when we speak about the Holy Spirit, we are dealing with God, and caution should be emphasized.  Instead of claiming the Holy Spirit in so casual a fashion, it would be much better for people to focus on Christ, for it is really Christ who is our Savior, and through whom we have access to God.

There are several reasons why people have difficulty in understanding the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

Firstly, there is less explicit revelation about the Holy Spirit than about the Father and the Son.  There is hardly any systematic discussion about the Spirit in Scriptures, with the exception of John chapters 14-16.  The Holy Spirit is generally mentioned only when other issues are being considered.

For example, in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit’s work is almost always connected with the work of the Father, so it appears to some that the Spirit does not have his own identity.  The pattern is the same in the New Testament, where The Holy Spirit’s coming is announced with the aim of declaring and glorifying the Son. (John 16: 14)  

Secondly, when we speak of the Holy Spirit, there is no concrete image that our minds can grab hold of.  When we speak about God the Father, the figure of a father seems clear, since we all have fathers.  When we speak of Jesus the Son, or minds bring up the picture of a son, since we know a lot about sons.  But when we speak of a “Spirit”, the whole matter becomes a little more cloudy.  The Bible’s translation as the “Holy Ghost”, with the emphasis on “Ghost” sends our imagination wild.  This partly accounts for some of the nonsense we hear when people speak about the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, the Scriptures often describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit as serving the Father and the Son.  He comes and does their will.

But note that the will of the Father and the will of the Son is also the will of the Holy Spirit, for all members of the Godhead are of the same essence, nature, mind, inclination, goal, attitude, way of thought, and will.  There is absolutely not even the slightest difference of opinion in the Godhead.  Their ways are not our ways.  Because of the service of the Holy Spirit some think this involves subordination and hence inferiority for the Spirit.

Let us remember that there is the same essence in the Father, the Son, and in the Holy Spirit.  We cannot equate Jesus’ subordination with the way the Spirit does this ministry of service.  Jesus’ subordination was necessary since he had to become a man, and he had to die. The role of the Spirit was completely different from Jesus’ role.

Some also have the strange idea that because we speak of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with the Spirit mentioned last, we imply that there is a descending order of importance and status.  This idea is of course heresy.

Fourthly, the Church has been at fault for it’s reticence in discussing the Spirit. For centuries, leaders and teachers have been afraid to discuss the great role of the Spirit in teaching and equipping believers for ministry, because this would empower the believer, and reduce the amount of control that leaders had over the people.

It was often felt that too much discussion about the Holy Spirit would lead to controversy and that it was much easier to speak about specific doctrines, rather than  telling people that there was a Holy Spirit and  he was the Supreme Teacher and Guide since this would  likely have a lot of people thinking that they were right in their pronouncements because they had the Holy Spirit.

THE NATURE AND DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The first thing that we notice in Scriptures is that references to the Holy Spirit speak of him as God.

In Exodus chapter 17: 2-7 Moses accused the people of tempting the Lord, and so he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah.  In Hebrews 3: 7-9 “the Lord” is identified as the Holy Ghost

“ Even as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation....  wherewith your fathers tempted me by proving me”.

In Isaiah 6: 8-10 the prophet writes

“I heard the voice of the Lord saying,..  Go, and tell this people: Hear ye indeed, but understand that”

In Acts 28: 25-27 Paul tells us that the voice that spake belonged to the Holy Ghost.         ”Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet onto your fathers, saying: Go thou unto this people, and say....”

In Jeremiah 31: 31-34 we read the Lord saying

“This is 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...”

Hebrews 10: 15-17 says that this was the Holy Ghost speaking. 

“And the Holy Ghost also beareth witness to us: for after he hath said, This is the covenant that I will make with them...”

Note that when Jesus told his disciples that it was good for them that he leave them, the promised another Comforter, using a word which meant someone just like himself.

In 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17 Paul told the brethren that they are the Temple of God.  In 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 he told them that their bodies was the Temple of the Holy Ghost which indwelt them.  It is clear that to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit is to be indwelt by God.  The phrase “God's Temple” was made equal to the phrase “the Temple of the Holy Spirit”.

In Acts 5 the Apostle Peter told Ananias that he had not lied to men but to God, because he had lied to the Holy Spirit.

Several references to the Holy Spirit are used in the Scriptures as interchangeable with references to God.

We also note that the Spirit has the attributes of God.

Firstly, the Holy Spirit omniscient.  See 1 Corinthians 2: 10-11.
Secondly, this Spirit is omnipresent.  See Psalms 139: 7.
Thirdly, the Spirit is omnipotent.  See Zechariah 4: 6
Fourthly, in 1 John 5: 6 the Spirit is called Truth, the same description of Jesus.
Fifthly, is greatness is unsearchable.  See Isaiah 40: 13
Sixth, the Spirit is eternal.  See Hebrew 9: 14.

Seventh, the Spirit has power.  In Luke 1: 35 the term “Holy Spirit” is used as synonymous with the term “Power of the Most High”.  Note that the virgin conception of Jesus is a miracle of the first magnitude, and logically is way beyond the power of any created being.  The power of the Spirit is such that he is the One who changes human heart and personalities.  See John 16: 8-11.  

Several passages such as Matthew 3: 13-17, Mark 1: 9-11, Luke 3: 21, 22 and Luke 4: 16-21 teach us that it was the Holy Spirit that endowed Jesus with power as Messiah. Roman 8: 11- stated that the Spirit even raised Christ from the dead.

Of course, the Spirit is often associated with the Father and Son in equality, as in the Matthew 28: 19. In Paul's benediction of 2 Corinthians 13: 14 the three are again listed.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON

It is most important to note that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or influence.  He is a person and displays this.  The Holy Spirit acts as a person.

He dwells in believers.                                 See John 14:17.  
He teaches.  He brings things to remembrance.  John 14: 26.
He testifies.                                                          John 15:26.  
He convicts of sin.                                                John 16: 8.
He guides into all truth; he hears, he speaks, he shows.  See John 16: 13.
He inspires Scripture and speaks through it.  Acts 1: 16; 2 Peter 1: 21.
He spoke to Philip.                           Acts 8: 29.
He calls to the ministry.                   Acts 13:2.
He sends forth his servants.             Acts 13: 4.
He forbids certain actions.               Acts 16: 6,7.
He intercedes.                                   Romans 8: 26.    

The Holy Spirit has all the essential attributes that we know are common to personalities.

      1.    He has a will.  See first Corinthians 12: 11 where it is said he gives gifts as He wills
2.      He has thought.  Romans 8: 27 says God knows what is the mind of the Spirit. 
3.       He has knowledge. 1 Corinthians 2: 10, 11 says the Spirit knows and searches the things of God.
4.      He has language and he speaks and teaches. 1 Corinthians 2: 13
5.      He loves.  Paul always pleads with the brethren to have the love of the Spirit.
6.      He has goodness.  Nehemiah 9: 20.

In fact, the Spirit is often treated as a person.  Men can:

1.      Lie to him as in Acts 5: 3
2.      Tempt him as in Acts 5: 9
3.      Resist him as in Acts 7: 51
4.      Grieve him as in Ephesians 4: 30
5.      Outrage him as in Hebrews 10: 29
6.      Blaspheme him as in Matthew 12: 31
7.      Call on him as in Ezekiel 37: 9

Throughout all this, when speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus always uses the masculine, and not the neuter pronoun, thus emphasizing that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a thing.

NAMES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is called by many names and these names reveal his personality, his divinity, and his qualities.  He is called:

1.      My Spirit (Genesis 6: 3)
2.      The Spirit of God (2 Chronicles 15: 1)
3.      The Spirit of the Lord  (Isaiah 11: 2)
4.      The breath of the Almighty (Job 32: 8)
5.       The Spirit of the Lord God  (Isaiah 61: 1)
6.       The Spirit of your Father   (Matthew 10: 20)
7.      The Spirit of Jesus        (Acts 16: 7)
8.      The Spirit of Christ   (Romans 8: 9)
9.      The Spirit of His Son   (Galatians 4: 6)

He is also called the Spirit:

a.       Of holiness (Psa. 51: 11; Romans 1: 4)
b.      Of wisdom  (Isaiah 11: 2 )
c.       Of counsel   (Isaiah 11: 2)
d.      Of understanding  (Isaiah 11: 2)
e.       Of supplications  (Zechariah 12: 10)
f.        Of worship   (John 4: 23)
g.       Of truth     (John 14: 17)
h.       Of comfort  (John 14: 26- the comforter)
i.         Of life     (Romans 8: 2)
j.        Of adoption   (Romans 8: 15) 
k.      Of faith   (2 Cor. 4: 13)
l.         Of love    (2 Timothy 1: 7)
m.     Of might   (2 Timothy 1: 7)
n.       Of sound judgment  (2 Timothy 1: 7)
o.      Of revelation   (Ephesians 1: 17)
p.      Of power   (Ephesians 3: 20; Romans 15: 13)
q.      Of eternity-the the eternal Spirit  (Hebrews 9: 14)
r.        Of grace  (Hebrews 10: 29)
s.       Of glory   (1 Peter 4: 14)

Let us be  reminded that there is the greatest unity imaginable between the three divine persons in the Godhead.  God is one, and it is impossible to receive one of the three persons in the Godhead without the other two.

We should therefore give the same honor and respect to the Holy Spirit as we do to the Father and the Son.  The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and the Son, and he does what  the three of them have planned together.  They each play particular parts in the work of redemption and creation, and all three are glorious and deserving of worship. 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE  HOLY SPIRIT

The early Church, as far as we know, did not discuss the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in any great detail.  The few documents that survive emphasized the fact that the Holy Spirit inspired and produce the Bible. Those writing after the Apostles, believed that the Apostles were inspired just as the prophets of old had been inspired by the Holy Spirit.  It seems clear though that the Spirit had a prominent place in the faith and worship of the Church.  References are normally made to the writings of Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, the Epistle of Barnabas, Didache or the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles”, or the Shepherd of Hermas.

The number of writings are scanty, and show no effort to create a formal theology of the Spirit, but also no obvious heresy.  They recognized that The Spirit was present in the body of Christ, and that the Spirit should lead when living the Christian life.

There were some arguments asked whether the writers were in a state of ecstasy when they wrote, whether they were seized literally by the Spirit, whether they were simply passive instruments, or whether the Spirit simply stimulated their recollections of the writers and preserved these recollections from error.

By the second century, there appeared more controversy over the nature of the Spirit.  Some emphasized the divinity of the Spirit, with some support, while some held that the Spirit was of a lower status, than the Son or the Father.

Some Christians tried to express their Christian faith in ways that the Greek mind would accept.  Others tried to reconcile the facts of the Christian faith to the speculations of the gnostic sects of Greek or Oriental origin.

In the second century, and even subsequently, the Church was extremely lax in its teaching on morals.  In the middle of this century a movement arose called Montanism in an obscure Mysian village in Phrygia.  The leader named Montanus and his two assistants called Priscilla and Maximilla, emphasized prophetic gifts which they believed would continue onto the Second Coming of Jesus.

Most of the writings about Montanism came from hostile sources, but Tertullian, a famous North African Christian intellect became a convert.

Montanus was said to find himself possessed in a state of ecstatic frenzy, where he raved and uttered strange sounds.  He and his assistants, who were called prophetesses, gave many sensational prophecies and claims.  They preached asceticism, and called for a more spiritual type of Church life that could be found in the official churches.  They relied heavily on the writings of John, and this led many of their enemies to reject the writings of John.

Most churches refused to accept their claims to new prophecy.  But despite their excesses, it is clear that they brought a new emphasis on the continued presence of the Comforter.  The suffering churches, especially in Europe, and their martyrs were happy for the doctrine which inspired courage in their hour of danger.

One writer comments

“.... the emphasis which he laid upon the work of the Paraclete in the living Church deserves the warm gratitude of all who recognize that neither an orthodox creed nor an unbroken succession can satisfy without the stirring of a supernatural life.  And in the fact that Montanism helped to keep this consciousness alive lies the debt which the Church owns to this, as to many another obscure and ignorant sect which, its message delivered, has passed away, sometimes to be forgotten by posterity, sometimes as in the case of Montanism, to be remembered for its follies rather than  for the permanent service it has rendered to the faith.

No doubt the reaction  against Montanism threatened the Church with worse evils than the neglect  of prophecy, and there were those of the anti-Montanist side who were ready to abandon all spiritual gifts. But on the whole the movement which the sect created was beneficial, especially perhaps in the west, where tradition and convention were apt to exercise too great a control.”

It must be said that though in the fourth and 5th centuries a fuller doctrinal understanding of the Holy Spirit was arrived at, there was little attempt to carry this understanding into the worship of the Church or into the devotional practice of the people.  In the medieval.period there was little emphasis on the Holy Spirit and little interest in the Christian life led by the Spirit.

Most developments since the Reformation resulted in the Church de-emphasizing the work of the Spirit.  It was only in the wing of the Church that stressed conversion, and a definite decision to accept Christ, as well as an immediate experience of change in one's feeling and life, that any significant role was given to the Spirit.  We must conclude that there is still relatively little of the Holy Spirit’s influence in the emotional life of the Church.

THE SYMBOLS OF THE SPIRIT

Several symbols for the Holy Spirit are used in the Scriptures.

First, is that of the wind (an invisible, mysterious, powerful force) or breath (air on a smaller scale) – Genesis 2:7; 8:1; Job 32:8; and 33:4; Ezekiel 37:9; John 3:8.

The word used stresses awesome power and vitality, which demonstrates divine energy.  The stresses are on the impetuous, invisible yet unexpected action of the Spirit. This is sovereign, infinitely above man. See also Ezekiel 8:3, 11:1,5; Acts 8:39-40.

The Dove is another symbol of the Spirit.  See Luke 3:22.  This reminds us the Spirit is gentle, tender, and stresses purity.  The Spirit is not only possessed of irresistible power, but is the Spirit of love, Grace, consolation, innocence and comfort.

Oil is yet another symbol of the Spirit.  References to this are found in Luke 4:18, Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 1 John 2:20.

Many allusions to oil can be found in the Old Testament, for oil was used in the preparation of the priests, the prophets, and the King for service.  The Spirit therefore is considered to apply the necessary preparation for every ministry.

Oil also lighted the Temple, which was the place for worshipping God. The Spirit is considered to give us truth, give our eyes light to see and to purify and make us understand the truth from Heaven.  The Leviticus 14: 17, 8:30 and Romans 8:2-3.

The other symbol if that of Fire. Acts 2:3-4, Matthew 3:11-12, and Luke 3:16-17 seem to refer to a purifying action of the Spirit, as he judges and consumes, regenerates and sanctifies.

Another symbol is that of the Living Waters. See John 7:38-39; 4:14, and Isaiah 44:3.

The spirit refreshes the heart and quenches the thirst, causing life to appear.

Another symbol is the Seal. Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, and 2 Corinthians 1:22 refers to this.  This seal is a token that a transaction has been completed.(See Jeremiah 32:9-10 for an example)

For the Spirit is a divine stamp on us, marking us as God’s property.  This gives us the assurance that are saved and chosen for the day of glory.

The earnest is another symbol of the Spirit.  See Ephesians 1: 13-14 and 2 Corinthians 1: 21-22.  Here there's a picture that the Spirit is given us as a gift and as a solemn guarantee.  This is the first installment of one's salvation. 

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Holy Spirit operated as a powerful instrument in the Old Testament.  There are several areas in which the Spirit operated.

First, was in the creation.  The working of God at creation was attributed to the Holy Spirit.  Genesis 1: 2 spoke of the Spirit moving over the new creation like a mother hen broods over her nest in a protective way.  The Holy Spirit appears to have been working  on the creation in a constructive and creative fashion.  Job 26: 13 affirms this role of the Spirit.  Also in the book of Isaiah 32: 15 the prophet speaks of the time when the Spirit will work, and this will bring about a time of great productivity and fruitfulness.  Psalm 33: 6, 104: 13, and 139: 7 all associate the Spirit with the work of creation.

Second, is the area of prophecy and Scripture.  All prophetic utterances were treated to the Holy Spirit.  The prophets stated that it was the Spirit that came on the and calls them to speak and to write.  The Ezekiel 2: 2, 3: 1-for, 22-24, and 11: 1, 24.  The Spirit even controlled strange characters such as Baalam.  See Numbers 24: 2 and subsequent references.  The Spirit even came on Saul after he was anointed King, and he prophesied.  We are also told that the Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David.  See Acts 1: 16 and 4: 25.

The role of the Holy Spirit as the one who inspired prophecy is found also in Proverb 1: 23, Isaiah 59: 21, Nehemiah 9: 20, 30; Zechariah 7: 12, Isaiah 63:11.

Of course, in the New Testament 2 Timothy 3: 16 and 2 Peter 1: 21 affirms that the Scriptures were “God breathed”, and that the Scriptures were inspired by God.

Third, the Spirit gave special gifts for various jobs.  Exodus 28: 3; 31: 3: and 35: 31 attributes the artistic skills and craftsmanship of certain men who were building the Tabernacle.

Even the gift of administration was given by the Spirit, for he took some of this ability from Moses and gave it to 70 Elders.  See Numbers 11: 25.

Fourth, the Spirit inspired and gave special powers, courage, strength, and abilities to rulers who were called to save the people of God.  Instances are found in many places, especially in the book of Judges. 

In Judges 3: 10 we read that the Spirit of God came upon Othniel.  In Judges 6: 34 Gideon became powerful because of the Spirit.  Judges 14: 19 and other verses say the same thing in the case of Samson.

The Spirit came mightily on David when he was anointed and stayed with him. (1 Samuel  16: 13. The Spirit also came on King Saul. (1 Samuel 10: 10) Nehemiah 9: 20 speaks of the Spirit instructing them.

Isaiah 11: 2-5 stated that the Spirit would produce the fear of the Lord, righteousness, and judgment in the Messiah.  In Isaiah 32: 15 we are told that justice, righteousness, and peace would overflow when the Spirit was poured out.  In Ezekiel 36: 26-28 we read that when God gave his Spirit men would have a new heart and would always be obedient to him.  Note that the Spirit produces moral and spiritual qualities of holiness and goodness in any person whom he indwells.

THE SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Holy Spirit was responsible for the kind of man that John the Baptist was, and everyone recognized that he was a prophet.  Luke 1:15 revealed that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. He spoke of the fact that the Spirit to would soon be poured out, and that the Messiah would soon come.

In the life of Jesus we see an even more powerful and continuous work of the Holy Spirit.  In Luke 1: 35 and in Matthew 1: 18,20, it is revealed that the Holy Spirit was responsible for the transfer of Jesus into the womb of Mary.

The Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, came on Jesus at the time of his baptism. (Matthew 3: 16; Mark 1: 10; Luke 3: 22; John 1: 32)

The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus, and gave him empowerment for ministry, then immediately drove him into the wilderness to be tempted.

Jesus’ ministry was carried out with the power of the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of Isaiah 61: 1-2.  See Luke 4: 14-21.  In Matthew 12:25-28 Jesus acknowledged that his work was done in the power of the Spirit, and warned that anyone who spoke against the Holy Spirit would not be forgiven. (verses 31-32) Clearly Jesus was saying that the Holy Spirit was responsible for his miracles.

THE SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN

The Holy Spirit was promised by the Scriptures to usher in the New Covenant.  In Joel 2: 28-29, Isaiah 44: 3, and Ezekiel 39: 29 the Spirit was to be poured out on all flesh, and the House of Israel would be blessed.

Isaiah 59: 21 stated that the Spirit when given would remain forever.

The Spirit would live in the hearts of man to renew and sanctify it.  See Ezekiel 36: 26, 27; 37: 14; 1 Corinthians 7: 16; Jeremiah 31: 33; 2 Corinthians 7: 3.

The Spirit would rest on the Messiah, the Mediator of the New Covenant.  See 2 Corinthians 3: 6; Isaiah 11: 2; 42: 1; and 61: 1.

Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would turn men to God, and bring them into the Christian life.  He was responsible for the new birth, and one could not belong to Christ without being someone with the Spirit.  Without the Spirit there could be no life.  The Spirit made the believer qualitatively different from who he was before he had faith in Christ.  He now had a personal relationship with God, and was reconciled to God.

After the Spirit initiates the believer into the Body of Christ we can list several things that He does.

First, the spirit regenerates the believer.  See John 3: 3-7, and Titus 3: 5-6.
Second, the Spirit baptized him. See 1 Corinthians 12:13, Colossians 2: 12, Galatians 3: 26-27.
Third, the believer receives the Spirit.  See 1 John 4: 15, Colossians 2:12.Fourth, the Spirit adopts the believer.
Fifth, the Spirit sets his seal upon him.  Ephesians 1: 13-14; 4: 30.
Sixth, the Spirit gives the believer the earnest of eternal salvation. 2 Corinthians 1:21,22.
Seventh, the Spirit dwells within him.  See John 14: 16-17. 2 Timothy 1: 14.
Eighth, the Spirit anoints the believer for service.  See John 14:12; Acts 1:4-8.
Ninth, the Spirit teaches the believer and bears witness to Jesus.  See John 14: 26; 15:6; 16: 13-14. 
Tenth, the Spirit intercedes for believers.  See Romans 8:27-28.
Eleventh, the Spirit sanctifies and continues to transform believers morally and spiritually.  See Romans 8: 1-17, and Galatians 5: 6-23.  Note the qualities that the Spirit produces as listed in verse 22, namely, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  These are qualities in opposition to the flesh, and must be developing or developed in each believer.  If this positive likeness to Christ is not there, then the person is not a Christian.

Twelfth, the Holy Spirit gives gifts.  See Romans 12: 6-8; 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11; Ephesians 4: 11; 1 Peter 4: 11.  Note that these gives are not all doing, but must be used in the fulfillment of the plan of God.  Everybody has a gift, but no one gift is for everybody.  The Spirit is wisdom and gives his gifts wisely and as he wills.  Believers should not be proud of their particular gift, and no one should regret not having a particular gift.

The Holy Spirit will guide each one of us into his will for us.  We must rely on him totally, and be dependent on him.  He will transform us into the image of Christ, and remove the old life from us, and keep us in the Body of Christ in which she placed us.  God has adopted us, and the Spirit has sealed us.  Roman 8:15-16 states 

“For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit himself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God”.

THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

We note first that the Holy Spirit is responsible for the work of conviction. (John 16:8,9) and Romans 2:4-15. A man stands condemned before God if he is in a state of sin, and had refused to believe in the Savior and accept his pardon. (John 3:8) Unbelief is the most serious sin that a man can commit.

Next it must be remembered that the Spirit brings conviction about righteousness.  That is, the Spirit not only shows man his state of perdition, but reveals to him that Jesus Christ's righteousness can save him.

The Holy Spirit also brings conviction of judgment to all men.  See Romans 3:19.

We have an example of the kind of attitude that leads to destruction. In light of the fact that salvation is only possible through the acceptance of the Son of Man, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, it should become apparent that this turning away is a serious matter.

In Mark 3: 28-13, Matthew 12, and in Luke 12 we have the cases of Jews who elected not to believe, and were rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit, constantly arguing and denying evidence before them.  See John 12: 37-14.

Hebrews 10: 26-31 also spoke of men who had received truth and then outraged the Spirit of grace.

The sins consisted not only in blasphemy against Jesus, “but a voluntary and decisive refusal to allow the work of salvation which the Spirit desired to work in us”.

There are certain consequences to this type of behavior.

First, God abandoned this kind of person to himself.  In Matthew 12: 38,39 and 13: 10 it is noted that Jesus began to speak in parables had refused to do miracles before them.  God had stopped revealing himself to his enemies and they lost what little spiritual life they had.

In the case of Jeremiah and Israel God so abandoned them that the prophet was told not to bother to pray for the people.  Read the sad story in Jeremiah 5: 3; 8: 5; 6: 16, 17;       7: 13,15,29; 9: 6.)

Second, that man's heart is hardened.  See Matthew 13: 14, 15; Hebrews 3: 7, 8: John 12: 40.  We have the example of Pharaoh.  He hardened his heart 6 times and refused to obey. (Exodus 7:13,22; 8: 11, 15, 28; 9: 7. After that, God hardened his heart. (Exodus 9:12; 10: 1, 20, 27; 14: 8)

Third, it then becomes impossible for the man to repent. (Hebrews 6:6; Matthew 13:15) This person cannot see, cannot understand, and therefore cannot be converted.

We have examples in Esau and in Judas. (Hebrews 12:17; Genesis 27:38-41; Matthew 27:3-5).

Fourth, belief becomes impossible. John 5:44 and 12:39,40. Remember that a man cannot believe without the help of God.

Fifth, for such a person pardon can no longer be secured. Mark 3:29; Matthew 12:32; Luke 12:10; Hebrews 10:26,26.

Anyone who refuses to repent and to accept the Savior, and who attributes the work of the Spirit to Satan, who in his mind and with his mouth contends that the Spirit is evil rather than good, has removed himself from the possibility of salvation, for he has rejected and disgraced the only one who can help him. The Spirit is the only one who can give life to man.

The true child of God, despite this stumbling, weakness and backsliding would always returned to God, and should have no fear about sinning against the Spirit.  Let us remember Paul's advice recorded as Titus 3:5-6 and hold tightly onto them-

“Not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he poured out upon us richly through Christ Jesus, us Savior”.

Let us follow this bit of advice

“If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk”.