Last week we discussed how Salvation for the Christian has three facets. First, the believer himself must turn from the world and turn toward the Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a given, for unless a pardon is received by the condemned, the benefits of the pardon cannot be applied. Second, since the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for that pardon with His own blood on the Cross, faith or acceptance of that pardon by the believer initiates salvation. Third, at the point of salvation where the believer calls on the name of Jesus for salvation, the Holy Spirit of God enters that life and regenerates or makes that which was spiritually dead spiritually alive. The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life. The believer is changed by the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation. We become new creatures. Though we do not become unable to sin, we do become able not to sin, and that new ability, instilled by the Blood and the Spirit, is the outward proof that we are indeed new creatures - and Christian.
 

- What are the three facets of salvation? Why is it vitally necessary that each of these facets be present in the life of the believer? - Am I powerless against sin? Do I have power over sin? Explain this.

Satan would have each believer in the Church Age think that they are powerless against sin. That "the Devil made me do it" is an acceptable response when we fall victim to overt sin. Failing this, Satan would have us believe that we must use our own feeble resources when we are confronted with temptation to sin. Such misinterpretation of Scriptural truth as regards the supernatural state of salvation has led to either of two extremes. Many, like the medieval monk, sequester themselves  away from all things human in order to dominate their lives for Christ. They walk around in self righteousness, forbidding the normal functions of humanity, forbidding to marry, forbidding even happiness - in order to secure a "holier than thou" walk with the Lord. Others follow the path of the Gnostic, and throw their hands up in surrender at sin. They shake their heads while professing "I'm saved by Grace so I don't have to concern myself with righteousness". They forget that the Scripture plainly teaches:

1 Peter 1:14-16  "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15]  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16]  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
 

- What are the two extremes evident in Christianity when we take the "supernatural" out of the Christian experience?  (1 Peter 1.14-16)

You see, if you are a Christian then you are a supernatural creature of God. You are empowered - not to perfection in this life - but are empowered to overcome sin at progressively greater degrees through the same Holy Spirit who indwelt you at the point of salvation. Though you are not unable to sin, you are able not to sin based on your relationship to the Power of God that indwells you. These are truths that Satan does not want you to understand, but they are truths that the Church must understand if it ever expects to be effective for our Lord Jesus Christ.
 

- Though I am not ________ to sin I am _______ not to sin. - Are we empowered to overcome sin at progressively greater degrees? Why or why not?

1 Peter 1:22-23  "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (ANHUPOKRITOS = not hypocritical) love of the brethren, see that ye love (AGAPAO = have Divine Love toward) one another with (EK = out from the source of) a pure heart fervently: (EKTINOS = powerfully, intensely) [23]  Being born again, (ANAGENNAO, Perfect Passive Participle = being born anew with lasting results) not of corruptible (PHTHARTOS = perishable) seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

The Apostle Peter recognized that salvation is not a "me only" proposition, but salvation is a supernatural action completed on a believer by a Loving God. This is most important to the Church, especially in our day and age. Salvation is not so much what you do, as it is what a Loving God has done to you. This is clearly highlighted in our text:

1 Peter 1:23  "Being born again, (ANAGENNAO, Perfect Passive Participle = being born anew with lasting results) not of corruptible (PHTHARTOS = perishable) seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

Peter uses very clear words when describing our salvation, our "ANAGENNAO" or New Birth experience. Seed brings life, if properly tended. The farmer takes his seed, cultivates the ground, plants that seed in a prepared field, then tends to that seed. If the proper amount of water falls at the proper time, if the right fertilizer is used, if all the art of the farmer is applied correctly, then he is rewarded with produce. It takes a different seed and a different science to raise cotton as opposed to corn, soy beans as opposed to rice, sugar cane as opposed to field peas. If you want corn then you must plant corn seed, then tend to that specific seed based on the needs of corn seed. To plant corn seed, then to flood the fields as you would do with rice, will not yield corn - only dead fields.
 

- Can I hear the Word of God and not be saved? Why or why not? - What is the purpose or goal of salvation? - We are born again to ____ the nature of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The New Birth experience also begins with the planting of seed, except this seed is the "APHTHARTOS" or non-perishable Word of God. This seed is planted by the Preacher, by the Pastor, by the Evangelist or by the Lay Worker who testifies of the greatness of our Lord  Jesus Christ. The seed is laid, but the proper Rain must hit that seed. The Holy Spirit must come into the life of the hearer of the Word and bring that Word to produce. This is the New Birth experience. The Holy Spirit then stays in the new convert's life, indwelling the believer. Why does He do this? Well, there are a variety of reasons, but the most prominent in Scripture is this -

This, then, is the goal, the aim of the Christian life. We are saved because God the Father loves us (John 3.16). We are saved because God the Son loved us enough to pay the penalty for our sins. We are saved because God the Holy Spirit loves us enough to come into our lives at the point of salvation and change us into New Creatures.

And as New Creatures born out of Love, we are born to exemplify the nature of our Lord Jesus. We are born to exemplify Love in all that we do. We are called to a higher standard, the higher standard that Jesus exemplified in His life.

Have you ever wondered why our Lord Jesus Christ spent three years ministering on the earth? Why He came to earth as mere mortal man, grew up in a ordinary mortal man's household, then walked and talked among mankind as long as He did? We know that Jesus had to be born and grow up like us in order to be a fit payment for our salvation:

Hebrews 2:17  "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

He had to be like us, so He could die for us. But why, when Jesus reached 30 years old, (Luke 3.23) why was He allowed to minister three more years? Why not reach 30, then be crucified for our sins? Or why not just spend a year in ministry, then be executed? Surely in a year Jesus could prove His Messiahship and be sacrificed for us. Surely He could, so why three more years?

I believe the truth lies in the evident ministry of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus was empowered to minister by the Holy Spirit of God (Matthew 12.28). As Jesus walked the earth, He gave us an example:

John 13:14-17  "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. [15]  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. [16]  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. [17]  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

of Spirit empowered Love. He wanted His Church to see this example, to see that - even if the whole world descended into the pits of fiery Hell, the Church could be empowered to love, nay, must be empowered to love by the same Spirit that empowered Jesus. This is highlighted in our focal text:

1 Peter 1:22  "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (ANHUPOKRITOS = not hypocritical) love of the brethren, see that ye love (AGAPAO = have Divine Love toward) one another with (EK = out from the source of) a pure heart fervently: (EKTINOS = powerfully, intensely) "
 
 

- Why did Jesus Christ spend so much time on the earth prior to His crucifixion? (Hebrews 2.7; John 13.14-17; 1 Peter 1.22) - If I am saved, then I was saved because of the power of the Holy Spirit. If this is true, then how does this indwelling Spirit effect my life?

You can only "purified your souls" through the Spirit of God, by allowing that Spirit to work out Divine Love in your lives. The Spirit came into your lives to save you, yes, but this is not the end of His work. He came into your lives to teach you the Love of God, the operational Love of God toward one another, toward your neighbor, toward all who are in your periphery. We as Christians must become, if we are to obey the wishes of our Lord Jesus, must become the embodiment of God's Love as our Lord Jesus was. Not through our power, but through the power of God Who indwells us.

In His great prayer for the Church our Lord Jesus prayed:

John 17:25-26  "O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. [26]  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."

You've probably read this prayer a thousand times, but look at the last line of it. Jesus prayed that the Divine Love that He was loved with would be in us, and that simultaneously He would be in us. Jesus is in us, for He indwells us through the precious Holy Spirit. That same Spirit indwells us, not just to keep us in a saved state, but to empower us to love as Our Lord set the example. This is the goal of the Christian, unhypocritical Spiritual love. Our goal is not to, as James and John did vie to be greatest in the Kingdom. Our goal is not to speak with Tongues (though, in a proper context, this is not a bad thing), nor to be a spectacle, nor to compromise with the world. Our goal is not to secure titles, "Doctor" or "Reverend", but our goal is to be like Jesus in His earthly example of Divine Love. This goal cannot be satisfied while we pursue it in our own power. This goal can only be achieved "through the Spirit" Whom we received at salvation, if we are indeed Christians.
 

- What should my ultimate goal as a Christian be? (John 17.25-26)

"It is implied in the word, 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit', it is only a friend we can grieve. If he was an enemy he would rejoice if we fell. And this shows that he is a true friend, because when we fall the Holy Spirit is grieved. It is quite true that the infinite God does not grieve in the same sense as we do, for that would imply that he was not infinitely happy; but it is quite as true that there is something analogous between his grief and ours." (Robert Murray McCheyne — 1813-1843, sermon 23)

1 Thessalonians 5:19-24 "Quench (sbennumi, to extinguish) not the Spirit. [20]  Despise not prophesyings. [21]  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. [22]  Abstain from all appearance of evil. [23] And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."

Ephesians 4:30-32  "And grieve (lupeo, to cause to be sad) not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. [31]  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: [32]  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

I am convinced that a Biblical definition of sin is "that which is devoid of Divine Love, and therefore devoid of the Spirit". As believers we can be Loveless either Heavenward or Earthward, and either of these Loveless states render the Holy Spirit of God inactive in your lives. Two words are used in Scripture for this Loveless state, fast becoming an epidemic as terrible as the bubonic plague in the modern Church Age.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-24 "Quench (sbennumi, to extinguish) not the Spirit"

Quenching or extinguishing the Spirit is a Loveless state that is extended Heavenward. This is the state where we look at ourselves, look at the Lord, and say "No, Lord, you can't have this part of me. No, I won't surrender to you because I love myself more than you." Those who quench the Spirit deny the supernatural power of God for a "theological" faith. They refuse to put themselves in any position that might bring self-shame or might require trust on God. The Lord tells us to "Despise not prophesyings". When I reject the supernatural empowering of God in my life, or in the Church, when I throw the cold water of human common sense on the Spirit, I quench the Spirit.

Common sense is a fine thing. Human reason is a fine thing. But be aware of this: neither common sense nor human reason saved you. The Holy Spirit of God entered your life and changed you, else you are yet damned in your sins! King David was a man after God's own heart (1 Kings 15.3; Acts 13.22), and he gave himself totally to God. Yes, he sinned with Bathsheba, but he was willing to place all of his life in God's hands. He cast off pride in order to worship God - and the Lord richly blessed his life.

We Quench the Spirit in a variety of ways in our modern Church:

1. We reject the Gifting of God in our assemblies
2. We hyper-emphasize the Gifting of God in our assemblies
3. We reject the Word of God as the foundation of our faith
4. We de-personify the Spirit of God
5. We follow after self rather than after the things of God
6. We are religious and ritualistic rather than relationship oriented
7. We choose sin over God's Power in the Spirit
8. We allow rationalism to modify the teachings of God's Word

This list is not exhaustive, but you should get the picture. Quenching the Spirit is, quite simply, putting humanism above what the Lord requires.
 

- Define "quenching" the Spirit of God.  - What are some examples of Quenching the Spirit of God that I have seen in our Church? What are some examples of quenching the Spirit that I have done in my life?

Ephesians 4:30  "And grieve (lupeo, to cause to be sad) not the Holy Spirit of God ..."

Grieving or saddening the Spirit of God is a loveless state that is extended man ward. A perfect definition of grieving the Spirit is found in our Ephesians context.

Ephesians 4:31-32  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: [32]  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

All of the sins that are so commonly found in our Churches today are those which grieve or sadden the Holy Spirit of God. The "bitterness", such as in "oh, I forgave them for the offense, but Brother David, I can't forget it". God give you the strength to put this arrogant bitter attitude aside, for while you have it you disturb the Seat of your Salvation, the Holy Spirit of God. The "wrath and anger" that forgets:

Ephesians 4:26  "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath"

our Lord put a time limit on your anger. Get mad at one another, but get over it before the day has ended. The restless desire to get attention, "clamor", placing yourself above your brother, this grieves God who indwells us. The "evil speaking" and "malice" which I see all too often in the Church, these too must be cast off in favor of God the Holy Spirit.
 

- Define "grieving" the Spirit of God. - What are some examples of Grieving the Spirit of God that I have seen in our Church? What are some examples of grieving the Spirit that I have done in my life?

For while I bind love with my willful choices to sin, God cannot be released to work in my life. So then a choice is placed before you and I today. We know that we are partakers of the Divine Nature by Spirit Work and by faith in Christ:

2 Peter 1:2-4  "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, [3]  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4]  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

So now, we have at this moment a choice. Will we repent and follow after love, or will we, as a Church, remain largely ineffective by allowing our own agenda to stand between us and God? The same Spirit who regenerated you is the same Spirit who will empower you to find the fulness of God in your lives. This is something that we must, in the name of Jesus, strive for. Rather than seek the Gift for the Gifts sake, pray that the Spirit will show you the Love of Christ in your life. Pray that God will supernaturally empower you to love, as Jesus loved, through that precious Spirit. The Church can fall into ritual and business as usual, and suffer the same fate that Israel suffered. Or the Church can be Spirit led, making love toward one another and toward the lost our main priority.

Next Sunday we will focus on the truths found in John 14.11-18; 14.23-26; 1 Corinthians 2.10-14. May God strengthen us as we learn more about Jesus and the precious Holy Spirit.