Tag Archives: righteousness of God

Attributes of the Holy Spirit – #4 – Work of the Holy Spirit

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The Holy Spirit is God, and should never be referred to as “it,” or as a mere influence.  We have observed from Parts 1,2, and 3, that the Holy Spirit is equal to, yet distinct,  from the Father and the Son.  In this fourth study of the Attributes of the Holy Spirit, we will explore the Work of the Holy Spirit.  

JESUS CHRIST SAID THAT WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME HE WOULD:

  • Convict men of the sin of unbelief. 

John 16:9 – Of sin, because they believe not on Me:

  • Convict men that Jesus Christ IS the righteousness of God.  

John 16:10 – Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more;

  • Convict men that the power of Satan has been broken.  

John 16:11 – Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

  • Regenerate the believer. 

John 3:5 – Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

  • Indwell the believer.  

1 Cor. 6:19,20 – What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

  • Seal the believer. 

Eph.1: 13,14 – In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.

  • Baptize the believer. 

Acts 1:5 – For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

  • Infill the believer. 

Eph. 5:16 – And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

  • Empower the believer. 

Acts 1:9 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

  • Lead the believer. 

Gal. 5:16-18  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

The Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost, and will remain with the church until His work is finished, in the same manner that Jesus Christ finished His work in the flesh. . .

JOHN 16:13

holy-spirit-6

Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.

God’s Plan of Salvation – Fact #4 – Christ Died for You

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Romans 5:6

 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Christ died for the ungodly – all those who are not like God.  That includes you. 

Romans 5:8

 But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Indeed – Christ died for each and every man, woman and child – sinners all.

2 Corinthians 5:21

 For He (God the Father) hath made Him (God the Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Peter 1:18-19

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1 Peter 3:18

 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

1 Corinthians 15:3

 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

Aren’t those Scriptures wonderful?  Won’t you join the family of God and thank Him for His great love in sending His Son to bear your sins in His own body on the cross?

Admit this fact to yourself

CHRIST DIED ON CALVARY FOR ME

The Rewards of Crowns – Part 4

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How pleasant it is, during these perilous times, to contemplate the rewards and peace The LORD has promised us in His Word.  Thus far in our study of the crowns we have covered:

  1. THE CROWN OF LIFE
  2. THE CROWN INCORRUPTIBLE
  3. THE CROWN OF REJOICING

THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Not to be confused with the “righteousness of God,”  which the believer receives when he accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior.  When a person is born again of the Holy Spirit – he is “made the righteousness of God in Him.”  This is saving righteousness, and it is a gift of God,  which the lost accept by choice. 

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

The “crown of righteousness” is a reward, not a gift, to be earned only by the saved.  If the believer looks for, and loves the doctrine of the Second Coming – it will be evident in his whole life.  We have no finer example of this than Paul:

Paul fought a spiritual battle his entire Christian life – and won!  2 Tim. 4:7 – I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. . .

Paul never surrendered to the enemies of righteousness!  Eph.6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Paul had a set course to travel, and he maintained his course, never detouring around the rocky places, neither did he, at any point – LOOK BACK!  Luke 9: 61,62 –  61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.  62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Paul traveled the entire length of the course set before him with his eyes fixed fully on CHRIST!  Phil.1:6 – Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. . .

Paul never, in his entire walk, betrayed  a single one of the great doctrines – preaching the “whole counsel of God.”  Acts 20:24-31 –

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Paul’s vision was fixed so firmly on Christ – that he looked ahead  to the “Judgment Seat of Christ,” where believers who “love His appearing,” will receive the Crown of Righteousness. 

2 Timothy 4:8

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.

second coming

Do you see how important it is for you, as a believer, to focus your longing on The Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – and not on the antics of the son of perdition?  This crown may be awarded to any believer – who  intensely longs for and loves the Second Coming of Christ more than anything – more than this country, more than their freedom, more than their life. 

Jesus Christ the Son of God – Part 4

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The first three segments of this series, attempted to cover the deity, humanity, and virgin birth of our Savior.  We move next to the death of Jesus Christ – and not an ordinary death by many means. 

THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST IS MENTIONED MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED TWENTY TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – AND SPOKEN OF FREQUENTLY BY OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS.

The death of Jesus Christ was vicarious. Matt. 20:28 – Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.  He was God’s chosen substitute for sinners. 2 Cor. 5:21 – For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. While Christ was suffering on the cross, He was made sin for the sinner.  Only by faith in Him – are we made righteous – not with our own righteousness – but with His.

Christ died a natural death – meaning that His soul and His Spirit were separated from His body.  

John 19:31-37 –

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs:

34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

36 For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken.

37 And again another Scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced.

As much as Christ’s death was natural, it was also unnatural.  Rom. 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  His death was unnatural in that He was sinless – undeserving of death.  He had not “earned” death.  1 Pet.2:22 – Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.  Before He could die – He had to be made sin for us. Therefore – His death was unnatural.

His death was natural, unnatural, and also – preternatural.  Meaning that God foreknew His death – it was not an afterthought – it was forethought!   Rev. 13:8 – And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

And, the best for last, His death was supernatural. 

John 10:17-18 –17  Therefore doth my Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. (supernaturally) I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (supernaturally) This commandment have I received of My Father.  

ONLY GOD IN HUMAN FORM COULD DIE A VICARIOUS, NATURAL, UNNATURAL, PRETERNATURAL, AND SUPERNATURAL DEATH

water in a weary land

PHILIPPIANS 2:8-11

King James Version (KJV)

8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Please see our apologetics page for the first three articles in this study series.