THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

     Once again we wish each listener a very pleasant good morning
and an expression of thanks for your tuning us in to study together
"What Saith the Scriptures?" We continue to be encouraged by the
many kind remarks concerning the program. As I have said upon so
many occasions, it is my desire to do all things in harmony with the
revealed Word of God, that book we commonly call the Bible. As Paul
stated in Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do, in word or in
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him." To do all things in the name of the Lord is
more than simply stating His name each time that we do something.
It means to do all things by His authority. Similar to the
expression used by a policeman when he says, Stop, in the name of
the Law. What he means is that I have the authority of the law to
stop you. So it is to do all things in the name of the Lord, means
that all that we do must be done by the authority of Christ Jesus.
That is my desire and the wish of the congregation which supports
this program from week to week.
     Two weeks ago I spoke upon the subject, "The Holy Spirit and
the Word." In that lesson I discussed a number of passages which
teach that the Holy Spirit does not work independently of the Word
of God, the revealed truth of Jehovah. In the lesson this morning I
wish to inquire, "What was the work of the Holy Spirit?" Why was the
Spirit sent, and what did the Spirit accomplish? And once again, I
point out that there is a tremendous amount of confusion in the
religious world with reference to the Holy Spirit. How can we
determine these questions? Only by and through the Word of God. You
should not be interested in my feelings or the emotions of any. But,
we must truly be concerning about what God's Word says about the
Holy Spirit and His Work.
     As a beginning I read from the gospel of John, chapter 16,
verse 13, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall
guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself;
but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he
shall declare unto you the things that are to come." Again in John
14:26, Christ speaks, "But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you." From these two
scriptures, as well as from others, we learn that the Holy Spirit
was to guide the apostles into all the truth. Jehovah did not leave
it up to the memory of the apostles to recall all of the truth. No,
He sent the Holy Spirit to guide them, to lead them into that truth.
So, when the apostles spoke, they were being guided by the Spirit.
In Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, the
scripture tells us that, They were all filled with the Holy Spirit,
and began to speak, as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Holy
Spirit put the words into their mouths as they began the exalted
task of revealing the mind of God to mankind. How do we know that we
have Heaven's message? Because the Holy Spirit guided the apostles
into all truth. That means that they had all that God wanted them to
know. These things they eventually wrote in the book which we call
the Bible.
     The apostle Peter states, "For no prophecy ever came by the
will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit"
(2 Peter l:21). The apostle Paul states, "But unto us God revealed
them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea,
the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things
of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. But we received, not
the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we
might know the things that were freely given to us of God. Which
things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but
which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual
words" (1 Corinthians 2:10-13).  Therefore, we can put our
confidence in this revealed message that the apostles gave to the
world, to you and to me, to guide us into the truth of Heaven. This
is why I constantly plead for "book, chapter, and verse" in all that
is done in service to God. You should not be concerned in what any
man says, unless it is in agreement with God's truth, because only
the truth can make men free. So states Jesus, our Lord, in John
8:32. And yet, that truth is found in the Word of God. Again, Christ
being the spokesman in John 17:17.
     In connection with the ability to reveal the truth of Heaven,
the Holy Spirit endowed the apostles with miraculous powers to prove
that they were indeed sent from Heaven to speak for God. Why were
the signs performed in the first century by the apostles, and those
upon whom they laid their hands? (We shall discuss this aspect in a
later lesson.) But, for now, why did the apostles possess the
ability to perform miracles? In Hebrews 2:2-4, we read, "For if the
word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression
and disobedience, received a just recompense of reward; how shall we
escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the
first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by then
that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and
wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit,
according to his own will."  Why were signs performed? In order to
bear witness that these men were from Jehovah and that they had
Heaven's message. You see, at that time, the Bible had not been
completely written. These men were preaching the resurrected Christ
and the necessity of obedience to Jesus Christ. How do we know that
you are heaven sent? As is stated in John 3:2, "we know that thou
art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou
doest, except God be with him." The apostles were able to heal the
sick, not just certain kinds of illnesses. They were to able to give
sight to the blind; to be bitten with a poisonous serpent without
ill effect; to raise the dead.  Do you see these kinds of things
being done by those who claim to have the same powers that the
apostles had?  Oh, no!! If one has the same thing which the apostles
had, then they would be able to do the same things which the
apostles did. If not, why not? But, they cannot. I have often said,
no need for us to debate the subject, let us go to the graveyard and
demonstrate.  If you had what Peter had, you can do what Peter did
in Acts 9:40, when he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she arose. But,
someone says, that would be testing God. Oh, no, my friends. It
would be a testimony to the power of God. The signs of the first
century were to prove that the spokesman was speaking from Heaven.
Why should they not be used from that purpose in the 20th century?
Or, perhaps, one might do what Paul did to Elymas in Acts 13:8-11.
Elymas opposed Paul's teachings and sought to turn aside the
proconsul, Sergius Paulus, from the truth. Paul cast a spell of
blindness upon Elymas for a season. I have no fear in challenging
those who claim to have what Paul had to cast a spell of blindness
upon me. If one has what Paul had then that one should be able to do
what Paul did.
     God's word has been revealed and confirmed. It continues to be
the truth of Heaven. And you and I must respect and obey that Word.
It is the same message by which we shall be judged one day when we
stand before the Tribunal Bar of Heaven and render an accounting to
all that we have done while here in the flesh.
     But, back to our subject. Why were miraculous signs performed?
In John 20:30-31, John states, "Many other signs therefore did Jesus
in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this
book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his
name." Why did Jesus heal the sick, the lame, the blind. Just to
make them well or better. Oh, no. He healed them to prove that He
had the power of Heaven. To prove Himself to be the Son of God. Why
did the apostles have these miraculous powers. To make this world a
better place to live; to give man a better physical life? Oh, no.
The signs were to confirm the truth of their message. Now, since
that message has been confirmed, there is no longer any need for any
of these signs today in our lifetime. In fact, Paul give us a time
schedule as to when those signs would cease.
     Turn with me now to 1 Corinthians 13, and I begin with the
reading of verse 8, "Love never faileth; but whether there be
prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there by tongues, they
shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For
we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is
perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away." What was
Paul discussing when he said the prophecies, tongues, knowledge
shall cease, be done away? There are three of the nine gifts of the
Holy Spirit which he had discussed in chapter 12. When would they be
done away? When that which is perfect is come. To what does he refer
when he states, "That which is perfect." Surely, he is not
discussing Christ, because Christ has never been a "THAT." If Paul
was referring to Christ, he would have said, "When He who is
perfect," but he didn't. He said, "When that which is perfect."
Again, we ask, to what does Paul refer? Paul is referring to the
completed revealed Word of God. You see, when the Word of God was
completed, all of it written, there would be no longer a need for
these signs to confirm the word. It would stand confirmed. James
speaks of the "perfect law of liberty." Hear him, "But he that
looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth,
being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man
shall be blessed in his doing" (James 1:25).  We have the complete,
revealed Word of God. It no longer needs confirming. It has been
confirmed, and stands confirmed. Men no longer reveal truth directly
from Heaven. And those who would so claim are seeking to deceive
you, my friends. There is no need for some "latter day revelations."
Paul states, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach
unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let
him be anathema (or cursed)" (Galatians 1:8). The message of the
apostles cannot be improved upon, it needs no addition. Peter states
that God has "granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own
glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3).  Those who lived during the first
century, some 1900 years ago, had all that they needed to please
God. And, if you and I have what they had, we too have all that we
need to please God in the 20th century, and on into the 21st
century. What need we more??
     Paul said that the gospel is available and that it is God's
power to save the souls of mankind. Romans 1:16. The problem is not
that we do not have the necessary information. The problem is that
men and women do not want to obey it. Man just does not like to be
told what he must do. Ananias told Saul of Tarsus what he must do,
when he said, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins" (Acts
22:16).  Have you done that?

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