James W . Reapsome, The Sunday School Times
P eople are prone to believe the worst, and Christians are not immune to this temptation. What appalls us is the apparent ease with which Christians are taken in by rumor, allegations, and innuendo. This seems to be a part of the hysteria of our day, a kind of hand-wringing psychology that can only see the black side of everything. We are so quick to suspect the worst, so eager to conclude that evil has won again. Perhaps this is because we as Christians know that “in the last days perilous times shall come” (II Tim. 3:1). But does this mean that we must believe every evil report we hear? To what shall we give ourselves in days like these? Because some “shall depart from the faith” (I Tim. 4:1), shall we go out of our way to accuse people of this? Shall we major in apostasy? Shall we major in pointing out the faults and sins in the lives of others? Shall we devote ourselves to broadcasting the failures of others? There is a rightful place for rebuke and warning. The Lord Jesus made this amply clear in His meetings with the scribes and Pharisees, and with His own disci ples. But this did not mean that He went up and down the countryside attacking the established religion, or holding meetings to point out the errors of political and religious rulers. When they confronted Him, He an swered them plainly, but at the same time He went out of His way to win the lost and the despised — the adulteress at the well, the extortioner in the sycamore tree, the winebi'bbers of Capernaum. He knew the worst about them, but He sought to save them. The Holy Spirit (continued) they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, . . .” It is obvious that here also the New Testa ment writer accepts the Holy Spirit as deity, because he has attributed to Him the words which were originally ascribed to God. In this same respect there is the in teresting and crystal-clear passage of Acts 5:3, 4, a portion of which we previously considered in this study. The deity of the Holy Spirit is further attested by the fact that He possesses divine attributes. Only some of these will be noted. He is eternal, according to Hebrews 9:14, where He is called “the eternal Spirit.” God is the only One who is eternal. Men through faith in Christ may have eternal life, but they are not eternal; there was a time when they were not. Angels were among the first of God’s creation, but they are not eternal, be cause there was a time when they did not exist. Hence, the fact that the Spirit is termed eternal marks Him as God. The Spirit’s deity, moreover, is illustrated by His activities. He is the one who regenerates man. Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is bom of the flesh is flesh, and that which is bom of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5, 6). It is obvious to anyone who understands anything about the new birth that it is not man, but God, who regenerates man. Here the work of regeneration is attributed to the Spirit. Paul
To accuse and to believe the worst about a person or a group of persons is to be a murderer (I John 3:15). There is simply too much suspicion and hatred being dispensed today in the name of Christ. Believing the worst may mean you believe a tale about another’s defection from the faith, about his char acter, or about his work. To cure this abominable state of affairs in our own lives, and in evangelicalism, we must remember Paul’s words about not accepting a report unless there are reliable witnesses (I Tim. 5:19), Beyond that, there are the Scriptural principles clear ly stated in Philippians 4:8 (“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just . . . whatsoever things are of good report . . . think on these things”) and in I Corinthians 13:6-8 ( “Love is never glad when others go wrong, love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient,” Moffatt, italics ours). “By this all men will know that you are my disciples,” said the Lord Jesus, “if you have love for one another,” not if we cast suspicion upon one another and believe the worst about one another. There is a higher way than the way of suspicion and accusation. It is the way of love and understanding, without compromise of the truth, but with forbearance, esteeming our brother in Christ better than ourselves (Phil 2:3). Copyright by The Sunday School Times and used with permission. reaffirms this truth by his own statement in Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” He is also responsible for the resurrection of the dead as Paul declares: “But if the Spirit of him which raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11). The question might be raised in conclusion: “Why should I believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit?” One should believe this doctrine, because the Bible sets it forth as a fact so well founded that it needs no proof. One should believe this truth if one is to appreciate more fully the greatness of our God. One should believe this truth if one is to understand the Bible correctly, for in no other way can one appreciate the Great Commission, the apostolic benedictions, and the activity of the Spirit in relation to the believer and to the world at large. One should believe this truth if He is to enjoy to the fullest the communion and fellowship of the Spirit which is promised by the Lord Jesus. The deity of the Spirit guarantees the accuracy of God’s revelation, the Bible, and creates confidence within the believer concerning it. In conclusion, let me make the observation that a proper understanding of the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit provides the child of God with confidence and security as he realizes that he is dealing with an infinite Person who is the master of every situation and who is able “to make all things work together for good. . . .”
i t
T H E K IN G 'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook Online document