Born of the Spirit
IN THE STUDY:
When John Wesley spoke to Bishop Butler concerning the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, the Bishop replied, “Sir, this pretending to extra ordinary revelation and gifts of the Holy Spirit is a horrid thing – a very horrid thing!”
Not many people would go as far as to say that these days. However, there are many people who still contest the thought of the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Theirs is not a New Testament position.
A Christian is one who is born of the Spirit (John 3:3-5) and the possession of the Holy Spirit is the distinguishing mark of the Christian. If anyone does not have the Spirit he does not belong to Christ (Romans 8:9).
Paul (Eph. 4:30) uses an interesting word when he says that we who have believed were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Sealing in ancient times was the mark stamped on to an article to give evidence of ownership. His thought is that the Holy Spirit is God’s seal upon the believer. It is God’s indication that we belong to him.
John (1 Jn 3:24; 4:13) indicates the reverse side of this. That if we possess the Spirit we have evidence to indicate that God abides with us. The presence of the Spirit is our assurance that God is within us.
To be born of the Holy Spirit and to know the in-dwelling of his power is a New Testament basis of a) evidence that we belong to God, and (b) evidence that God dwells within us.
IN THE PULPIT:
People who re-born of the Spirit of God carry upon them certain birthmarks, which for them are signs of joy.
1. New certainty. Our rebirth has come only through the work of the Holy Spirit. You cannot shout at a dead man to come back to life. We are dead in trespasses and sins. Only the power of the Holy Spirit has brought us back to life (Jn 16:8). We have been saved not by works but according to God’s mercy through the washing of our regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).
2.The New Life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit who quickens us (Romans 8:2, John 6:63). He now lives within us and our bodies are his temple. Our new life is confirmed by His presence within us.
3. New Freedom. Paul indicates that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Cor. 3:17). We have been born into a new freedom where everything is of grace. We have been freed from the Law of sin and of death (Romans 8:2).
4. New Power. Paul’s preaching came in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Cor. 2:4). Jesus was described as being anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power (Acts 10:38). He told his followers that with the coming of the Holy Spirit they would receive power.
5. New Guidance. Jesus promised the Spirit of truth to guide us (John 16:13). He promised that the Spirit would guide us in our belief and in our witness (Mark 13:11). The New Testament Christian acted constantly under the new guidance given by the Spirit of God (Acts 2:4; 15:28: 16:6). These are the birthmarks of the Christian born of the Spirit of God. We need to live these marks joyously revealed to the world.
AMONG THE PEOPLE:
In the first retirement village I built in Victoria I built a men’s workshop. Bill Ferrisey, took over the men’s workshop built to provide a place where men can use power equipment in creative activity. Bill set himself up in a business restoring old furniture, which he beautifully French polishes. I looked at the work in the workshops and noted how many of the pieces of furniture come in covered with paint, with woodwork battered, scarred nail holed, and split. Furniture that looked useless and fit only for burning.
This man with loving care begins sandpapering and cleaning until he gets back to layers of fresh clean wood. Each piece of wood is carefully taken apart, remade and refitted. Soon the re-assembled piece of furniture is stained and gradually polished. As the days go by soon a valuable piece of furniture completely remade and renewed is standing ready for its owner.
I thought later that the work of this master craftsman is not unlike that which goes on in the church. Our Church is not an art gallery where saints are exhibited, but a workshop where a master craftsman by the power of His spirit remakes, renews, and refurnishes lives.
