The Gift of the Holy Spirit Part 1 | Frank Brancato

Welcome everyone. It's good to be here.

This morning I started losing my voice just a little bit, so

forgive me for that. I hope I can push through that

and it'll loosen up and be better here in just a few

minutes. We appreciate so very much

everyone that's made the effort to be here.

We have visitors that are among us, and we want you to know that

you are our honored guest and we welcome you back every time that

you have an opportunity to meet with us.

As I mentioned last time, I'm going to talk about the benefits

of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now, last time I said my goal

was I'm going to try to do this in one lesson, and you know me

and it's not going to happen, but if the Lord wills, it will

happen in two lessons. So what we want to do is this

morning, the title of our lesson is The Gift of the Holy Spirit,

Part 1. And in this lesson, we're going

to notice three things briefly. What the gift is not #2 what the

gift is. And this is what people want to

know #3 three things that the gift does for us today.

And I know this is an exhaustive subject, and I'm not going to do

that. I'm not going to deal with every

single aspect of the Holy Spirit, but I've chosen some

things that I think are very practical and a practical

benefit for us, and I'm going to do my very best.

I realize it's a very big subject.

It's a very deep subject. And I also know this too, that

there's a lot of differing opinions and differing positions

regarding the Holy Spirit. And I'm going to do my very best

to present my position on this and my conclusion after a very

exhaustive study. And I hope and pray that I can

present it in a way that is simple to understand for

everyone. As an introductory text, we are

going to go to Acts chapter 2. And you remember very briefly, I

Acts 2 · chapter mention

just did a Kingdom series on the day the Kingdom came and the

gospel was preached and Jesus was preached.

And then finally in verse 36 of Acts 2, Peter said, let all the

House of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same

Jesus, that you crucified both Lord and Christ.

Then verse 37 when they heard this, they were cut to the heart

and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and

brethren, what shall we do? In other words, they needed an

answer to their souls inquiry, What must I do to be saved?

In fact, Peter dealt with the idea of being saved back in

verse 21 of Acts chapter 2, and now he's going to get to the

Acts 2 · chapter mention

nitty gritty, if you will, on exactly how a person is saved.

Here was the answer. This is where we left off last

time. Then Peter said to them, repent

and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus

Christ. In other words, the answer was

for all of them. First you got to repent.

You got to change your mind. You got to change your heart.

You got to change your life and then you got to do something

else. You must be baptized in the name

of Jesus Christ, which by the way, just simply means by the

authority of Jesus Christ. To be baptized by the authority

of Jesus Christ is to do so scripturally, like Jesus said to

do, going all the way back to Matthew 2819 and 20, to be

baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy

Spirit. And it is for the remission of

sins. And that is the purpose of doing

that, contacting the blood of Jesus.

OK, remember what we said last time, and I think I at least

tried to make a really big point driving this home.

There are two great blessings that we get, not just one, and

they're not the same. There are two great blessings

that you get when you're baptized by the authority of

Jesus Christ #1 and that's huge. And it's remission of sins.

Every sin you've ever committed up until that time is washed

away and gone. Forgiveness.

Never underestimate the power of forgiveness and the impact and

import of forgiveness. In other words, the sins that we

all have committed in our past when we are baptized for the

remission of sins are gone. That's blessing number one.

And remember I said two blessings, They're not the same.

And remember I blew up. And last time you shall receive

the gift of the Holy Spirit. You get 2 things.

You get remission of sins and you get the gift of the Holy

Spirit. And I know that there's a lot of

different interpreting ideas about what it is and what the

gift is. Just stay with me on this two

separate blessings. Before we get into the gift and

what it is and what it does, let me first notice with you just a

few things about what the gift is not.

And I'm going to be brief about this one because I've already

spent a lot of time on this one. The gift is not something that

the Holy Spirit gives us. And I got to say, as I've

admitted to you, I used to hold this position that the gift was

something that you got from the Holy Spirit and that was like,

for example, salvation or eternal life.

But here's the problem with that position.

That's why I changed that position, my position on that

repentance and remission of sins.

Excuse me, repentance and baptism for the remission of

sins does not by itself ensure that a person is going to have a

home in heaven. You know why?

Because you've got to live a faithful life.

You've got to live the life of a Christian.

And by the way, it's not about perfection.

Let me make that point. It is not about perfection.

It is not about your own personal works of merit.

And how good you are has nothing to do with that, but it has

everything to do with our obedience.

And we got to serve God faithfully, and that's just it.

OK, So it is not that. It is not something that the

Holy Spirit gives us like heaven or salvation #2 And I'm going to

spend a little more time on this one because you would be

surprised how many conservative commentators actually hold this

position. But I'm here to say that the

gift of the Holy Spirit is not miraculous ability.

Now those that do hold this position and believe me, there's

a lot of commentators that do consider that the gift of the

Holy Spirit was miraculous ability for them on that day,

which means this, that the promise of the gift of the Holy

Spirit was, here's a term, dispensational.

What in the world does that mean?

It just means it was for them at that time.

Let me just suffice it to say it was for a period of time in the

1st century. So those that believe it was a

dispensational gift, it would also mean this too by the way,

that when those were baptized in water, those 3000 souls that

were saved, the apostles would have had to go and lay hands on

3000 people that just got baptized.

Because what do we know? We know that the passing on of

the miraculous ability of the Holy Spirit had to be done

through and by the apostles hands.

So what else? And some commentators say

because it was dispensational, it doesn't apply today.

I like what my dad used to say Sometimes.

He said sometimes, son, he said, you just got to let the Bible be

its own best commentary. So let's do that and go to the

very next verse after verse 38. And that's verse 39.

Please get this for the promise. What promise?

Remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It is to you and to your children and to all who are far

off, as many as the Lord our God will call.

Notice, please, you are those that were there on the day of

Pentecost hearing that sermon. Over a million people were there

on Pentecost. I don't know how many, but

scholars say maybe even a million.

All these people that were there, the promise was to them

on Pentecost, your children, which would have been their

offspring. What about these, those that

were far off is the Gentiles? And by the way, the fulfillment

of that actually happened in Acts chapter 10, because that

Acts 10 · chapter mention

was the first converted to Jesus.

Converts, by the way, we're converted.

We're converted to the Lord and those that came to Jesus as

Gentiles, that first happened in Acts chapter 10.

Acts 10 · chapter mention

So the promise was to them on that day, their children, the

Gentiles. And I'm so glad because I'm a

Gentile and notice and as many as the Lord our God will call.

You know who that is, anyone and everyone.

How are we called, by the way? We're called by the gospel

anyone of all ages. So it can't be dispensational.

It can't be for those in the 1st century.

It can't be miraculous then. So the gift cannot be miraculous

#3 the gift of the Holy Spirit is not the Word.

Remember the following in Acts 2 and verse 37.

And when they heard this, heard what?

The Word, when they heard what was just said, they were cut to

the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles.

Men and brethren, what shall we do?

How about Acts 2 and verse 40? And with many other words he

testified and exhorted them, saying, Be saved from this

perverse generation. Notice they got these words

before they were baptized, before they were saved.

One more passage in verse 41 of Acts 2.

Then those who gladly received His word were baptized, and that

day about 3000 souls were added to them.

So the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit is not the Word.

That being the case, the gift cannot be the Word, and

therefore the indwelling of the gift cannot be the Word only.

I have to make a point of clarification.

Please hear me. I am not denying the power, the

influence, and the significance of the Word of God.

The Word of God, and please get this, it is the sole source that

guides us today. If you want to know what God

wants for you to do to serve Him, you have to find it in the

Word. What I'm saying this is, well,

when you read the Word of God, you are reading the words of the

Holy Spirit. All I'm saying is that's not all

that He does. That's all I'm saying.

And I'm not saying there's another point I'm making.

I'm also not saying that when the Holy Spirit finished the

Word, He was done. You know what never made sense

to me? Everybody, it never made sense

to me that we all believe that God still works in our life.

By the way, there's three in the God hand, the Holy Spirit's 1/3

of it and never didn't make any sense to me how God still works

in our life. Jesus still works in my life and

everybody in the world believes that.

But the Holy Spirit's done. He's just sitting this one out

ever since the word was completed, didn't make any

sense. Now stay with me.

Listen, we got a lot to do. Please stay tight with me.

So I believe the scripture is clear.

The Holy Spirit is the gift. Now to sum it up like this, the

gift is the Holy Spirit Himself who comes to dwell in the heart

of everyone who will repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus

Christ for the remission of sins.

Why that conclusion? Let's go to the Scriptures in

Romans chapter 8 and verse 9. But you are not in the flesh,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

How about Acts chapter 5 and verse 32?

Acts 5 · chapter mention

And we are his witnesses to these things.

And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who

obey him. Listen to what Kaufman said,

please. In the history of holy truth,

there has never been any such thing as God's giving the Holy

Spirit to men in order to make them obedient, or to make them

sons, or to save them, or to procure the remission of sins,

or any such thing. On the day of Pentecost, Peter

had commanded believers to repent and be baptized, with the

promise that those who did so receiving the permission of

their sins subsequently to their obeying these commands, would

also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The word obey also, as used here, indicates A lifelong

obedience to God. Did you see your part in that

was a continuing condition to be fulfilled by those desiring to

enjoy the continuing gift of the Holy Spirit?

See Galatians 4 and 6 where it is declared that the Holy Spirit

is given to men not to make them sons, but as a consequence of

them already being sons. The popular notion to the effect

that God sends the Holy Spirit with the purpose of making men

desire to serve God is totally wrong.

Burton Kaufman. Now I'm going to give you some

Bible here in First Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 16.

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the

Spirit of God dwells in you? I wouldn't notice with you,

please, this phrase, the temple of God.

Now the word temple comes from that Greek word right there, and

it means sanctuary. And it's used metaphorically of

a company of Christians, a Christian Church, as dwelleth in

by the Spirit of God. OK, that's the definition.

And because that's the definition, many commentators

draw conclusions like this. Well, the illusion goes back to

the temple of the Old Testament. And as God dwelt, for example,

in the Tabernacle in the most holy Place, so God's Spirit

today, the Holy Spirit, dwells in the Kingdom or the church as

a whole. OK, I agree with that.

But because of that definition, many commentators have taken the

position that it has nothing to do with us individually, only

that God dwells with us in collectively in the Kingdom or

the church. And even some have said

specifically in the assembly, OK, Do I doubt that the Spirit

of God is in the assembly? No.

Do I doubt that the Spirit of God is in the church or the

Kingdom of Jesus Christ as a whole?

No, but what about this concept about individually?

Let me ask you a question. I don't doubt that the Spirit of

God dwells in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

I don't doubt that. But let me ask you, this Kingdom

is the church. So let me ask you, who's the

church, this building, by the way?

Are we only the church when we assemble?

Are we only in the Kingdom when we assemble?

Who is the church? The same author that wrote First

Corinthian 316 also wrote this. Now you are the body of Christ.

He's writing to the church in Corinth and then he says and

members individually. Oh, here goes Frank again.

I'm going to name drop the king. Here we go.

What'd Jesus say? Nor will they say see here or

see there, for the Kingdom of God is within you.

You know what that sounds like to me?

If it's in you, it's in you individually.

OK, so there's no that being the case.

That being the case, First Corinthians 619 Or do you not

know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who

is in you? So it's not just as a whole in

general. If we are the Kingdom, if we are

the church, if we are members individually, then the Holy

Spirit is in you, in your body, in the temple of the Holy

Spirit. Guess who that is?

That is you and me and every obedient Christian.

I'm not done on that. I'm coming back.

No contradiction. The Kingdom is made-up of

individuals whose bodies must be kept pure.

And therefore remember this, we defile the the temple of the

Holy Spirit when we defile our bodies.

OK, what have we learned so far? We've learned the following

three things. One, the Spirit of God dwells in

the Christian. That is undoubtedly no doubt

whatsoever #2 that Spirit just happens to be the Holy Spirit

whom God has given to those who obey Him.

We look at those passages, and in particular our bodies are the

temple of the Holy Spirit who is in US.

OK, these are not the only passages, by the way, that prove

that the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian.

There are many more. I'm going to throw 3 up on the

screen and we're moving on three more.

Second Timothy 1 and 14. That good thing which was

committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in US

number 2 Ephesians 316 that He would grant you according to the

riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through

His Spirit in the inner man. And now we're going to get

really specific on how He dwells in the inner man and where that

is. Where is it?

Romans 5 and five. Now hope does not disappoint

because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by this

Holy Spirit who was given to us. So where does He dwell?

He dwells in the heart of every individual obedient Christian.

OK, all that being said is what we all want to know.

What does the Holy Spirit do for us?

Now I got to say this too. Here's one of them disclaimers.

I freely admit there are things about the particulars and the

specifics about how God uses the Holy Spirit specifically and in

different circumstances and all that, that I don't know and I

can't explain. And I'm going to say this to,

and I mean to be disrespectful. I don't even care.

I don't care how God does it. That's number one.

Just like I feel about angels. That's why it took me 20 years,

by the way, to write a sermon on angels because there were so

many things that I couldn't definitively say.

So I finally said, well, let me just write a sermon about things

I can definitively say. For example, I know angels work

in our life because the Bible says they're ministering spirits

for those that are Christians and God uses them.

How does he do it? Don't know, don't care.

Here's the whole point, folks. In things that we can't totally

determine from the Word regarding how God does

something, just give the glory to God.

Just give Him the praise, give Him the glory, and we don't have

to worry about nothing. All right?

All that being said, there are some specific things we know,

though, about what the Holy Spirit is doing for us today and

blessings that come from the indwelling of that Spirit.

Here's number one. Here's a good one.

Our hope hangs on this one. He's given to us as a guarantee

by the word. By the way, the same Greek word

means down payment. He's given to us as a guarantee

that old King James says, earnest of our inheritance.

We got the promise of eternal life, don't we?

We have the promise of everlasting life.

God wants everybody to be saved. The long-suffering of God is

salvation. He wants us all to go to heaven,

but we've got some things to do in order to get there.

But if we do those things, we know like first John says, by

this we know that we know him if we keep His commandments.

OK. He also says, I'm writing these

things to you that you may know you have eternal life.

That's a great promise, isn't it?

OK, guess what? The Holy Spirit, the gift of the

Holy Spirit is given to us as a down payment or in earnest of

that promise of eternal life. Amazing.

I got to tell you something. God doesn't need the guarantee.

I do and you do. He doesn't need to do that.

And by the way, if you enter into a binding contract with

another guy, it's a good thing to get it in writing.

Even if somebody forgets they're the most honest person in the

world. Well, guess what?

God doesn't forget. Don't you understand?

The Holy Spirit given as a guarantee or as a down payment

of our inheritance is for our benefit, not because God needs

it to remember what he contractually obligated himself

to or decided He would do by grace.

Give us some Bible Ephesians chapter 1, beginning in verse

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

13, in whom you also trusted after you heard the word of

truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also having

believed, what did they get? They were sealed with the Holy

Spirit of promise. Isn't that amazing?

They believed, and it is necessarily inferred that they

were baptized. In other words, they were

Christians. And what did they have?

They got the gift of the Holy Spirit.

What could it do? It sealed them.

They were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

By the way, did you know that the Holy Spirit was even

promised in the Old Testament? It was promised by the in the

Old Testament, by Old Testament prophets.

How about Ezekiel chapter 36 and 27?

Ezekiel 36 · chapter mention

Notice I will put my spirit within you.

OK, you know me. It's about context.

So I I got to tell you the context.

The context beginning in verse 25 of Ezekiel 36 going through

27 is with reference to Israel's spiritual cleansing.

We know that if you just read the chapters right there, we get

it. And that spiritual cleansing.

As Pearson analyzed the cleansing of Israel, it

consisted of three steps, forgiveness of sins,

regeneration, and the reception of the Holy Spirit.

OK? Kaufman said this though.

Significantly, though, none of this was available under the old

Law of Moses. Only under the gracious terms of

the New Covenant has there ever been available to mortal man

such blessings as these. There was no forgiveness of sins

under Moses. There was no Holy Spirit within

all the people. There was no regeneration.

So the cleansing of Israel would take place in the Kingdom of the

Messiah established by the Son of God.

And just as the terms of Israel's peace, prosperity, and

security in regard to their possession of Canaan back then

were conditional, so also are the promises here with regard to

forgiveness, their regeneration, and their receiving of the

Spirit of God. So Christians in Ephesus

baptized to their mission of sins, sealed with the Holy

Spirit of promise, which did what was a guarantee of our

inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.

Wow, did you know that even in ancient times this phraseology

of guarantee was used in ancient?

This Greek term was used in ancient business documents as

the idea to designate a down payment for a first or a first

installment. Strong said it this way.

The word guaranteed or earnest in the King James is a

commercial term designated a partial payment, deposit or

pledge that obligates both the seller and purchaser to complete

an agreement. For example, earnest money is

given to show that a commitment has been made to give the full

purchase amount for a property at a later date.

An example of this phraseology from the Old Testament.

This is nothing new. Bible's brilliant man, this is

good stuff. Not because I'm saying it

Genesis 3817 and he said, I will send you a goat from the flock.

She said, will you give me a pledge till you send it?

Same thing what you want guarantee earnest down payment

something right? Look at the next verse 18.

Then he said, well, what pledge shall I give you?

She said your signet and cord and your staff that is in your

hand. Same phraseology, same idea.

What does that have to do with me and what does that have to do

with you and what does that have to do with this point in the

Christian life? It's the Holy Spirit that's

given as the pledge that God will complete His promise to

provide our inheritance. But there's more Bible passages

that support that. Second Corinthians 5 and five.

Now He who has prepared for us for this very thing is God who

has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

What about the Spirit? Where is he 2nd Corinthians 122,

who also have sealed us and given us the Spirit as a

guarantee? Where does he give it to us?

Where is it in our hearts? Zur said this, The down payment

binds parties to the contract until the time when full payment

is to be made and the contract is completed.

God has promised eternal life to those who enter into this

covenant with him, which is to be stowed, in fact, at the Day

of judgment. This, of course, is on the

condition that both parties fulfill all the terms of the

agreement until the final time comes.

And as I said before, God always fulfills His side, doesn't He?

Never makes a mistake. By the way, I couldn't find a

passage, so I'm going to be bold here.

So I think I'm right here. There's times when God has said

he was going to do something negatively and change his mind.

There are a number of times when God's changed his mind and

because people changed and he softened up on it on a certain

instance or what have you say, he was going to destroy Nineveh.

They repented, didn't do it. Other many other examples too,

but I couldn't find one time when God gave a promise and said

if you do this, I will do that and back out.

I couldn't find one thing. So I'm going to tell you God is

not the problem. It is a binding contract.

When you enter into it, when you're baptized as a mission of

your sins, God's going to take care of his side.

The point is this. And He gave us the Holy Spirit

as a down payment of a guarantee for it.

If we'd want it, we got to remain faithful and do our part.

The burden rests on us. So number one, what does the

Holy Spirit do for us today? Number one, the first thing,

here's our guarantee, here's our down payment of our inheritance

#2 He bears witness. Now what does all that mean?

In Romans 8 and 16, the Spirit himself bears witness with our

spirit. Now this is extremely important.

Let me ask you, does it say the Holy Spirit bears witness to our

spirit? No, It says the Holy Spirit

bears witness with our spirit spirit.

In other words, there's two spirits involved.

There is the Holy Spirit and there is our human spirit.

We are both involved here from this passage.

I like what Whiteside said, though.

He said if the Holy Spirit bear witness to our Spirit, it would

make us individually a judge of those facts instead of a

witness, and that's not what we are.

According to this passage. We are both witnesses of what?

That we are the children of God. OK, first says the phrase bear

witness with comes from one Greek word and it's that one

which means to bear witness with bear joint witness.

So please get this. This phrase does not indicate a

direct communication between either spirit.

I'm going to let that soak in. It's not saying that there's

communication directly from the Holy Spirit to my human spirit.

What did I already say? That the Holy Spirit guides us

through what? The Word?

The Word? But what about this passage?

Zor says each gives the same testimony on the subject,

namely, that the persons are the children of God.

Notice both are involved. How does it all work?

Stay with me. The Spirit, according to Zer,

stays through the gospel. What it takes to make one a

child of God and the Spirit, The mind of man knows whether he has

done that. If he has, the conclusion is

that he is a child of God. Kaufman said it this way, the

Holy Spirit is the author of the commandments in the Bible and of

the promise of salvation connected with and relating to

those commandments, As for example, when the Holy Spirit

said he that believes and is baptized shall be saved.

Mark 1616. Now when the Spirit of man has

accepted heaven's offer by believing and obeying such a

command, then the spirit of such a person is also a witness that

he has believed and obeyed God and therefore is saved.

One more and it's a lengthy, lengthy quote.

I apologize for that, but it's very important.

I think it sums it up. Here we go.

Gospel Advocate commentary. The Holy Spirit gives directions

as to the kind of life we are to live, and our own spirit bears

testimony as to whether we conform our life to these

instructions. That makes sense.

The Holy Spirit, through this testimony or witness, molds the

human spirit in his own likeness, dwells in our spirit,

directs our spirit, so that the same Spirit that was in Christ

Jesus dwells in US. We are therefore led by the

Spirit, and through us the Spirit of God acts and works.

So then, if we faithfully bear the fruit of the Spirit,

Galatians 522 and 23, there's a happy and harmonious union of

the Spirit with our Spirit. That's the Holy Spirit with our

Spirit that brings confidence and assurance to our heart that

enables us to cry. Behold what manner of love the

Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children

of God. First John 3 and verse #1 OK, I

hope that's not confusing. The only way the Holy Spirit

speaks to us though is through the Word.

When my human spirit complies to what the Holy Spirit says, we

are both witnesses bearing the same testimony.

I'm a child of God, OK? Doesn't do any injustice to

where the end dwells or nothing like that.

Just saying bears witness with not to our spirit.

Kaufman said this It is a misuse of this passage though, for one

to declare that since I feel all this is big, you ever heard

this? Since I feel like I'm led by

God's Spirit, I know I'm a Christian.

Before the blessed Spirit will enter and dwell in any heart,

it's possessor must already be a Christian.

That happens in Acts 2 when you're baptized.

No man who is not in Jesus Christ can possibly be host to

God's Spirit. It is because you are sons that

God set His Spirit in the men's hearts.

Galatians 4 and verse six. OK and at what point does that

spirit indwell? When we repent and are baptized

for the remission of sins, so the Holy Spirit is given number

one to us as a guarantee or a down payment of our salvation of

eternal life if we're faithful to him.

Two, that Spirit bears witness with our Spirit, with our human

spirit, that we are the children of God.

And #3 and finally, in this lesson, Part 1, the Spirit makes

us alive spiritually. I'm not talking about miraculous

stuff. And by the way, I'm not talking

about anything, any feeling at all.

When I'm talking about feeling, talk about fact.

The Holy Spirit that's given to us when we repent and are

baptized and receive the remission of sins is given as a

gift that makes us alive spiritually.

In Romans chapter 8, we noticed this first verse and then we and

Romans 8 · chapter mention

then we moved on. But please notice that you are

not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.

He's talking to Christians, right?

If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

So if the Spirit of God dwells in you, you're not in the flesh,

but you are in the Spirit. Now if anyone does not have the

Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the

body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of

righteousness. In other words, if we are in

Christ Jesus, the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit dwells in US.

And if the Holy Spirit dwells within us, it makes us free from

the law of sin that dwells in the flesh.

It's really quite simple. The flesh governs the one, the

Spirit governs the other. Let me ask you this too.

How do I know Chris Osmond's alive?

Because he has a human spirit. How do I know he's alive

physically? Because he has a spirit making

him alive physically. One day we all, unless the Lord

comes back. When we pass away, the spirit

leaves the human spirit leaves the body, and guess what?

We're not alive anymore. We're like Rover, we're dead all

over. Is it the body part?

Another subject about the soul, but the body gone.

So if that's the case, how do I know if I'm alive spiritually?

Yeah, you know, or at least you know what I'm going to say.

It's because you have the Holy Spirit.

According to that passage, we are alive in Christ by the

Spirit who dwells in US. That's in our life.

That's why we're living. That's how we know that we're

not living according to the dictates of the flesh, but we

are following the dictates of the Spirit, being led by the

Spirit. But what about at the end of

time? What is that going to do for us?

Also, let's go back to the very same verse.

But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead

dwells in you, that's the Holy Spirit, He, that's God who

raised Christ from the dead, will also give life to your

mortal bodies through what his Holy Spirit who dwells in you.

Now I got to say, listen, listen.

Very important, very important, very important.

Everybody that's been dead and is dead at the time of the

resurrection is going to be raised.

Everybody, Jesus says the resurrection of life and the

resurrection of condemnation, those that have done good to the

resurrection of life, those that have done evil to the

resurrection of condemnation. The Lord said that what's

different is those that are in Christ and have the Spirit will

be raised by that same Spirit to eternal glory when the Lord

comes back fulfilling. What did he say?

What did we say? It was a guarantee, a down

payment that's fulfilled when the Lord comes back.

If the Spirit is within you. So the Holy Spirit dwells in the

heart of every obedient believer.

Acts 238. Acts 532.

God will by that Spirit give life to our dead bodies and

raise us to immortal glory. Kaufman said this one final

quote. The great connective between the

resurrection of Christ and the ultimate resurrection of his

disciples is the blessed ministry of the Holy Spirit in

Christian hearts, and thus appears the absolute necessity

of the Spirit's residence in the Christian hearts.

The conclusion then, if one does not have the Spirit of God in

his soul, he's not a Christian, he's not in Christ, he's not

saved and is not in any sense Christ.

In conclusion this morning, remember that when we repent and

are baptized, for the are baptized, we have two great

blessings, one, remission of sins. 2 The gift of the Holy

Spirit. The gift is the Holy Spirit who

dwells in our hearts, and the threefold benefits so far are

these. He is our guarantee of our

inheritance, that God will fulfill that promise if we're

faithful #2 He bears witness with not to our spirit, that we

are the children of God and we can know and #3 He makes us

alive spiritually. So I kind of think the Holy

Spirit's an invaluable assistant, don't you?

I kind of think he's an invaluable assistant to

Christians and he works in the inner man.

And I'm going to close with this.

So you don't think I'm saying something I'm not.

He works in our inner man, within the bounds of God's Word,

to help make help us make heaven our home.

In other words, the Holy Spirit does not do anything for us that

violates or contradicts what the Word allows.

That would mean the Holy Spirit would go against himself, and we

know that's not the case. OK.

In other words, when the Word says one thing, the Holy

Spirit's not going to guide somebody to do something else.

That's my .0. I know what the Bible says.

I know this. I believe that I'm all about.

I think the Holy Spirit's guiding me to do that over there

Instead. I feel called to go do that

instead. You may be called.

I'm not trying to listen. I'm not making fun.

You may be called by something, but you're not being called by

God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. OK?

If you're called by the Holy Spirit, it's always whatever the

Holy Spirit does. And again, I don't know all that

the Holy Spirit does, but I'm going to tell you right now, He

never does anything. I know it's for sure that would

contradict, violate, and go against the Word of God.

Amen, Next, next. It's point #4 and we're doing

the whole lesson on #4 and that is He's given to us as a gift.

He bears our infirmities. King James, new King James

weaknesses. How does he help us in our

weaknesses? We're going deep in Romans 8,

and that's the last. And that's the whole sermon will

be on that last point.