Benefit #5 and #6 - God's Love and the Holy Spirit
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)
A fifth benefit of salvation is the fact that God pours out a special kind of love to us. Of course, God loves all of mankind; after all, he created them and gave his only Son to die for mankind. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, a special transaction takes place. God comes and lives inside of us. How is this possible? In John 16 Jives gives a long explanation of the Holy Spirit's work, the sixth benefit.
He states "when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you." Furthermore, Jesus states in Acts that "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;"
Thus, the Holy Spirit, God Himself, comes and resides inside each believer. This is a special privilege that not every one had. Some Old Testament saints were said to have the Spirit at times, but we can be confident that we have Him at all times. One who is not a believer does not have the Spirit, who guides believers in this life. This is hard for non-believers to understand because it is only through God's love and the Holy Spirit's indwelling that brings light to this truth. The Scriptures say that the Gospel itself is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Keep this in mind when you are witnessing. It is not by your power that people come to a saving knowledge of Christ, it is only through the Spirit's illumination so that we will not be prideful.
However, rejoice if you are saved because you receive God's love in the form of the Holy Spirit to ensure that you will have eternal life.
A fifth benefit of salvation is the fact that God pours out a special kind of love to us. Of course, God loves all of mankind; after all, he created them and gave his only Son to die for mankind. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, a special transaction takes place. God comes and lives inside of us. How is this possible? In John 16 Jives gives a long explanation of the Holy Spirit's work, the sixth benefit.
He states "when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you." Furthermore, Jesus states in Acts that "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;"
Thus, the Holy Spirit, God Himself, comes and resides inside each believer. This is a special privilege that not every one had. Some Old Testament saints were said to have the Spirit at times, but we can be confident that we have Him at all times. One who is not a believer does not have the Spirit, who guides believers in this life. This is hard for non-believers to understand because it is only through God's love and the Holy Spirit's indwelling that brings light to this truth. The Scriptures say that the Gospel itself is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Keep this in mind when you are witnessing. It is not by your power that people come to a saving knowledge of Christ, it is only through the Spirit's illumination so that we will not be prideful.
However, rejoice if you are saved because you receive God's love in the form of the Holy Spirit to ensure that you will have eternal life.
posted by Charlie Wallace at
3:32 PM
1 Comments:
Incredible to think that the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
God Bless
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