Responding to the Holy Spirit- Part 3

1 John 2:18-19; Mark 4:5-6, 16-17; Mark 4:7, 18-19.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on November 7, 2021.

Last week, we looked at those unbelievers who positively respond to the Holy Spirit.  The image of the chaste, virginal, engaged bride is used of those who keep faithful to him in this life.

Today, we are going to talk about the reality that not everyone who becomes a “Christian” is a believer, or remains a believer.  This is quite evident when you read some of the polls that are put out by the Barna Group.  Many people still like holding on to the label, but they aren’t holding on to the one it points to.  The former is useless without the latter.

Let’s get into our first passage.

Some who appear to believe never did

In 1 John 2:18-19, John is speaking about The Antichrist of the last days, and then transitions to talking about the many antichrists that were in his day.  Notice, though, where these antichrists came from, in verse 19.  “They went out from us…,” says John. In other words, these were people who were apart of the Church, “Christians,” for a time, but then left.  He calls them antichrists because they were leaving Christ behind, or at least the true Christ, and going after the spirit of this world.  John recognizes that such people were never really “of us.”  They can hang around the group for a long time, or they can be exposed and move on rather quickly.  Either way, these are people who were never really saved.  These are sometimes called false converts, or a false conversion.  They say the right words, join a church, and find a niche in it.  However, there heart is not with Jesus and His Spirit.

John knew that the people he was writing to were genuine.  Those who left did so because they weren’t.  In fact, they did so because they were really against all that is Christ, whether they understood that at first or not.  There can be a wide variety of reasons that people would come into the Church and not truly believe.  Some are not told the whole gospel and come in hoping for “there best life now.”  Others are charlatans and see the Church opportunistically. 

This raises a question.  Wasn’t the Apostle John guilty of this same thing when he left the synagogues of Jerusalem?  Of course, we should see that this question only looks at the issues superficially.  It is the same mistake that the false convert makes.  It looks like it is similar (i.e., one person leaving a larger group), but this doesn’t automatically make John an antichrist.

The truth is that the disciples of Christ were pushed out by persecution.  They were following the God that their leaders claimed to be following.  The problem is not a person leaving the group, but whether or not we are following Jesus.

This happens all the time in history.  Martin Luther of Germany was only wanting to see the Roman Catholic Church reformed, but they sought to put him to death.  Yes, he went out from the RCC, but it had become run by antichrists who stood in the way of God’s Spirit.  This is what John and the apostles faced in the first century.  The leaders of Israel had become antichrist (anti-messiah).  Oh, they gave lip service to a figment of their imagination upon which they put the label of “Messiah.”  But, when the true Messiah showed up, they hated him with a passion.  The institution had become antichrist, and true believers not only shouldn’t stay within it, but in fact, they would be put to death or pushed out.  This similar dynamic happened with in the Protestant Churches almost 400 years later with the rise of Pentecostalism.  These people were often run out of Protestant churches who should have known better from their own experience with Rome.

We see here that those who are not truly believers will generally leave a godly church.  However, some will remain, and over time (as they increase), they can come to influence the institution, even take it over.  This is not a problem for those other denominations.  It is a problem for any denomination of believers who are pushed out of antichrist systems.  Whatever they build will come under the same dynamics of the prior institution.  Constant vigilance and repentance are necessary to keep a church or denomination from becoming antichrist.

Of course, I will briefly recognize that some people who leave groups and start new ones are actually antichrist.  Yes, the antichrist spirit has raised up “churches” as well.

Perhaps, Judas was of this group.  It is most likely that he never believed because we see early on that he was already pilfering money out of the ministry fund long before he ever betrayed Jesus.  However, we should not be dogmatic on that point.  Yet, it is good to see that betrayal is exactly what spiritual adultery is.  The things that I have described here are exactly that, spiritual adultery.  We were called to be a faithful engaged bride, but instead, they go after a different christ, a different spirit.

Let’s look at another problem in the Parable of the Soils.

Some who believe fall from faith later

In Mark 4, the Parable of the Soils opens the chapter as Jesus refers to 4 types of soil.  Later in the chapter, he gives his disciples an interpretation of the parable.  I want to look at two of those soil types.  We will look at both the parable and the interpretation for each, one at a time.

I would say that for this group we might not use the term false conversion, though some people do.  However, we should notice that Jesus never questions the sincerity of the response to the Holy Spirit and the implanted word for each of these soils.  The problem is that something causes their early faith to fall short of the goal.  Let’s look at the stony soil in verses 5-6, and then interpreted in 16-17.

Here, we are told about a soil that is filled with many stones.  The Word of God is unable to put down deep roots.  Jesus doesn’t get into what the rocks represent.  What is it in a Christian’s life that would keep the Word from putting down deep roots?  Perhaps, it is a pet sin of which we are avoiding God’s conviction.  It might be unforgiveness and a root of bitterness that we refuse to dig out.  Regardless, we are told that the growth caused by the Word withers during a time of trial, when the heat is turned up on them.  When our faith withers, it is directly connected to the withering effect of God’s Word upon our hearts and lives.

It is important to respond to God’s Word in our lives so that it can put some deep roots into our souls.  This only comes through responding to it in the works of repentance and the works of faith.  I say it that way on purpose because we are often unbalanced on the concept of works.  There are works that are acceptable to God, those done in response to the Spirit by faith in Jesus.

Jesus pictures the hot sun as tribulation and trials.  We all have trials.  In fact, Acts 14:22 tells us that part of Paul’s message was exhorting people to stay in the faith and not walk away.  “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”  God help us to dig up and roll out of the field of our life, those stones that may be preventing the Word of God from growing deep into our life.

The second problem soil is found in verse 7, and then interpreted in verses 18-19.  It is the thorny soil.  If the brute force of trials doesn’t knock out our faith, the seductive pull of the things of this world may work.  Jesus describes the problem thorns, weeds, as: the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things.

The cares of this world, the things that we fret over, can be things that are bad or good.  Jobs, houses, spouses, etc., can be things that we become so consumed with that it chokes God’s word from growing within us.  Notice that it is not just riches, but that the allure of riches is itself a deceit.  How many times do Christians think that the answer will come with more money?  The idea that money can solve your problems is a deceptive idea.  The third category is very general and pretty much covers anything that we desire that is not Jesus and His Kingdom.  Clearly, Jesus is talking about things in the natural that are part of this life.

In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul refers to Demas forsaking him.  Demas was a companion and helper of Paul who is mentioned in the books of Colossians, and Philippians.  He had been with Paul through many difficult things, but this last situation, where Paul was imprisoned in the dungeons of Rome and did not look to get out, was too much for him.  Demas didn’t just forsake Paul.  Paul saw that his real problem was his “having loved this present world.”  Most likely he was afraid of death for himself.  It might be that he was tired of not having anything because his whole life had been helping Paul and pursuing God’s Kingdom.  Some Christians every day come to a point where God’s Word is so choked out in their life that they fall away from faith in Jesus.  They may grow weary of serving others and choose to “live for myself,” in life.  Regardless, if the Word is choked out, then the Holy Spirit’s conviction is choked out.  He then becomes grieved, until we one day don’t realize that He has left us.  Guard your heart from these things that come between us and our Lord.

Let me close by mentioning that both of these problems may or may not quit being religious, and going to church, even leading a church.  Like I said earlier, over time some churches and whole denominations have come to a place where they are led by a majority of men and women who are no longer true believers in Jesus and his Word.  They are no longer followers of the Holy Spirit.  Don’t get me wrong.  Most of them would be incensed if someone told them that this was the case.  Caiaphas the High Priest of Israel was such a man.  They have loved this world more than Christ, and they co-opt his Church for their own purposes, which they may believe to be Christ’s.  Like the Pharisees and Sadducees before them, they have become dressed up on the outside, but inside they are dead man’s bones.

Oh, friend, guard your heart and beware the things of this life that will choke out God’s Word from growing his righteousness within you.

Responding to the Holy Spirit-Part 2

John 3:28-30; Matthew 9:14-15; John 14:1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:2-4; Revelation 19:4-9

This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 31, 2021.

Last week, we looked at the work of the Holy Spirit on unbelievers.  Some are unmoved, some become hostile, but some believe.

Today, we are going to look at those who respond to the Holy Spirit by putting their faith in Jesus as their teacher, savior, and lord.  By the way, notice that each of those three aspects are important.  Putting our faith in Jesus is trusting him both to cover our sins with his righteousness and to lead us into true righteous acts.  It is putting my judgment completely in his hands.

I pray that you are a part of this group.  Let’s look closer.

Believers are pictured as the engaged bride of Jesus

A metaphor of a bride of God is found in the Old Testament in Isaiah 54 and in Jeremiah 3.  This imagery continues into the New Testament.  For our culture, the term “bride” is not generally used until the wedding.  Thus, the New Testament pictures the believing Church as a fiancé, or engaged woman, of Christ.

Of course, for Israel, engagement and marriage were quite different than it is in America.  In fact, our typical engagement to marriage has changed a lot in the last 100 years.  Couples are more likely to live together, be sexually active, and even have children before marriage, if that even happens.  This idea would have been taboo in Israel.

So, let’s look at several passages throughout the New Testament that begin to shed light on God’s purpose for the Church, and why things are happening the way they are.

John 3:28-30.  John the Baptist spoke about this metaphor when his disciples complained that too many people were going to follow Jesus.

John pictures himself as the “friend of the groom.”  Of course, John is both a friend of the groom and part of the bride.  You could say that he is one of the first to believe, and on top of that, he is given a task to prepare the bride for the groom.

John knew that his ministry was meant to bring people to Jesus, and not to himself.  His ministry was never about him, and always about Jesus.  Thus, John was happy to see people leaving in order to go to Jesus.  It is too easy for churches to see people as belonging to them.  They actually belong to Jesus, and we must never forget this.

Matthew 9:14-15.  Jesus was fully aware of this metaphor and used it himself.  The disciples of John had come to Jesus asking why his disciples didn’t fast like everyone else.  By this time, Israel had developed many different feast days, some commanded in the Law, and others added to remember sad dates, such as the temple’s destruction by the Babylonians.  The disciples of Jesus didn’t appear to fast on all of these days.

Jesus pictures his time with his disciples as a betrothal period.  When a groom wanted to propose a marriage, his father would help negotiate things with the bride’s father.  If the proposal is accepted, then the groom goes home to prepare a place for his bride-to-be at his father’s home.  It would be odd to fast during something as celebratory as a betrothal.  This short period of time (3 ½ years) would end soon enough, and the disciples would fast then, as an engaged bride waiting for her groom to return.  Here’s another passage in which Jesus uses this image.

John 14:1-3.  Jesus doesn’t technically use any wedding terms, but in light of the earlier passages, no Israelite would have missed the analogous picture here.  Jesus would go into heaven and make a place for his disciples.  He would then come back to get them for the wedding, never to be separated again.

2 Corinthians 11:2-3.  This is not an exhaustive list of passages, but it makes it clear that this is a big part of the Gospel.   Paul too is part of the Church, the fiancé of Christ, but he has a secondary duty.  He had been sent with the mission of sharing the Gospel with the Gentiles.  Similar to John the Baptist, he sees himself as a spiritual father betrothing his daughter to Christ.  A father guarded his daughter’s chastity against young corrupt men so that she would be acceptable to a future husband.

The spiritual seduction of Eve is represented as a picture of spiritual unfaithfulness, adultery against the intimate relationship they had with God.  We should expect that the same devil will employ similar and more complex tactics of seduction against the bride of Christ.

Revelation 19:5-9.  Lastly, the Apostle John is shown this picture in the Revelation of Jesus.  It pictures a day when this waiting period will be over.  The groom will come and call his bride to the wedding feast.  Notice that this is depicted before the 2^nd Coming. 

Faithful believers are pictured as ready, and clothed in a clean, bright, white, fine linen clothing.  They are ready when the call is given to come to the marriage supper of the Lamb.  This is one of the reasons that I believe the rapture occurs before the end of the Great Tribulation, and perhaps even before it starts.  Believers who are ready will be caught up into heaven in order to receive their rewards and celebrate the new “marriage” to Christ.  Then, they will return with him to cast out the usurpers and join him in his inheritance as Lord of the earth.

An engaged bride prepares herself for the wedding

Being ready employs terminology from the metaphor, but points to spiritual preparations that we must make.  Let’s talk about that for a bit.

The first aspect of being ready is seen in Paul’s 2 Corinthians 11 passage.  We must keep ourselves spiritually faithful to Christ, a chaste virgin bride.  Being chaste involves restraining yourself from pursuing sin and the lusts of the flesh.  Living for the flesh is acid to a marriage and dooms it.

It also involves not yielding to the lustful advances from other men who would represent the devil’s attempts to draw us away from being faithful to Christ.  We fail in this by embracing false teachers, false prophets, and false Christs.  Paul says that we can be deceived by their craftiness, and corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  There is far too much sophisticated, human reasoning in the Church today.  The real question is this.  Does Jesus truly have my heart?  Or, have I been drawn away by those who present a Jesus, other than the true Jesus, and a gospel other than the true gospel?

In the book of Revelation passage, we are told that the righteous acts of the saints are pictured as the white dress that she wears.  Now, it is true that our righteousness falls woefully short of Christ’s.  We cannot save ourselves.  However, once we have believed upon Jesus and his righteousness, we respond to the leading of his Spirit through the word of God and prayer.  All of the things that we do for Christ become acceptably righteous before God because they are done in faith to Christ.

The forgiveness of our sins should not lead to us spiritually sitting on our butts, nor living for our flesh.  This would be a bride who has not prepared her dress for the wedding; she isn’t ready.

Lastly, part of being ready is being watchful.  Jesus said in Matthew 25:13, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”  This was at the conclusion of the parable of the 5 wise and ready virgins.  Of course, there were 5 foolish virgins, but we will speak of that next week.

Too many Christians have become convinced that they will never see the coming of Christ.  Their lives have ceased to be responding to the Holy Spirit and doing the righteousness of Christ.  They will either be caught off guard and miss out on the wedding feast, or they will be caught off guard when they die and stand before Christ.  If he says those dreaded words, “Depart from me; I never knew you,” then that person will miss out and be shut out.  Friend, pay attention to the Holy Spirit today. He is even now warning us to be ready, to get ready!

Responding to the Holy Spirit

John 16:7-11.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 24, 2021.

We have been talking about repentance the last two weeks.  Repentance always begins in the Holy Spirit working on the heart of a person.  He works upon believers and unbelievers for different purposes, but today we are going to focus on how the Holy Spirit works on unbelievers.

It is clear from Scripture that the Holy Spirit works in partnership with and through believers.  However, He is not limited to only working through us.  It is important for us to focus on how the Holy Spirit works in the unbeliever’s life so that we can better cooperate with Him. 

Let’s look at our passage.

The Holy Spirit works on unbelievers

The Bible doesn’t give us a detailed explanation of the ability and limitations that are work here.  We know that the Holy Spirit only resides within believers.  So, unbelievers do not have the Spirit of God inside of them.  In that sense, they are not spiritually alive to His presence and voice.  Thus, He works through the various inputs in their life, drawing their attention to some.  I will not pretend to understand its entirety, but is important for us to know that it is happening, and to learn how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit.  It should be noted that there is a spirit of this world that is also working on the unbeliever.  This spirit has far more leverage on the unbeliever because of the self-serving desires that the person has.

When we share the Word of God, and live the life of Jesus, we are giving the Holy Spirit more to work with in their life.  Yes, Jesus could personally visit every unbeliever on the planet with a vision of himself giving them the Gospel, but he wants us to partner with him and learn to speak into their lives.  The Holy Spirit works in tandem with us, or better, through us.  This is why it is so important to prayerfully ask the Spirit of God to lead us in the things we share with unbelievers.  The Holy Spirit knows them far better than I do.

Our passage mentions 3 things about which the Holy Spirit brings a conviction to the heart of the unbeliever.  Before we look at them, let’s take a second to mention what is meant by “to convict.”  This has to do with correcting, refuting, and bringing light to the truth of a person’s legal position before God.  So, we use this word in reference to an external thing that happens.  For example, in a courtroom, a criminal may be convicted by the court, but that tells us nothing about what is going on in his heart.  Did the moral and legal arguments of the prosecutor and the decision of the judge make it into their heart and cause them to sorrow over their criminality?  This is when the external work becomes internalized and the criminal agrees that they have done wrong and need to make things right.  Many people are convicted externally, but their hearts are hardened towards any inner conviction about their sins.

The unbeliever is guilty of not putting their faith in Jesus.  This is the first conviction the Holy Spirit attempts to bring to the unbeliever.  Jesus is the savior that God has given to the world, and He will not send another.  Yes, unbelievers are guilty of all manner of sins, but these can only be removed and forgiven when we deal with this foundational sin.  Unbelief towards God, and His Rescuing Son, is the reason we pursue all manner of sinful activities.  People need Jesus more than they need to quit getting drunk, aborting babies, and being hateful to others.  Without putting real trust in Jesus, we will be powerless to achieve real, lasting reform in the other areas of sin in our lives.  The believer must be careful not to lose sight of this.  We can focus so much on the problems of sin in their life, and forget to point them to their lack of trust in Jesus, that is what needs to change foremost.

The unbeliever is guilty of a woefully inadequate righteousness.  Everybody believes that they are pretty good and can always point to other people that are far worse than them to justify themselves.  Jesus is not currently on this earth, and thus people do not see how perfectly righteous he is.  They can only see his righteousness when believers share God’s Word with them, and by how believers live.  Those who put their faith in Jesus will listen to the Holy Spirit in order to do and to be the righteousness of Christ.  This is a righteousness that can only come from trusting Jesus and saying, “Yes!” to the Holy Spirit.  When confronted with the Word of God and the life of a believer who is crucifying the flesh, the unbeliever will be convicted that their “righteousness” does not stack up to the righteousness of Jesus.  Only the life of Jesus was perfect and acceptable to God.  Only the death of a perfect man could both pay the price for our sin, and allow for us to live.  Praise God that He not only desires that we live, but that we live in an eternal relationship with Him.  He invites us into His family, but we have to let go of the trust that we have in our own righteousness outside of a faith in Jesus.

The third thing the Holy Spirit brings is the reality of what that guilt means.  God’s judgment hangs over their head along with the ruler of this world.  Are you convinced that the judgment of God is even now looming over this world?  The only reason it hasn’t fallen yet is because God is merciful and is not willing for so many to perish.  This world is guilty of surrendering itself to the influence and control of the devil and his infernal cohorts.  The Holy Spirit is working to convince the unbeliever that they are in danger; but are also able to switch allegiances.  This is the good news of the Gospel.  God is calling you to switch sides before He lets the hammer fall.  In fact, the judgment will be meted out by Jesus himself.

Knowing that the Holy Spirit targets these three things: to convict them of their unbelief in Jesus, to convict them of their woefully inadequate righteousness, and therefore to convict them of their looming judgment, believers should pay particular attention to these areas in their life and speech to unbelievers.  Unbelievers need to see us living out faith in Jesus.  They need to see the righteousness of Christ in those of us who are rejecting the spirit of this world.  No one will ever be saved by us becoming more like the lost world around us.  They will only be saved by receiving a powerful revelation of just who Jesus is, who they are, and the judgment that he will save them from, if they will trust him.

The response to His work

Of course, there are different responses to the Holy Spirit’s work (and our partnership with it).  A person may respond one way, and then later change in their response.  No one is locked into any particular response, and this is the weakness of the devil’s hold on people, but more on that in a bit.

Some people are simply unmoved by the Holy Spirit’s convicting work, and basically pay it no attention, if they even see it at all.  This is probably the response of the majority of people.  Like a dead man who cannot respond no matter how hard you shake them, many continue on with life content to embrace the world system around them.  In a sense, we must “leave room” for the Holy Spirit to bring them to the place of repentance.  Having shared the Word of God, and continuing to be a picture of trusting Christ, we pray for them, and we pray for ourselves that we will be led by the Holy Spirit if there is anything more to do.  Jesus did not run after the rich young ruler as he walked away sadly.  You can only do so much, and the rest is up to God.  Yet, always open to his leading down the road to say or do more.

Some people are enraged by this convicting work and become hostile to it.  This hostility will often be focused upon Christians and the Church.  In fact, we must recognize that even those who are outwardly apathetic are internally hostile to the Gospel.  However, for some, that hostility easily bubbles to the surface and targets believers.  Hebrews 12:3 reminds us, “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”  The writer then speaks of that very hostility as a kind of discipline, or chastening, for believers.  When you run into hostile responses, do not be discouraged.  This will test your trust in Christ, and train you to fight the spiritual battle.  Such unbelievers do not understand that they are becoming the “tip of the spear” for our spiritual adversary the devil.  However, God will use this in your life to make you stronger if you persevere.  On top of this, continue to give room for the Holy Spirit to work in their life.  Pray for them, and don’t give up on them even when they tell you to go away and never bring it up again.

The third general response is that some go on to believe.  There is a mystery of salvation that we can never figure out and forecast.  Some will be interested and want to hear more, but then become like King Agrippa in Acts 26.  “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”  Some believe quickly and embrace faith in Jesus.  Whereas, others believe after a long period of apathy, or hostility.  The Apostle Paul has ever stood as an example of one who was so hostile to the work of the Holy Spirit that most believers had a hard time believing that he really had changed.  It doesn’t matter how hard people are, some days the Holy Spirit just breaks through and their defenses fall like a house of cards.  God will never overpower a person’s free choice, but He does powerfully work in our lives.

Part of having faith in Jesus is knowing that no one is unreachable simply because of their apathy or hostility.  Our faith in him gives us the faith to keep looking for an open door in their life.  May God help us to embrace the work of the Holy Spirit in our life, and partner with His work among unbelievers.

Holy Spirit audio

Lessons from the Underground Church 11: Resist Brainwashing

This is a 13 week series that will not be posted on our website.  If you would like an audio of the sermon or a written article on the sermon contents then please contact the church at AbundantLifeEverett@frontier.com.  You can also leave a message at 425.438.1500.  Thank you for your interest.