The Role of the Spirit
Thoughts on the Role of the Spirit
The Spirit guides us into truth. He is active in causing us to see sin in our lives. The Holy Spirit prompts believers toward godly behavior and attitudes, but He does not convict believers.
The definition of "convict" is: "1) declare (someone) to be guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law. 2) a person found guilty of a criminal offense and serving a sentence of imprisonment.
As believers, we are justified and blameless. 1 Corinthians 6:11 tells us "ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. and Ephesians 1:4 says, "he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"
Conviction means judged and found guilty. Jesus propitiated our sin at the cross. He paid the wages of sin (death) so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him. That freed us from the law of sin and death (the wages of sin is death). (see Romans 8:1-2) That law no longer applies to us as believers. Instead, we are subject to the law of the Spirit, of life in Christ Jesus.
The Spirit urges and counsels us. We are free to choose to do stupid and unhealthy things. As Paul said, "all things are permissible" but not everything edifies or is good for me and those around me. Nevertheless, I am free to choose poorly. I am also free to choose well.
Whatever our behavior, we are never separated from God. We are not on His bad side. We do not fall out of fellowship with God. He is a loving Father, Brother, Friend and is always working for good in and through us--even when we mess up.
I believe that what scripture means when it talks about grieving the Spirit looks something like this: As a parent, when my children disobey and do stupid things, it breaks my heart. It grieves me. But my love for them and my relationship with them does not change. Since I am still in the process of transformation by the renewing of my mind, I may react to them according to the flesh and be angry or say things I do not truly mean. I am human and not God. Father is the perfect parent and never reacts that way to His children. Scripture tells is that God is love. In several place it gives us insight into how Father relates to us. Here are three examples:
Matthew 7:11 (AV) 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
James 1:17 (AV) 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Romans 11:29 (AV) 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
We no longer have a proclivity to sin. Our true desire is godliness. You do not want to sin. I do not want to sin. For sure we can sin, and we do, but that is not our tendency, inclination, or predisposition. Titus 2:11–12 says 11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”
The grace of God teaches us. This is one of the things the Holy Spirit is doing in us. He also produces each of the different aspects of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. He is the cause of these things becoming manifested in our lives.
We still struggle with sin. In terms of our actions and attitudes, I do not believe that we can achieve sinless perfection in this life. However, I do believe that we are completely righteous in our spirit--the deepest part of our being. If we were not, the Spirit of God could not live in us, nor we in Him.
Understanding that we are righteous helps us to deny ungodliness and walk uprightly. Sin no longer has a hold on us as it did before. We just do not want to do it and when we do, it is upsetting.
In the long term, people act as they believe they are. Righteous people tend to act righteously. They have a proclivity for it.
