Thoughts on 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 “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (NIV) and Ephesians 1:4 says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (NIV)
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 He 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 has not changed.
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 however, is the perfect parent and never reacts that way to His children. Scripture tells is that God is love. In several places it gives us insight into how Father relates to us.
Here are three examples:
Matthew 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (NIV)
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (NIV)
Romans 11:29 “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” (NIV)
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, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” (NIV)
The grace of God teaches us. This is one of the things the Holy Spirit is doing in us. He also produces the different characteristics 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. This unsettling upset is what many believers think of when they talk about the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Our consciences are pricked, to be sure, but Hopy Spirit is not convicting us, rather He is guiding us into the truth that sinful attitudes and actions are not best for us or those around us and they do not reflect the Life of Christ within us.
In the long term, people act as they believe they are. Righteous people tend to act righteously. They have a proclivity for it. Saint, you are righteous. Go, be yourself.
