The Holy Spirit's Work In Salvation # 1

[A most interesting and Biblically-based article on the office and work of the Holy Spirit in God's elect.]


The Holy Spirit's Work In Salvation # 1

In Acts 19 we learn that when the apostle Paul came to Ephesus he asked some disciples of John the Baptist "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And we are told "They said unto him, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Sad to say, history has repeated itself. Without doubt, were the members of hundreds of so-called "churches" (in which modernism and worldliness rule) asked the same question - they would be obliged to return an identical answer. The reason why those disciples at Ephesus knew nothing about the Holy Spirit was, most probably, because they had been baptized in Judea by the forerunner of Christ and then had returned to Ephesus where they remained in ignorance of what had taken place on the day of Pentecost. But the reason why the members of the average "church" know nothing about the third Person of the Godhead, is because the preachers they sit under, are silent concerning Him.

Nor is it very much better, with many of the churches still counted as orthodox. Though the Person of the Spirit may not be repudiated and though His name may occasionally be mentioned - yet, with only rare exceptions is there any definite scriptural teaching given out concerning the offices and operations of the divine Comforter. As to His work in salvation, this is very little understood even by professing Christians. In the majority of the places where the Lord Jesus is still formally acknowledged to be the only Saviour for sinners, the current teaching of the day is that Christ has made it possible for men to be saved - but that they themselves must decide whether they shall be saved. The idea now so widely prevailing, is that Christ is offered to man's acceptance, and that he must "accept Christ as his personal Saviour," "give his heart to Jesus," "take his stand for Christ," etc., if the blood of the Cross is to avail for his sins. Thus, according to this conception, the finished work of Christ, the greatest work of all time and in all the universe, is left contingent on the fickle will of man as to whether it shall be a success or a failure! [terrible teaching!]

Entering now a much narrower circle in Christendom, in places where it is yet owned that the Holy Spirit has a mission and ministry in connection with the preaching of the Gospel, the general idea prevails even there, that when the Gospel of Christ is faithfully preached, the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin and reveals to them their need of a Saviour. But beyond this very few are prepared to go. The theory prevailing in these places is that the sinner has to cooperate with the Spirit, that He himself must yield to the Spirit's "striving", or he will not and cannot be saved. But this pernicious and God-insulting theory denies two things: to argue that the natural man is capable of cooperating with the Spirit, is to deny that he is "dead in trespasses and sins" for a dead man is incapable of doing anything. And, to say that the operations of the Spirit in a man's heart and conscience may be resisted and withstood - is to deny His omnipotence! {another terrible teaching!]

Before proceeding further, and in order to clear the way for what is to follow, a few words need to be said on "My Spirit shall not always strive with man," (Gen. 6:3) and "you always resist the Holy Spirit". (Acts 7:51). Now these passages refer to the external work of the Spirit, that is, to His testimony through the preached Word. 1 Peter 3:18-20 shows that it was the Spirit of Christ in Noah who "strove" with the antediluvians as the patriarch preached to them. (2 Peter 2:5). So in Acts 7 the very next words explain verse 51, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?" As Nehemiah said, "In Your love, You were patient with them for many years. You sent Your Spirit, who, through the prophets, warned them about their sins. But still they would not listen!" (Neh. 9:30).

The external work of the Holy Spirit, His testimony through the Scriptures as it falls on the outward ear of the natural man, is always "resisted" and rejected, which only affords solemn and full demonstration of the solemn fact that "the carnal mind is enmity against God." (Romans 8:7). But what we would now point out, is that Scripture reveals another work of the Holy Spirit, a work that is internal, imperceptible, and invisible. This work is always EFFICACIOUS. It is the Spirit's work in salvation, begun in the heart at the new birth, continued or sustained throughout the entire course of the Christian's life on earth, and concluded and consummated in Heaven. This is what is referred to in Phil. 1:6 "He who has begun a good work in you - will finish it." This is what is in view in Psalm 138:8: "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me" This work is wrought by the Spirit in each of "God's elect," and in them alone. 

It has been well said that "The part and office of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of God's elect, consists in renewing them. He quickens the heirs of glory with a spiritual life, enlightens their minds to know Christ, reveals Him to them, forms Him in their hearts, and brings them to build all their hopes of eternal glory on Him alone. He sheds abroad the Father's love in their hearts, and gives them a real sense of it. In which experience of His gracious and effectual work in their souls, they are made to say with the Psalmist, "Blessed is the man whom You chose, and cause to approach unto You, that he may dwell in Your courts" (Psalm 65:4).

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)