GraceTrax

AMONG the most glorious functions of God the Holy Spirit is the granting of eternal life to sinners. 

These words came from the Savior Himself, recorded in John 6:63 (ESV): “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” 

Regeneration (New Birth) is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit wherein the Spirit gives the sinner a new heart. This is prophesied in Ezekiel 36:26–27: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

The Holy Spirit also bestows upon the saints assurance of salvation. Paul spoke of this witness in Romans 8:16–17: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

The Holy Spirit breathed out the Holy Scriptures. The Bible speaks of the divine revelation’s origin in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.” 

Though we see in 2 Tim. 4:1 that God and Christ Jesus are spoken of and the Holy Spirit is not, it implies the inspiring of such words came by way of the Holy Spirit who does not bear witness of Himself but of Christ.

There is much to say of the Holy Spirit’s work, but space limitations prevent further elaboration. 

Remember this reality: The Holy Spirit not only regenerated us, He took up a dwelling place in our new hearts. He abides in us, loves us, cares for our needs, prays for us, watches over us, convicts us of sin and seals us—according to Paul’s words in Ephesians—until the day of our full redemption. 

Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-equal, co-eternal, and co-substantial, ETERNALLY!

AS WE SAW last time, equality among the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is sufficiently revealed in the Scriptures. But there are functional variations within the workings of the blessed Trinity. 

A primary example of this functional variety is seen in prayer. For instance, we are taught by the Lord Jesus in His model prayer to pray in this manner, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven . . .” (Matthew 6:9-10).

Of course, praying to the Father does not negate the parallel work of the Son as Mediator. Without Christ, prayer rises no higher than the words flowing from our lips. 

But that is not all that occurs in true prayer. The Apostle Paul also gives us insight into the dynamic of prayer relating to the Trinity. In Romans 8:26 (ESV), he writes, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

So in this inexplicable union of the godhead, true prayer must flow through every person. The Spirit helps us in prayer; the Son mediates the prayer; the Father receives the prayer. Ultimately, the prayer terminates in the Father Who subsequently finds the answer in the One who intercedes by way of the Holy Spirit. What wisdom and insight beyond our capacity to fathom.

But there is yet more that the Holy Spirit engages in for the saints. First, it is said of the Spirit by the Lord Jesus Himself in John 15:26,  “But when the Helper comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me.” 

In other words, Christ’s words spoken during His earthly ministry are presently witnessed by the current work of the Holy Spirit here on earth.

Next time, we’ll take a look at the Holy Spirit’s primary role in redemption: granting new life to a dead sinner.