Indwelling of the Spirit (2)
12 March 2017 AM – Ephesians 1:13-14 – HS17 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Last week we began considering the subject of the Indwelling of the Spirit. We examined both the promise of the indwelling how that Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to indwell believers, and we examined the place of the indwelling where we learned that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Transition: This morning we are going to examine the proof and the product of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
1. The Proof of Indwelling (Eph 1:13-14)
a. Every true Christian is sealed by the Spirit
(2 Corinthians 1:22) “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (Ephesians 4:30) “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
1) The Holy Spirit is God’s seal on the life of every true Christian. He is …
a) An authoritative seal or a proof of purchase – the Spirit’s seal proves that Christ bought you.
b) A unique seal or a proof of identity – the Spirit’s seal shows that you belong to God.
c) An unopened seal or guarantee of security – the Spirit’s seal guarantees that you will stay saved.
d) A tight seal or assurance of quality – the Spirit’s seal assures that you have genuine salvation.
2) The Holy Spirit’s various ministries in a person’s life give evidence of His sealing work – teaches, comforts, convicts, empowers, produces fruit (Gal 5:22-23), etc. Lack of God’s chastening after sin is an indication that the Spirit has not sealed the person (Heb 12:7-8).
b. The Spirit seals believers until they go to heaven.
1) He is the earnest of our inheritance. The word “earnest” speaks of a down payment. God gives every Christian the Holy Spirit as a little bit of heaven with the promise of more to come. His down payment is assurance of a future home in heaven.
2) He will remain our earnest until redemption of the purchased possession. The word “redemption” speaks of deliverance. Christ has already paid for our redemption, but it will not be fully complete until He comes to collect (us) his purchased possession and take us to heaven.
3) He is our seal unto the praise of God’s glory. By living in us, the Holy Spirit seeks to help us praise God’s glory by the way we live our lives.
2. The Product of the Indwelling
By the “product” I mean the things He does in Christians.
a. The temporary products of Spirit indwelling
1) The 30-year period covered by the book of Acts was a transitional period from the OT and the NT. During that period, God used temporary miracles to authenticate the gospel in the minds of sceptical Jews.
a) The Spirit gave tongues (unlearned literal languages) authenticated the gospel. (Acts 2:8-11) “And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? … we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” (1 Corinthians 14:22) “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.”
b) The Spirit gave special prophecies and knowledge because the Bible was not yet completed.
c) He used signs, wonders (miracles) and gifts to authenticate the gospel. (Hebrews 2:3-4) “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”
2) Those temporary products of the Holy Spirit are no longer needed or active.
a) As God said, the gifts of tongues, prophecies and knowledge have ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:8) “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (9) “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” (10) “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” Now that we have the completed Bible there are no more “parts” to receive.
b) Miracles were done mostly by the Apostles who all died by the end of the first century. In the last books of the NT written near the close of the first century, miracles are seldom mentioned. Near the end of his life, Paul was not even able to heal his ministry companion. (2 Timothy 4:20) “Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.”
b. The permanent products of Spirit indwelling
This is not an exhaustive list. Later we will study more.
1) He enables our witness. (Acts 1:8) “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
2) He gives boldness to speak for Christ. (Acts 4:31) “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
3) He enlightens Bible study. (1 Corinthians 2:13-14) “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
4) He calls missionaries and preachers. (Acts 13:2-4) “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.”
5) He gives direction. (Acts 16:6) “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,”
6) He puts love in our hearts. (Romans 5:5) “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
7) He gives joy. (Romans 14:17) “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (c.f., 1 Thessalonians 1:6)
8) He assures of eternal hope. (Romans 15:13) “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
9) He empowers preaching convicts the lost. (1 Thessalonians 1:5) “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”
10) He helps us remain faithful. (2 Timothy 1:13) “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”
11) He aids the prayer of Christians. (Jude 1:20) “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” (cf., Rom 8:26)
Conclusion: If you have truly been saved, the Holy Spirit is God’s seal on your life. As we keep sin out of our lives and draw near God, the Holy Spirit will work in us in many ways. If you do not sense the Spirit working in your life, either you are not walking in close fellowship with God or you are not truly saved. If that is the case, please do not ignore it. If you have been resisting the work of the Spirit in your heart, yield to Him today. Let him have his way in your heart.
Song: His Way with Thee – 367