|
 |
|
| THE PERSON and Being of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is clearly taught in Scripture, and this teaching is re-iterated in most confessions of faith such as the 39 Articles where it is stated, "The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God":
The Spirit's work, like that of the Father and the Son, is, or was, concerned with such matters as creation, the revelation of Scripture, redemption and the well-being of the Church. A true Christian believer is one who is born of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit and whose life shows forth the fruit of the Spirit.
These verses in 1 Corinthians tell us something about another aspect of His activity, His role as a Teacher of the things of God. However, mention is also made of two other `spirits' and we shall consider all three.
1. The Spirit of the World (verse 12)
We are not now thinking of evil spirits or even of Satan himself, although these do greatly influence the world, but rather of the mind-set, attitudes, and characteristics of humanity. This worldly spirit is the spirit of fear - that "spirit of bondage to fear" - which is described in Romans 8:15 as being in total contrast to the "Spirit of adoption" which is the portion of God's children.
Is not this typical of the world in our time? Is not the whole of our present-day civilisation marked by phobias of several kinds? People are afraid of sickness, war, terrorism, unemployment, crime and violence, old age and death (see Hebrews 2:15). Indeed it would seem that mankind fears everything except God! The day has surely come when the words of the former Prime Minister, W E. Gladstone, spoken more than a century ago, are very relevant: "There is one thing that frightens me - the fear of God seems to be dying out in the minds of men".
This fearfulness need not, however, affect the Christian believer, for "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
It is also the spirit ofslumber (Romans 11:8) or stupor. Primarily this quotation refers to Israel, but is surely applicable to the world's population as a whole. The moral atmosphere is one of carelessness, especially concerning eternal matters, of lethargy and apathy in the face of impending and imminent crises, and with an indifferent attitude of purposelessness in the hearts of many.
In Acts 18:17 we read of Gallio, the deputy of Achaia, who, in spite of an obvious breach of the law, "cared for none of those things", even though it was his job to care! May the Lord preserve us from the spirit of Gallio! May we not be partakers of the "spirit of the world" - a spirit which is paradoxical, for, on the one hand it is a spirit of fear, yet, on the other, one of insensibility and spiritual inertia.
This worldly spirit is also the spirit of error - the spirit of wandering from the truth (see 1 John 4:6). In this text the Greek word is used from which we get our English word `planet'. At one time astronomers thought that these heavenly bodies wandered aimlessly through space having no gravitational anchor to keep them in place. The astronomers were wrong, of course, but the Word of God is true. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). The world follows the way of Cain, who trusted in the work of his own hands; the way of Baalam, who thought he could serve two masters; the way of Korah, who is a pattern of the rebellious attitude so prevalent in modern times (see Jude verse 11).
These three things: fear, slumber, and error, sum up much of the world around us, for the world neither sees nor knows the Spirit of truth (see John 14:17). Amidst all this "let us, who are of the day, be sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:8), self-controlled and of sound mind in this world, even whilst we look for "that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:12,13).
2. The Spirit of God (verses 11,12)
There is so much written about the Holy Spirit in the Word of God, that it would be impossible to discuss everything in this limited space. Suffice it to say that He is divine (as evidenced by His very name "Holy Spirit" or "Holy Ghost"). He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). He is omniscient (verse 10 of our text). In Psalm 139:7 He is described as being omnipresent. Verses 4 and 5 of the chapter from which our subject is derived tell of His omnipotence. Indeed, verse 4 implies that He is the dynamic Spirit whose power is exhibited in the preaching of the Word. Paul, like many other honest preachers, was well aware of his own limitations and of his weakness, but surely he trusted in the dunamis of God's Spirit by which his messages were empowered and made effectual.
Some would think of this power as mainly manifesting itself in miracles, healings, and signs and wonders. While this may be true in some cases, for God is sovereign in all things, nevertheless it should be noted that Corinth was one place where Paul performed no miracle of which we know (Acts 18). He reasoned, testified, taught and persuaded and it is apparent that it was these various aspects of preaching that were endued with "power from on high".
Likewise, we read in Acts 6 that Stephen did perform miracles, but in the end, when he stood before his accusers, "they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake". May God raise up preachers who proclaim His Word in the power of the dynamic Spirit.
He is the teaching Spirit (verses 12,13). Did not Jesus say, "The Holy Ghost ...shall teach you all things" (John 14:26)? So we can say:
"Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me".
(E.E. Hewitt)
Thomas Watson writes, "A man may see the figures on the sundial, but he cannot tell how the day goes unless the sun shines". As we study the Scriptures, may the sun of God's Spirit illuminate the printed pages and show to us "the deep things of God".
May we learn to "live in the Spirit", to experience His power in our lives, and be taught by Him as we
read, and listen to the preaching of the "scripture of truth" (Daniel 10:21).
3. The Spirit ofMan (vll)
It may be said that this stands between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world, and can be influenced by either of them.
It is aware ofself(vl la). No one knows what goes on inside another person's being! Unlike Jesus, we do not know what is in man (John 2:25). John Calvin wrote: "Everyone is conscious of his own thoughts, and what lies hidden in any man's heart is unknown to another. A man's innermost thought, of which others are ignorant, is perceived by himself alone ...his spirit alone knows what is in him".
It is ignorant of God (verses 9, 11,14). Calvin further remarks that the "natural man" is the "animal man" who, like the beasts, relates only to this world, who minds only the flesh, whose motto is "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die". If such have any concept of a'god' at all, then Romans 1:23 is very applicable. "They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man." Men have made `gods' in their own image.
They can have no concept of the true Deity and of the "deep things of God" unless the Spirit of God ' enlighten their minds. As verse 11 tells us, just as a man knows his own heart, so does the Spirit know the Divine Being - and He it is who alone is able to apply true knowledge to the human mind. He only can give spiritual discernment. No other is able to impart "the mind of Christ" (verse 16).
May we, then, ever be taught by the Holy Spirit and by the Word that He inspired (Proverbs 1:23) so that our affections are set upon the things above, the things of God, and not on things on the earth, the things of the natural man (Colossians 3:2).
Perhaps, in closing, it is permissible to amend the words of Ephesians 1:17,18 and to put them into the form of a prayer which should surely be on the lips of every born again believer. "Father ...give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Thyself. .. may the eyes of my understanding be enlightened, that I may know ...the riches of the glory of Thine inheritance."
David I. Johnson |
|---|
|
| back to magazine page |
next article |
|
