THE UNWELCOMED GUEST

It was most encouraging to have someone mention the leadings of the Holy Spirit. This is scoffed at here in no uncertain terms. We still believe this to be how we survive as Christians.

This statement comes from a sister who lives in the heart of Tennessee, the stronghold for Churches of Christ. She is telling us that in those parts it is not acceptable to suggest any such thing that the Holy Spirit has the role of leading the children of God. Indeed, one is scoffed at who talks in any such manner. We have to conclude that even though the Spirit is the Holy Guest, He is the Unwelcomed Guest to many of our folk in Tennessee and elsewhere.

Though our people have shown only passing interest in what the sin against the Holy Spirit might be, we do well to be reminded that Jesus does say: “If anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, for him there is no forgiveness, either in this age or in the age to come.” That does mean something, and those who are inclined to speak lightly of the Holy Spirit should bear in mind that He ranks high in heaven’s judgement.

And there has been too much scoffing. The elder who was defying any innovations relative to our understanding of the Spirit by his insistence that “We’re not going to have any of that Holy Spirit stuff around here!” may be getting close to the sin against the Spirit. We too easily poke fun at those who speak in tongues and those who value the leading of the Spirit. After all, for a Bible-loving people like ourselves we need to give more attention to what the scriptures say about the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Take this matter of being led by the Spirit. The Bible is by no means silent on the subject. Take Romans 8:14: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” The New English Bible says: “All who are moved by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Schonfield, the Jewish translator, has it: “It is those who are led by the Spirit of God who are sons of God.” It is superficial of us to dispose of this by making it mean no more than that we are to read the Bible, find out what it says and do it, and thus be led of the spirit. Especially since Paul wrote that statement at a time when the saints had no such scriptures as we have.

Gal. 5:18 also says it: “If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.” And at least thrice the scriptures teach us to “Walk by the Spirit.” These instructions go well with so much else that is said about the Spirit: “Fellowship in the Spirit” (Philip. 2:2); “Live by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25); “Pray at all times in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18); “Sealed with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13); “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13); “By the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body” (Rom. 8:13); and many more.

The Bible says so much about the Christian’s life in the Spirit that it should be quite normal to hear a brother refer to “the leadings of the Spirit.” It is nothing to fear and certainly nothing to scoff at.

Our hang-up on this subject seems to be that we view our relationship with the Spirit as literary rather than personal. The Spirit is deposited in a book, and it is as we absorb the book that we benefit from the Spirit. But this view does not fit what the book itself says, for we are told that “the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:27). The same scripture says that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” The Spirit is thus a Person who helps us and prays for us. He also “enlightens our inward eyes” so that we might better appreciate the glory and majesty of God (Eph. 1:18).

This is hardly a literary relationship; it goes far beyond paper, glue and ink. It is deeply personal, for it is in the Spirit that the Christian prays and from whom he draws inspiration. This is indeed enhanced by the information the scriptures provide, but “fellowship in the Spirit” can be as real to us today as it was to Paul in his Roman cell.

Our people may be uneasy with the notion of being led by the Spirit because they have not yet accepted the fact that the Christian is to receive the Spirit. The Bible even teaches us that we are to ask for the Spirit. We are to invite the Holy Guest into our hearts, bid him to take up His abode in our bodies. What a glorious contemplation! And yet how often do we hear the request made? How often do we in our assemblies ask God to give us His Spirit?

In 1 Thess. 4:8 Paul describes God as the one who gives the Holy Spirit to us, and in Acts 5:32 we are told that God gives the Holy Spirit to all those who obey Him. And the neglected portion of Acts 2:38 tells us that as Christians we have the promise of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

And how do you like this rendition of Lk. 11:11-13 in the New English Bible.

“Is there a father among you who will offer his son a snake when he asks for fish, or a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you, then, bad as you are, know how to give your children what is good for them, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Do we ask? Do we really want the Holy Guest to come into our lives? Or is He the Unwelcomed Guest?

It is noteworthy that Paul bids those who had long since been baptized to “Be filled with the Spirit.” To whatever measure the Spirit came to us when we were immersed into Christ, as Acts 2:38 suggests He does, can we not pray to be intoxicated by His indwelling.

Is it our carnality that keeps us from seeing the beauty of such passages as 1 Cor. 6:19? “Do you not know that your body is a shrine of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is God’s gift to you? You do nor belong to yourselves; you were bought at a price. Then honour God in your body.”

This is the Spirit that God has given as “the pledge that we shall enter upon our heritage” when at last God redeems our bodies. Indeed, the promised Holy Spirit dwells within us as a guest of heaven. But He cannot possibly dwell in a heart that will not welcome Him.—the Editor