And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. But while human governments may be agencies in the restraining work of the Spirit, we believe that they in turn are influenced by the Church. But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza. (This is a desert road.) U The fact remains that the Spirit of God brings conviction and understanding to many who never believe, who turn from the Gospel even after the way of salvation is made plain to them. The importance of this ministry of the Spirit must be recognized before the necessity of prayer for the lost can be realized. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. Related Readings 24 more readings on Spirit 34 more readings on Man But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. unsaved man walks after the flesh his spirit is dead. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. And Saul approved of his execution. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 3 Systematic Theology, Vol. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. Charles Hodge writes, for instance, Unrenewed men in the Bible are said to repent, to believe, to be partakers of the Holy Ghost, and to taste the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come.5 There are no doubt stages in the work of common grace from religious instinct and a fear of God which is almost universal to the experience of those who understand clearly the condition of salvation. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. J They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers. He thinks they are foolish. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The fall of Adam was full of tremendous consequences. And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The spirit of an unsaved man is aware and knows about the things of man (man's thoughts and interests and activities) but he is totally insensitive and blind when it comes to the things of God (God's thoughts and ways and works)--see 1 Corinthians 2:11,14,16 and Isaiah 55:8-9. Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go up and join this chariot., Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Do you understand what you are reading?. E. W. Kenyon states that "It is necessary that we understand how the Holy Spirit deals with an unsaved man, so that we can let Him . The word rendered "corrupt" expresses not so much pollution as disintegration and decay, much as in 2Corinthians 4:16 ; and so carries out the idea implied in the epithet . Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. But test everything; hold fast what is good. And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Religious instinct and fear of God are no doubt related to common grace, though they may not be connected definitely with the Scriptures. Matthew 18:11 Verse Concepts [For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.] The view of the mystics, of course, is quite the opposite of the rationalist. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. P And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:The Lord said to my Lord,Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christthis Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? Peter said to them, Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Therefore he does not accept it as infallible, authoritative truth that by its very nature demands his submission. Who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. A study of 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 indicates that the one who restrains is removed from the scene before the man of sin is revealed. What prevents me from being baptized?, [And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.]. The indwelling Holy Spirit opens to the yielded Christian the storehouses of truth in the Word of God. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; How will they preach unless they are sent? Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. He doesn't see them as sin, in fact, he will often deny the very existence of sin. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation! So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. What does scripture mean-Man and wife same pocketbook? Outward profession of faith in Christ and conformity to moral standards without being saved may be a result of common grace. The judgments which followed rejection of His striving against sin (Isa 63:10-11) had their effect. Ministering To The Unsaved. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? 7. O The condition of man is hopeless apart from divine intervention. Christ said the Holy Spirit would convict the world Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged (John 16:11). And he said, Well, how could I, unless someone guides me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Y When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. This took discernment. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, Cornelius. And he stared at him in terror and said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Why Jesus said He Came to Bring Division. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? While God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. What prevents me from being baptized? [And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. Now to the crux of this commentary. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. In fact, such things cant be understood without the Spirits help. John F. Walvoord, long-time president of Dallas Theological Seminary, was one of the most prominent evangelical scholars of his generation. The love, joy, peace, and other fruit of the Spirit are never found in those who have merely experienced common grace. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, Look! And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 430, 431. The work of the Holy Spirit in restraining sin as found in the Old Testament continues in the present age. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. He didn't judge and condemn the . But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. The gift of giving has in it the thought of being ready to give and being prompt in giving, and it is a work that is especially wrought in some Christians, though all Christians should exercise giving as a method of worship. He is incapable of grasping them because they are. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. K The mystic assumes that God gives direct revelation to all who will receive it, and that truth so given can be understood properly by the recipient. Mary & Martha: We Need Both. This article was taken from the Theological Journal Library CD and posted with permission of Galaxie Software. If it be conceded that the Holy Spirit undertook to strive with men to restrain sin in the Old Testament, it is even more evident that a similar ministry will be found in the present age in which the Spirit is present in the Church. even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
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