|
Already,
within the First Century, there were false teachers
who were distorting the Word of God and leading
people away from the truth, from God, and from
eternal life. Yochanan (John), that great emissary
that Messiah chose, and whom God sent to teach
us the truth, warns us not to believe every religious
leader. There is one true Spirit who speaks through
men, but there are also evil and deceiving spirits
that have gone out into the world, who also speak
through men.
Knowing
that we live in a fallen, dark world that is full
of deadly and deceitful “spiritual” teachings,
how can we discern a true teacher from a false
one? How can we tell if we are really listening
to the right people and heading in the right direction?
In his first letter, Yochanan gives us some tests
to help us answer these questions. I’d like to
deal with one of them - the giving of God’s Spirit.
“By
this we know that we abide in Him and He in us,
because He has given us of His Spirit” (1
John 4:13). We can know we are spiritually alive,
that we are headed for Heaven and eternal life
with the Eternal One, if His Spirit lives in us.
But how do we know that His Spirit lives in us?
What are the evidences that God has indeed given
us His Spirit? “After all,” some might argue,
“Doesn’t He give everyone His Spirit?”
Louis
Berkhof made the following astute observation
about the indwelling of God’s Spirit: “It is true
that God is present in every part of His creation,
and dwells among us, but this does not mean
that He is equally present in the same way, everywhere,
and in all His creatures. The nature of His
indwelling is in harmony with that of His creatures.
He does not dwell on earth as He does in heaven.
He does not dwell in animals as He does in man,
in the inorganic as He does in the organic part
of creation, in the wicked as He does in the pious.
He does not dwell outside the Temple as He dwells
inside the Temple. He does not dwell in the Messiah’s
Holy Community of Jews and Gentiles as He does
in Messiah Himself. There is an endless variety
in the manner in which He is present in His creation
and in His creatures" (Louis Berkhof, Systematic
Theology, Page 61, Eerdmans Publishing Company,
1939).
If
every living thing already is endowed with some
measure of God’s Spirit, then what does Yochanan
mean by “the giving of God’s Spirit?” It is
the special impartation of the Spirit of God,
whereby our spirits are made alive, and we are
reconciled to the God from whom we have been alienated,
with the result that we are made spiritually alive,
so that we live forever with God.
Since
the Spirit that is given is the Spirit of God
Himself, those who are truly indwelt by the Spirit
will find themselves more interested in God Himself
- not just the external trappings of religion.
Having a relationship with the living God and
drawing near to Him will be the focus of this
religion. They will find themselves more aware
of God’s reality in the daily events of life.
Since
the Spirit of God is also the Spirit of Yeshua,
there will come a new desire to know more about
Yeshua, and to be more like Him. If the Spirit
of Yeshua has been given, Yeshua will be exalted
and Yeshua will be the focus.
Since
the Spirit of God is also the Spirit of Truth,
and if He is really indwelling a human being in
this new and saving way, then there will be a
new desire to know and practice the truth. The
Spirit of Truth will lead him into the truth.
When the Spirit of Truth reveals the truth, one
who is indwelt by Him will choose the truth. And
since the truth is primarily found in the Holy
Scriptures, which were inspired by the Spirit
of God, there should be a greater respect for,
and interest in, the Holy Scriptures, and a genuine
resolve to live by them.
Since
the Spirit of God is also the Holy Spirit, if
He is present in this new indwelling way, there
will be a desire to be holy in order to accomplish
God’s purposes. There will be a growing revulsion
toward sin, and a hunger for holiness, “without
which no one will see the Lord.”
If the
Spirit of God is truly indwelling a human being,
there will be positive, tangible results in their
life. The good results of a life indwelt by the
Spirit are known as the “Fruit of the Spirit.”
A Spirit-indwelt life will produce the fruit of
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control: a life
that is characterized not by selfishness, but
by love for others, especially the unlovely; a
life that is characterized not by being short-tempered,
but by patience under trial; a life that is characterized
not by meanness, but by kindness, especially to
those who don’t deserve it; a life that is characterized
by doing good for others; a life that is characterized
by faithfulness to God, Messiah Yeshua and the
truths found in the Scriptures, faithfulness to
commitments, vows, and promises; a life that is
characterized not by being quarrelsome, but by
a desire for gentleness and peace; a life that
is characterized not by loss of control, but by
the ability to control one’s actions, so that
life is lived in the right way. If these positive,
tangible results of the Spirit are present, then
surely the Spirit of God is present, since Rabbi
Yeshua taught us that we can know a tree by its
fruit. If these qualities are not present in a
person’s life, then that person is most likely
not indwelt by the Spirit of God.
What about
the gifts of the Spirit - speaking in languages
that have never been learned, prophesying, doing
miracles and the like? Aren’t these proof that
God has given someone His Spirit? If supernatural
gifts of the Spirit are present, when accompanied
by these other things, then Baruch HaShem - the
Lord be praised! But in and of themselves,
these miraculous manifestations are not proof
that one is truly saved.
First,
the Son of God warned us that there will be many
people who will perform miracles, make accurate
predictions about the future, and cast out demons,
never having had a right relationship with God.
To these, Messiah will say on the Day of Judgement,
“I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers.”
It is clear that supernatural manifestations alone
are not evidence of the indwelling presence of
the Spirit of God that results in salvation. Second,
Satan and his demons are also able to perform
miracles through human beings. When Aaron threw
Moses’ staff down before Pharaoh, it was miraculously
transformed into a snake. But Egypt’s sorcerers
and magicians were able to do the same thing with
their occult arts!
Finally,
if the Spirit of God has truly been given to a
human soul, there will be an assurance that one
belongs to God. There is an “inner witness” that
God is our Father, and that we are His beloved
sons and daughters. Deep within us, our spirit
cries out to God, “Abba” - Father. The sons and
daughters of God will know that they are born
of God, and that they truly belong to Him.
Have you
received the Spirit of God? Do you have that inner
witness? Are you producing the good results that
accompany the giving of the Spirit? Do you love
God and Messiah Yeshua and the Word of God more
than before? Are you striving to be holy? My prayer
is that you experience life, and the fullness
of blessings that come from God, Messiah Yeshua
the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit!
[I’m indebted
to Ray Stedman and Jonathan Edwards for parts
of this message]. |
