IV. Office Work of the Holy Spirit
By John Orr Corliss
In the last paper before this, allusion was made to the text, “Our God is a consuming fire;” and the mind was called, in its connection, to the prophetic promise that Christ would baptize men with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Inasmuch as God operates among men through His Spirit, this agency must act in conformity with the nature of the Being whom it represents. But there are some elements that even “consuming fire” does not destroy, among which are gold, silver, and precious stones. Some of these may be melted and purified by the process of fire, but not consumed. So it is with man’s life-work. Every item of it, we are told, shall be exhibited in its true light, because of having been uncovered by fire, which will test every man’s doings. 1 Cor. 3:12-15. That is to say, if in one’s life appears material unfit for a Godlike character, worthy only to be compared with wood, hay, and stubble, it must be burned away, and so separated from any precious substance beneath it. But if in the ordeal no solid foundation appears, the loss will be complete and without remedy. God does not desire the death, or total loss, of the wicked; and so His flaming Messenger, the Holy Spirit, comes to men with the offer to relieve their character of every unholy thing. If any submit to the process, he is cleansed and purified; if the sacrifice is considered too great by any one, he is left to pass under the final burning reserved for those who “know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thess. 1:8. So the first direct work of the Spirit for one, must be to show him the faulty — combustible — elements in his nature. The man must therefore have his sins pointed out, first of all, and their heinousness made to stand out fully before him. John 16:8. They must appear so hateful to him as to create a desire to be rid of them. He must see his own helplessness, and be made to appeal for help to the Mighty One. In this appeal, confession of sin must be included; iniquity must not be hidden. If one does not know how, under the circumstances, to pray as he ought, the Spirit is present to help his infirmity. Just then the Spirit will make intercession for the repentant one, with unutterable groanings. The Spirit’s pleadings for a human soul will always be heard and respected in heaven; because He, being one with God, knows the mind of God, and so pleads the case according to God’s will in the matter. Rom. 8:26, 27. Being thus assured that a petition reaches the throne of heaven, “according to His will,” we may know that the “God of Israel will not forsake” the one sending it forward through the Spirit, but will grant the petition desired. Isa. 41:17; 1 John 5:14, 15. So then, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. Yes, our sins are “blotted out,” removed from us “as far as the east is from the west.” The sin thus pardoned, if sought for, “shall not be found” (Jer. 50:20), because the Spirit’s fire of the heavenly Refiner has been present to purge away all dross, as from gold or silver, in preparation for the day of the Lord’s coming. Mal. 3:2, 3. But the Lord’s Messenger does not cease His effort at this juncture. When one’s sins have been thus removed, and he is restored from death to life (Eph. 2:1), it is important for him to know how to be preserved from returning to his former condition. The Spirit therefore continues its process by revealing to its possessor the true basis of continued right-being. This is done by calling to his mind the words of Christ, according to His promise in John 14:26. But let no one mistake on this point; for the words of Christ here referred to include all that has been written in the Bible, both5in the Old and the New Testament. We are told that the Spirit of Christ inspired the writings of the holy prophets (1 Peter 1:10-12), so that their statements are really the words of Christ. The apostle Paul assures us that in his epistles, he also spoke by the Spirit of God. 1 Cor. 7:40. The importance of permitting the Spirit to impress upon our minds the Word of God, is made apparent when we remember that this is the living “Seed” of God, from which must grow the plant of holy character in the heart cleansed from sin. 1 Peter 1:23. To neglect this is to omit the cultivation of God’s saving grace, by which we grow into His image. 2 Cor. 3:18. More than this, unless this “Seed” of life remains in one by constant reference, he has no defense against sin and death. 1 John 3:9. On the other hand, in hiding or concealing God’s Word in the heart, one is always shielded from the power of temptation (Ps. 119:11), because his mind is so preoccupied with heavenly things that those of an earthly nature do not strongly influence him. Another point of importance was mentioned by Christ as the result of the Spirit’s teaching; namely, the judgment. This would be necessary to relieve one when discouraged through temptation. The fact that the Son of God came to earth to destroy the works of the devil, and that Satan has been already judged, and his rule over man annulled through the cross and resurrection of Christ (Col. 2:15), gives assurance that Christ can and will deliver the trusting soul from the hands of him — Satan — with whom before was the “power of death.” Heb. 2:14, 15. It is not strange that with all this instruction the Saviour paused to say, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye can not bear them now.” John 16:12. “Howbeit,” said He, “when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; . . . and He will show you things to come.” Doubtless the Prince of Peace had in mind the union of God in Christ, the power of miracles, such as healing, and the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy, and of the ministry, with many other revelations mentioned later. But these we must be content to study by themselves in subsequent papers.