By This! (Part 2)

TEXT:

‘By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren’ (1 John 3:16)

THOUGHT:

“By this” is the verification code for the Christian. I have certain online accounts which need an access code sent to my mobile phone, whenever I want to enter. The code ensures it is the real me, not an imposter trying to hack into my account.

This phrase helps us to know whether our faith and lifestyle is genuine Christianity, and also to protect us from being deceived by anyone pretending to be a true Christian when they are not. It’s not what we say about ourselves that is important, but whether our lives line up with the Word of God.

In Part 1, we studied our relationship with the Father, through our love and obedience, knowing the truth and experiencing His abiding presence.

Part 2 studies our relationship with the Holy Spirit

Our Relationship With The Holy Spirit

For many Christians, the Holy Spirit is a mystery or a thing, not a person. Jesus used “He” when describing the Holy Spirit. He can be worshipped as part of the Godhead. He can be grieved¹ and lied to.² He is Eternal.³ Therefore we need to be careful what we say about the Holy Spirit.

• His presence brings the assurance of salvation – ‘By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us’ (1 John 3:24).

Driving to Bible College in 1976, I was praising the Lord with my unknown tongue. Suddenly the thought hit me, “I must be a Christian because I could not be filled with the Holy Spirit if I was not.” Jesus said, ‘The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive’ (John 14:17).

Jesus also said the Holy Spirit would work in, for and with believers because they belong to Christ. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a miraculous confirmation of the miraculous new birth. The world can be born again but only believers can receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

• His presence brings truth in a world full of deception – ‘By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world ….. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error’ (I John 4:2-6).

For the Christian there is Christ and Anti-Christ. The first is for us and the second totally against us. Thank God the Bible promises, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31). The simple answer is no one is stronger than God!

Christians spend a lifetime contending with the spirit of error. When sharing our faith, these three objections readily appear and many begin with “I”.

“I do not believe there is a God”. Yet the Bible says only a fool would say that.⁴

“I believe I am good enough to get to heaven”. Yet the Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of what God expects.⁵

“I do not believe a God of love would send anyone to hell”. Yet Jesus said, ‘Broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who are going that way’ (Matthew 7:13).

The spirit of error also tries to paralyse Christians by telling them God cannot forgive them, use them or bless them. Thank God the Holy Spirit will show us the truth that frees us from condemnation.

• His presence is positive in a negative world

If Christians were not so sceptical or scared of the Holy Spirit, they would welcome Him with open arms. I want to highlight four areas the Holy Spirit can have a positive impact in our lives.

1. To Comfort

‘I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counsellor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever’ (John 14:16 AMP). The Holy Spirit acts in exactly the same way as Jesus would if He was present. Who would not benefit from some comfort in today’s troubled world?

2. To Teach

‘The Comforter (Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you’ (John 14:26 AMP).

When you read difficult passages in the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to open your understanding, because He inspired men to write it in the first place. The Holy Spirit will not only teach us, but remind us of what Jesus said, especially when we face difficult times.

3. To Empower

‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’ (Acts 1:8)

We receive power to be a witness of the resurrection of Jesus, and see God confirm our words with miraculous signs, wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit, when we preach about the real Jesus. It’s wonderful to realise that when we reach the end of ourselves, it does not mean there is nothing more that can be done. ‘With God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26).

4. To Lead

‘For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God’ (Romans 8:14 AMP).

It’s wisdom when we commit our plans to the Holy Spirit for His approval, for He knows the future. We let His peace confirm our decisions and direction.⁶

As you have read this teaching, it may be you realise that you have shut the Holy Spirit out of your life. If you have done that but want to change, then repent and ask Jesus to fill you with the Holy Spirit.⁷

In Part 3 we will study, “Our relationship with Fellow-Christians”, a subject John had much to say about in his first epistle.

Endnotes:

¹ Ephesians 4:30          ² Acts 5:3-4                  ³ Hebrews 9:14            ⁴ Psalm 14:1   

⁵ Romans 3:23             ⁶ Colossians 3:15         ⁷ Luke 11:13