The Holy Spirit and the Christian

The Law is for sinners; the Spirit is for sons.

The Spirit of God is imbedded in the one triune God. Like the Father and the Son, the Spirit has a unique role in the salvation of man. Once a sinner places repentant faith in the beloved Son of God, the Spirit of God is sent into his heart. A new life begins. For God has not only “sent forth His Son” to the cross but has also “sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts” (Gal. 4:4, 6).

The Spirit of God is not the authoritative designer of salvation, for that is the role of the Father. The Spirit is not the redeeming sacrifice of salvation, for that is the role of the Son. But “the Spirit giveth life” to the believer (2 Cor. 3:6).

The Spirit’s Work in the Believer

If a person lacks the Spirit of Christ, he is not a Christian, just religious (Rom. 8:9). For it is the Spirit from Christ that brings one into a union with Christ and gives one the very life of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). What the Spirit is to a Christian is what an engine is to a car, or breath to a body, or a program to a computer—without such they are just powerless shells.

• The Spirit cries “Father” not “Master” (Gal. 4:6). Servants can be fired; sons are in a relationship.
• The Spirit provides power to overcome indwelling sin (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:16).
• The Spirit produces fruit: Christlikeness (Rom. 8:4; Gal. 5:22f).
• The Spirit creates the love of God in us (Rom. 5:5).
• The Spirit will change our bodies (Rom. 8:11).
• The Spirit intercedes for us in prayer (Rom. 8:26).
• The Spirit reveals the deep things of God to us (1 Cor. 2:12).
• The Spirit gifts or equips us for service (1 Cor. 12:7).
• The Spirit gives access to the Father, not only in heaven but in the church (Eph. 2:18).
• The Spirit produces melody in every believer’s heart (Eph. 5:18f).
• The Spirit is the catalyst that engrafts the believer into the body (1 Cor. 12:13).
• The Spirit seals us until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13f; 4:30).
• The Spirit confirms that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16).
• The Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

The Son deals with sin, the Spirit with character. The Son is the Head of the church; the Spirit is the life of the church. The Son gives the commandments; the Spirit gives the power to obey them. The Son sets the example for living; the Spirit lives Christ through us. The Son condemns sin in the flesh; the Spirit overcomes sin in the flesh. The Son gives the Father’s truth; the Spirit reveals the understanding of that truth. The Son, by dying, demonstrates the Father’s love to us; the Spirit sheds it abroad in our hearts.

The Father predestinated us to be sons, the Son makes us sons, and the Spirit gives us the life of sons. The Son’s work guarantees us a new body; the Spirit will change our bodies. The Son gives us the image; the Spirit transforms us into that image. The Father receives our prayers through the Son; the Spirit intercedes for us in prayer according to the will of God. The Father calls us to the service of His Son; the Spirit equips us to serve the Son. The Son writes the song of redemption; the Spirit puts the melody in our hearts.

The Spirit: God’s Replacement for His Son on Earth Today

“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” (Jn. 14:16f). John 5 teaches us that the Son represented the Father on earth and was under His authority. The Son never initiated anything of Himself. He only did what the Father showed Him. The life of the Son was radically unique—a life on earth that was governed by heaven. The Spirit is the replacement for the Son on earth. The Spirit also does nothing on His own authority but only what He hears from the Son (Jn. 16:13-15)—a life on earth sustained by heaven. The believer indwelt with the Spirit is to “hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” as He reveals the Lord Jesus’ written Word to us (Rev. 2-3). We are to do nothing of our own authority—a life on earth governed by heaven’s life.

The Spirit: God’s Replacement for His Law

Christ’s death has freed God’s people from the control and principle of Law (Rom. 7). We are now sons—mature adults, rather than children or servants. As sons, though we don’t have Law over us, we do have the Spirit of His Son in our hearts (Gal. 4). We are not left without guidance in the Christian life. Children need law but sons are mature and function by desire and discernment. This brings us into a whole new level of living for God.

The Law tells us what to do; the Spirit gives us the ability to do God’s will. The Law tells us what; the Spirit shows us how. The Law gives us direction; the Spirit gives us desire. The Law speaks by rituals and symbols; the Spirit, by understanding the Father’s will. The Law legislates in stone; the Spirit loves in the heart. The Law kills (we fall short and are condemned); the Spirit gives life. The Law is for sinners; the Spirit is for sons. The Law holds one in bondage to rules and men’s interpretations to be accepted by God; the Spirit liberates from such rules so one can know and serve God from the heart. Sons, because of their maturity, know the Father’s desires and seek to do them—a higher way of obtaining good behavior.

Replacing the Spirit

Galatians 4:5-11 teaches that to be sons with the Son’s Spirit and then turn back to the elements of childhood lifestyle is a fearful thing. Here the Galatians were turning, not to worldly sin, but back to the system of Law with its holy days of pageantry and rules—the visuals and limitations of childhood.

These religious trappings are called elements—baby ways of learning. They are called “weak”—nice to look at and feel, but no power to change. They are called “beggarly”—no value or wealth to bless. We would show the same alarm if our 22-year-old came home from college graduation and wanted a sandbox, rattle, diaper, or “Veggie Tales” for a present. Things that were helpful perhaps for a child would not be appropriate for an adult son.

Yet today we see Christians, in the name of liberty, going back to the bondage of the way of ceremony: there is the ordained professional to do the service, praise teams to lead the worship, and drama visuals to communicate. We, who can now all sing to God (Eph. 5:18f), and all be involved in the assembly with our gifts, roles, and hearts (1 Cor. 14), and who all have the Spirit and very mind of Christ to understand the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2), are being treated like children—and accepting it.

The work of the Father—creation—has been replaced by evolution, and Christians rightly condemn and oppose this. The work of the Son—redemption—has been replaced by legalistic religion, and some Christians condemn and oppose this. The work of the Spirit—transformation—is being replaced by man’s philosophy, education, therapy, and imagination, yet only a few Christians condemn and oppose this.

The Two Commands

There are things which the Spirit automatically accomplishes for the believer by Christ’s grace: sealing, indwelling, and baptizing, for example. But, as we close, let us note that there are two commandments we are to obey regarding the Spirit: “Be filled with the Spirit” and “Walk in the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16). When we do these by faith, the life of the Son is reproduced in us to the glory of God the Father.

Donate