Lesson 8 May 1, 2002

The Doctrine involved is this!

1. The Holy Spirit is the believer's ultimate teacher of truth.

2. It is the Holy Spirit who brings conviction of sin.

conviction = elegcw to persuade by using facts;

This word is used in connection with 3 groups in the Bible.

#1 Work/ministry of the Holy Spirit John 16:8

#2 Word of God 2 Tim 3:16-17;

#3 of the P/T in his ministry of the Word 2 Tim 4:2; Titus 1:9

3. Holy Spirit uses tools in His work of teaching us.

a. The Word of God

Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God.

b. He uses gifted men as teachers to provide the hearing!

Eph 4:11f

The fact that the Holy Spirit, God, does it all, that is teaching, and convicting us does not mean that God does not use a means, His Word, and men as agents to bring His purposes to completion.

Couple of things we should learn from this part of the verse.

1. The ongoing teaching ministry of the H/S to the believer is always consistent with what the Spirit has already taught.

2. Therefore nothing that the H/S legitimately taught will be negated or denied by anything that He continues to teach or reveals to us.

3. What John is combating here is the revisions of doctrine brought in by the antichrist false teachers.

4. Today we have a great many claims to new insight into "truth", health and wealth prosperity gospel; spiritual warfare teachers who see a demon behind every problem re. sin in our lives; many forms of New Age mysticism presenting new insights into spiritual life.

5. Why are some Christians led astray by false teaching? They are not abiding in Him!

The H/S is quenched or grieved! They are not able then to walk by the Spirit. The result is that His teaching ministry through the Word is shut down.

3. A Pledge:

- It is found in 3 passages; 1 Cor 1:21-22; 5:4-5; Eph 1:14

- The word is arrabon avrrabw,n

- This was primarily a commercial term and referred to the first installment that guaranteed the final purchase!

#1 Eph 1:13-14

Here Paul adds that the avrrabw,n guarantees 2 things!

1. Our inheritance; this is described by Peter in 1 Pet 1:4-5

2. We can anticipate with full confidence, a full and complete redemption, our glorification, body, soul and spirit.

- Both metaphors, the seal and the pledge enforce the idea of ownership and authentication of that fact.

#2. 2 Cor 5:4-5 the theme here is the assured future of all Believers.

Our glorification, being in a resurrection body, conformed to the image of Christ is the crowning experience of God's work of grace in every believer.

#3. 2 Cor 1:21-22

These 2 verses present 4 major blessings which are given to all believers.

1. It is God who establishes us; this word means to make certain, sure, and stable.

2. The 2nd of the blessings is related to the fact that God has anointed us.

3. The third blessing is that God has sealed us.

4. The 4th blessing is that we are given the Holy Spirit as a pledge.

All by itself this word arrabon teaches an important doctrine, that of the eternal security of the believer.

4. A Helper/An Enabler

- This title for the Spirit not only communicates to us what He is to us, but it also conveys what we are apart from His ministry--without ability or enablement in our spiritual life.