Wednesday, June 29, 2011

In the Spirit

The love of God has been poured out within our hearts.

It truly is a marvel that through the preaching and obedience of the gospel message of Jesus God has raised up sons who love Him and whom He loves.

Being in the Spirit who indwells us

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8 the believer in Jesus is in the Spirit. The believer is assured of this fact IF the Spirit of God dwells in the believer. One indication of this dwelling of the Spirit in the believer is that the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given us.

It is the Spirit who raises up sons to indwell us

But when was that moment the Spirit was given to the believer? Paul gives a significant, powerful clue when he refers to Jesus in 1:4.

Who was declared with power to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead,
according to the Spirit of holiness,

What Jesus had previously declared verbally (Matt 22:70) was now declared by the power of the resurrection according to the Spirit of holiness that He is the Son of God.

Similarly, the sonship of every believer is declared at his rebirth. When he is born anew from the watery grave the Spirit declares the believer is a child of God. What is the testimony of the scripture the Spirit of holiness dwells in the heart of the believer? It is that once the believer has been forgiven, cleansed and raised up by the Spirit that the Holy One comes to dwell in that temple of God not made with human hands cleansed and made holy for his dwelling. (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1ff [ff means following verses] Titus 3:1ff)

But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 8:11

Anyone who does not have the Spirit who is given freely does not belong to God. (8:9)
Those who are led by the Spirit who indwells them are children of God. (8:14)
We have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

The scripture testifies of the repentant believer's forgiveness and cleansing of all sin. The same clarity and lack of ambiguity is evident as to when the the Spirit of holiness came to indwell the believer. It is this child of God in whom the Holy Spirit poured the love of God within his heart so that the believer might walk and be led in the Spirit.

Let this be your confidence and your boldness in the Spirit.

No comments:

Post a Comment