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Date: Thu, 20 Jul 1995 12:34:10 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: Catechism, 26
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
"I believe that the Holy Ghost is the true and coeternal God with the
Father and the Son". This means, that the Holy Ghost is no less God than
the Father. Some say that He is mere power, but that is wrong. Though He
is a power, yet, He is also God, together with the Father and the Son.
That the Holy Ghost is God, appears from several places of Scripture.
One of them is the following.
Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to
the Holy Ghost? (...) Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
(Acts 5:3,4)
In this text, it can be seen that the Holy Spirit is God. After Peter
had said to Ananias, that he had lied to the Holy Ghost, he says the
same in other words: "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God". So,
the Holy Spirit is God.
"I believe that the Holy Ghost is given me of the Father, through
Christ". That is, the Holy Ghost is given to the believers, that He
dwells in their heart, and leads them in all truth.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit
of truth; (...) ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be
in you. (John 14:16,17)
Christ prayed the Father, Who gave us another Comforter, namely the Holy
Spirit. He dwells in us, and will abide in us forever. That Spirit is
not given unto the world, but only to the true believers.
"I believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates me". A natural man cannot
enter the kingdom of heaven. A man, as he is born, must be regenerated,
that is, he must receive a renewed heart. Now, that is the task of the
Holy Spirit.
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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5,6)
A man must be born of water and the Spirit. That is, he must be
regenerated. Such a man is born of the Spirit. Such a rebirth is not
something, which happens in a corner. It will be known among the
children of God, who live near to it.
"I believe that the Holy Ghost leads me in all truth, and comforts me,
and will abide with me forever". A man in itself is so inclined to evil,
that he cannot keep himself in the way of all truth. To keep one in the
truth, is the task of the Holy Ghost. That appears from the following
text.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth. (John 16:13)
The Spirit of truth will guide into all truth. Besides that, He will
also comfort me. A regenerated man or woman, living in this world, will
continually suffer all kinds of persecution. He or she has also to do
with his own evil heart, which daily tempts him to all kinds of sins.
So, that man or woman needs much comfort, lest he perish in all
distress. It is the task of the Spirit to give that comfort. In the
following text, the Spirit is called the Comforter.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)
Besides leading me in all truth, and comforting me, the Holy Ghost also
shall abide with me forever. Jesus said: "I give you a Comforter, that
he may abide with you forever" (John 14:16).
There are many, who think of themselves, that they have received the
Holy Spirit. Sometimes, they think to feel some comfort, and they also
imagine that they walk in the truth. Not so long ago, I met one, who
said that he had received the Spirit, but what appeared? He said that he
walked in the truth, but he denied some of the most important truths of
the whole Bible. Now, it is evident, that such a person deceives himself
terribly. How can he have received the Spirit, and at the same time deny
the most important truths? That is impossible. In order that nobody
deceives himself so awfully, it is important that everybody examines
himself, whether he walks in the truth, or not. Also, whether or not he
has the Spirit. Let us then look what will happen to one, who for the
first times receives the Spirit. As appears from the following text, the
first task of the Spirit is to reprove of sin, of righteousness, and of
judgement. I will write out the text here.
7 It is expedient for you that I go away:
for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you;
but if I depart, I will send him unto you. <- The Spirit is sent;
8 And when he is come, <- He comes to you;
he will reprove the world of sin, <- He reproves of sin,
and of righteousness, <- of righteousness, and
and of judgement: <- of judgement.
9 Of sin,
because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness,
because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgement,
because the prince of this world is judged.
(John 16:7-11)
Ask yourself now, reader, whether you are reproved of sin, righteousness
and of judgement. Of sin, because you discovered that you were nearly
the greatest sinner of the world. Of righteousness, because you knew
that a full righteousness was needed, and that the righteousness which
Christ earned, was more then enough for your lack of even the least
righteous deed. Of judgement, for you were assured that there would be a
day of judgement, and you feared that day, because you knew that you
could not stand before God. Then hell opened his mouth for you, to
devour you. And it would have devoured you, when not Christ stood surety
for you. If you know these things, reader, then you have received the
Holy Spirit. If you are a stranger to these things, then you lack the
Spirit. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you,
except ye be reprobates?" (2 Corinthians 13:5)
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Teus Benschop | t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl | editor of the list Chr-Exp
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/cate: cat-026.txt
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