The Holiness of God the Holy Spirit, part 2

How vital the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit are to us!
 

The Holy Spirit in Conviction. He is the Spirit of conviction. “Pastor Brad, what does that even mean?” - right?! Well, The Holy Spirit reveals to us the inward presence of sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned.” So the Holy Spirit helps us see and recognize this truth. 

In our Scripture reading this week, Jesus says this concerning the Holy Spirit: “He will convict the world about sin” (John 16:8). And in Hebrews 4:12-13, we find that, “The word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double–edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” CSB.
 

Do you remember what the Sword of the Spirit in the Armor of God is? It is the Word of God. And it is the Holy Spirit who causes the Word of God come alive in our hearts and minds, bringing conviction to the hearts of people. It is the Holiness of the Holy Spirit that makes the Word of God effective in searching out every deeply hidden motive, desire, and purpose of the human heart, bringing conviction that leads us to repentance. 

We desperately need this revelation of the Spirit because it shows us the hideous nature of sin. This is missing in so many places today. I can try my best to preach intellectual messages; I can try to preach messages that are interesting and stimulating; but the truth is that unless the Sword of the Spirit brings conviction, men and women can sit calmly and listen to message after message with no effect. How desperately our world needs the Holy Spirit to come and bring conviction on hearts today!!
 

In Romans 7 and 8, the Apostle Paul is writing about his own experience with the Holiness of the Holy Spirt. Paul states that the Holy Spirit played a vital role in opening Paul’s spiritual eyes, helping him to realize his rebellion against God’s Holy Law (in practice), and his absolute deadness towards Him by nature. These things created terror in Paul’s mind as an awakened sinner.

Friends, the truth is that it is only when we see our inward corruption that our sin nature is revealed and the convicted sinner dies (Romans 7:7-9). Paul talks about dying to all his hopes and abilities, works and professions. His supposed strength is crushed. He not only sees and acknowledges his sinful nature that cannot be subject to our Lord (Romans 8:7), but he is deeply cut and greatly affected by the horror of his own incurably wicked heart.

But the Holy Spirit doesn’t leave him there in that state: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24-25 CSB. The Holy Spirit brings us to see our own sin and how horrible it is in light of God’s Holiness. Our hearts will tell us what a wretched person we really are, lost and hopelessly filled with sin with no way to even get close to a Holy God. And then, He turns our gaze from the mess of our life, to beauty of the nail-scarred hands of Immanuel, God with us, and we begin to cry out, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ MY Lord!”

Continued tomorrow