God’s Word in Our Lives

THE HOLY SPIRIT had such a major role in producing the written Word of God, that the work of the Lord in the lives of his people is often accredited to this powerful and holy influence. But this work of the Holy Spirit should be understood as being accomplished largely through the written Word. What is the work of God in the lives of his people during the present age? One of the ways in which the Bible answers this question is by the number of expressions it employs in referring to the work of the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible, we are ‘begotten,’ ‘anointed,’ and ‘sealed’ by the Holy Spirit. We are also informed that the Spirit “beareth witness” to us that we are the children of God.—Rom. 8:14-17

BEGOTTEN OF THE SPIRIT

The word ‘begotten’ suggests the beginning of a new life. Actually, the Bible does not use the expression ‘begotten of the Spirit,’ but it does speak of our being begotten “with the Word of truth,” which means the same thing. (James 1:18; I Pet. 1:22,23) In the Greek language, from which our English Bibles are translated, there is but one word for both ‘begotten’ and ‘born.’ One needs to determine from the context which meaning is indicated. This has led to a misunderstanding in that many suppose it is possible to be a ‘born again’ Christian while still in the flesh.

Jesus did say that it was necessary to be ‘born again’ in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven; but in his explanation of the great change this would involve, he said that those who are ‘born again’ can come and go as the wind, invisible to the human eye. (John 3:3-8) Clearly this is a description of the power of a spirit being; and the followers of the Master are, in the resurrection, to be partakers of the highest of all spiritual life, even of the Divine nature itself.—I Pet. 1:4

The beginning of this new life takes place while we are still in the flesh, and it is this beginning that the Scriptures refer to as the begetting of the Spirit, through the Word of truth. God, through his Spirit draws us to himself by revealing to us some of the glories of his Divine plan. We read in the Scriptures of the hope set before those who surrender themselves to him to do his will. We learn that God’s will is that we deny self, and take up our cross and follow Jesus into sacrificial death. (Matt. 16:24) We learn of God’s many assurances of guidance and strength in every time of need, and of the wonderful provision he has made through Christ to cover our imperfections with a robe of righteousness, even the righteousness of Christ.—Isa. 61:10

Continuing to meditate upon these precious truths as they come to us through the Word of God, we are finally brought to the point of full consecration, or the full surrender of ourselves to God, and to the doing of his will. It is at this point that we are begotten of the Spirit. Now the precious promises pertaining to the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus” belong to us. (Phil. 3:14) We now realize that we have become “partakers of the heavenly calling.” (Heb. 3:1) All the wonderful statements in God’s Word appertaining thereto begin to work powerfully in our lives, causing us to grow into maturity as New Creatures in Christ Jesus. Thus, through the Word, we are begotten, and our new minds are nourished in preparation for Spirit birth in the resurrection.

THE ANOINTING

The Scriptures also speak of our being ‘anointed.’ Jesus mentioned his own anointing, quoting from Isaiah 61:1-3. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor.” (Luke 4:17-21) John wrote of “the anointing which ye have received” from Christ. (I John 2:27) So we have the same anointing of the Spirit as that which came upon Jesus.

The kings and priests of ancient Israel were anointed to office by the use of anointing oil which was poured upon their heads. The Scriptures use this custom as an illustration of the fact that we are ‘anointed’ by the Holy Spirit to a high position in the plans and purposes of God. This authority is expressed through the Word of God. The prophecy quoted by Jesus is a case in point: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”—Isa. 61:1

The Scriptures declare that it is the will of God for his people to proclaim the glad tidings of the kingdom. Each text that bears on this point confirms the anointing which we have received from the Lord. We know that in this respect, also, God’s Word accomplishes the purpose for which it was given. This anointing is not limited in its scope to the present life. Jesus was anointed not only to proclaim the glad tidings, but also, through the agencies of his kingdom, to extend God’s promised blessings to all mankind.

We are anointed to share with him in this work, which is the complete and ultimate purpose of our calling. We are called of God not merely to enjoy the blessings of salvation for ourselves, but to participate in the outworking of his plan for restoring the world of mankind to life during “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”—Acts 3:19-21

SEALED BY THE SPIRIT

In Ephesians 1:13 we read that we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples, and he did so at Pentecost. It is also true that the Holy Spirit has caused promises to be recorded in the Bible by which God ‘seals,’ or guarantees, our relationship with him, and assures us of the necessary strength to complete our sacrificial walk in the narrow way victoriously to the end. And how essential it is that we have this blessed assurance! Without it we would probably become discouraged, and cease to run for the prize of the High Calling. God realized that we would need this portion of his Word, and by furnishing it, supplied another reason it will not return to him void, but will accomplish that which he has been pleased to plan.—Isa. 55:11

WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT

Paul wrote, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: … if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Rom. 8:16,17) Peter wrote that the Holy Spirit “testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (I Pet. 1:11) These Spirit-inspired prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the sufferings of Christ had their fulfillment in him, and are continuing to be fulfilled through his followers; for, as Paul wrote, we are “filling up the remainder of the afflictions of the Anointed One.”—Col. 1:24, Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott

Participation in the sufferings of Christ is thus seen to be a very important factor in the Christian life. If, through our faithfulness to the Lord and his truth, we are called upon to endure suffering, either through persecution or otherwise, then we can rejoice, for it means that we have this witness, this evidence, that we are the children of God. Truly, this should be a great source of strength and encouragement to those who are being prepared to live and to reign with Christ!—Rev. 20:4,6

SANCTIFIED BY THE TRUTH

The Word of God is indeed wonderful! Jesus prayed for his disciples, saying, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth.” (John 17:17) Peter wrote concerning this same work of sanctification, saying, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit.” (I Pet. 1:2) Sanctification of the Spirit is the same as sanctification by the Word, because it is by the Holy Spirit that the Word of God has reached us. Peter says that those thus sanctified are the ‘elect according to the foreknowledge of God.’

Paul wrote of this class, saying, “Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Rom. 8:29) If we are to maintain our position among the elect, it is clear that we will have to be conformed to the image of God’s dear Son; and it is through the Word of truth that this image is presented to us, and it is through the Word of truth that we are exhorted and encouraged to be conformed to that image.

In Ephesians 4:13, Paul refers to the time when “we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” This is the Divine objective for the entire Christ company being called out of the world to follow the Master during this Gospel Age.

To those who have heard the Divine call, and have dedicated themselves to the doing of God’s will, his Word is rich and satisfying spiritual food for their nourishment as New Creatures in Christ Jesus. It is as water to refresh them when faint and weary. The Word is also the “armour of righteousness” designed to assure victory for the good soldiers of Jesus Christ. (II Cor. 6:7; II Tim. 2:3) Indeed, the Word of God contains everything we need to guide us, and to enable us to walk in the narrow way.

Some examples of how God’s Word guides us are:

“Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”—I Pet. 3:8,9

“The Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee.”—Deut. 15:6

“The Lord thy God be with thee [Joshua], as he was with Moses.”—Josh. 1:17

“He [the Lord] said [to Moses], My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”—Exod. 33:14

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”—Ps. 16:11

“Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.”—Ps. 140:13

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”—James 4:8

“Brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”—II Cor. 13:11

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour [through Jesus Christ our Lord], be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”—Jude 24:25

Through his providences, God guides his people in a way to bring them into contact with his Word, and with those who are able to help them in its understanding. We need all the servants the Lord has provided. We need one another as we fellowship in the glorious truths of the Word. But may we ever remember that the Word is the only authoritative source of truth which sanctifies, and makes us “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”—Col. 1:12

May the Word continue to be a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path!—Ps. 119:105

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