Brothers : The Holy Spirit and Jesus
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Spirit Work in Us
The Holy Spirit Work in the Christian
The Holy One leads, is at work in and directs as well as upholds the man and woman of God. "Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." 1 "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."2 God the Father sends the Spirit, in the name of Jesus, to give a teaching and counseling ministry to the followers of Jesus. He is called the Counselor. Again John writes "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me."3 He is called the Spirit of truth by Jesus who called himself in his ministry, "the truth."4 He bears witness to Jesus and this is a sure sign that the he is at work if the gospel is being preached as a result of the Spirit's outpouring.
Lying to the Holy Spirit
"Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land.'"5 The Holy Spirit would seem to be that part of the godhead which deals with man's work on earth, even his sin and lies. Ananias is accused of lying to the Holy Spirit. The Holy One is the channel through which Christ cleanses away sin by his blood. "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God."6 Matthew Henry wrote, "It is sufficient to enable us to serve the living God by sanctifying and renewing the soul through the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit."
Work of the Spirit
When the Holy Spirit is at work, then confession is made that Jesus has come in the flesh. In the first epistle of John the readers are advised, "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. 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, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Anti-Christ, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."7 The Holy Spirit points to Christ and not to himself.
Notes
1Psalm 139.10 2John 14.26 3John 15.26 4c.f. John 16.13 5c.f. John 16.13 6Hebrews 9.14 71 John 4.1-3
Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits
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