The Holy Spirit Received

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ receive the Holy Spirit. Several Bible passages teach that the Holy Spirit is given to all believers, rather than to a select few (John 7:37-39; Acts 11:16-17; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:5). The gift of the Holy Spirit is not a reward, and no merit is ever involved in receiving a gift.

All believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That means the Holy Spirit is not just working in some believers, but in all. You cannot be a Christian without the indwelling Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3). The Holy Spirit seals every believer (Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit is within every believer now.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is Christ living in you as a believer. The Holy Spirit comes only and always as the gift of God to all believers. The Holy Spirit enables the believer to live the Christian life. No believer can merit nor earn the indwelling Spirit. 

"Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:2). Scripture makes it clear. The Holy Spirit is not earned by the works of the law. You receive the Holy Spirit as the gift of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:13-14).

The Worship of God

The angel of the Lord said to John the apostle, "Worship God" (Rev. 22:9). That's after John fell at the angel's feet to worship. The warning reminds us to worship anyone else but God is idolatry. When the book of Revelation was written, people were commanded to worship the Emperor of the Roman Empire. Christians were persecuted, because they refused to worship him.

The book of Revelation is about true worship of the living God. Heaven is revealed as the place of continuous worship of God (Rev. 4-5). Both angels and saints worship God Almighty. They worship bowing before Him with words such as these: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created" (Rev. 4:11).

"And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever" (Rev. 5:14). The elders represent all the redeemed of the Lord in heaven. They fell down in submission to the sovereign Lord God and worshiped Him. Their number twenty-four represents the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the Lamb. That is the redeemed of Israel and the church.

True worship is in heaven. That worship was words of praise and adoration to the Lord our God. He testified, "After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!" (Rev. 19:1). That's true worship giving glory and honor to God. His people worship Him now and forever!

God Will Forgive You

God will forgive you through the gospel of Christ. Our sin debt is paid in full, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). The gospel of grace is Christ crucified for our sins and risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Grace is what Christ alone did for believers on the cross. His resurrection is assurance that our sins are taken away.

God will forgive you at the cross of Christ. You are not forgiven for some sins. It's far better than that. You are forgiven of all sin. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you receive the forgiveness of all your sins. 

God will forgive you upon confession of your sins. Christians are not perfect, just forgiven (1 John 1:8-10). When you sin, confess your sins to God. Fresh cleansing is available. The promise of God is sure. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

God will forgive you to the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:6). If you have any doubt about God's willingness to forgive, look at the cross of Jesus. "Mercy there was great and grace was free." Because of God's mercy and grace in Christ, your sins are forgiven. 

Christ Our Only Hope

Charles Spurgeon testified, "My sole hope for heaven lies in the full atonement that Jesus made for the ungodly on Calvary's cross. I firmly rely on this truth. I do not see even the shadow of hope in anything else, anyone else, or anywhere else." 

Spurgeon faithfully preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached Christ crucified as the full atonement. God the Father forever affirmed the atonement in the resurrection of Christ. It is the gospel of your salvation (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Your only hope is not found in anything else, anyone else, or anywhere else (Acts 4:12). Your only hope is relying completely upon Jesus Christ crucified and risen for our salvation.

The sacrifice of Jesus at the cross is your only hope for complete, total, and final salvation. Old Testament sacrifices were continuously repeated and never took away sin (Hebrews 10:1-4). They pointed toward the only one who would make the full atonement, even Christ Jesus our Lord. Rely only upon the atonement of Christ crucified to take away all your sins.

The blood of Jesus takes away all your sina as a believer (1 John 1:7). The truth of Christ in the gospel justifies any sinner and every sinner who is trusting in Christ alone for full salvation. The sacrifice of Jesus at the cross is your only hope for complete, total, and final salvation.

Grace Offered to All

John Calvin wrote, "Paul makes grace common to all men, not because it in fact extends to all, but because it is offered to all. Although Christ suffered for the sins of the world, and is offered by the goodness of God without distinction to all men, yet not all receive Him" (Comments on Romans 5:18).

No one can say, I'm not saved because God has not offered grace to me. John Calvin made this clear when he stated that grace "it is offered to all." The reason so many are lost is not on God's part, but man's rejection of the grace offered. Unbelief says no to the grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 3:36).

Salvation comes as people receive the grace of God in Christ (John 1:12). Condemnation comes to people who do not receive the offer. Unbelief puts the responsibility on those who receive not the grace of God. It is the goodness of God who offers grace to all (John 3:17).

Notice that Calvin clearly declared that "Christ suffered for the sins of the world." Yes, the sacrifice of Christ at the cross is sufficient in value and worth to save each one and all. Yet, it shall save one and all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31). However, those who reject the love of God in Christ Jesus will perish (John 3:16). God's grace is sufficient for all; God's grace saves all who believe.

Understand the Bible

J.I. Packer wrote, "Illumination is thus the applying of God's revealed truth to our hearts, so that we grasp as reality for ourselves what the sacred text sets forth." Dr. Packer went on to say, "Illumination, which is a lifelong ministry of the Holy Spirit to Christians, starts before conversion with a growing grasp of the truth about Jesus."

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). 

Illumination of the Holy Spirit enables believers to understand the Bible. Until that happens, the Scripture is not understood. As a believer, you continue to receive more illumination to understand the Bible. That's your growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Without illumination of the Holy Spirit, spiritual things are foolishness to those who don't believe. This is especially true of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing" (1 Corinthians 1:18). Only when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes of understanding to Christ crucified do we see "the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

Your New Birth

Your new birth is a creative act of the Holy Spirit. It is referred to as being born from above. To be born from below is to be born on earth of the flesh; to be born from above is to be born of the Spirit who comes from above. Through new birth, you enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "You must be born again"(John 3:7).

Your new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit, by God's grace through faith in Christ. It is something that God does in you that you cannot do for yourself. You are born again through a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. It simply cannot be accomplished by human effort. Therefore, you must be born of the Spirit (John 3:8).

Your new birth is confirmed by confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3). Personal faith in Christ is evidence of your new birth. (John 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1). New birth and faith in Christ occur at the same time. Your new birth is evident by truly believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is trusting or relying upon Him to save and keep you (Acts 16:30-31).

Your first birth was physical and natural. Your new birth is spiritual and supernatural. Your first birth was through the flesh. Your new birth is through the Spirit. Your first birth was in Adam. Your new birth is in Christ, as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).