The Holy Spirit in Ephesians
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
There are distinct lines of teaching relative to the Holy Spirit in several of Paul's Epistles. The Book of Ephesians has seven outstanding statements regarding the ministry of the Spirit, so also are there seven statements in the Book of Galatians, and likewise seven in the Book of Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. No Book duplicates the message of the other Book, nor do the combined messages, therein, tell us all that God had to say through His Apostles concerning the Holy Ghost.
In our study today we will hold ourselves to seven things concerning the Holy Spirit as found in Ephesians.
By way of introduction we shall speak of what may be termed a prefatory statement which is found in Ephesians 1:13 : "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." Where could we find any statement in Scripture relative to the Holy Spirit more marvelous than this one?
1. We are described as having trusted. The message which follows therefore is for believing saints, and not for the unregenerate. We heard the Gospel of our salvation which is the Word of Truth, and we believed in Him of whom the Gospel spake.
2. We are described as being sealed after we trusted. This sealing was God's mark of the fact of our regeneration. It is His stamp that we have passed out of death and into life. Being saved we are sealed: sealed unto the day of the redemption of our bodies, unto the day of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and the resurrection, unto the day when we shall see Him face to face, and be forever with the Lord.
Mark again: God is not sealing sinners but saints. There is no promise from the Holy Spirit that the wicked are either saved, or sealed, or safe. There is a promise to saints that what God seals is safe. No man can break His seal.
What security we have in these opening words of Ephesians! We have been blessed of God with every spiritual blessing. We have been chosen in Him from before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
We have been predestinated unto the adoption of sons, by Christ Jesus. This "placing" is not according to anything that we have done, but according to the good pleasure of His will. We have been predestinated to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein we were made accepted in the Beloved.
In all wisdom and prudence God wrought out our redemption through the Blood of Christ, and according to the riches of His grace. This was purposed by God, in Christ.
When we believed we also obtained an inheritance. This inheritance was also predestined, and made sure unto us according to the purpose of God who works everything after His own will.
These marvelous promises should be enough to satisfy any saint. However, the Holy Ghost has one other climactic statement. Here it is: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth." Then He added: "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."
This sealing is God's "earnest." He assures us that we shall enter into our final inheritance, and the sealing stands good as God's earnest until He has obtained the redemption of His purchased possession. Thank God for this opening statement concerning the sealing of the Spirit.
I. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION (Ephesians 1:17)
Here is a prayer from the lips of the Apostle. It runs this way: "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."
God is not so much interested in our accumulation of knowledge relative to the works which He hath wrought, as He is in our knowledge of Him.
It is not what He has done, but what He is which should chiefly concern us. We want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. We want to know God and the riches of His grace. "We want to know Him, and the hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the greatness of His power as manifested toward us when He raised up Christ from the dead.
The natural man cannot see the things of God; neither can he understand them. These things must be made known by the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Truth.
Christ gave us the promise, that "when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will lead you into all Truth." How wonderful it is that we may have this Holy Spirit of wisdom and of revelation! This Teacher of teachers, who journeys with us, takes of the deep things of God and reveals them unto us.
We are so ignorant that we need to be taught. There is no man, in the flesh, whom we can trust. We would wander in a maze of uncertainty concerning the spiritual things of God had He not given us One who knows what and how to teach us. Now we have no need that any man should teach us, for we have an anointing of the Holy One, and He teaches us all things.
"Holy Spirit, faithful Guide,
Ever near the Christian's side;
Gently lead us by the hand,
Pilgrims in a desert land.
Weary souls for-e'er rejoice,
While they hear that sweetest voice
Whisp'ring softly, 'Wand'rer come,
Follow Me, I'll guide thee Home.'
"Ever present, truest Friend,
Ever near Thine aid to lend,
Leave us not to doubt and fear,
Groping on in darkness drear.
When the storms are raging sore,
Hearts grow faint, and hopes give o'er;
Whisp'ring softly, 'Wand'rer come,
Follow Me, I'll guide thee Home.'"
II. THE SPIRIT OF ACCESS (Ephesians 2:18)
"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." The second chapter of Ephesians is discussing the Jew and the Gentile, with emphasis upon the Gentile. The Gentile world, under the Law, never had the direct access unto the Father, as had the Jew. They were "afar off," "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel," "strangers from the covenants of promise," "having no hope, and without God in the world." Now, however, through the Blood of Christ, the Gentiles have access as readily as the Jews, for, Christ "is our Peace * * having broken down the middle wall of partition," thus, of Jew and Gentile, "making one new man."
When Jesus Christ died the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from top to bottom. From that hour there was no veil to keep us Gentiles from the Holy of Holies. We both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Here is the thought as we see it: In the first chapter of Ephesians the Holy Spirit teaches us to know God; in the second chapter of Ephesians the Holy Spirit becomes our Guide. He takes our hand and leads us into the very presence of the Father. What a wonderful vision is this that the Paraclete, who is the "One at our side," leads us into the presence of God. This illumines that verse in Jude which says: "Praying in the Holy Ghost." It also gives added force to the seventh statement in the Book of Ephesians about the Spirit: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit."
"Come, Holy Spirit, like a dove descending,
Rest Thou upon us while we meet to pray;
Show us the Saviour, His great love revealing;
Lead us to Him, the Life, the Truth, the Way."
III. THE SPIRIT AND HIS HABITATION (Ephesians 2:22)
"In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." There are other Scriptures, notably in Romans and Corinthians and Galatians, where the truth of the personal indwelling of the Spirit in the individual believer, is clearly set forth.
Our bodies are proclaimed as the temples of the Holy Ghost, who is in us, and whom we have of God. Again, we are told, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." In Galatians we read: "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts. " These verses all speak of a personal indwelling of God's Holy Guest in each individual believer.
Our text, however, has another thought. It speaks of the saints being builded together for God's habitation through the Spirit. It is not now the individual, but the saints formed into one body or building.
Thus, the same Spirit who indwells the believer, indwells the Church. How sad when that Church loses the sense of its hallowed Guest!
In Revelation 3:1-22 we read these startling words, addressed to the Laodicean Church: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." Alas! Alas! That God should be seeking entrance into that building" which was formed for His habitation.
We fear that in many churches, today, the Holy Spirit is not recognized. Men sit in the places of authority and headship. They are lording it over God's heritage. Oh, that we might open the doors of the Church wide (not the church building) and let God in the Spirit come in.
"Holy Spirit, all Divine,
Dwell within this heart of mine;
Cast down every idol throne,
Reign supreme and reign alone!"
IV. THE SPIRIT OF STRENGTH (Ephesians 3:16)
"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man." We now come to a distinctive ministry of the Spirit. This ministry is different from the teaching ministry which we have already considered. It is different from the "access" ministry which has been developed.
The Spirit now is described as dwelling within us, that He might strengthen us. There is a little verse which says that when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
God found us in our sins, altogether weak. He quickened us; gave us a new life. He raised us up, and gave us a new position. He made us to sit together with Him in Heavenly places, gave us a new fellowship. And yet, with all of these blessings, which we have in Him the conflicts of the earth-walk and the earth conversation often stagger us.
We know we are God's and that God is ours, yet we cry, "Where is some one to help us to fight our fight, and meet our difficulties?" "How can we do His will and work?" Then the Holy Spirit says to us, "I have come to strengthen you."
In line with this is that wonderful promise in Acts 1:8. "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
"Come, Holy Spirit, come;
Let Thy bright beams arise,
Dispel the darkness from our minds.
And open all our eyes.
"Revive our drooping faith,
Our doubts and fears remove,
And kindle in our breasts the flame
Of never-dying love.
"Convince us of our sin,
Then lead to Jesus' Blood,
And to our wondering view reveal
The secret love of God.
"'Tis Thine to cleanse the heart,
To sanctify the soul,
To pour fresh life in every part,
And new-create the whole."
V. THE SPIRIT IN UNITY (Ephesians 4:3)
"Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Here is something else, something different from anything we have before considered, and something most revealing.
There is but one body, one Spirit, one hope of our calling; there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. The word "one" does not only suggest solidarity; it also suggests unity.
We read of the Trinity, three in one. In Him there is oneness of purpose, oneness of thought. So also since there is but one Lord, one Spirit, one Father, one hope, one baptism, one faith, and, may we say, there should be but one church.
We mean that the church should be as one even as God is One. The church should be endeavoring to keep the "oneness," that is, the "unity" of the Spirit.
How grievous it must be to the Lord to hear some one say: "I am of Paul," or, "I am of Apollos," or, "I am of Cephas." How much better to say: "I am of the Lord."
When Jesus Christ prayed that last memorable prayer, He said, "That they all may be one." How beautiful it is for brethren to dwell together in unity in oneness. On the day of Pentecost they were all of one heart, of one mind, of one soul.
Satan's effort is to cause divisions, or schisms among the saints. The work of the Holy Spirit is the work of unification.
"Come, Holy Ghost, in love,
Shed on us from above
Thine own bright ray:
Divinely good Thou art;
Thy sacred gifts impart
To gladden each sad heart:
Oh, come today!
"Come, tenderest Friend and best,
Our most delightful Guest,
With soothing power:
Rest, which the weary know;
Shade, 'mid the noontide glow;
Peace, when deep griefs o'erflow:
Cheer us this hour."
VI. THE SPIRIT AND THE, SAINTS (Ephesians 4:30)
"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." We now have before us a statement which should give us pause. Heretofore Ephesians has brought before us what the Spirit has done for us, or, seeks to do for us. Here He discusses our attitude toward Him.
The word "grieve" means to "bring sorrow."
The Holy Spirit of God comes in order that He may show us the things of God, and we must not refuse to listen to His voice.
The Holy Spirit comes to us that He may dwell within us. Let us not grieve Him by refusing Him the sway of our lives.
The Holy Spirit comes to be our strength. Let us not grieve Him by walking in the energy of our flesh. The Holy Spirit comes to cement us into perfect unity in Christ. Let us not foster divisions. The Holy Spirit comes to make us like our Lord; let us not grieve Him; let us, therefore put away all bitterness, and all lying, and all corrupt communication, and wrath, and clamor, and evil speaking, and all malice.
How often have we, who name the Name of Christ, felt the Holy Spirit grieved within us? We were conscious of the fact that we had said something, or had done something that brought Him sorrow.
Let us, from this hour, determine that we will so live that we may bring joy to our Holy Indweller. Let us be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. If we do this the Holy Spirit in us will rejoice, and our joy will be full.
VII. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS FRUIT (Ephesians 5:9)
"For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." In another Epistle, that to the Galatians, we read that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, etc. Here we read of the fruit of the Spirit, as being in all goodness, and in all righteousness, and in all truth.
These words are given us to contrast the words in the fourth chapter, which we have just considered. Words which tell us of the things which grieve the Spirit. If the Spirit is fruitful within us, our lives will be filled with goodness and with righteousness, and with truth.
We feel impelled to listen to a final statement of Ephesians, concerning the Holy Spirit. In the sixth chapter we read of two other things. The first is relative to the "Sword of the Spirit," which is the Word of God; and the second is "praying in the Spirit."
Since the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; we are certain that there is an enemy both within, and without, which would keep us from this delightful experience of the Spirit's fruitfulness.
Principalities and powers are centered against us from above, and the flesh is warring against us within to bring us into subjection. We have, however, two weapons of warfare in the Spirit. The Word of Truth is given us as the Spirit's Sword.
An illustration of the effectiveness of this method of battle is found in the Book of Revelation where we read of the saint's victory over Satan, and his cohorts. Here are the words: "And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony."
2. In addition to this Sword of the Spirit is added another effective method of victory, and that is the expression: "Praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." If defeat ever comes into your life, remember this twofold method of victory: first the wielding of the Sword of the Spirit, and second, the praying in the Spirit.
AN ILLUSTRATION
Do you remember dear old grandmother? In the days of her feebleness, do you remember, how, one day, she started up the steps of your home? She got out of breath and caught hold of the banisters. Finally she got up to the first landing. Do you remember the little settee you had built there? Well, dear old grandma, tired out, dropped down on the settee unable to proceed. Then you ran up the steps, calling: "Wait a moment, Grandma, I am coming." You remember how you put your arm around the dear, precious, old grandmother, and you said, "Now you can make it, for I will help you up." Have you ever gone into the life of prayer and fallen down fainting on the first landing? Then it was the Holy Ghost said, "I know, you don't know how to pray, I will help you." Then He put His arm through yours, and lifted you up. Thank God, He will teach us how to pray!