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Born again – Part 16

By Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide
27 June 2021   |   3:04 am
Sin destroys both the life and fullness of the Holy Spirit within the believer (Rom 6:23; 8:13; Gal 5:17; cf. Eph 5:18; 1 Thes 5:19).

Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide

(b) The Holy Spirit will guide them into all truth, and (c) glorify Christ (v. 14). Thus, the Holy Spirit works within believers to reproduce Christ’s holy life in their lives.

(2) If spirit-filled believers reject the Spirit’s guidance and convicting work, and if they do not “through the Spirit… mortify the deeds of the body” (Rom 8:13), then will enter into condemnation.

Only those who receive the truth and are “led by the Spirit of God” are “sons of God” (Rom 8:14) and are therefore able to continue in the Spirit’s fullness (see Eph 5:10).

Sin destroys both the life and fullness of the Holy Spirit within the believer (Rom 6:23; 8:13; Gal 5:17; cf. Eph 5:18; 1 Thes 5:19).

16:13 he shall not speak of himself. The translation “he shall not speak of himself” does not correctly communicate the truth of John 16:13-14. A more accurate rendering of the Greek text would be: “He will not speak on His own initiative.” The Holy Spirit receives His message and instructions from Christ; believers ought to talk about and rejoice in the work of the Holy Spirit.

16:14 he shall receive of mine. The Spirit takes that which is Christ’s and reveals it to the believer. He takes the presence, love, forgiveness, redemption, sanctification, power, spiritual gifts, healing and all that is ours through our faith relationship with Christ, and makes it experientially real in our lives. Through the Spirit Jesus returns to us to disclose His love, grace and personal fellowship (cf 14:16-23). The Spirit works within us to do what is necessary to awaken and deepen our awareness of Jesus’ presence in our lives, drawing our hearts toward Him in faith, love, obedience, communion, worship and praise.

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (Jn 16:8-11)

Three important tasks of the Holy Spirit are (1) convicting the world of its sin and calling it to repentance, (2) revealing the standard of God’s righteousness to anyone who believes, because Christ would no longer be physically present on earth, and (3) demonstrating Christ’s judgment over Satan.

16:9 According to Jesus, not believing in him is sin.

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” (Jn 16:13)

The truth into which the Holy Spirit guides us is the about Christ. The Spirit also helps us through patient practice to discern right from wrong.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would tell them “things to come”—the nature of their mission, the opposition they would face, and the final outcome of their efforts. They didn’t fully understand these promises until the Holy Spirit came after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Then the Holy Spirit revealed truths to the disciples that they wrote down in the books that now form the New Testament.

In John’s Gospel “water” often refers to the Spirit

“living Water”

“Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (Jn 4:10).

Email:mercyolumide2004@yahoo.co.uk www.thebiblicalwomanhood.com Mobile: +234 803 344 6614; +234 808 123 7987

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