The Work of the Spirit
When a person becomes a Christian they receive the gift of God’s Spirit who enables and motivates them to live for the glory or reputation of Christ for the rest off their life. They will want to keep in step with God’s spirit. Evidence that the Holy Spirit is active in a person’s life is evidence that they have been truly ‘born again’. This evidence will include all of the following, just one or two featuresmay just be the effect of upbringing.
a. We love Jesus and want to live pleasing him out of gratefulness
b. We love his word, the Bible, recognising that this is the main way God speaks to us today.
c. We love Christ’s people. There is a unique bond between all those who love Jesus.
d. We notice a change in our characters as the fruit of God’s Spirit in us improves relationships with others (Galatians 5:22)
e. We love to pray and involve our Lord in all we do.
f. We love to share the news about Jesus with others so that they too may be saved.
g. We become bolder in sharing the gospel.
h. We come increasingly to hate sin. Our consciences become more acute.
i. We increasingly care for God’s creation, for others in his world and for godly standards in society.
j. We look forwards to being with the Lord Jesus in heaven.
Without such evidence the status of someone calling themselves a Christian must at best be described as dubious and probably means that the work of grace has yet to begin. Paul wrote,
“If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9
The natural effect of having a true faith is that we will live for the glory, or reputation, of our Saviour and God. Their is no such thing as an inactive faith: Paul concluded:
“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. This this end I labour, struggling with all the energy, which so powerfully works in me.” Colossians 1:28-29
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13
A real faith is an active faith which will be seen in our activities of faith, for these are what we have been called to do.. There is a big price to pay when we accept Christ but an even bigger one if we reject him. A self-made man will only have himself to blame for what he becomes.
BVP
April 2022
