I like to make a few remarks of a practical tendency and of deep
interest, on the effects of the presence of the Holy Ghost in the
Christian:
The Spirit of God, as dwelling in us, may be
considered in two aspects: for He unites us to the Lord Jesus, so that
His presence is intimately connected with life, that life which is in
Jesus; John 14:19, 20; Gal. 2:20. “He that is joined unto the Lord is
one Spirit”; and further, His presence is that of God in the soul. The
scripture, speaking of Him in the first of these characters (which is
sometimes linked to the second), says (Rom. 8:2, 9, 10), that the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus frees us from the law of sin; so
that the Spirit is life because of righteousness. It is, however, also
said (v. 9), “if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you”; and then
His in-dwelling and action are blended, since (inasmuch as both are
manifested by the formation of the character of Christ in the soul) “the
Spirit of God” becomes “the Spirit of Christ.”
Now, The
“Christ in you” of verse 10 expresses the idea more clearly, especially
as the apostle adds, “if Christ be in you, the Spirit is life” But in
verse 16 the Holy Ghost is carefully distinguished from the Christian,
for “He beareth witness with our spirit.” In verses 26 and 27 the two
characters of the presence of the Spirit are there remarkably shewn out
in their mutual connections: for “the mind of the Spirit,” known to God,
who searches the heart, is the life of the Spirit in the saint. But, on
the other hand, “the Spirit helpeth our infirmities,” and “maketh
intercession for the saints, according to the will of God.” The reason
of all this is simple. On the one hand, the Spirit is there and acts
with power according to the mind of Christ; on the other hand, and in
consequence of this operation, the affections, thoughts, and works, are
produced, which are those of the Spirit; but yet they are also ours,
because we are partakers of them with Christ, “our life” (Col. 3:2, 3),
for “God hath given us eternal life, and this Hfe is in his Son. He that
hath the Son hath life.”
But the effect of the second aspect
of the presence of the Holy Ghost is yet more important. The Spirit is
the Spirit of God; He is God, and is, therefore, the revelation of the
presence and power of God in the soul—a revelation known through and in a
new nature which is of Him. Consequently, that which is in the nature
and character of God is developed where God dwells, i.e., in the soul of
the saint; not only is it produced in the new man, the creation of God,
but it fills the soul, because God is there, and there is communion
with Him. For instance, the new nature loves, and this love is a proof
that one is “born of God,” and knows God.
But this is not
all; there is, moreover, the in-dwelling of the Holy Ghost—that is to
say, the presence of the God who communicates this new nature to us.
Therefore we read (Rom. 5:5) “the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.” We are loved—we know
it, and have the proof of it in the gift of the precious Saviour, and in
His death for us (v. 6-8). But there is something more; the perfect and
infinite love shed abroad in our hearts (poor vessels as they are), and
the Holy Spirit, who is God, is there (and is free to be there, because
we are purified by the blood of Christ)—He is there to fill these
vessels with that which is divine—the love of God. It is also added (v.
11), that we joy in God. Therefore, looking at the presence of the
Spirit as demonstration of power in the soul, the apostle John affirms
that “hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath
given us,” 1 John 3:24. But, as this might be applied merely to the
varied energy of the Spirit in the soul, it is stated, farther on, that
“love is made perfect in us,” namely, the love of God to us. Here it is
no longer a question of us, of our affections, of our thoughts; but the
soul is filled with the fulness of God, which leaves no room for
anything else; there is no discord in the heart, to spoil the essential
character of divine love. God, complete in Himself, excludes all that is
contrary to Himself; otherwise He would be no longer Himself.
To avoid mysticism (the enemy’s corruption of these truths) the Holy
Ghost adds by the same pen, “herein is love, not that we loved God, but
that he loved us” (1 John 4:10); and the proof of this is based on that
which is above all human thought and knowledge, namely, on the acts of
God Himself in Christ. On the other hand, the presence of the Spirit is
not given him as the proof of God’s dwelling in us, two things which are
identical, but it is written, “hereby know we that we dwell in him, and
he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” This presence of God
in love not only fills our narrow souls, but places us in Him who is
infinite in love. United to Christ by the Holy Ghost, one in life with
Him, and the Spirit acting in us, “we dwell in God, and God in us.”
Therefore it is said that “God has given us of his Spirit”; that is to
say, God, in virtue of His presence and of His power, makes us morally
partakers of His nature and character, by the Holy Ghost in us, whilst
giving us the enjoyment of communion with Himself, and at the same time
introducing us into His fulness.
I would here just point out
the distinctive characters of the epistles of Paul, Peter, and John.
Paul was raised up in an extraordinary manner for the especial purpose
of communicating to the Church the order, method, and sovereignty of the
divine operations; and to reveal the place which the Church holds in
the midst of all this, inasmuch as she is united to Christ, and is the
marvellous object of the counsels of God in grace; as the apostle says
(Eph. 2:7), “that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches
of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus,” or by
His dealings with regard to the Church: the wisdom of God, the
righteousness of His ways, and the counsels of His grace on this
subject, are largely and (as all revelation) perfectly set forth in the
writings of Paul. John takes up another point, that of the communication
of the divine nature, what that nature is, and, consequently, what God
is, whether in His living manifestations in Christ, or in the life which
He communicates to others. Without this community of nature communion
were impossible; for darkness can have no fellowship with light. But, as
we have already seen, the apostle goes still farther: we dwell in God,
and God in us, by the Holy Ghost; and thus, as far as we are capable of
it, we enjoy what God is in Himself, and become the manifestation of Him
(the limit to this manifestation being only in the vessel in which God
has taken up His abode). How great are the varied riches of the goodness
of God! This communion with Him, which raises us as far as possible
towards the fulness of Him who reveals Himself in us, is certainly
something very sweet and precious; but the tenderness of God toward us,
poor pilgrims on the earth, and His faithful love, so needed in our
weakness to carry us onward to the goal, are not less so.
The
testimony of Peter, in his first epistle, treats of that which God is
for the pilgrim, and of what the latter should be for God. The
resurrection of the Messiah has set the pilgrim on his road; and thereon
are presented the faithfulness of God, and the encouragement which His
power gives to our hope by this resurrection of Christ the Son of the
living God, though rejected of men; and lastly, the apostle speaks of
the walk, the worship, and the service which flow from it.
John
presents to us that which is most exalted in communion, or rather in the
nature of communion; consequently, he does not touch on the subject of
the Church, as an object of divine counsels, but of the divine nature.
Paul treats of that which is perfect, not in respect of communion, but
of counsel. In his writings God is glorified more especially as the
object of faith, though he speaks of communion too (Romans 5:5). Where,
in the same chapter (v. 11), he speaks of God as the one in whom the
Christian is to glory, he places Him before and not as in us—as the
object for faith to lay hold of and not as dwelling in the heart.
This divine and infinite blessing—this love perfected in us,
communicated by the presence of the Holy Ghost, and realized by our
dwelling in God and He in us—has led some to think that, when this point
is attained, the flesh can exist in us no longer j but this is to
confound the vessel with the treasure placed in it, and of which it has
the enjoyment. We are in the body which still awaits its redemption:
only God can dwell in it, because of the sprinkling of the blood by
faith. This sprinkling does not correct the flesh, but only renders
testimony both to the perfection of the expected redemption and to the
love to which we owe it.
When in real enjoyment of God, we may
for a moment lose sight of the existence of the flesh, because then the
soul (which is finite) is filled with that which is infinite. But even
in these moments of blessedness one cannot doubt but that the flesh is
an obstacle to the larger and more intelligent action of love. Paul,
caught up into the third heaven (a privilege which the flesh would have
used to puff him up with, and which made a thorn needful), is a proof
to us that grace does not change the flesh. Alas! even the joy of which
we are speaking, without watchful dependence upon Christ, gives
dangerous occasions of action to the flesh, because there is so much
littleness in us, that, forgetting who gives the joy, we lean on the
feeling of the joy, instead of dwelling in Christ, the Fountain-head of
it. Nevertheless, it is certain that the love of God, made perfect in
us, is a reality, and the Christian is called to know God, and to enjoy
Him as dwelling in Him.
I have but one more remark to make:
When we are full of the love of God, we enjoy it with a power that
hinders our seeing anything, especially the objects of the goodness of
God, save with the eye of divine love. But where there is a real
knowledge of the existence and nature of this love of God, the walk will
also be characterized by faith in that love, even though the heart may
not realize the whole power of it; and, thus, we shall dwell in God and
He in us. But since this fulness of joy can only be realized by the
action of the Spirit, it is easy to understand that, if grieved, He will
become a Spirit of reproof, judging the ingratitude with which such
love, as the love of God is requited, instead of filling the heart with
that love; though it is impossible for Him to cast a doubt upon it. It
is evident that the love made perfect in us is the work of God; and this
it is which forms the joy—the whole of the state. That which the Holy
Ghost sheds abroad in our hearts is the love of God; and this love,
powerful in our hearts, cannot but shew itself externally.
That which I have said does not, properly speaking, belong to the
operations of the Holy Spirit, but the subject is of the greatest
importance. And this importance, which is that of the fruits and grand
results of the presence of the Holy Ghost (for by it the love of God and
of Christ is glorified, as far as it is possible here below), seemed to
render a few remarks upon this subject desirable.
May God
bless them to the reader! May it please Him to realize in us the things
of which I speak on the subject of revelation, and may He so bless as
that the truth may have its full weight on the soul; so that we may
know, with all the beloved Church of Christ, what it is to have the Holy
Ghost dwelling in us according to the power of the love of God!
Blessings to All, and Shalom...
1 comment:
This is very good,I am going to also read it again with my Bible time today, when I have more time to really read it. I like to print them out and keep them in my Bible bag then when I have time in my Bible during the day and evening time too, then I get it out,lay it upon my lap and read it. Thanks John. :-)Sincerely, Susan Holton
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