49. Since or When Ye Believed?
THE TRANSLATION in Acts 19:2, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed,” has been a basis for the unscriptural teaching to the effect that the Holy Spirit does not come to indwell the believer at the moment he believes, but that that believer must come to some certain degree of holiness in his life as a Christian before the Spirit is given. Greek authorities agree on the translation, “Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?” Or it could be rendered, “Did ye receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?” The tense of the participle and verb point to a simultaneous act. That is, the reception of the Holy Spirit occurs at the same instant as V 17, p 97 the act of believing in the Lord Jesus as Saviour. This is what the Greek grammar here teaches.
Indeed, Paul’s words, “Unto what then were ye baptized?” indicate that the reception of the Spirit is connected with the act of believing, not with anything which might take place after that act. It developed that these individuals were disciples of John the Baptist, who announced a coming Messiah, rather than converts of Paul, who preached a crucified risen Saviour who sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Furthermore, when the converts of John extended their faith to take in a Saviour who had already died for them, they received the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the coming of the Spirit to indwell a believer is always in this age in response to that person’s faith in the Lord Jesus as Saviour. When Peter was preaching to the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius, the Spirit came upon the hearers while Peter was preaching. Paul says (Rom. 8:9), “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” That is, the person in whom the Spirit does not dwell, is not a Christian. Again, in I Corinthians 6:19, he says, “What? know ye not that your body is an inner sanctuary of the Holy Ghost who is in you?”
This teaching that the Holy Spirit does not indwell a believer until he comes to a certain state of holiness, is most harmful. It deprives that Christian of the help of the Holy Spirit in his life. It is a most ridiculous teaching, for how can a believer come to that state of holy living except through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit? V 17, p 98
50. The Spirit’s Ministry in Prayer
THE INFIRMITIES in Romans 8:26–27 have to do with certain weaknesses in our prayer life. The Holy Spirit, Paul says, helps them. The Greek word translated “helpeth,” literally means “to lend a hand together with, and at the same time with one.” Martha used the same word when appealing to our Lord to bid Mary help her with the preparation of the meal (Luke 10:40). The Holy Spirit lends a hand together with us as we are praying. It is not that He helps us bear our weaknesses, but He helps our weaknesses.
The weaknesses spoken of here are two, what we should pray for, the matter of prayer, and how we should pray, the form and manner of our prayer. The word “what” has an article before it in the Greek. Literally, we do not know “the what” to pray for. That is, we do not know the particular definite thing to pray for. As to the general subjects for prayer, the salvation of the lost, the sanctification of the saints, our daily needs, these we know of. But to be specific in our praying involves a knowledge of God’s will in particular instances, and of that we are naturally ignorant. It is right here that the Spirit comes to our aid.
The word “pray” is from a Greek word made up of a word which means “to pray,” with a prefixed preposition which means literally “toward.” The composite word refers to prayer directed to God, a conscious definite commitment to Him of our needs, our desires, our petitions. The Holy Spirit thus energizes the saint along the line of V 17, p 99 prayer for particular things which are according to the will of God, prayer directed consciously to Him.
The word translated “know,” is not the Greek word which means “knowledge gained by experience,” but “knowledge that is intuitive, natural to one’s being and constitution.” We do not have intuitive knowledge of the particular thing to pray for. The word “ought” is the same word used in John 3:7 in the word “must.” Literally it means, “it is necessary in the nature of the case.” The necessity in the nature of the case is found in the fact that God brings His plans to fruition through the prayers of the saints, and in order for us to pray according to the will of God, we must be so yielded to the control of the Spirit that He can bring into our prayer ministry, the things which God is planning to accomplish. It is clear, therefore, that in order to pray aright, we must be filled with the Spirit.
The Spirit Himself, not “itself,” should be the translation here. The word “spirit” in the Greek language is in the neuter gender, and consequently its pronoun is neuter. But the Holy Spirit is a Person, and should not be referred to as “it.” The translation should be according to sense here, not grammar.
He makes intercession. This word comes from a Greek word which is most picturesque. It is used of one who happens upon one who is in trouble and pleads in that one’s behalf. As Alford says, “The Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us, knowing our wants better than we, Himself pleads in our prayers, raising us to higher and holier desires than we can express in words, which can only find utterance in sighings and aspirations.” V 17, p 100
God the Father who searches the hearts of His saints for their prayers, uttered and unexpressed, interprets those inarticulate sighings of the Spirit in us by reason of the fact that the Spirit pleads for us and in us and through us according to the will of God.
The lesson for us here is that if we expect to have an intelligent, powerful, rich prayer life, we must live Spirit controlled lives.
51. God’s Emancipation Proclamation
A LITERAL translation of Romans 6:12–14 is as follows: “Therefore, stop letting sin rule constantly as king in your bodies which are subject to death, resulting in your habitual obedience to its cravings. Neither keep on habitually putting your members at the service of sin as weapons of unrighteousness. But put yourselves once for all at the service of God, as those who are living ones out from among the dead, and put your members once for all at the service of God as weapons of righteousness, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
The word studies are as follows: In verse twelve, the Greek construction in the exhortation forbids the continuance of a habit already going on. Those believers before salvation had been constantly allowing sin to reign over their bodies. The word “reign” is from a word which refers to a king reigning. The prepositional phrase V 17, p 101 could show either purpose or result. This preposition often means the latter, and we have so translated it. The word “lust” has changed its meaning since the Authorized Version was made. It refers today to an immoral desire. The Greek word refers simply to a desire, and has a preposition prefixed which intensifies the meaning, thus, a craving. The context rules as to whether it is an evil or a good desire.
In verse thirteen, the first exhortation is in the same construction as in verse twelve, forbidding the continuance of an action already going on. The word “yield” is from a word which means “to put at the service of,” as a volunteer placing himself at the service of this government or an individual at the service of a master. The word “instruments” is from a Greek word which means, “tools or instruments, a ship’s tackle, implements of war.” It is used in John 18:3 in the last sense. Our members, namely, our eyes, hands, feet, mind, are weapons which either Satan or God may use. This at once brings to mind the conception of two armies, Satan’s and God’s. When a saint puts his members at the service of Satan, he fights against God and His army, which is a serious thing. The second exhortation in verse thirteen is in a construction which exhorts to a once-for-all act. We are to put ourselves and our members at the service of God once for all. Having done that we must keep hands off. We are bought with a price, and we are not our own. We must daily, yes, hourly, count ourselves as having thus put ourselves into the hands of God for His service.
In verse fourteen we have the promise, that having done this, sin shall no longer have lordship over us. This V 17, p 102 is God’s emancipation proclamation. The definite article before the word “law,” does not appear in the Greek. The absence of the article gives the idea that Christians are not under the law as a method of divine dealing. That is, we are not unsaved persons upon whom the law makes demands that no unsaved person can ever meet, for the law commands to obedience but gives neither the desire nor the power to obey. But we are under grace as a method of divine dealing, for grace sweetly exhorts to a life of obedience and provides both the desire and the power to obey (Phil. 2:12–13).
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please only leave comment If you are interested in the topic discussed above. No spam will be tolerated so don't even try to spam my readers.