Before I go to far let me reiterate what C.S. Lewis said about the importance of the Doctrines - “Doctrines are not God: they are only a kind of map. But that map is based on the experience of hundreds of people who really were in touch with God – experiences compared with which any thrills or pious feelings you and I are likely to get on our own are very elementary and very confused. And secondly, if you want to get any further, you must use the map.”
If you want to get any further? Hmmm. Stop for just a second and think about what Lewis is saying here. If you want to move forward in your walk of faith, doctrine must move center-stage. Why? Because doctrine supports ones journey of faith by giving THE direction necessary for discovery.
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit and our understanding of the Holy Spirit's role within our lives is a necessary, and yet, misunderstood doctrine. For the last couple of weeks I spoke about the role of the Spirit in the Old Testament, then in the life of Christ. I'd like to take us another step and look at the role of the Spirit in the life of the believer.
I have found that the activity of the Spirit in the life of the believer is far to vast to write about in one blog, but there are some essential truths that I think every believer must know when looking at how the Spirit works within their own lives. John wrote about the Spirit's activity in John 16:7-8 - "Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." You will find three important activities of the Spirit in the life of the believer here. The Spirit convicts of sin, of righteousness and judgment.
Second, to convict, or another word “convince,” the world of righteousness. Probably seen in two ways: what righteousness IS or looks like in Christ, and where righteousness can be FOUND in Christ. John 16:10... "In regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer."
Finally, to convict or convince the world that Satan has been condemned and the power of sin has been broken at the Cross. John 16:11... "And in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."
The end desire of the Spirit's activity I think can be summarized then with two results - a New Nature and New Fruit. Both involve a transformation or renewal from the old to new under the Spirit's direction. I like how John Ortberg explains the process.
Spiritual transformation is a long-term endeavor. It involves both God and us. I liken it to crossing an ocean. Some people try, day after day, to be good, to become spiritually mature. That's like taking a rowboat across the ocean. It's exhausting and usually unsuccessful. Others have given up trying and throw themselves entirely on "relying on God's grace." They're like drifters on a raft. They do nothing but hang on and hope God gets them there. Neither trying nor drifting are effective in bringing about spiritual transformation.
Spiritual transformation is a long-term endeavor. It involves both God and us. I liken it to crossing an ocean. Some people try, day after day, to be good, to become spiritually mature. That's like taking a rowboat across the ocean. It's exhausting and usually unsuccessful. Others have given up trying and throw themselves entirely on "relying on God's grace." They're like drifters on a raft. They do nothing but hang on and hope God gets them there. Neither trying nor drifting are effective in bringing about spiritual transformation.
A better image is the sailboat, which if it moves at all, it's a gift of the wind. We can't control the wind, but a good sailor discerns where the wind is blowing and adjusts the sails accordingly.
Working with the Holy Spirit, which Jesus likened to the wind in John 3, means we have a part in discerning the winds, in knowing the direction we need to go, and in training our sails to catch the breezes that God provides.
That's true transformation.
