Our first point in this study was “What Are the Works of the Holy Spirit? “ Now we want to answer the question: “WHERE DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT WORK?” We ended our last lesson on the Holy Spirit by saying, “the Holy Ghost is doing a great work today in the world, by and through the word of God and the saints of God. All of the work of the Holy Spirit is for the glory of Christ Himself and to the gory of the Lord’s churches.
Christ’s glory is shown forth in the grandest way by His true churches,” Ephesians 3:21, Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. The false or mistaken idea as to where the Holy Spirit works is due to the confusion on church doctrine.
First, HE WORKS IN AND THROUGH THE CHURCH: The greatest divide comes from the argument between those who believe that the church is universal and invisible and those who believe that the church is a visible, local body. The truth lies in the Bible and we must accept what the Bible says. If the church is everywhere and everyone is in the church then it stands to reason that the truth is in everything and everything is truth; and the Holy Spirit is everywhere and works in everything calling itself Christian. In other words, God allows the so-called Christian world to define itself and the Holy Spirit is simply a slave to serve everyone’s needs and wants. On the other hand, if we are to believe that the church of Christ is an elect, local, visible body, then we must say that many if not most saved people are outside the Lord’s church.
Please understand, the Spirit dwells in every believer, and uses individuals in various ways. If that is not true, we must tear out most of the pages of our song books, and Bible commentaries; for few of them were Baptist. However, He never uses an individual contrary to truth. 1 John 4:3 “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” If the Holy Spirit leads someone to write a song then that song will be a Scriptural song, conveying Bible truth; therefore, if a song, or sermon, or commentary does not convey Bible truth, it isn’t of God. 1 John 4:6 “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”
Nevertheless, institutionally, He only works through His true churches to carry out the great commission. Why? Because only true churches can be considered “the house of God”, [i.e.] “the pillar and ground of the truth.” verse: 1 Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” E-mail, johnpruitt@frontiernet.net
The Preeminence of Christ In the Work of the Holy Spirit (cont.)
