|
LED BY THE SPIRIT
Romans 8:14 says:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God.” While several
other evidences of true son-ship are given
in the Bible this one cannot be ignored. They are true sons who experience
the leadership of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He is the Holy Spirit –
not an unholy Spirit.
He promotes holiness, leading the children
of God in right paths. As the author of the Bible, He never leads contrary
to the Scriptures.
There are two common Greek words
translated sons: “teknon” which has to do with being a “born one.” But the
word here is “huios” (pronounced “WHEE ohs”) which carries with it the idea
of not only being a born one, but of also being in some measure like the
parent. We say, He's the “spit and image” (actually spirit and image) of his
father or grandfather, etc. The Holy Spirit is God and leads the born again
one to grow in likeness to God: in godliness. He is also called “the Spirit
of Christ” and leads one to be like Christ. Thus
“...it is God which worketh in you both to will
and to do of his good pleasure,”
(Philippians 2:13).
For the Holy Spirit to lead an individual,
that person must first be indwelt by Him.
“..Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,”
(Romans 8:9). This indwelling of the Spirit in the child of God begins at
the new birth: the commencement of spiritual life in the experience of every
child of God. Jesus likened the Spirit in his birth-work to the uncontrolled
wind, saying, “The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit,”
(John 3:8).
This indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is
the cause of the new birth is a sovereign act of God. That is, the new birth
or regeneration is not something that a sinner brings to pass by anything
that he does. Remember these words about those born from above:
“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God,” (John 1:13).
The Spirit of God leads to liberty for we read:
“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are
not under the law,” (Galatians 5:18). In
John 20:22 we read that Jesus' disciples received the Holy Spirit to indwell
them. Prior to that time the Holy Spirit had come on men for service and had
left them at His will. We read of Christ thus:
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them,
and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.”
Since that time this glorious privilege has been
the reality experienced by those born again. Are you led by the Holy Spirit?
|
