Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
I’m posting this in the Pilgrim’s Progress forum rather than the Theological as it pertains primarily to our practical Christian Walk.
As I post more from Dynamics of Spiritual Life, by Richard Lovelace, I question his view of how we see the Holy Spirit in our lives. I mentioned in the recent Assurance thread how I have reservations about some of Lovelace’s views; this here is one of a number.
In a nutshell, contra Lovelace (though I could be wrong), I think of the Holy Spirit not speaking of Himself, as Jesus said, “he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak . . . He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13, 14, 15). (Emphases added)
So I see the Holy Spirit’s role – generally, in this matter – as the Vicar, or Representative, of Jesus Christ, in the heart of a believer, and that the Spirit works by bringing us the presence of Christ, as God alone could be a conduit of God to His people (cf. Psalm 46:4). Thus, I do not seek the Spirit’s direct guidance and presence, but Christ’s. I do honor the Spirit as a Person, as one who brings me Christ, and not Himself, so to speak.
When I commune with Christ I ask Him – and the Father through Him – for whatever needs I, or those for whom I pray, have. If I need comfort I ask, through the Spirit, for Christ’s consoling presence. If guidance, I ask in the same way, trusting Jesus will give it in His time.
I am very cautious as regards opening myself to a distinct presence and voice within my own consciousness, guiding me this way or that, even if that voice – or intuitive guidance – does it by Scripture. The distinction is between, as I put it, Christ by the Spirit bringing Scripture to mind for me to consider, to weigh, or the Spirit Himself authoritatively declaring a way.
I realize that, in the first distinction, I am the locus of volition, deciding what is of God, whereas in the second, the Spirit is the locus. In Phil 2:13, where Paul says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”, I reckon it is by the Spirit this is done, God giving me a heart (and ability) to do His will. How He actually does this I don’t know, except that I then find a desire in me to mortify the flesh, or avoid an action. Often I allow the bodily appetites (not the sinful flesh) to stand. (Or to quote Chesterton, “Temperance consists in finding out the proper limit of a particular indulgence and adhering to that.” G.K. Chesterton, Heretics, p 51.)
At any rate, here is Lovelace’s view. Any thoughts on this, and my own view, would be highly appreciated!
_____
As I post more from Dynamics of Spiritual Life, by Richard Lovelace, I question his view of how we see the Holy Spirit in our lives. I mentioned in the recent Assurance thread how I have reservations about some of Lovelace’s views; this here is one of a number.
In a nutshell, contra Lovelace (though I could be wrong), I think of the Holy Spirit not speaking of Himself, as Jesus said, “he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak . . . He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13, 14, 15). (Emphases added)
So I see the Holy Spirit’s role – generally, in this matter – as the Vicar, or Representative, of Jesus Christ, in the heart of a believer, and that the Spirit works by bringing us the presence of Christ, as God alone could be a conduit of God to His people (cf. Psalm 46:4). Thus, I do not seek the Spirit’s direct guidance and presence, but Christ’s. I do honor the Spirit as a Person, as one who brings me Christ, and not Himself, so to speak.
When I commune with Christ I ask Him – and the Father through Him – for whatever needs I, or those for whom I pray, have. If I need comfort I ask, through the Spirit, for Christ’s consoling presence. If guidance, I ask in the same way, trusting Jesus will give it in His time.
I am very cautious as regards opening myself to a distinct presence and voice within my own consciousness, guiding me this way or that, even if that voice – or intuitive guidance – does it by Scripture. The distinction is between, as I put it, Christ by the Spirit bringing Scripture to mind for me to consider, to weigh, or the Spirit Himself authoritatively declaring a way.
I realize that, in the first distinction, I am the locus of volition, deciding what is of God, whereas in the second, the Spirit is the locus. In Phil 2:13, where Paul says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”, I reckon it is by the Spirit this is done, God giving me a heart (and ability) to do His will. How He actually does this I don’t know, except that I then find a desire in me to mortify the flesh, or avoid an action. Often I allow the bodily appetites (not the sinful flesh) to stand. (Or to quote Chesterton, “Temperance consists in finding out the proper limit of a particular indulgence and adhering to that.” G.K. Chesterton, Heretics, p 51.)
At any rate, here is Lovelace’s view. Any thoughts on this, and my own view, would be highly appreciated!
_____
In both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal Christians who are spiritually vital there is usually a very explicit recognition of the indwelling Holy Spirit as a counselor (paracklētos, one called alongside) who is personally real and dynamically active in the life of the believer…..
This failure to recognize the Holy Spirit in our lives is widespread in the churches today. Sometimes the lack of recognition is intentional and theologically motivated, as in Fundamentalist or confessional churches which are afraid that too much emphasis on conscious communion with the Holy Spirit will lead to a lessened regard for Christ, enthusiasm, mysticism or Pentecostalism. More often it is simply ignorance. Even where Christians know about the Holy Spirit doctrinally, they have not necessarily made a deliberate point of getting to know him personally. They may have occasional experiences of his reality on a hit-and-run basis, but the fact that the pronoun “it” is so frequently used to refer to him is not accidental. It reflects the fact that he is perceived impersonally as an expression of God’s power and not experienced continually as a personal Guide and Counselor.
A normal relationship with the Holy Spirit should at least approximate the Old Testament experience described in Psalm 139: a profound awareness that we are always face to face with God; that as we move through life the presence of his Spirit is the most real and powerful factor in our daily environment; that underneath the momentary static of events, conflicts, problems, and even excursions into sin, he is always there like the continuously sounding note in a basso ostinato.
The typical relationship between believers and the Holy Spirit in today’s church is too often like that between the husband and wife in a bad marriage. They live under the same roof, and the husband makes constant use of his wife’s services, but he fails to communicate with her, recognize her presence and celebrate their relationship with her.
What should be done to reverse this situation? We should make a deliberate effort at the outset of every day to recognize the person of the Holy Spirit, to move into the light concerning his presence in our consciousness and to open up our minds and to share all our thoughts and plans as we gaze by faith into the face of God. We should continue to walk throughout the day in a relationship of communication and communion with the Spirit mediated through our knowledge of the Word, relying upon every office of the Holy Spirit’s role as counselor mentioned in Scripture. We should acknowledge him as the illuminator of truth and of the glory of Christ. We should look to him as teacher, guide, sanctifier, giver of assurance concerning our sonship and standing before God, helper in prayer, and as the one who directs and empowers witness.
We should particularly recognize that growth in holiness is not simply a matter of the lonely individual making claims of faith on the basis of Romans 6:1-14. It involves moving about in all the areas of our life in dependent fellowship with a person: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16 NASB). When this practice of the presence of God is maintained over a period of time, our experience of the Holy Spirit becomes less subjective and more clearly identifiable, as gradually we learn to distinguish the strivings of the Spirit from the motions of our flesh. (pp 130, 131)
This failure to recognize the Holy Spirit in our lives is widespread in the churches today. Sometimes the lack of recognition is intentional and theologically motivated, as in Fundamentalist or confessional churches which are afraid that too much emphasis on conscious communion with the Holy Spirit will lead to a lessened regard for Christ, enthusiasm, mysticism or Pentecostalism. More often it is simply ignorance. Even where Christians know about the Holy Spirit doctrinally, they have not necessarily made a deliberate point of getting to know him personally. They may have occasional experiences of his reality on a hit-and-run basis, but the fact that the pronoun “it” is so frequently used to refer to him is not accidental. It reflects the fact that he is perceived impersonally as an expression of God’s power and not experienced continually as a personal Guide and Counselor.
A normal relationship with the Holy Spirit should at least approximate the Old Testament experience described in Psalm 139: a profound awareness that we are always face to face with God; that as we move through life the presence of his Spirit is the most real and powerful factor in our daily environment; that underneath the momentary static of events, conflicts, problems, and even excursions into sin, he is always there like the continuously sounding note in a basso ostinato.
The typical relationship between believers and the Holy Spirit in today’s church is too often like that between the husband and wife in a bad marriage. They live under the same roof, and the husband makes constant use of his wife’s services, but he fails to communicate with her, recognize her presence and celebrate their relationship with her.
What should be done to reverse this situation? We should make a deliberate effort at the outset of every day to recognize the person of the Holy Spirit, to move into the light concerning his presence in our consciousness and to open up our minds and to share all our thoughts and plans as we gaze by faith into the face of God. We should continue to walk throughout the day in a relationship of communication and communion with the Spirit mediated through our knowledge of the Word, relying upon every office of the Holy Spirit’s role as counselor mentioned in Scripture. We should acknowledge him as the illuminator of truth and of the glory of Christ. We should look to him as teacher, guide, sanctifier, giver of assurance concerning our sonship and standing before God, helper in prayer, and as the one who directs and empowers witness.
We should particularly recognize that growth in holiness is not simply a matter of the lonely individual making claims of faith on the basis of Romans 6:1-14. It involves moving about in all the areas of our life in dependent fellowship with a person: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16 NASB). When this practice of the presence of God is maintained over a period of time, our experience of the Holy Spirit becomes less subjective and more clearly identifiable, as gradually we learn to distinguish the strivings of the Spirit from the motions of our flesh. (pp 130, 131)