Posted on 09/01/2024 3:53:28 AM PDT by metmom
“The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us” (1 John 3:24).
Because the Holy Spirit affects every area of the Christian life, it is vital that we have a balanced and correct view of His role.
The church’s understanding of the Spirit’s Person and ministry has been seriously distorted over the past few decades. Charismatics have given an undue emphasis to certain pentecostal gifts so that subjective experience is often elevated over objective scriptural truth.
At the same time, many non-charismatics have overreacted to charismatic excesses by almost ignoring the Holy Spirit. For most, an in-depth study of the Spirit does not fit with the pragmatic, psychological approach to solving spiritual problems.
But we can’t afford to go to either extreme; otherwise we’ll miss out on what it really means to know the Spirit and to minister by His power. He is indispensable in saving us, enabling us to obey Jesus Christ, and ultimately perfecting us in glory. Paul urged the Galatian believers not to abandon the Holy Spirit but to lean completely on Him. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3).
Too many Christians are wasting time looking to seminars, gimmicks, counselors, and novel interpretations of old truths to uncover “the secret” to the abundant Christian life. But the key to such living is not a mystery or a secret. The sufficiency of the Holy Spirit’s ministry, as revealed through the pages of God’s fully reliable Word, is all the information and resources we’ll ever need to live fruitful and prosperous spiritual lives.
In today’s verse, the apostle John is speaking of Christ’s indwelling presence in the believer’s life, which the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Therefore the Spirit is working with the Lord Jesus in encouraging you, guiding you, enlightening you, and empowering you for every good work (see John 14:1620; 16:13). By understanding the Spirit’s role and allowing Him to work in you daily, you’ll begin to see your life becoming more like Christ each day.
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray that God would grant you and everyone in your church a proper and balanced understanding of the Spirit’s role.
For Further Study
Jesus is portrayed as the Good Shepherd in John 10. Read that chapter, and list the major characteristics He has as our Shepherd.
From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.
Studying God’s Word ping.
You started out so well! “Keep the commandments.” That’s the Torah. If you’re not keeping it, you’re not abiding in him. Repent!
This is one facet of the dynamic which Jesus addressed when He charged, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?"
God I need some. I am so angry right now. Seeing the state of the world has ticked me off something awful. I know I am going to hell for my sins but maybe I get a room with a view.
Jesus paid for your sins so you don’t have to.
Just ask Him to apply it to your account and forgive you.
That said, righteous anger is not wrong. We SHOULD be angry at wrong doing and injustice. What I see in the news these days angers me as well and it’s hard to know what a right response to these events is at times.
There’s not a one of us that doesn’t deal with anger the right way all the time, but God understands and if we go to Him about it we find mercy and grace in time of trouble.
Even Jesus got angry.
It’s mentioned in the Gospels.
So anger in and of itself is not a sin. It’s our response that we trip up on.
“God I need some. I am so angry right now. Seeing the state of the world has ticked me off something awful.”
Our church just did a series on Noah, and how he hated people of Ninevah and didn’t want to warn them of God’s wrath. The main thing that I got out of it for myself is that we are fighting against the things not of this world - and not so much the people that Satan has deceived. (Putting on the armor of God, etc.).
I try to remember that when I read of so much of the crap these evil people want to do to me, my family, and society.
The Greatest Commandment is;
.
Love your Brother as Yourself!
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Jonah.
Thanks! While doing the sermon notes with my wife I kept saying the wrong name too! I figured it is because the names are similar - and perhaps both have to do with water!?
Hmm. I just did a search and found many articles that talk about how the two books have related themes.
“There is a remarkable correspondence between the biblical story of Noah and the Book of Jonah. The clue lies in the name Jonah, meaning dove in Hebrew. The dove, of course, is the bird that Noah sends out of the ark to discover whether the flood waters have dried out. But the connections between the two tales are far greater than just this....”
That’s a cool connection! :-)
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