Text: “And when He (God the Holy Spirit) is come (Pentecost), He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement…”
John 16:8.
“…This is the Word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might (fleshy strength), nor by power (man’s selfish will), but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah 4:6b.
Good morning, Spirit-directed
Christian! Having, by God’s grace, through faith, received the first ministry of
God the Holy Spirit to sinful mankind - you and I now seek to be led
continually into all truth by that same Holy Spirit. What a privilege it is to be saved, kept, and
directed by God the Spirit! And all
because of Christ’s Victory at
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again (born again believers) unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are KEPT by the power of God through faith unto Salvation.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
We are not only saved by the Lord God, but kept by Him for Eternity! We couldn’t KEEP ourselves saved for a moment. God saves and keeps!
So, let us look at this ‘first ministry of the Holy Spirit’, and understand clearly what this vital ministry entails: Christ promised His disciples - and continues to promise all believers today - that when He would ascend back into Heaven, He would send God the Holy Spirit to us; to be our Comforter and to minister Salvation to all the ‘whosoevers’ that were chosen and written in the Lamb’s book of life from before the foundation of the world. (John 15:16)
“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 predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Ephesians 1:4-5)
This promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when, for the first time in the history of mankind, God the Holy Spirit was poured out upon us in - all His Divine fullness - with signs and wonders following. Hallelujah!
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (the disciples) were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting…and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…” (Acts 2:1-11)
Christ’s promise of the Holy Ghost was wonderfully fulfilled. (V.7)
The Spirit of God’s first ministry to us as natural, unregenerate, unsaved souls, is primarily threefold: He reproves (or convicts) us of our sin; He reveals Christ’s righteousness as the absolute Standard for entrance to Heaven; and convinces us of the great judgement that will one day come.
In other words, God the Holy Spirit ‘guides us into all truth…’; clearly shows us that we are indeed Hell-deserving sinners; that we are devoid of Christ’s righteous Standard for Heaven; and convinces us that Eternal judgement will surely come to all unsaved mankind on that great and terrible day of God’s wrath.
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me (Paul) only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8)
“And as it is appointed unto men/women once to die, but after this the judgement; so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of MANY (not all!); and unto them (believers) that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto Salvation.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)
God the Father, in His
absolute Sovereignty, grants faith to believe, and repentance - as His gifts of
grace - to those whom He has decided to redeem by the precious Blood of His
Son, Christ Jesus. We believe the Gospel,
we repent from sin (about turn from following sin and selfishness, to follow
hard after Jesus); and trust Christ’ Atonement for us,
made at
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man/woman should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
No faith? No repentance! No repentance from sin? No Salvation! Take heed!
Thought: The Holy Spirit’s first ministry to us is to secure us for Eternity in Christ Jesus. Have YOU received this vital Divine ministry?
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