Ready for Rain 4
Spirit and truth
Last time we took a look at Zechariah, and we discovered that God was angry with the false shepherds who give false comfort to God’s people.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, will always lead us on a path of peace, purity, and righteousness. We should listen to the Good Shepherd, because He cares for us.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow
You will always be safe if you follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He is a trustworthy, loving, self-sacrificing Shepherd. He gives His life for His people. And His people hear His voice. Jesus only speaks WORDS OF TRUTH. The enemy, Satan, only speaks WORDS OF FALSEHOOD and TRUTH MINGLED WITH ERROR.
Notice the progression of action that Jesus gives us in these verses: His people hear and appreciate His voice (as opposed to other voices of falsehood). Then Jesus says that He knows them. He then indicates that His people who are listening to Him follow Him, that is to say, they put into practice what He says. Then He gives the assurance that these precious sheep of His are given eternal life, and that nothing or no one shall be able to snatch them out of His hand!!
Isn’t that wonderful, my friends? And so, as we begin our study today, let it be our prayer that the Lord will help us to truly hear His voice, and put into practice what we hear Him say. Amen?
The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of TRUTH. Before He left this earth, Jesus told His disciples that He would send His Spirit, and that His Spirit would guide them into all truth:
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-16
Jesus says He had many things to say to His disciples, but they were not ready to hear them yet. When we study Acts 2, we will look at some of the things that Jesus taught His disciples through His Holy Spirit, before their Pentecost experience..
The Spirit is the very presence of Jesus in your life and mine. He speaks to us what Jesus tells Him to speak. When we are led by the Spirit, it’s the same as being led by Jesus Himself, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Review: False comfort can be given by any person: a church member, a clergy person, a religious leader of some kind, a neighbor, a friend, etc. There are two kinds of false comfort that are very common in our day. Today we will address the first kind of false comfort or false guidance:
Telling someone that they don’t have to be so concerned about their sins or their sinful ways or habits, because nobody’s perfect, and we will continue sinning until Jesus comes.
This kind of guidance is very damaging, and also very confusing, especially when given to someone who is young in the faith. The truth is, until we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, and we have completely surrendered to His control and leadership, and have been given a new nature, we are yet in our sins, and we will indeed continue to sin whenever sin wants us to sin.
God teaches us in His Word:
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:11-13
In the new birth experience, we allow Jesus to take our sins and our sin nature, and crucify them on the cross. Jesus put an end to the power of sin in our lives when He died on the cross. This is why you and I can give Him our sins and our sin nature, and we can truly be dead to sin.
You may ask, “How on earth can this be possible? I’ve been sinning since I was born, and I can’t even conceive of life without sinning.” Well, a man named Nicodemus posed a similar question to Jesus:
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
Water = Baptism
Spirit = Holy Spirit
Both are essential for entering the
Notice that when we are born again, we are born of the Spirit. That is, we receive a spiritual nature. Our human nature is transformed into something brand new.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8
The Lord wants us to have an entire change of MINDS, an entire change of NATURES. This is one of the most radical passages in all the Bible, for it tells us that in true conversion, we are given a mind—a nature—that is just like the mind of Jesus! And it tells us that our whole mindset should now be one of humility, no concern about a reputation, and being obedient to the point of death.
That’s a true disciple of Jesus. And only those people who are like this will survive in the last days, and be ready to go home with Jesus. Today Jesus is looking for disciples who are willing to become like Him, and to be changed by His Spirit. Are you one of them?
Now, think about it. Would God allow Paul to write something like this—would God allow this passage to be in the Bible if HE DIDN’T THINK IT WAS THE TRUTH?
It’s a new mind, a new nature, with new desires, new plans, new likes, new interests, new everything. That’s what the Lord wants us to have in the new birth experience. It’s “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27)
God makes this even more clear in the book of Romans:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1, 2
Here we have sacrificial living, denying the urges and cravings of our fallen nature. The Holy Spirit through Paul tells us that we are to live a HOLY life, and that a HOLY life alone is acceptable to God. We are not to conform to this sinful world any longer!
Salvation = transformation
Salvation = renewal of mind/new mind
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Ephesians 2:1-3
Notice here that Jesus makes us ALIVE! Before we are converted we are BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, and we are termed SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE. This means that in the new birth experience, we are given a new nature, we become SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF OBEDIENCE, and we are no longer WALKING ACCORDING TO THE
It’s a new mind, a new nature, a totally new direction, so new the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to call it a NEW CREATION!!
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:16-18
If we are truly in Christ, in relationship with Christ, saved by Christ, indwelt by Christ through His Holy Spirit, WE ARE A NEW CREATION!! And we no longer look at anyone—including pretty girls and handsome men—through the eyes of a sinful nature. That sin-loving nature has passed away, and all things have become NEW!
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7
We cross over from death to life, and we are made alive in Christ forever! We are sitting figuratively in heavenly places in Christ Jesus!
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10
Grace is two things that I want you to remember: Grace #1 is undeserved favor and forgiveness. We don’t deserve God’s love, God’s acceptance, God’s heaven, BUT HE GIVES IT TO US ANYWAY BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US! Grace is a gift. That’s grace #1.
Grace #2 is POWER. Power to live a new life, power to succeed as children of light in a very dark world, POWER TO LIVE ABOVE THE DESIRES OF THE SINFUL NATURE! Grace #2 is just as much a gift as Grace #1! Notice that WE ARE CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS—WE ARE ACTUALLY RE-CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS.
Now, this passage makes it clear that GOOD WORKS do not have anything to do with coming to Christ and receiving salvation. But THE RESULT OF THIS COMING TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION IS THAT WE NOW GET TO ENJOY AND PARTICIPATE IN THE GOOD WORKS THAT GOD HAS PREPARED AHEAD OF TIME FOR US TO WALK IN.
In the conversion experience, we are God’s workmanship. That means God engages in Creation. That means He has re-created us in His Son! He has bought us back to Himself through the cleansing, redeeming blood of His Son! We are born again into a new life!!
The Spirit works upon man's heart, according to his desire and consent implanting in him a new nature. Christ’s Object Lessons, 411
Look at that!! Look what the Holy Spirit of God does for us!! If we allow Him to, HE IMPLANTS A NEW NATURE WITHIN US!! CAN YOU SAY AMEN? Notice that it takes our CONSENT, our PERMISSION for this implanting to take place. It takes our full surrender.
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. Galatians 6:14-16
Here Paul clearly states that through Jesus Christ, the world has been crucified to him, and he has been crucified to the world. He also says to those folks in his day who prided themselves that they were a cut above everyone else because they were circumcised, and therefore true
“DON’T BOAST IN YOUR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, DON’T BOAST IN YOUR
Now, based on what we have just looked at in the preceding passages of Scripture, we can now see what John is talking about when he says this, in 1 John 3:4-10:
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:4-10
Let’s break this down, shall we? And you will begin to see the INCREDIBLE GRACE OF OUR GOD. First of all, sin is defined as lawlessness or the breaking of God’s law. If you do away with the law, you do away with sin, and the ability to tell what sin is. So, naturally the devil has been trying to do away with God’s law from the very beginning in heaven, he did it through the centuries on this earth and he continues to try to destroy and distort God’s law TODAY in a very subtle way. He tries to destroy God’s law, because it is the standard of righteousness, and it shows us what God is like.
Jesus said He came to fulfill the law, not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17). And Paul says:
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:31
So the law still has a place in the Christian’s life, as a guide, as a protector, and as a moral compass that God plants within us, in the new birth.
Now back to our passage in 1 John chapter 3. Let’s look at two statements that have to do with the purpose of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection:
“He was manifested to take away our sins.”
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
How does Jesus take away our sins? He takes our sins upon Himself, and bears them on the cross. That brings about our justification—our acceptance with God the Father. In the process of doing this, Jesus also destroys the works or the power of the devil in our lives. Jesus literally conquered sin—the Bible uses the word condemn—Jesus condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:4).
This is so important—I can’t begin to tell you how important it really is, but I will try. You see, the devil wants to convince us that when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, we basically have heaven as our future home, and we will pretty much keep on sinning and falling and that’s ok, because, well, that’s why Jesus died—to forgive you. Don’t worry about your lifestyle and your sin—everybody does it!
This is the false comfort that helped the children of Israel slide further and further down the slippery slope of sin!—the false comfort that came from the false shepherds, spoken of in the tenth chapter of the book of Zechariah. We looked at that last time.
If anyone tells you that you shouldn’t worry so much about your ways and your sins, and that God accepts you regardless, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!! DO NOT STAY ONE MORE MINUTE IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH A FALSE COMFORTER!! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!
Many, many of us have accepted this line of untruth! But THIS IS NOT WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES!! THE DEVIL KNOWS THAT IF YOU GRASP THE ENORMITY OF WHAT JESUS HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR YOU, YOU WILL LIVE A COMPLETELY NEW AND DIFFERENT KIND OF LIFE, AND YOU WILL BECOME A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO HIS
THE DEVIL DOES NOT WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE PLAN OF SALVATION IN CHRIST JESUS!! HE DOES NOT WANT YOU TO BE CONVERTED, AND TO RECEIVE A SPIRITUAL NATURE THAT HE CAN’T EVEN TEMPT SUCCESSFULLY!! A LIFE THAT IS BEYOND HIS REACH!! JUST LIKE THE HUMAN NATURE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST—SINLESS, ABOVE REPROACH; A NATURE THAT RECOILS FROM THE NOTION OF SIN!
This is why Jesus could say of the devil:
“The ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” John 14:30
Jesus was the Second Adam. Jesus was a perfect combination of human and divine. His nature and His life reveal to us what human nature looks like when it is completely controlled by the divine. There was nothing in Jesus’ human nature that naturally responded to sin and evil. There was no responding chord within Jesus that resonated with sin. Sin was utterly repugnant and repulsive to Jesus—it was foreign to His nature. AND SO CAN IT BE FOR US!! Listen to this:
"The prince of this world cometh," said Jesus, "and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30. There was in Him nothing that responded to Satan's sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ's humanity was united with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfection of character. Desire of Ages, 123
From this inspired passage we can see the following:
1. In our converted state, with our new nature, nothing in us responds to Satan’s sophistries, or temptations. The temptations are still coming at us, but there is nothing in us that responds to them. We can only desire sin and give in to sin when we fall back into our carnal, fallen nature. That is why we must keep it crucified daily!
2. In our converted state, with our new nature, we don’t have to consent to sin. That is, no temptation needs to have any power over us.
3. Not even by a thought should we yield to temptation.
4. We participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), which means that the Holy Spirit is living within us, connecting us to divinity and holiness.
5. In our converted state, sin has no more dominion over us.
6. It is GOD HIMSELF who reaches out His hand to us, and directs us to LAY IT FAST UPON THE DIVINITY OF HIS SON! God’s powerful grace, in action.
7. It is through this process that we can attain to perfection of character, in this life. God stands behind it, and His Spirit empowers it. That’s why the messenger of the Lord tells us that there won’t be any change to our characters at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
We are now in the workshop of God, to be hewed, and squared, and chiseled, and polished for the heavenly building. All our preparation for heaven must be completed here. When Christ comes, our characters will not be changed. These vile bodies will be changed, and fashioned after the likeness of his glorious body; but there will not be a moral change wrought in us then. At that time, those who have endured the work of the Master-builder, and have been hewed and squared and polished, will come together into that glorious temple, each in his place, without the sound of ax or hammer. The work of preparation will be close and trying to our natural hearts; but it is the only way that has been provided by the God of wisdom, whereby we may become living stones in his great spiritual and eternal temple. Review and Herald, August 7, 1888
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME FOR POLISHING!! RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME FOR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!! IT IS TIME TO BE DONE WITH THE THINGS OF DARKNESS!! IT IS TIME TO BE DONE WITH MEDIOCRITY!! IT IS TIME TO BE DONE WITH OUR LAODICEAN LUKEWARMNESS, AND TO SURRENDER TO THE MASTER-BUILDER, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!! NOW IS THE TIME TO BE POLISHED AND PREPARED FOR OUR HEAVENLY HOME!! NOW, MY FRIENDS, AND THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE!! FOR THE MIGHTY WAVES OF DESTRUCTION ARE SOON TO FALL UPON THIS WORLD, AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN HIDDEN IN CHRIST, AND TRANSFORMED BY CHRIST WILL BE LEFT TO ENDURE THE STORM ALONE!!
TODAY GOD SAYS TO HIS PEOPLE:
“HOW LONG WILL YOU FLOAT ALONG WITH THE STREAM OF SOCIETY? HOW LONG WILL YOU CONTINUE TO BE CAUGHT UP IN THE REVELRY AND BEDLAM OF NOISE THAT IS THIS WORLD? COME OUT OF YOUR LETHARGY, COME OUT OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD, COME AWAY FROM THE RACES AND THE GAMES OF PRIDE AND VIOLENCE, AND COME INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH ME!! LET ME POLISH YOU, LET ME GIVE YOU A NEW HEART, A NEW LIFE, A NEW NATURE THAT IS CONTROLLED BY MY SPIRIT!! COME AWAY FROM THE MUSIC THAT IS FOREIGN TO MY SPIRIT!! COME AWAY FROM THE LUST AND DRUNKENNESS OF THIS AGE!! COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN WITH SIN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST FOR YOUR SOULS!! STOP PLAYING GAMES WITH MY SPIRIT!! STOP TURNING A DEAF EAR TO MY PROPHETS!! READ AND ACCEPT WHAT I HAVE SPOKEN THROUGH THEM!! GIVE ME YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT, YOUR PAIN, YOUR WANDERINGS, AND LET ME GIVE YOU A NEW LIFE!! LET ME MOLD YOU AND POLISH YOU, AND SHOW YOU ALL THE GOOD WORKS I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU!! COME APART FROM THIS WORLD. COME TO ME, WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.”
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His every look and word invites our confidence. He will shape and mold our characters according to His own will. Christ’s Object Lessons, 157
God does this through the agency of His Holy Spirit. The Lord takes the responsibility of molding our characters, if we will only let Him do this. God is the Shaper of our lives!
Harmony and union existing among men of varied dispositions is the strongest witness that can be borne that God has sent His Son into the world to save sinners. It is our privilege to bear this witness. But, in order to do this, we must place ourselves under Christ's command. Our characters must be molded in harmony with His character, our wills must be surrendered to His will. God’s Amazing Grace, 210
How was it that a motley group of disciples who were always jealous and angry with one another could become the humble and teachable leaders that brought in 3,000 souls in one day? The answer is Surrender. Being a foot soldier under the command of our General, Jesus Christ! Does that sound like a plan to you? Won’t you offer yourself to Jesus just now? Won’t you invite Him in to take full possession of your being? Won’t you surrender your character and your will to be molded by the Lord?
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12, 13
God Himself works in us, my friends! If God is for us, who can be against us? I ask you that. God works, and we cooperate. He works in us to will, because the will is what is retained in the new nature that He gives us. If we give God our wills, He will take our wills and unite them with His own! Then He works through our wills, and causes us to do and to live according to His good pleasure! It’s a new life! It’s a new direction! New desires, new tastes, new practices, new everything.
Begotten again unto a lively hope, imbued with the quickening power of a new nature, the soul is enabled to rise higher and still higher. Counsels on Health, 593
Born again into a lively hope! Born again in resurrection power, to live a new life with Christ Jesus! Born again with a new nature, and with limitless possibilities of attaining to the fullness of God! Restored to His image!
That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19
Such news is wonderful news, is it not? Don’t you love the Lord this morning? Aren’t you thankful for all the goodness and power He gives to us who believe? And someone might ask the question, “At what point do we know we have entered in with Jesus, and have begun to live a new life? When is my life acceptable to the Father? When am I safely in a relationship with God?”
God accepted them when they became weary of sin, and having lost their desire for wordly pleasures, resolved to seek God earnestly. Evangelism, 286
My brother, my sister, are you weary of sin this morning? Are you tired of the let-downs and disappoints that worldly pleasures bring? Are you truly ready to seek God earnestly? Then you are in a good spot! You are seated at the feet of the lovely Jesus, just like Mary. You are hanging on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, and you, my friend, are following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth!
Look steadily, constantly, earnestly, to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. The sanctification of the soul is accomplished through steadfastly beholding Him by faith as the only-begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. The power of truth is to transform heart and character. Its effect is not like a dash of color here and there upon the canvas; the whole character is to be transformed; the image of Christ is to be revealed in words and actions. A new nature is imparted. Man is renewed after the image of Christ in righteousness and true holiness. The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1065
Wow!! Jesus truly takes away our sins, and the very source of our sins—our sinful natures! To be more specific, Jesus breaks the hold that our sinful natures have upon us. He renders them powerless, because He is victorious over Satan and sin forever!
A new nature is given to us, and a transformed heart and character. The image of God was marred and blighted in our first parents, when they fell into sin. And through the plan of redemption, you and I are RESTORED COMPLETELY TO THAT IMAGE!! WE ARE RENEWED AFTER THE IMAGE OF CHRIST IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS.
So, it is totally fair and reasonable for God to tell us the following:
But on
And there shall be holiness. Obadiah 1:17
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
THAT WHICH GOD COMMANDS HE PROMISES!! ALL OF HIS CALLINGS ARE ENABLINGS!! HE GIVES
Returning to 1 John 3:9, we see just how complete is this redeeming, cleansing work of Christ in our lives:
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9
At first glance, this verse has been very confusing to many people through the years, including myself. But it is actually a true and valid statement, and it is completely in agreement with all of the other Scriptures we have looked at thus far.
The new nature that God gives us in the new birth experience is in the control of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit obviously does not sin. The Holy Spirit is holy. So the seed of God, the Holy Spirit, remains in us, and in our converted state, we cannot sin, because we are minding the things of the Spirit! The Holy Spirit won’t let us sin in fact. The temptations that do come at us are met with the power of the Spirit in our lives, and we are repulsed from those temptations. The Holy Spirit in us recoils from those temptations.
But you see, even though we have the privilege of dying to our sinful natures, crucifying our sinful natures, WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO FALL BACK INTO THEM AT ANY TIME!! AND THE DEVIL ONLY HAS TEMPTING POWER OVER YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN THE FLESH—WHEN YOU ARE NOT ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD!! WHEN YOU ARE CARNALLY MINDED, AS PAUL SAYS.
So, it is vitally important to be led by the Spirit, and to walk in the Spirit, and to mind the things of the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis. This is the new life that the Lord wants us to have.
Conversion truly is a change from death to life, my friends.
So, the false comfort is seen for what it is. It is a sham. LISTEN, IF ANYONE IN YOUR LIFE IS TELLING YOU THAT YOU SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU, AND THAT YOU NEED NOT BE ASHAMED OR FEEL GUILTY FOR LIVING YOUR LIFE AS YOU PLEASE, AND THAT YOU CAN GO ON SINNING AS A WAY OF LIFE—THAT PERSON IS A FALSE SHEPHERD, AND THEY ARE GIVING YOU FALSE INFORMATION, FALSE COMFORT, FALSE GUIDANCE!!. DON’T LISTEN TO THEM!!
There is a battle going on for our souls!! The devil wants to destroy us, to deceive us, and to keep us comfortable in our sins!! The Lord Jesus wants to save us from the penalty and the power of our sins!! He wants to save our lives!! He wants to deliver us from evil!! TODAY, MY FRIEND, WILL YOU ALLOW THE LORD JESUS TO SAVE YOUR LIFE?
Jesus said:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23, 24
What does it mean to worship the Father in spirit? It means that we come before our Father in Heaven with His Holy Spirit indwelling and filling us. It means that we are worshipping with full honesty and integrity before God. It means that we are surrendered to His majesty, purity, and power, holding nothing back.
What does it mean to worship the Father in truth? It means that we love Jesus, who is the Truth. It means that we love the truth, even when the truth hurts. It means that we are willing to order our lives according to the truth that He shows us.
"No repentance is genuine that does not work reformation. The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin; it is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct. Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven." Desire of Ages, 555-556
God gives us true repentance that leads us to a reformed life. Jesus is willing to cover our nakedness, and to cleanse and even blot out our sins. But He cannot and will not do this if we are still clinging to them, and living as we please. In the new nature that God gives us, we can indeed forsake our sins, and turn our backs on them.
The righteousness of Christ is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct. It’s all a tremendous gift of grace in our lives. The Holy Spirit is the agency for this righteousness to come to us. The Holy Spirit will always seek to transform us and change us into Christ’s likeness. Again, the Holy Spirit is not a feel-good enterprise. Oh, you will feel good in the presence of the Lord, no doubt. But the Holy Spirit brings about a changed life.
God is calling His people out of
The latter rain is preceded by the early rain. We must avail ourselves of the former experience, if we are to receive the latter experience. Only those who in childlike faith humble themselves before the Father will receive the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. 1 Peter 1:22, 23
When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to obey the truth that God is showing us, it has a purifying influence on our lives. We become pure and we grow into Christ’s likeness as we obey and put into practice the truth of God.
Peter also tells us that we are actually born again through the Word of God. So Bible reading becomes a daily necessity for the believer, since we derive our new life directly from the truth in the Word.
And there’s that word seed again, just as in 1 John. Peter tells us we have been born again of incorruptible seed, meaning Holy Spirit, who both inspired the Bible writers, and who illuminates us as we read, so we can comprehend what we are reading. The Holy Spirit also convicts us of the truth, as we read.