Truth Magazine

By Larry Ray Hafley

Have you heard this common retort, “Don’t try to lay a guilt trip on me”? In the slangy vernacular of our day, it is a Protestant’s way of avoiding indictment and conviction of wrong doing. If someone wants to evade and avoid the pricking of his conscience, he merely has to sav. “Don’t lay a guilt trip on me, man.”

Sadly, this “guilt trip” philosophy has made its way into the thinking of professing preachers. The idea is to present the gospel in an inoffensive manner, and who is against that? One means of not being offensive is to preach so as not to “lay a guilt trip” on the hearers. The goal is to reach the sinner for Christ without “driving him away.” Again, who is opposed to that? However, if we “lay a guilt trip” on our prospective convert, we will “turn him off.” Hence, our aim should be to leave him “feeling good” about himself, but we cannot do that if we burden him with a “guilt trip.”

Assuredly, only a preacher with ill motives and a rotten attitude would seek to hurt people, to make them mad. No one condones preaching that is mean and spiteful or that is impelled by “envy and strife” (Phil. 1:15). Let that be understood, but what are the tactics, the devices of the Bible? How does God approach the sinner? How did Jesus? Did the apostles preach the gospel without confronting people with their sins? We cannot improve on the methods and manners of the word of God. Should the sinner be faced with his sins? Should he feel their weight and force in his heart and conscience?

(1) Evincing Eviction From Eden. Adam and Eve sinned. Did the Lord seek to calm their fears, to assuage their shame? Did he avoid the subject of the eating of the tree, or did he face them with their actions? You be the judge. What if Adam and Eve had left the garden “in a huff,” saying over their shoulders, “We’ll never be back; one little mistake, and we get clobbered.” At any rate, the Lord confronted Adam and Eve with their sin and pronounced sentence upon them (Gen. 3). Should preachers do less? But what if the sinners reject their guilt and turn away in anger? Should the preacher be charged with “driving people away”?

It is ironic that preachers are “condemned” for “condemning people. ” Those who protest against laying a “guilt trip” on the audience, are eager to lay a “guilt trip” on the preacher for laying a “guilt trip” on the sinner. But if it is wrong to lay a “guilt trip” on a sinner, is it right to lay a “guilt trip” on the preacher?

(2) “Thou Art the Man.” When David sinned with Bathsheba, the piercing words of Nathan penetrated the heart of Israel’s great King. “Thou art the man” sounds like a fairly direct accusation to me. Read 2 Samuel 12:1-14. David, if the Psalms are to be believed, did not “feel good” about his guilt. He suffered greatly. The sinner must be brought to his spiritual knees. How else can he kneel at the cross? Is there a sadistic glee to be derived from humbling the sinner? God forbid! “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil. 3:18). Paul hung the “guilt trip” around the necks of the enemies, but he was not glad about it. Compare 2 Corinthians 2:4 where he refers to the direct confrontation of sin – “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”

(3) The Methods of Jesus. Jesus exposed both sin and the sinner. Consider the rich, young ruler (Mk. 10:17-22). Jesus laid bare his covetousness and the young man went away “sorrowful.” Now, if a preacher has to leave his audience feeling good about themselves in order to be viewed as a success, then Jesus failed miserably. This young man came seeking “eternal life.” He had the proper goal. He came to the correct source, to Jesus. He came eagerly, “running. ” He lacked one thing, just one, but Jesus laid hold of it, and the young ruler left. Should we blame Jesus? After all, the young man had many moral virtues; his money could have been useful to the Lord and to the disciples; so, if the Lord uses a little tact and caters to him, perhaps this wealthy man can be a great asset to the Lord’s work. Jesus evidently, though, laid a heavy “guilt trip” on this young man, and he went away sorrowful. Is Jesus to blame? Who will say so?

How about, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matt. 22:29)? Should such astonishing language be used today? Reckon it put a “guilt trip” on those Sadducees? Yes, it did, and it was not a pleasant journey, either.

The disciples said to Jesus, “Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?” (Matt. 15:12) Imagine that! The teaching of the world’s only sinless man actually “offended” folks. “And they were offended at him” (Mk. 6:3). In Luke 6:11, Jesus succeeded only in filling his audience “with madness.” In fact, it was so bad that they wanted to kill him. Oh, oh, must have been another case of “guilt trip.” In Luke 11:45, a lawyer said, “Master, thus saying thou reproachest (insult) us also.” Can you believe it? Here is a man who calls himself a preacher, and all he does is “insult” and “offend” people and send them away feeling sorrowful – it is time to change preachers! But it gets worse. “And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed” (Lk. 13:17). Now, how is that for making people “feel good” about themselves?

Remember, the purpose is not to offend, to insult, to shame and embarrass, but it is often the effect. Jesus would not compromise; he would not vacillate or bargain with sin and error. He loved the people he convicted (Matt. 9:36-38; Lk. 13:34; 23:34). He loved the very ones he so antagonized. He died for the ones he angered with his withering words. True gospel preachers must speak the truth in love – in love for the Lord, for the truth, for the souls of lost men and women. They also must speak the truth in hate – in hatred of sin, Satan and evil and error of every kind (Rev. 2:6,15; Psa. 104; 128; 139:21,22).

(4) The Apostles. The very first gospel sermon ever preached is an excellent model. Observe how it pricked, pierced, the hearts of the audience (Acts 2:37). It did this by pungently pointing out the specific sin of the audience – the murder of the Messiah (Acts 2:22,23,36). It was successful in Acts 2, but it had an adverse reaction in Acts 5:28,40. Were the apostles at fault in Acts 5 for not making their audience “feel better” about themselves? Quite obviously, they “laid a guilt trip” on the Jews — “ye . . . intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28; cf. v. 30; 2:23). Stephen received a similar reaction in Acts 7 when he charged his audience with stubbornness, betrayal and murder (Acts 7:51-60).

When Paul preached to the Jews, he did not focus upon the idolatry and immorality of the Gentiles. Conversely, when he spoke to the Gentiles, he did not emphasize the sins of Israel (cf. Acts 13:16-39; 17:2,3,16-30). Rather, he faced each audience with its own particular circumstance. Paul often fled from hostile mobs. Was this the result of his lack of prudence or kindness? Was Paul a hateful man who took pleasure in inciting riots? Was he simply ignorant of how to properly approach and handle an audience? No, but as he himself said, to the lost we are the smell of death and to the saved we are the aroma of life (2 Cor. 2:15-17). “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech” (2 Cor. 3:12). “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11).

The New Testament is a living “guilt trip” – “for all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23); “If we way we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us . . . . If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I Jn. 1: 8, 10). The Holy Spirit was sent in Acts 2 to “convict the world of sin” (Jn. 16:8). W.E. Vine, in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, says that word “convict” signifies to “refute, usually with the suggestion of putting the convicted person to shame. “

Sinners need to be convicted with guilt, shame and sorrow for sin, for godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation. Do not be hesitant or squeamish about it. It must be done if the sinner is to be saved. Be aware, of course, that it will not always be successful. Sinners may resent efforts to convict them of sin (Acts 7:54; 13:44-46). They may resort to harsh language in their protests against such efforts, but do not be dismayed or distracted from the work. Be on guard against the weak and shallow gospel of “self-confidence” and self-image. It is precisely our own self-confidence that puts us into sin in the first place and we have an “image” problem that needs to be changed, and only the solemn tour of a New Testament guilt trip can help us to see the alteration that must be made.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 8, pp. 259-260
May 2, 1991

By Dick Blackford

It is difficult to find anything good about war. While we pray for sustained peace let us use a bad situation as an opportunity for some good. The time is ripe for us to focus on some valuable and needed lessons. Those who teach Bible classes should seize the opportunity while the middle East is on everyone’s mind.

Our young people, especially, have often been left with the feeling that Bible events occurred in some obscure “never-neverland,” leaving them with the feeling that these “long ago, far away” happenings are mythical. But they happened in time and space and in real places. Here is an opportunity to make the Bible come alive to our students and relate today’s news to biblical places and events. It is also an opportunity to expose a false religion and extol the peaceable kingdom of God.

Bible History and Geography

Most are now able to locate Iraq on a map and recognize it on sight. The land now occupied by Iraq is the cradle of civilization and is a little larger than California in square miles. Many of the most important events of the Bible occurred there. The two major rivers of Iraq are two of the rivers which flowed through the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:14). This area was called Mesopotamia in early Bible history and means “the land between two rivers.” Babel, on the plains of Shinar would be located in the land now occupied by Iraq and near the city of Babylon. Ur of Chaldees, the early home of Abraham (Gen. 11:31), was located about 150 miles inland from the Persian Gulf and a little north of modern Kuwait. It was 11 miles west of the Euphrates and east of modern Bosra, which is much in the news. Ruins of this ancient city were discovered in the 1920s. Abraham’s father Terah emigrated with his family to Haran, located in northern Iraq. Later, Abraham’s servant was sent here to seek a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24:1of) and in which Jacob served for his wives, Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29).

Assyria was in northern Iraq. The famed city of Nineveh, which repented at the preaching of Jonah, was its capital (located on the eastern bank of the Tigris near modern Mosul). Jesus said the men of Nineveh would rise up and condemn his generation (Matt. 12:41). About 100 years later Nineveh was destroyed in the time of Nahum. It was the Assyrians who captured the ten northern tribles of Israel and sent them into oblivion.

The ruins of Babylon are located 50 miles south of Baghdad. It was during the Babylonian Empire that such Bible notables as Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, the three Hebrew children (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) crossed the pages of history while Judah was in captivity. Nineveh and Babylon were once the greatest cities in the world.

The events of the book of Esther occurred in modern Iran. Shushan (Susa) was not far from the Iraqi border. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes), Queen Esther’s husband, ruled the Persian Empire “from India even unto Ethiopia” (Esth. 1:1). One of the many attempts to exterminate the Jews was thwarted by Mordecai and Esther when Haman was hang ed. It was during the Persian Empire that King Cyrus permitted the Jews captured by Nebuchadnezzar to return to Jerusalem and build the temple (Ezra 6:3). It was also during this period that Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi did their work.

Not many places in Saudi Arabia are mentioned in Scripture. Sheba (Seba), in the southwest, comes to mind. The queen of Sheba, who marveled at Solomon’s wisdom and riches, was from what is now Saudi territory.

Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel have also been in the news. I recommend showing students these areas on maps of the Bible lands and comparing them with some modern maps of the same area. The February 3, 1991 issue of Newsweek has some excellent pull-out maps. We should seize every lawful means to make our Bible classes more interesting and relevant.

Exposing a False Religion

Of the 5 billion world population, one billion are Moslems. Mohammed began the religion of Islam with violence and violence has been a major part of its history. Many converts to Islam have been made with the sword. As with socalled Christendom, the Moslem world is divided. The two best known groups are Sunnis (who are moderate) and Shiites (who are more radical). While Sunnis are in a vast majority, the Shiites are the majority of Iran and Iraq.

Moslems believe Mohammed was the last (and superior) prophet of God. It, like many religions, particularly the Mormons, is based on the doctrine of continuous revelation. The Koran, which contains the religious teachings of Mohammed, is devoid of the high standard of morality presented by Christ in the New Testament. Nothing in it equals the command to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:29) or the Golden Rule (Lk. 6:31). The Koran teaches carnal aggression against its enemies. Since this is a growing religion (expected to reach six million in the U.S. by the year 2000) our people need to be informed. Some good encyclopedias will inform you of the origin and history of this religion. To learn more about the doctrine I recommend the Hutto-El Dareer Debate between Hiram Hutto (a gospel preacher) and Salah El Dareer, President of the Islamic Center of Birmingham.

The Peaceable Kingdom of God

We are glad the “wars and rumors of wars” with its horrors are over. Let us point all those who long for peace to the Prince of Peace. He is the only answer to the world’s problems. His lofty and sublime principles call us to a higher order and regard for our fellowman. Prophecies concerning his kingdom say, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end” (Isa. 9:7). It was described as a realm in which men would beat their swords into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks, and would learn war no more (Isa. 2:4). Jesus said if his kingdom were of this world then would his servants fight (Jn. 18:36).

Let us continue to preach this kingdom to a lost and dying world.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 9, pp. 257, 278
May 2, 1991

By Ronny Milliner

Daniel was such a righteous man that his enemies were forced to conclude, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God” (Dan. 6:12). Verse 10 of chapter six shows the place of prayer in the life of Daniel. He prayed with his windows open toward Jerusalem for to the Jew this city symbolized the presence of God. Recall the words of Solomon at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kgs. 8:28-30). He said, “Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, 0 Jehovah my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel. When they pray toward this place, then hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.” Even though the Temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians, Daniel continued to pray toward it. He knelt down on his knees (showing his reverence) and prayed continually three times a day.

The last part of verse ten says such “was his custom since early days.” No wonder we see the great courage of Daniel as a teenager who “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank” (Dan. 1: 8). Certainly Daniel was one who had remembered his Creator in the days of his youth (Eccl. 12:1).

Let us notice some of the conditions under which Daniel prayed.

In Times of Severity

Nebuchadnezzar had decreed the death of all the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:13-18). Upon learning the reason for the capital sentence, Daniel knew where to go for help. He gathered his friends to “seek mercies from the God of heaven.”

In times of difficulty we too need to have our windows opened toward Jerusalem. God has promised to care for us. In Psalms 50:15, He said, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. ” The Hebrew writer reminds us, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'” (Heb. 13:5b-6) In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 the apostle Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

We should turn to God in time of need. James advises, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (Jas. 5:13a). We should be encouraged by the words of Hebrews 4:16 which says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Prayer is the cure for our anxieties. According to Jesus, in Matthew 6:25-34, worry is useless. The apostle exhorts in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” In similar fashion I Peter 5:7 says, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” When faced with great difficulties and trials in our lives let us open our windows toward Jerusalem.

In Times of Splendor

Daniel blesses, praises, and thanks God for his answer to the prayer of him and his three friends (Dan. 2:19-23). He prays, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, . I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers.”

We too should be praising and thanking God in our prayers. Such was a characteristic of the early church. Acts 2:47a relates how they were “praising God and having favor with all the people.” The Hebrew writer exhorts, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15). And consider also Colossians 3:15. It says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” May we never get to the point where we are always asking of God, but never thanking him for His blessings.

The Gentiles were unthankful. Paul describes them in Romans 1:21 by saying, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Note the number of times that thanksgiving is associated with our supplications to God. 1 Timothy 2:1 says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.” Colossians 4:2 beseeches us to “continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” Finally, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 reads, “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

In Times of Sin

In Daniel 9:1-20 we find Daniel praying both for his own sins as well as the sins of his people. He confessed, “We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.” He sought God’s forgiveness when he prayed, “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all who are around us.”

First, let us be reminded that this blessing is given to a penitent child of God. The alien sinner is not a child of God, thus he doesn’t have the right to call upon God as Father (cf. Gal. 4:6). There are other requirements for the alien to be forgiven of his sins. He must believe the gospel, repent of his sins, confess his faith in Jesus as the Christ, and be baptized (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9; Acts 22:16).

Consider God’s attitude toward the prayers of one who is not willing to listen to him. The healed blind man of John 9 said, “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him” (Jn. 9:31). Proverbs 28:9 warns that, “One who turns away his car from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.” In like fashion Peter says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And his ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Pet. 3:12).

As Christians we should repent and confess our sins, asking God for his forgiveness. These conditions were given to Simon the sorcerer when he sinned after his baptism (Acts 8:22). 1 John 1:9 adds, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We should also intercede and pray for our brethren who sin. “Confess your treaspasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” says James in chapter 5 and verse 16 of his letter. In helping each other on the road to Heaven we “will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:19-20).

Conclusion

“Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray? In the name of Christ, our Savior, Did you sue for loving favor, as a shield today? . . . Don’t forget to pray.”

Since we all have times of severity, splendor, and sin, we too need to keep our windows opened toward Jerusalem.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 9, pp. 268-269
May 2, 1991

By O.C. Birdwell, Jr.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary says the word “sanctification” is used of “(a) separation to God, 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; (b) the course of life befitting those so separated, 1 Thess. 4:34,7; Rom. 6:19,22; 1 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 12:14.” He also says, “The Holy Spirit is the Agent in sanctification, Rom. 15:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 Cor. 6: 11.”

The verb form “sanctify” means “to set apart” or “to make holy.” In Old Testament Scripture, days, houses, fields, feasts, altars, people, and many other things were sanctified. Today, all Christians are to be sanctified. This means that they are to be set apart for the Lord and consecrated for his uses and purposes. As our subject affirms, the Holy Spirit has a work in this sanctification. This writer agrees with Z.T. Sweeney when he wrote, “It has been aptly and truthfully said that ‘no importance can be attached to a religion that is not begun, carried on and completed by the Spirit of God'” (The Spirit and the Word, 117). The apostle Paul said, “And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). In speaking of his work among the Gentiles, he said, “Ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:16).

The Continuing Work of Sanctification

The continuing work of sanctification, by the Holy Spirit, of one who has been initially set apart as a Christian is the primary focus of our discussion. When one believes that Jesus is the Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized unto the remission of his sins, he is washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor. 6:11). In this obedience one puts on Christ and begins to live a life that is consecrated and set apart for Christ. This, however, is not the end of the process. Sanctification is not a one time matter. To the Roman Christians Paul said, “For as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.” Peter admonishes Christians, “As children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance” (1 Pet. 1:13-15). He goes on to say, “Be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living.” To be holy is to be sanctified. Paul said, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service” (Rom. 12: 1).

The Holy Spirit Works Through the Word

The Bible teaches, as set forth in another article in this issue, that the Holy Spirit works through the Word in the conviction and conversion of the alien. We affirm that he continues his work of sanctifying the Christian through the same means. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles into all truth. He said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth” (Jn. 16:13). If Jesus did what he promised, the inspired New Testament writers received, by the Holy Spirit, everything that pertains to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). All was revealed, including all that pertains to our sanctification. He has given complete instructions and guidance in the inspired written revelation. The Holy Spirit is God’s agent in the work of sanctification but the means used by the Spirit is the word of truth.

Christians have a responsibility in their own sanctification. Peter said, “Be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living” (1 Pet. 1:15). Sanctification is not something imposed by the Holy Spirit apart from the obedient will and action of the Christian. In speaking of unequal yokes with sinful people in sinful practices, Paul said, “Come ye out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord” (2 Cor. 6:17). The individual must act in separating himself from sin and he must act in being holy. The Holy Spirit in the written Word has told us how it is to be done. Our part is to give diligence to present ourselves approved unto God (2 Tim. 2:15), and to be doers of the word, and not hearers only (Jas. 1:22). We are to put away filthiness and malice and with meekness receive the implanted word, which is able to save our souls (Jas. 1:21). Wherein we fall short and fail we receive forgiveness by God’s grace and in Christ as we meet the conditions for forgiveness. In none of these passages are we told that the Holy Spirit does any of his work of sanctification through a direct intervention or indwelling. He sanctifies us by leading and directing us through the word.

False Ideas About Sanctifications

The 1960 Church of the Nazarene Manual says the following: “We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect.” False ideas beget false doctrines. The idea that man is depraved and guilty of Adam’s sin causes those with a Calvinist influence to teach that the Holy Spirit must operate directly to overcome the depraved nature and provide entire sanctification by which the person is brought into holy obedience. Both the depravity doctrine, and the doctrine of sanctification by a direct operation and personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit are false.

The Manual goes on to speak of “the abiding indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service.” The author apparently believes that the Holy Spirit personally indwells and provides, apart from the written word, protection against involvement in sin, and keeps the Christian’s life on tract, sanctified and consecrated . The Philadelphia Confession of Faith says, “This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated” (Article VI). Calvinism teaches that man is totally depraved to the extent that he cannot think so much as one good thought. Calvinists, therefore, teach that a direct operation of the Holy Spirit is essential to initial conversion. They also teach the necessity of a continued indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit, apart from the word, because of the alleged remaining “corruption of nature.”

Some members of the church of Christ seem to believe the same thing. It is understood that one stated that those who do not believe in the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit are more likely to be immoral. The inference is that the Spirit personally indwells the body and acts, apart from the Word, as a deterrent to sin. Z.T. Sweeney, in his before mentioned book, lists a large number of things the Spirit might do for man in initial and continuing sanctification. He says the Holy Spirit might provide the following: Faith, the new birth, wisdom, conversion, understanding, quickening, salvation, sanctification, purification, cleansing, freedom from sin, a divine nature, and strengthening (Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Tim. 3:14,15; Psa. 19:7,8; 119:28, 50,104; Jas. 1:21; Jn. 17:17; 1 Pet. 1:22; Jn. 15:3; Rom. 6:17,18; 2 Pet. 1:4). He then shows by the Scriptures cited that all of this is spoken of as being done for us through the Word. The conclusion being that the Holy Spirit does all these things by means of the written Word of God.

The doctrine of a personal indwelling and work by the Holy Spirit apart from the word to keep one from sin is dangerous in that it tends to make one’s subjective feelings a guide and rule for conduct rather than the written word. Many of the popular “devotional” and “comfort” books written by denominationalists and bought by multitudes of Christians are dangerous for the very same reason. They are filled with false concepts about the indwelling, guidance, and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

There is general agreement that the Holy Spirit works in the sanctification of the Christian. There is a difference over how, or by what means, the Spirit works. In 1 Peter, the apostle Peter speaks of the beginning of the consecrated life when he says, “Ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth” (1 Pet. 1:22). The apostle continues to show in the rest of the book that for the Christian to continue to be consecrated he must continue to be obedient to the truth. He instructs the Christian as follows: “Put (ing) away therefore all wickedness” (2:1); “Abstain from fleshly lusts” (2:11); “Be subject to every ordinance of man” (2:13); “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (2:17); “Servants be in subjection to your masters” (2:18); “Wives be in subjection to your own husbands” (3:1); “Husbands, . . . dwell with your wives according to knowledge” (3:7); “Be . . . like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tender-hearted, humble-dminded” (3:8).

The Holy Spirit empowers, directs, and leads the Christian unto sanctification through this teaching by the apostle Peter along with other such instruction found in the New Testament. Let us submit ourselves to his guidance in order for our lives to be sanctified.

(Author’s Note: Part H in the book The Indwelling of Deity, by Maurice M. Lusk, III, discusses “Questions of Where’ and ‘How’ in the Indwelling Issue.” Chapters discuss the Spirit dwelling within the heart and mind of the believer. There is also a chapter on “The Human Spirit and the Spirit of God. ” This is the best material on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that I have seen. The chapter on “The Spirit and Christians, ” by Z. T. Sweeney in The Spirit and the Word is outstanding. Every Christian needs both of these books They are inexpensive and may be ordered from Guardian of Truth Bookstore or CEI Bookstore.)

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 8, pp. 235-236
April 18, 1991