The Word of God or Spirit of God?

Berean Baptist on August 21, 2017

 

In our Fundamentals of the Faith class, we studied the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. One of the very important topics of the Spirit’s work is His filling. We learned that being filled with the Spirit is the same in meaning as being filled with the word of God. In relation to this, I read a great article by J.D. Greear in TableTalk magazine that I thought was well worth repeating here.

Greear wrote: “When it comes to the Holy Spirit, Christians tend to gravitate toward one of two extremes. Some pursue experience in the Spirit apart from the inscripturated Word of God. They listen for voices in their hearts or seek ‘signs’ from God in the heavens. Others, however, seek to know and obey the Word without any tangible interaction with the Spirit. These Christians believe the Spirit, but they relate to Him the way I relate to my pituitary gland: I’m really grateful it’s in there; I know it’s essential for something. I would never want to lose it…but I don’t really interact with it. For these Christians, the Holy Spirit is not a moving dynamic person. He’s more of a theory.

“The problem with both sides is the assumption that we have to choose between the Word and the Spirit. But Scripture indicates that the two work inseparably. The vibrant Christian life is a union of clarity in the Word and openness to the Spirit. If we seek the Spirit of God apart from the Word of God, our faith will end in shipwreck. More havoc has been wreaked in the church following the words the Spirit of God just said to me…than any other phrase. God’s Spirit never acts independently of His Word. Since He inspired it, why would He work apart from it?

“But in the same way, if you seek to obey the Word apart from the power of the Spirit, not only will your spiritual life be lifeless and dull, you’ll also miss out on the help God wants to give you and the most exciting things He has planned for you. You’ll miss out on the dynamism of relationship. I know; I’ve been there.

“If you want to be led by the Spirit of God, then devote yourself to the Word of God. The Spirit’s primary vehicle for moving and speaking in our lives is the scriptures. The Spirit, through His Word, works in us to shape us into the kind of people God wants us to be, we will do the things God wants us to do.

“Almost every time we see the phrase ‘the will of God’ in the Bible, it refers to the shaping of our moral character in response to the gospel. The Spirit conforms us to Christ’s character: ‘For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son’ (Rom. 8:29). ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind’ (12:2). And the Spirit helps us walk the paths of wisdom that the righteous travel (Prov.2:20-22; see 1 Cor. 2:6-16). As we do, we accomplish the will of God.

“You won’t know the Spirit any more than you know the Word. But the Word won’t yield up its treasures until you allow God’s Spirit to apply it directly to you. So, if you want to walk with the Spirit of God, get on your knees and open your Bible.” (Tabletalk, June 6&7, The Word of God or Spirit of God?)

This article perfectly complements our teaching on the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Never expect any movement of the Spirit without the knowledge of the Word and heartfelt obedience to it. Every Christian is indwelled by the Spirit, but not all are adequately filled. Filling is in direct proportion to your surrender of obedience to the Word. Expect us to continue to exposit the Word because we desire the Word of Christ to dwell in you richly (Col. 3:16).

                                                           

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Fools Made to Seek God

Berean Baptist on August 8, 2016

Psalm 53

Recently I had a conversation with someone who related his former belief about God by saying something to this effect: “I believed if there was a God He created us and put us in His test tube as an experiment to see what we would do.” This view of God obviously makes Him very detached and impersonal without a real plan of interaction or care for His creatures.

Psalm 53 very clearly shows that false ideas about God are the norm for people rather than the exception. All aberrant views of God may not be the same, but all of them are products of the fallen human nature. This psalm begins with one of these fallacious viewpoints which is the idea there is no God at all. This idea is beyond foolish for even a fool knows he can look at creation and see it couldn’t have just happened—with no rhyme or reason it just happened, and everything appeared from nothing. That something appeared from nothing is mind boggling to say the least, but it is all we are left with if there is no self-existent all powerful something. This is what God is—He is that all powerful something. The word used in Psalm 53 for God is the Hebrew Elohim which refers to the sovereign God who is the maker and sustainer of the universe. He is capable of making something out of nothing.

The existence of the sovereign God is evident lest we be total fools, and so we must move from the foolishness of the atheist to determine the personality of God. Are we His creatures the subject of an experiment? Is He impersonal? This notion is forcefully disputed by the psalmist as he states in verse 2 that God looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did seek Him. Why would this be important to an impersonal God? If there is no relationship to be had, what difference does seeking Him make?

The interaction of God with man in these verses is actually negative. The relationship that could be had is stymied by man’s sinfulness. This is not the condition of one or a few or even the majority. It is the condition of all as God sees all of us as filthy and not one of us is capable of good. This moral corruption causes all false views of God and keeps man from seeking God in the right way.

What is the solution to the problem? Only one—salvation—salvation from the depravity of the mind that keeps us away from God. How will this salvation come when the corruption of man keeps him from seeking it? It must come out of Zion (v. 6). Do you understand what this means? It means it must come from God. Only God can fix the problem and it is the sovereign God who by an act of His gracious omnipotent will that it is accomplished. The psalmist pleads for the salvation of God to come out of Zion!

A psalm such as this puts the free will of man in salvation forever at rest. There is nothing in us that wills us to God. The psalmist debunked this myth by saying there is none that does good, no, not one. Willing ourselves to God is good, isn’t it? And yet, according to this psalm, it can never happen. We cannot will ourselves to God but He can will Himself to us. When salvation comes out of Zion, it is God dealing with the depravity of man to change him to one who will seek Him. And this is how salvation happens, friends. We love Him because He first loved us.

When you seek God, never boast, “I am on my way to find God.” Always remember He changed you so that you would seek Him. This is how the dilemma of Psalm 53 is solved. The very personal God gets very personal with you. You are not a test tube baby but one personally born of the Spirit of God.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Is Psalm 23 for You?

Berean Baptist on August 31, 2015

The LORD is my shepherd… (Psalm 23:1a)

 Psalm 23 is probably the most well-known text in the Holy Scriptures. This is a most beloved psalm and has been quoted in almost every conceivable venue where people need hope. Many a soldier has carried it into battle or placed it next to his heart in a frightening foxhole. Hospitals and funeral homes are also often places of recital. There was a time when every school child would learn it and say it as a daily routine. Sadly, those days are mostly gone because of our government’s hatred of all things godly. However, disdain for the Bible does not diminish the spiritual impact made by its words.

Although the psalm is loved and quoted by nearly everyone that claims to be Christian, and by some that do not, the message is not generic and it does not apply to everyone that claims it. It begins, “The Lord is my shepherd…” Is this really true of everyone? Does the Lord direct everyone that claims these words? I remember hearing them at state funerals in the National Cathedral said by political figures that were instrumental in keeping God’s word out of our classrooms and the Ten Commandments out of our courtrooms. These are not people led by God. They are defiant against the one they claim leads them. In times of deep sorrow and distress, they are quoted by those with no intentions of surrendering their lives to the Lord. They are troubled for the moment and they need help, but they have never been led by God nor do they intend to be afterwards.

The one who wrote this psalm had an abiding relationship with the Lord. David was not always obedient and there were times when he sinned greatly, yet the difference between him and other sinners is that he always recognized his sin and he came to God in deep contrition asking to be restored to fellowship. David was a man with a regenerated heart. He knew his God personally and called upon Him affectionately. His relationship to the Lord was never to do as he pleased and live daily as if God did not exist—or only exists for times of trouble. He felt God’s presence on a daily basis and this is why he was easily convicted when his heart was not right.

The last verse of the psalm says, ”Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” This is a claim that can hardly be made by a false professor. Even while David wrote this psalm, his enemies were planning their next attack. What would motivate him to make this claim? It could only be that his relationship to the Lord and his belief in God’s sovereignty was such that he knew nothing would befall him that was not in the divine providence. This is reflected in the preceding verse as he says, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” Who can write such words without perfect confidence in God?

Those that have not claimed salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ have no right to this psalm. Their claims are not valid though they may quote with all feigned sincerity. God does not stand by anyone that rejects the sacrifice of His Son. The difference is false hope versus good hope. Good hope belongs only to the righteous that have bowed the knee to Christ and received Him as the Shepherd who guides ALL of his life. This is what makes Him the God of your valleys who leads you through to green pastures and beside still waters. You can make the claim “The Lord is my shepherd” only if you have truly committed to follow where the Shepherd leads.

Pastor V. Mark Smith