The Spirit Bears Witness with Our Spirit
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: (Rom 8:16)
This is worth thinking about. Either it is true or it is not. The verse does not claim that the witness is in the form of words, but meaningful communication, nevertheless. It is a convincing witness, bypassing normal word language. Your spirit will know that the Holy Spirit is there pressing against your own spirit and tilting your opinion in His direction about the important subject of your being a child of God. He is a master of communication.
Every thought we have is not from God. We are instructed: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:14)
Our subject is not broad but limited to the Holy Spirit bearing with our Spirit that we are the children of God. Most often, (but not always) the Spirit will use a verse of Scripture or a phrase in a verse of Scripture. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. You may have read a verse many times and it was not special to you and then suddenly the verse comes alive. We call that “the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit.” He will never lead you contrary to the Word of God but always in-step with the Scriptures.
The communication of the Holy Spirit with the human spirit is one of the great mysteries and I will not attempt to put that mystery into “easy to understand” words. It cannot be done. How much explanation does one need to perceive the noon day sun is overhead? We don’t see word descriptions of the noon day sun in dictionaries or encyclopedias. It is one of those “self-evident” truths that is referred to in the American Declaration of Independence. The presence of the Holy Spirit is also a self-evident presence that is His own announcement and His own description of what He is there to communicate.
The Holy Spirit communication with us begins as the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and draws us toward God. Jesus said: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (Joh 6:44) Many Bible scholars agree that the Father draws by the agency of the Holy Spirit who works with the Father in creating and in convicting of sin. And when he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (Joh 16:8)
We read: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom 8:14) God’s Spirit will tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it. This is the broad, lifelong leading of the Holy Spirit.
But, the first essential place we need to be led, is in knowing we are saved. We call it “assurance.” Sometimes the Holy Spirit will draw out a person even for months, withholding the assurance until certain things are accomplished in that person’s soul. And then, without effort on the part of the waiting enquirer, the assurance comes as easy as a baseball player sliding into first base. In the end, only the Spirit of God can give you the assurance that you are a child of God. No human being can do that.
The following commentary is a little “stiff” and scholarly but is loaded with food for thought. Notice his biography: (Adam Clarke (born. 1760–1762, died. August 28, 1832) was a British Methodist theologian).
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit - Αυτο το πνευμα, that same Spirit, the Spirit of adoption; that is, the Spirit who witnesses this adoption; which can be no other than the Holy Ghost himself, and certainly cannot mean any disposition or affection of mind which the adopted person may feel; for such a disposition must arise from a knowledge of this adoption, and the knowledge of this adoption cannot be given by any human or earthly means; it must come from God himself: therefore the αυτο το πνευμα must have reference to that Spirit, by whom alone the knowledge of the adoption is witnessed to the soul of the believer.
"With our spirit - In our understanding…This is done that we may have the highest possible evidence of the work which God has wrought. As the window is the proper medium to let the light of the sun into our apartments, so the understanding is the proper medium of conveying the Spirit’s influence to the soul.
"We, therefore, have the utmost evidence of the fact of our adoption which we can possibly have; we have the word and Spirit of God; and the word sealed on our spirit by the Spirit of God. And this is not a momentary influx: if we take care to walk with God, and not grieve the Holy Spirit, we shall have an abiding testimony; and while we continue faithful to our adopting Father, the Spirit that witnesses that adoption will continue to witness it; and hereby we shall know that we are of God by the Spirit which he giveth us (Clarke-abbreviated).
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (Joh 5:24) Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
MARCH 28, 2017 – TUESDAY
A.M. Josh: 21-22 P.M. Luke: 6:1-26
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
Memory Verse This Month:
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psa 19:14)
Song for Today:
This World is Not My Home (2:01) – (Male Trio) (Calvary Mem.Church – S.Pines, NC)
https://www.facebook.com/100009410046480/videos/1823841747939476/
You may have to wait a few seconds or delete an ad.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: (Rom 8:16)
This is worth thinking about. Either it is true or it is not. The verse does not claim that the witness is in the form of words, but meaningful communication, nevertheless. It is a convincing witness, bypassing normal word language. Your spirit will know that the Holy Spirit is there pressing against your own spirit and tilting your opinion in His direction about the important subject of your being a child of God. He is a master of communication.
Every thought we have is not from God. We are instructed: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:14)
Our subject is not broad but limited to the Holy Spirit bearing with our Spirit that we are the children of God. Most often, (but not always) the Spirit will use a verse of Scripture or a phrase in a verse of Scripture. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. You may have read a verse many times and it was not special to you and then suddenly the verse comes alive. We call that “the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit.” He will never lead you contrary to the Word of God but always in-step with the Scriptures.
The communication of the Holy Spirit with the human spirit is one of the great mysteries and I will not attempt to put that mystery into “easy to understand” words. It cannot be done. How much explanation does one need to perceive the noon day sun is overhead? We don’t see word descriptions of the noon day sun in dictionaries or encyclopedias. It is one of those “self-evident” truths that is referred to in the American Declaration of Independence. The presence of the Holy Spirit is also a self-evident presence that is His own announcement and His own description of what He is there to communicate.
The Holy Spirit communication with us begins as the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and draws us toward God. Jesus said: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (Joh 6:44) Many Bible scholars agree that the Father draws by the agency of the Holy Spirit who works with the Father in creating and in convicting of sin. And when he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (Joh 16:8)
We read: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom 8:14) God’s Spirit will tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it. This is the broad, lifelong leading of the Holy Spirit.
But, the first essential place we need to be led, is in knowing we are saved. We call it “assurance.” Sometimes the Holy Spirit will draw out a person even for months, withholding the assurance until certain things are accomplished in that person’s soul. And then, without effort on the part of the waiting enquirer, the assurance comes as easy as a baseball player sliding into first base. In the end, only the Spirit of God can give you the assurance that you are a child of God. No human being can do that.
The following commentary is a little “stiff” and scholarly but is loaded with food for thought. Notice his biography: (Adam Clarke (born. 1760–1762, died. August 28, 1832) was a British Methodist theologian).
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit - Αυτο το πνευμα, that same Spirit, the Spirit of adoption; that is, the Spirit who witnesses this adoption; which can be no other than the Holy Ghost himself, and certainly cannot mean any disposition or affection of mind which the adopted person may feel; for such a disposition must arise from a knowledge of this adoption, and the knowledge of this adoption cannot be given by any human or earthly means; it must come from God himself: therefore the αυτο το πνευμα must have reference to that Spirit, by whom alone the knowledge of the adoption is witnessed to the soul of the believer.
"With our spirit - In our understanding…This is done that we may have the highest possible evidence of the work which God has wrought. As the window is the proper medium to let the light of the sun into our apartments, so the understanding is the proper medium of conveying the Spirit’s influence to the soul.
"We, therefore, have the utmost evidence of the fact of our adoption which we can possibly have; we have the word and Spirit of God; and the word sealed on our spirit by the Spirit of God. And this is not a momentary influx: if we take care to walk with God, and not grieve the Holy Spirit, we shall have an abiding testimony; and while we continue faithful to our adopting Father, the Spirit that witnesses that adoption will continue to witness it; and hereby we shall know that we are of God by the Spirit which he giveth us (Clarke-abbreviated).
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (Joh 5:24) Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
MARCH 28, 2017 – TUESDAY
A.M. Josh: 21-22 P.M. Luke: 6:1-26
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
Memory Verse This Month:
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psa 19:14)
Song for Today:
This World is Not My Home (2:01) – (Male Trio) (Calvary Mem.Church – S.Pines, NC)
https://www.facebook.com/100009410046480/videos/1823841747939476/
You may have to wait a few seconds or delete an ad.
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