Seeking the Holy Spirit, Finding Jesus
Darkness to Light: Part 16
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
John 16: 13-14
The Problem
One of the most significant issues in many hyper-Calvinistic (hypers) churches is the lack of understanding of the Holy Spirit's work, what He does, and how He does it. This misunderstanding most certainly results in little or no calls from the pulpit for the sinner to repent and believe immediately. Much of the preaching can be impersonal or lacking urgency in the sense that sinners are often told to “wait on the Lord,” “make use of the means,” or “ask God for a new heart.” These are not wrong commands in themselves, but they can often lead the sinner to have a lazy view towards God and salvation. Leaving many with answers like “The Lord must do it” and “This verse or preaching doesn’t apply to me yet.” Often, many hypers are left waiting for that special revelation from the Holy Spirit or looking to know for sure they are regenerated before they presume to believe in Christ. Yes, regeneration comes before repentance and faith, but it is not an instance in time that can be known, at least maybe not right away. The Holy Spirit regenerates, and we are commanded to repent and believe through that power. It is not a “work of man” that many claim to accuse those who preach a free offer of the gospel and repentance and faith. It is a glorious display of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility!
The Solution
The solution is simple… Christ! He is the object of our trust and faith1, not the Holy Spirit. We are to trust in Christ and His finished work. He is the Mediator between God and man. In the Old Testament, saints looked forward to a Mediator (i.e., Christ), and in the New Testament, they were commanded to believe in God in human flesh and the risen King. We are commanded to do the same!2 Our faith may not be complete and abundant initially, but a tiny faith is still faith.
You may object and say, “I don’t want to deceive myself and trust in Christ without some type of experience.” I say to you, is not Christ worthy of our trust? Does He not command us to believe in Him?3 Will you count yourself unworthy of salvation4 because it sounds too simple?
This is not to discount the work of the Holy Spirit because He does have a hand in our salvation, but often, it is in the background, not seen until later in life, and cannot be fully comprehended until eternity. In John 3, Jesus speaks of being “born again” and the necessary work of the Holy Spirit for one to repent and believe. He also mentions that it is mysterious like the wind blowing (v. 8), and then at the end of the chapter comes one of the most well-known verses in the bible.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:16-18
Dear reader, here Jesus speaks of the incredible love of God. Instead of instant destruction after the Fall, He pours out His great mercy on fallen man by providing a Mediator, His only Son, to die for a wicked and wretched sinner like you and me. He also speaks again to the object of our belief, not the Holy Spirit, but Christ himself—the only one who can make us right with God.
Unconverted reader, cry out to God and make your soul top priority! Do not comfort yourself with the things of this world and leave your soul dead and rotten. You are not too old or too unworthy; Christ is extending His loving arms toward you; do not reject Him once again5. Repent of your sins and believe on the only One who can wash you white as snow!
“Christ went more willingly to the cross than we do to the throne of grace.”
―Thomas Watson
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1 John 3:23
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 1:15
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Acts 13:46
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice,
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Psalm 95: 7-8