The Essentials Part 4: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Part A

The Essentials Part 4: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Part A 

We are continuing our series on "The Essentials." These are important doctrines that will help you resist the cultural attacks on our Christian faith. This week we will study "Rediscovering the Holy Spirit" and the "Six Aspects of the Holy Spirit's Work in Salvation". Next week, we will finish the study "Being Filled with the Holy Spirit" and what it means to be "Walking in the Spirit," and "Rejoicing in the Holy Spirit's Saving Work." When we complete this study, you will be able to spot the counterfeit "holy spirit" movement authored by Satan himself. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is a "hill we will die on."

Introduction 

From the invention of Greek coins around 600BC to the introduction of paper money in 13th century China, counterfeiting has always been regarded as a serious crime. Historically, it was punishable by death. In colonial America, Benjamin Franklin printed paper currency with the following warning: "To counterfeit is death." The crime of counterfeiting was severely punished for two main reasons:

1. The law regarded counterfeiting as a threat to the economic stability of the government and the general well-being of all who lived there. 

2. In countries like England, the issuing of currency was considered a prerogative that belonged only to the king. Counterfeiting was considered a seditious treason against royal authority. 

The question is raised, what about those who counterfeit God's work? If the production of counterfeit coins was a an act of treason against a human government, the preaching of a false gospel is an infinitely worse offense against the king of Kings. Moreover, the Word of God is not silent as to the consequences of such an offense. The perpetuators of counterfeit religion await a much more severe judgment than a mere counterfeiter against a worldly government. 

Given the seriousness of such crimes, believers must be equipped to identify and warn of that which is false. However, to refute error, requires that you know the truth. That is what we are hoping to accomplish in this series. First, let us rediscover the Holy Spirit. 

Section 1: Rediscovering the Holy Spirit

The church today desperately needs to rediscover the true person and work of the Holy Spirit. The 3rd member of the Trinity has been grossly misrepresented, insulted, and grieved by a counterfeit movement that. is being propagated in His name. The charismatic flood of bad theology has rapidly drenched the broader Christian landscape, and it has left a swath of doctrinal error and spiritual ruin in its wake. It is time for those that love the Holy Spirit to take a bold stand and confront any error that blatantly and blasphemously dishonors the Spirit of God. Thinking rightly about Him and His work is essential to our worship, doctrine, and proper application of theology in everyday conduct. 

Scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit's primary work is to point people to the Lord Jesus Christ (John 15: 26; 16: 14). He brings sinners to a true knowledge of the Savior through the gospel and conforming them through the Scripture to the glorious image of the Son of God (2 Corinthians 3: 17-18). Thus, the focus of His ministry is the Lord Jesus, and those who are Spirit-led and Spirit-filled will likewise be Christ-centered. We must be vigilant to point out error when it comes to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. To misrepresent Him is to slander God.

The Holy Spirit is one in essence, majesty and power with both the Father and the Son. Sadly, many within evangelicalism have silently watched the mainstream charismatic movement mock His true nature, as if there were no consequences for such blatant blasphemy. Much of the problems, it seems, is that the modern church has lost sight of the Holy Spirit's Divine Majesty. While charismatics treat Him like an impersonal force of energy, evangelicals have generally reduced Him to a form of a peaceful dove, often portrayed on Bible covers and bumper stickers. The Holy Spirit, while depicted in Scripture as a dove, is not a dove. He is the omnipotent, eternal, holy, and glorious Spirit of the living God. His power is infinite, His presence inescapable, and His purity a consuming fire. Those who lie to Him face the real possibility of imminent death, as Ananias and Sapphira learned the hard way (Acts 5: 3-5, 10). 

In Isaiah 63: 10, the prophet explains the severe consequences of grieving the Holy Spirit. Speaking of the Israelites, Isaiah wrote: "But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; therefore, He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them." To treat the Holy Spirit irreverently is to make God your enemy! Do people think they can belittle the Holy Spirit and get away with it?

The Holy Spirit is the power of God in a Divine Person acting from creation to consummation and everything in between. He is wholly God, possessing all the attributes of God in the fullness that belongs to God. There is no sense in which He is God diminished. He performs all of God's works. He is as holy, powerful, gracious, and loving as the Father and the Son. Thus, He is worthy of our worship as fully as the Father and as fully as the Son. If we are to honor the Holy Spiri, treating Him with the reverence and respect that is His royal due, we must rightly discern His true ministry: aligning our hearts, minds, and wills with His wondrous work. 

What is the Holy Spirit doing in the world today? He Who once created the universe (Genesis 1: 2) is now focused on spiritual creation (2 Corinthians 4: 6). He creates spiritual life, i.e., regenerating sinners through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and transforming them into the children of God. He sanctifies them, equips them for service, produces fruit in their lives, and empowers them to please their Savior. He secures them for eternal glory and fits them for life in heaven. The same source of power that brought the world into existence out of nothing is today at work in the hearts of the redeemed. Just as the Holy Spirit took the world that was in chaos in Genesis 1, is the same Spirit that takes the sinner out of the chaos of their life in sin and brings them to the foot of the cross to see the Savior as One who dies for them. This is a supernatural act! People who want to see a miracle today should stop following fake healers and start engaging in Biblical evangelism. To see a spiritually dead sinner brought to life is a miracle!

Section 2: Six Aspects of the Spirit's Work in Salvation

1. The Holy Spirit Convicts Unbelievers of Sin

The Lord Jesus Christ on the eve of the crucifixion comforted His disciples by promising them that after His ascension He would send the Holy Spirit to minister in and through them. John 16: 7 states the promise that it was to the disciple's advantage that He go away and have the Helper come to them. The Lord continued by explaining the vital work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would empower the gospel proclamation of the apostles as they went out to preach the truth of salvation to a lost world. The Spirit would go before them, propelling their preaching into the hearts of those who heard and believed their message. The Lord explained, "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged" (John 16: 8-11).

To the one who refuses to respond to the call of salvation, the Holy Spirit serves as a prosecuting attorney to convict them by rendering them guiltiest before God and are, therefore, eternally condemned (John 3: 18). The Spirit's convicting work is not about making unrepentant sinners feel bad, but about delivering a legal verdict against them. Yet for those whom the Spirit draws to the Savior, His convicting work is one of convincing, as He pricks their consciences and cuts them to the quick. Thus, for the elect of God, this work of conviction is the beginning of God's saving, effectual call.

Our Lord explained that the Holy Spirit's ministry of conviction encompasses three areas. First, He convicts the unredeemed of their sin, exposing them to the reality of their wretched condition before God. The Spirit confronts the world's hardhearted unbelief. Second, the Holy Spirit convicts' unbelievers of righteousness, i.e., confronting them with the truth of God's holy standard and Jesus Christ's perfect righteousness. The Spirit causes them to see their lost condition and their lack of righteousness apart from Christ. Third, the Holy Spirit convicts' sinners that the consequences of divine judgment are just and necessary, namely, that sinners will one day be judged just as "the ruler of this world has been judged (v.11). The Holy Spirit warns unbelievers of the reality of future judgment is both a fearful and a gracious work of the Spirit, alerting them to the dire conseque4nces that await all who do not repent. The disciples knew that as they confronted the sinners' unbelief with their preaching, exalted Christ's righteousness, and warned of God's judgment, the Holy Spirit would convict the hearts of those who heard, and He would convert the elect.

Our message today should be the same. We are to preach without compromise because we know that only the Holy Spirit can convict the heart of sin and bring that sinner to the foot of the cross and be saved. We must preach about human depravity, God's holiness, eternal redemption and blood redemption. Our society celebrates tolerance. But the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is anything but tolerant. Only those who don't know the Scriptures believe God is tolerant of sin. The Holy Spirit will be the power behind the preaching of the gospel (1 Peter 1: 12), using His Word to draw sinners to the Savior and regenerate them. 

2. The Holy Spirit Regenerates Sinful Hearts

The effectual call of the elect begins with the Spirit's convicting work as He awakens their consciences to the reality of sin, righteousness and judgment. The unbelieving heart must be made alive, i.e. transformed, cleansed, and renewed (Ephesians 2: 4). It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates sinners, such that those who were formerly miserable wretches are reborn as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 17). In John 3, the Lord Jesus Christ explained the need to be born again to a leading religious leader in Israel, Nicodemus. Nicodemus seemed confused. How could he physically be born again? Read John 3: 5-8. The Lord's words made clear, the work of regeneration is the Spirit's sovereign prerogative. In the physical realm, babies don't conceive themselves. Likewise, in the spiritual realm, sinners don't initiate or accomplish their own rebirth; regeneration is entirely the Spirit's work. 

The phrase "born again" can be translated "born from above." In order to be saved, sinners must experience a completely new beginning of heavenly origination, in which they are radically transformed by the Spirit of God. 1 Peter 1: 3 reads: After all, it is God "who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." As the Lord Jesus explained to Nicodemus, the kingdom of salvation cannot be earned through human effort or self-righteousness. Only those born from above can be saved. We, nor Nicodemus, could contribute anything to his salvation. From God's perspective, the sinners' best efforts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64: 6).

All the sinners can do is cry out to God for mercy. He cannot save himself, so he must rest completely in the grace and compassion of the Savior. The promise of Scripture is that all who come to Christ in genuine faith, turning from sin and turning to Christ, will be saved (Romans 10: 9-10). 

The Spirit's work of regeneration gives the sinner a new heart (Ezekiel 36: 26-27), one in which he is capable of genuine love for God and heartfelt obedience to Christ. The fruit of that transformation will be evidenced in a changed life, with fruits of repentance (Matthew 3: 8). There will be some fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5: 22-23). Regeneration is a transformation of a person's heart, as the believer is given new life, cleansed, and permanently set apart from sin (2 Thessalonians 2: 13). Though the sinner was dead in trespasses and sins, he is now made alive through a supernatural act of the Holy Spirit to make the sinner alive in Christ. The Spirit of life has come upon them, empowering them to resist temptation, and live in righteousness. This is what it means to be "born of the Spirit." (John 3: 8)

3. The Holy Spirit Brings Sinners to Repentance 

There can be no repentance or faith until the heart has been recreated. But in the moment of regeneration, i.e. being made spiritually alive, the Holy Spirit imparts the gift of repentant faith to sinners, bringing them to saving faith in Christ and enabling them to turn away from sin. A vivid illustration is found in Acts 11: 15-18, where Peter reported the conversion of Cornelius to the other apostles in Jerusalem. As Peter began to speak, "the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us in the beginning." I have seen this when preaching in India, while speaking there was an overshadowing of the people and people began to shout, scream and run. It was undeniable what was taking place, It was supernatural. It was not the work of a man. Returning to Acts 11, their eyes were opened to the truth of Peter's preaching, and they were given the gift of repentant faith (Ephesians 2: 8; 2 Timothy 2: 25), all of which was the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 8 stands as one of the richest Biblical revelations on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. It is the Spirit of life who liberates the redeemed from the principle of sin and death, transforming those who were slaves of sin into lovers of righteousness. In Romans 8: 3-4, Paul explained that the Holy Spirit not only frees believers from the power of sin but also enables them to live in a way that pleases God. The Holy Spirit converts sinners by convicting their hearts, giving them life, which enables them to repent and believe the gospel.

4. The Holy Spirit Enables Fellowship with God

In John 17: 3, the Lord Jesus defines eternal life with these words: "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." Fellowship with God through Christ is the heart of salvation; and it is the Holy Spirit who enables believers to enjoy that intimate communion. In Colossians 1: 13-14, Paul explains that God the Father "rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." 

Thus, we are not only citizens of a new kingdom (Philippians 3: 20) but members of a new family! Through the Spirit of adoption, we have received the immense privilege of becoming part of the family of God. The Spirit produces an attitude of profound love for God in the hearts of those who have been born again. They feel drawn to God, not fearful of Him. Thus, the Spirit makes it possible for believers to enjoy fellowship with God, no longer fearful of His judgment or wrath (1 John 4: 18). As a result, Christians can sing hymns about God's holiness and glory without cowering in terror. 

The Holy Spirit also enables believers to enjoy fellowship with all other believers. Every child of God is immediately baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12: 13) at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit enables both allowing those who enjoy communion with God to enjoy "the unity of the Spirit" with one another (Ephesians 4: 3). 

5. The Holy Spirit Indwells the Believer 

At salvation, the Holy Spirit not only regenerates the sinner and imparts saving faith, but He permanently resides in the life of that new believer. In a marvelous and incomprehensible way, the Spirit of God makes His home in the life of every person who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Life in Christ is different because the Spirit of God is now within. He is there to empower, equip for ministry, and minister through the gifts He has given us. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Helper. He protects, empowers, and encourages us. 

In 1 Corinthians 3: 16, Paul asks the believers in Corinth, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" A few chapters later, Paul reminded the readers that their bodies were the temple of the Holy Spirit and that you belong to Him and not yourself. The reality of the Spirit's indwelling presence has life-changing implications for the way we live our lives.

It is important to emphasize that there is no such thing as a genuine believer who does not possess the Holy Spirit. It is a heresy to teach that a person could somehow be saved and yet not receive the Holy Spirit. This is an error in some Pentecostal and Charismatic churches today. If you have the Spirit of Christ and you have been born again, you have the fulness of the Holy Spirit. Next week, we will teach on being filled with the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. True believers are not characterized by a love of the world, but rather a love for the things of God. This is possible because the Holy Spirit indwells and empowers the believer to live a life that glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. The Holy Spirit Seals Salvation Forever 

  There is an unbreakable chain of Romans 8: 30 that indicates that all whom God justifies He will glorify. As the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." (John 10: 27-29). The Holy Spirit Himself personally guarantees that nothing shall separate us from the love of God for His children. We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1: 13-14). He secures us unto eternal glory. Not only does the Holy Spirit testify that believers are God's children (Romans 8: 16), but He guarantees that they will never be removed from the family. Moreover, He ensures their future resurrection unto life. Read Romans 8: 11. 

Many and I say probably most churches in the charismatic, Pentecostal and other deeper life movements teach that one can lost their salvation. While time constraints do not permit me to explore this subject deeply this morning, let me summarize my thoughts on the subject:

1. I do not believe in "once saved always saved." This is a doctrine that says once you say a "sinners prayer" you are saved for all eternity no matter how you live your life. This is heresy.

2. I do believe that real Christians, that have been born again by the Spirit of God, will perservere to the end. The reason? Because God has given them a new heart and that heart wants the things of God. Yes, there will be ups and downs and times that can be a struggle, but the true believer will end in victory! The true believer will be foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified (Romans 8). There is no exit from the chain of salvation that Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit commited to writing. From foreknowledge to glorification, it is a broken chain. That is a soft pillow upon which to rest your head.

Conclusion

This is part A on a two part series on the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine of the Holy Spirit is the number 1 area that Satan seeks to imitate God's truth. Satan has an imitation "holy spirit" and he has invaded the churches with his false imitation teaching. Don't be fooled. Learn and know the truth about the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. That way, you will be able to spot counterfeits, because you will know this vital truth.

The Essentials Part 3: Holy Spirit Conviction

 Today, we continue in our new series on “The Essentials.” Right after learning about the depravity of man and the Sovereignty of God, now we turn our attention to an understanding of Holy Spirit conviction. We will answer these questions: First, what is Holy Spirit conviction? Second, what is the effect of Holy Spirit conviction on the unsaved person? Third, is Holy Spirit conviction necessary for salvation? These "Essentials" teachings are critical to your navigating the dangerous times we live in. Darkness and gross darkness abound, and we must always be ready to give an answer to those lost souls God providentially brings into our lives needing to hear the truth.

Introduction

God’s Word teaches that there can be no salvation apart from Holy Spirit conviction. We face very troubling times with a worldly church relying on natural methods in an effort to preach the gospel. Gross darkness is upon the people (Isaiah 60: 2), and it is all because the church has rejected the Holy Spirit as the world has rejected Christ.

Now much that is palmed off on us today as the work of the Holy Spirit is nothing but the work of Satan. If you speak against it, you will hear cries of “You have committed the unpardonable sin by blaspheming the Holy Spirit!” Listen to me, you don’t commit the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit by exposing the work of Satan.

The church has rejected the Holy Spirit; therefore, the church is left with only natural light to guide her. As a result, the church is married to the world, and she has had to bring in all worldly methods and plans to carry on her religious program. True gospel ministers must speak the truth and call the church back to the “old paths” that produced real converts and revivals. Converts today know nothing about repentance and do not know Christ as a living reality to their hearts. The average preacher today knows nothing about Holy Spirit conviction. The church has become a social community association designed to make people feel good, have friends and lots of good times and fellowship. Run from a church that does not know about Holy Spirit conviction. You will know they don’t know the truth because you will not hear it spoken about from the pulpit. 

All have to be convicted by the Holy Spirit and brought to Christ as guilty sinners before they can ever come to know Christ as their Savior and as their Lord (Romans 3: 19). When they do, they will leave all the world behind them. I want people to come to Christ and be saved. Don’t you? Let’s study the truth about this essential subject.

Section 1: What is Holy Spirit Conviction?

We read in Genesis 1: 2: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” In the first creation we find the earth that was without form and void. It was empty and darkness was upon the whole earth. Then, the Spirit of God moved upon, or brooded over, the face of this dark, empty earth. In the 3rd verse we read, “Let there be light: and there was light.” This was the beginning of the restoration of the earth. It was the work of the Holy Spirit who took the Word of God and brought order out of chaos and life out of death in the first creation. 

In II Corinthians 4, we read the following: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God,who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 

This is a vivid picture of a lost sinner. When Adam fell, the light went out of his heart. Man is a threefold being: body, soul, and spirit. In his body he is world-conscious; in his soul, or mind, he is self-conscious; in his spirit he is dead. Romans 3 says in part: “There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Every unsaved person is an atheist at heart). There is none that understandeth.” Again the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2: 1: the sinner is “dead in trespasses and sins.” The sinner’s understanding is darkened (Ephesians 2:1). He has a mind that is blinded (2 Corinthians 4: 4). 

There is chaos and darkness in the heart and mind of the lost. He is lost, empty and void of life. It is only the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit who brooded over the first creation, that broods over the second creation and says, “Let there be light.” Thank God that one day the Holy Spirit brooded over my heart and said, “Barry, let there be light in your heart, soul and spirit.” What did He mean? “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4: 6) Just as the Holy Spirit one day brooded over this empty world covered with darkness, and out of the heavens came the command, “Let there be light: and there was light,” so the Holy Spirit broods over the heart of the sinner, and God gives the command, “Let there be light,” and there is light! Has the light of God ever shined on your heart? Have you received the light of the gospel?

It is the work of the Holy Spirit, not the work of man, or some celebrity, or worldly worship music, to get you in a spiritual mood. The sinner is dead and without a supernatural act to bring him to life, he will stay in the darkness and go to hell. But when the Holy Spirit broods over that soul and that spirit, and takes the Word of God, not some joke or illustration or movie theme, and opens the heart of that sinner, and lets the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shine in, that sinner begins to feel for the first time in his life what he is by nature. 

In summary, Holy Spirit conviction includes the following:

1. Showing the lost soul his or her true depravity and spiritual deadness. That he is a lost sinner without hope. That he is headed to hell.

2. Showing the lost soul the gospel of Christ (this is why true gospel preaching is necessary. God has ordained the method of preaching as the means to reach the sinner's mind and the Holy Spirit will apply the truth to the heart).  

3. Bringing the repenting soul to the foot of the cross to see that Christ’s blood has been shed for him. 

The average preaching today does not produce conviction, because the Word of God is not preached under the power of the Holy Spirit. The average church member is brought in as a member of the church through a decision for Christ, and not by and through Holy Spirit conviction; therefore, he is not saved. 

Section 2: What is the effect of Holy Spirit conviction on the unsaved person?

When the Word of God is preached to the sinner under the power of God’s Holy Spirit, the following will occur:

1. According to Acts 2: 6, he is “confounded,” which means he is confused. If I am being accused of confusing sinners by making the way too narrow, that is not me, it is the Holy Spirit. This is the first stage of Holy Spirit conviction: being confused. No wonder three thousand souls were converted on the Day of Pentecost. They came to know Christ as Lord and Savior. They were first convicted, convinced by the Holy Spirit, that they were lost sinners, lost and ruined, with no way out. According to Acts 2: 37, “They were pricked in their heart.” The word “pricked” means they were goaded with a keen slender knife that cut its way into the very spirit until the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shined in and laid bare their hearts and they cried, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” They were cut to pieces by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Then Peter said, “Repent…in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.  You don’t hear this much today. When is the last time you heard a sinner in your church cry out, “Preacher, I’m lost; brethren, what must I do?” I’ll answer the question, you don’t in most churches because the pastors aren’t saved, the church board isn;t saved, and most of the members aren’t saved. My expression is that they are on a little yellow school bus headed to hell while they are playing games, having fellowship dinners, and anything else to avoid the truth of the gospel.

2. According to Acts 2: 7, he is “amazed,” that is, deeply stirred; the fear of God falls upon him until he is separated from everything else and is transported into a new world of thinking, one he has never known before; and the world in which he once lived, calls him crazy. That’s right, to the world the sinner under conviction is crazy. They can’t understand what he is going through.

3. Acts 2: 12 says: “And they were in doubt,” which means they were perplexed and in a state of fear, and did not know how to get out. They were stripped naked before God; all excuses washed away, they begin to see themselves as guilty sinners, and they were perplexed because they could find no way out of their embarrassment before God. Holy Spirit conviction will confuse you, it embarrasses you, you don’t know what to do with it. A sinner under conviction who can’t throw it off will get to Christ. My friend, please don’t try to throw off conviction; if you succeed, it means hell for you.

Section 3:  Is Holy Spirit conviction necessary for salvation?

The short answer is yes!!! Let us now look at how the Word of God becomes effective in the salvation of a lost soul.

Ephesians 6: 17 reads: “And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” The Holy Spirit cannot do one thing in the heart of a sinner apart from the Word, and the Word of God is powerless apart from the Holy Spirit. But when the Holy Spirit takes the Word of God into the heart of the sinner, the sinner who is naturally asleep in sin is awakened by the Word of God. The sinner is bold and daring, and will not consider his sin, but when the Holy Spirit takes the Word of God home to the heart, He brings him to the bar of justice; He convicts him and shows him his condemnation, and the sinner feels and realizes and acknowledges his guilt and condemnation. 

The Word of God in the hands of the Holy Spirit discovers or reveals sin to the sinner. The Word goes into him and through him and opens up his very heart.  The Holy Spirit tells him what none other in the world could ever tell him of himself–and He does this privately–only God and his own conscience know what is taking place in the sinner’s heart. The Holy Spirit knows the hearts of men; the Holy Spirit searches the hearts of men, and He knows how to take the Word of God home to the heart that He wants to open with power and much assurance. Praise God, He is Sovereign! 

When the Holy Spirit directs the arrow of God’s Word into the heart of a sinner and lays bare the heinous nature of sin, He pulls off the paint and the varnish from man’s heart and reveals it is its loathsome nature and its vile corruption. The Holy Spirit exposes the sinner’s heart to the sinner and shows him his guilt. He opens the eyes of the sinner to see his guilt. The Holy Spirit turns him “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.”

When the Holy Spirit takes the Word to the sinner’s heart, it causes him to cry out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The Holy Spirit causes him to perceive himself bound over to death as a guilty sinner; this fills him with fear and terror, anxiety and remorse, and sets him to mourning after Christ for salvation. Yes, the Word of God is the means which God has chosen for bringing sinners to Christ. 

Going further, the Holy Spirit takes the Word of God as the means of driving the sinner out of himself to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. He causes the sinner to sit and listen, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) The Law brings us to Christ (Galatians 3: 24), goes before and condemns the sinner under the power of the Holy Spirit and causes him to discover that he is a lost sinner, and he is made to cry out, “I’m lost! I’m lost! God have mercy upon me–I’m lost.”

So consider the following and how they compare with true Holy Spirit conviction:

1. Repeat after me this “Sinner’s Prayer;”

2. Just believe in Jesus;

3. Make a profession of faith;

4. Get baptized;

5. Join the church;

6. Give Jesus a try, what do you have to lose?

7. Jesus votes for you, the devil votes against you, you cast the deciding vote.

8. You need to pray through your effort until you can know you are saved.

9. Vacation Bible School conversions to make “mommy and daddy happy.”

It should be abundantly clear that without Holy Spirit conviction, a sinner will never get saved!

Conclusion

Unless the Holy Spirit strips you and lets you see your nakedness before God, you will never cry for the righteousness of Christ. You will never cry for the righteousness of Christ! May there be such a cry in that heart of yours that you will not let go until you rest in Christ. As the old preacher said, “Come clear, come clean.” Friend, have you come? Do you know the power of the Holy Spirit's conviction? If not, go to the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer and ask Him to send the Holy Spirit to convict your sinful heart that you might receive a Godly new heart. That will be a cause for rejoicing!

The Essentials Part 2: The Sovereignty of God

 The Essentials Part 2: The Sovereignty of God

Today, we continue in our new series on “The Essentials.” Right after learning about the depravity of man, we see that without a Sovereign act of God giving the sinner a new heart, no one would want to be saved and no one would be saved. If God in His Sovereign will doesn’t change the sinner's heart, he or she will not come to Christ.

When I speak of the Sovereignty of God, I mean that God is elevated infinitely above the highest creature, and that He is the Most High, Lord of Heaven and earth. We mean that God is subject to none, influenced by none and is absolutely independent, that He does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases, and none can thwart Him, and none can hinder Him. He is the Absolute Sovereign. Isaiah 46: 10 says: "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." He says again in Daniel 4: 35: "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

When I say God is Sovereign, I mean that God is God in fact, in name, and that He is on the throne, the throne of the universe, and according to Ephesians 1: 11, He "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" as it pleases Him. The Sovereignty of God means He does not take man into His counsel, or consult man about what He does, but that He is supreme Monarch and Absolute Authority. 

This topic was once understood and believed by the churches and the ministry, but today you very seldom, if ever, hear the phrase used in the pulpit, or see it in print in Christian literature. In fact, a religious leader in the South said, "God is not the only one who is sovereign, but man is also sovereign." That statement is incorrect. There cannot be two voices of authority in the universe. Either God is Sovereign, and man is a servant of God or man is sovereign and God is subject to man. I am here to proclaim to you that God is Sovereign, and man is not!!!

Points to remember:

1. The word “sovereign” is not in the Bible, but the concept is, just like the Trinity.

2. If you don’t believe in a Sovereign God, you may be an atheist. 

Section 1: The Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God 

The Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God is the basic doctrine, or the foundational doctrine, of all the teachings of God's Word. All other teachings of the Word of God have for their foundation the Sovereignty of God. The Doctrine of Election is based on the Sovereignty of God. The Doctrine of Election is the foundation of the Doctrine of Blood Redemption. You cannot change that. All other doctrines have the Sovereignty of God or their foundation. 

When I speak of the Sovereignty of God, I mean the Supremacy of God, I mean the Kingship of God, I mean the Godhead in His Fullness, and according to Psalm 115:3, I mean that God is on the throne in Heaven and does whatever He pleases.  I mean according to Psalm 22:28, that God is "the governor among the nations," and that He sets up kingdoms, overthrows kingdoms, and determines the course of every nation. According to 1 Timothy 6:15, He is "the only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of Lords." I mean by the Sovereignty of God that He is absolute, irresistible and infinite; I affirm by the Word of God that He has the right to govern the universe which He has made or His glory and do it as He pleases. When I speak of the Sovereignty of God, I affirm according to God's Word in Romans 9: 20-22 that He has the right (as a potter over the clay) to fashion every individual He chooses, whether to honor or to dishonor He has a right to do as He pleases. Every individual who is ever saved comes to recognize the Sovereignty of God. 

Today in most churches, there is a lack of understanding and teaching on this subject. I have said many times that today "preachers" deify man and humanize God. The "god" of today is a helpless, effeminate being whom man can push round and bully as he pleases. The "god" of today's pulpit is an object of pity rather than a God on the throne, who inspires reverence and obedience in His creatures. The "god" today is a disappointed, dissatisfied and defeated being. It is like He is on the sidelines of a sporting event just hoping someone will "accept" Him or make "decision" for Him. No, that is not the picture of the Sovereign LORD! God is on the throne, and He does as He pleases and directs the universe according to His set plan and purpose for His Glory regardless of what man thinks about it.

Let me say from personal testimony that there is no attribute of God more comforting to me than the Sovereignty of God. My wife and I own a successful business and we are navigating challenging times due to inflation and interest rates since we are in real estate. Every day we acknowledge God's Sovereignty and Providence, and we submit to His Will and Purposes. The Sovereignty of God ordains our afflictions, severe trials, and whatever challenges we face. I take great comfort that nothing touches me that does not first pass by the throne room of Heaven where my LORD sits in glory. I believe and accept our Lord Jesus Christ my Master and Lord and I accept and embrace His right to sit upon the throne. That is shouting ground for me! Our God reigns and that includes the good and the not so good. 

On the other hand, the Sovereignty of God is the doctrine most hated by the world and unsaved religionists. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on the throne as Sovereign. They will allow Him to be a "heavenly grandfather" who dispenses gifts and favor and prosperity to everyone. They will agree that He love everyone. They will allow Him to order and sustain the universe, winds and waves. However, once the Sovereign Lord ascends the throne, the unsaved religionists will cry and gnash their teeth because they are not willing to bow to Him in dust and ashes of repentance and own Him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. The unsaved demand to be in charge and refuse to acknowledge the LORD as the Sovereign Authority over them.

I say, "Thank God for His Sovereignty!"

Life Lesson: God’s Sovereignty is the soft pillow upon which we may rest our heads at night.

Section 2: Scriptural Examples of the Sovereignty of God

When we say that God is Sovereign, we mean that HE IS SOVEREIGN IN THE MANIFESTATIONS, OR THE EXERCISE OF HIS POWER. Matthew 28: 18 reads, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Psalm 62: 11 states: Power belongeth unto God." This means that God manifests His power as He wills, when He wills and where He wills. We see this fact throughout the entire Word of God, and when He puts forth His power it is irresistible. No man can stand before Him. Consider the following Biblical examples:

1.  Pharaoh tried to hinder Israel from serving God in the wilderness. God manifested His power, His people were delivered, and their enemies slain. In contrast, the Amalekites made war with Israel for the purpose of destroying them, however God did not manifest His power in their destruction. Instead, He said He would, "have war with Amalek from generation to generation." (Exodus 17:16)

2. When the Israelites faced the Red Sea, God supernaturally divided the waters so the Israelites could pass on dry ground. The LORD caused the walls of Jericho to fall down on His command. However, God never manifested His power in the overthrow of any other city after this manner. The Israelites had to take the cities by force in battle array.

3. God stretched forth His hand to deliver David from Goliath, Daniel from the lions' den, the three Hebrew children from the fiery; but in Hebrews we read: "And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented." Why the different treatment? THE ANSWER IS GOD IS SOVEREIGN, AND HE EXERCISES HIS POWER WHEN HE PLEASES AND ON WHOM HE PLEASES. 

4. God allowed Stephen to be stoned to death in Acts 7, yet He delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12). Why? Because God is Sovereign. God allowed James to be killed with a sword; John, his brother, died a natural death. David Brainard preached only seven years and died of tuberculosis before he was thirty. Charles Finney preached until he was ninety. Why the difference? Because God is Sovereign.

5. Methuselah outlived all his contemporaries. Samson was given supernatural strength. One man makes millions of dollars while another man lives in poverty. Deuteronomy 8:18 says: "But thou remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth." Why does God let one man preach to millions, yet to another he preached to a handful? Why? Becayse God is Sovereign.

GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS MERCY TO THE SOULS OF MEN.  No man deserves mercy. No individual has a right to God's mercy. Every person is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (Revelations 3: 17), and deserves to be so because man is completely depraved. We all deserved to be damned. Let that sink in! Ezekiel 18: 4 reads: "the soul that sinneth it shall die." Romans 3: 23 states: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

God is Sovereign in the exercise of His mercy. God bestows His mercy upon whom He pleases. Look at the two thieves on the cross. One went to paradise, and one didn't. The sentence of death was passed on Moses for one act of disobedience. He asked God to remove it, but God in His Sovereignty said, "NO!" Look at Hezekiah who was sick unto death. He asked God to spare his life. God added fifteen years to his life (2 Kings 20: 1-6). Why did answer Hezekiah's prayer but not Moses' prayer? Because He is Sovereign. 

One day the Lord Jesus Christ was walking by the Pool of Bethesda, where a multitude of sick people were waiting for the moving of the waters. The first one in would be healed. In that large group was a man who had been cripple for many years. The Lord Jesus Christ healed him and told him to, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk...." Christ healed that poor man. Why didn't He heal any others. The man He healed exercised no faith, did not ask to be healed and was not expecting to be healed. Why did Christ heal him? Because of the Sovereignty of God. 

Why did God pick out Naaman to be healed of leprosy, yet leave all the others to suffer? Because He is Sovereign. We need to grasp the idea that God does not have to show mercy on you. God only has to leave you alone for you to go to hell. We don't deserve to be saved. But PRAISE GOD THAT HE EXTENDS HIS GRACE TO YOU TODAY BY ALLOWING YOU TO HEAR THE TRUTH!

Life Lesson: When we trust in God’s Sovereignty it causes us to not compare ourselves with others and to endure hardships as He desires for us. We trust Him.

Section 3: God's Sovereignty in the Exercise of His Love

God is Sovereign in the exercise of His love. When I say He is Sovereign in His love, I mean that God loves whom He chooses. God does not love everybody. If He did, He would love the devil. Do you realize that no fallen child of Adam's race has anything that would attract the love of God? God loves whom He will and the cause of this love is found only in God.

Ephesians 2: 3 states: "We all...were by nature the children of wrath." According to John 8: 44, we are all the children of the devil, and according to Matthew 3: 7 we are all the offspring of vipers, and according to the 16th chapter of Ezekiel we are all illegitimate children born out of wedlock, dead in trespasses and sins, totally corrupt and discarded on the garbage heap of the world as fit subjects for hell. There is nothing in us that would be attractive to God in His Holiness.

Someone is surely to say, what about John 3:16: "For God so loved the world." In the preceding verse, we learn that the whosoever believes are the people being referenced in verse 16. Let me paraphrase, "For God so loved the ones that believe, that He gave...." The "world" in verse 16 are not the lost, but rather the ones that believe. The Scriptures call these people the "elect." God's love for the elect is traced to His Sovereignty. Follow me now, God does not love by rule. If God loved by rule, God would be under law; and if God were under law, He would not be supreme, i.e., Sovereign. 

God is a law unto Himself. Romans 9: 13 reads: "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. God said this even before they were born. He did that so we would know that His love was based on Himself and not the actions or will of Jacob or Esau. His love is manifested in the ones He selects and chooses to be the objects of His love. I have no understanding of why chose to shed His light into my heart. I didn't deserve it. I didn't want it, nor did I desire it. However, when the Holy Spirit awakened me to my sinful condition, I knew I had no hope but in the Lord Jesus Christ and I came running to the foot of the cross. He chose me, accepted me in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). He drew me with lovingkindness of an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and shed abroad His love in my heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). 

Listen to Ephesians 1: 3-5: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." The Father's election was "in love" before the foundation of the world. Before you ever were born, did one act or had one thought, the Father had chosen you. It was "according to the good pleasure of his will." Whose will, was it? Was it your will? No, it was the Father's will! God did not choose you because of some good in you. You get to take no credit with the true gospel message. 

To me this is one of the greatest, most comforting truths in God's Word--to think that I have been an object of His love before the foundation of the world, and that He knew me before I was ever born. This position takes all your pride away, it deflates your ego, and exposes your depravity. 

The justice of God demands the enforcement of God's law/ All have sinned and therefore all deserve death and hell. However, in a show of love, God has sent His grace into the hearts of many showing the bestowal of His grace upon the undeserving. 

Justice said: "I demand an impartial enforcement of the law.

Love said: "My elect must live."

The Second Person of the Trinity the Lord Jesus Christ said, "Father, I will interpose for Your elect; I will pay their sin debt. Our Lord Jesus Christ was successful in His mission: He was born a baby, grew to be a man, was crucified, died, buried, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father. That is love! The Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to call out His chosen ones and to reveal to their hearts that they were corrupt, lost and headed to hell. The Spirit showed them their lost condition and the truth about their heart. He awakened them and brought them to Christ to see His sacrifice and the narrow way. The lost soul sees Christ as his substitute and his only hope. He clings to the Savior and becomes a new creation in Christ. 

That is God's Sovereign love for the lost. He would not leave His children to face judgment, but in love, chose them for salvation. You know you are among those chosen if you want Christ. How can I say that? Because the Scriptures tell us, He will never turn anyone away that comes to Him. That is how you know you are among the elect, because you want to be! 

Life Lesson: God’s Sovereign love for you will not change.

Section 4: God's Sovereignty and Evangelism

We learned last week that man is depraved. By this we mean that man will not come to Christ on his own. It takes the Holy Spirit awakening his heart. We are to preach without compromise because those who the Father has given to Christ will come to Christ. See John 6: 37. You don’t need to water down the truth to get a “decision” or a “profession of faith.” Preach the Word!

Life (Ministry) Lesson: Since salvation is of the Lord, we should never compromise the message knowing that apart from the LORD, no one will be saved. 

Conclusion

The truth about the Sovereignty of God does away with your "decision for Christ," your "profession of faith," or joining a church as a basis for your salvation. Those things will not save you. The greatest thing in the world is to be an object of God's love and an object of God's mercy and His grace. Think about how far you have pushed Him away, rebelled against His laws, denied Him and abused His Name, yet He still loves you! He does so because He Is Sovereign! Now, that is the God I know; that is the God I preach; that is the God I worship; that is the God of the Bible!

Is He your God?

The Essentials Part 1: The Depravity of Man

1. Introduction

1. Times are perilous and the truth will sustain you through these difficult days. This series will focus on the essentials you need to know and understand.

2. Today is about the depravity of man. If you get this wrong, all of your theology will be flawed. 

II. Scriptures

1. Romans 3: 9-18: “What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave;   they use their tongues to deceive. “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Spiritual inability)

2. Ephesians 2: 1: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” (Spiritual impossibility)

3. Jeremiah 17: 9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately (incurably) sick; who can understand it?” (Spiritually deceived)

4. Ephesians 4: 18: “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” (Spiritual darkness)

5. Mark 7: 21-23: “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Polluted foundation)

6. Psalm 51: 5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Spiritually conceived in sin)

7. John 8: 44: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Spiritually a child of Satan)

8. Isaiah 1: 5-6: “Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.” (Spiritually sick)

III. What does depravity mean?

1. We are not talking about utter depravity. Depraved people can be kind to animals, help ladies across the street and perform other acts of human kindness.

2. By the depravity of man, I mean the spiritual inability to come to God on their own. 

3. Depraved people are dead in sins, not on life support, they are dead. Ever seen a dead person, what were they capable of?

4. Depraved man is incapable of coming to Christ for salvation.

IV. How does this impact evangelism?

1. If you think man is in charge, you will make your evangelism smooth and easy so as to convince the person that coming to Christ is a good decision for him. You will do egg hunts for Easter, throw Super Bowl parties on Sunday night, endorse cultural issues so as to appear loving and kind to the world.

2. If you think man is totally depraved and God is in charge of salvation, you will know that it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that a lost soul comes to Christ. You tell the truth about the gospel, knowing that the gospel message is offensive to the lost. You give the truth to the mind and the Holy Spirit will apply to the heart.

V. How does this doctrine affect my life?

1. It should make you humble. When you understand that God saved you in spite of your depravity and He gave you a new heart.

2. It should make you more compassionate to the lost. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Man is depraved and so were you.

3. It should make you truthful in your presentation of the gospel. Since it will take the Holy Spirit to work on the sinner’s heart to bring him to Chgrist, you don’t need to “sugar coat” the message.

4. It should make you more devoted to Christ since He is the one that imputes holiness to you and causes you to walk in holiness in practice. 

V. Conclusion

1. Good theology leads to better living.

2. Bad theology brings heartache and suffering.