16.3 God Gives Abundantly: Spirit

Table of Contents

The Text

John 3:34 (CSB) For the one whom God sent speaks God’s words, since he gives the Spirit without measure.

The Chapter

Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ; and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them and to will and to do of his good pleasure; yet they are not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.

The Confession

Only the Holy Spirit is Good: Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ

John 15:4–5 (CSB) Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.

That makes the Isaiah proclamation cuts both ways:

Isaiah 64:6 (CSB) All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

We easily enough see that before we are saved by God, our "good" works are as filthy rags. But that is not what the Bible says. Isaiah is rightly declaring that all self-righteous works are filthy rags in the sight of the Holy God. Dear Christian, that might fill you with despair. But take heart--your good works that you do, do not come from you and you are not the source but God is the source. God is the source of good because he alone is good. Whatever we do in love for others comes not from us but from our Father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10)

Only the Holy Spirit is Good: and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them and to will and to do of his good pleasure

2 Corinthians 3:5 (CSB) It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

Philippians 2:13 (CSB) For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

If God is the source of all good because he alone is good, then the outflow of his provision and grace is to will and to work according to his purpose alone. Remember in 1689.5.2? That God is the first cause of all things. And we are so desperate to figure out if God is the author of sin (short answer: absolutely not) but what might grind your gears is that God is the author of all good and therefore, all the good that is done by you and me, God alone gets the glory for all the good in this world. The world will balk at this and say that is not fair and it is double sided. But the God of the Bible is is dualistic--that is to say, he does not hold the balance of good and evil. The Triune Almighty God is good and good alone. He is righteous and perfection. He is holy and within his presence there is no sin, no wickedness, and no evil.

He gets none of the blame for any evil in this world. For all the evil in this world, there are three to blame: Satan, Adam, and us. Satan we get. Adam we get. But why us? Because we were born into it. We were born sons of Adam "once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another." (Titus 3:3)

Only the Holy Spirit is Good: yet they are not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them

Philippians 2:12 (CSB) Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Hebrews 6:11–12 (CSB) Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

Isaiah 64:7 (CSB) No one calls on your name, striving to take hold of you. For you have hidden your face from us and made us melt because of our iniquity.

God knew that. From eternity past, God saw us and he knew that we were evil and led astray. He knew that and he took pity on us. He knows we are made from dust. He did not save Satan and the demons. In his righteousness and sovereignty, he damned them to hell. But upon his people, you and me, he had sweetest mercy. He has grace upon all grace. And for us, his steadfast love never ceases because his steadfast love never began for us.

And we know this for absolute truth because how? He sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die for us. And because Jesus was and is perfect, he sent his Holy Spirit to raise us up from the dead and to make us finally alive in Christ to God forever and ever.

The Spirit is in you. God the Father has given you his heart and now dwells in you. Christ is in you. We are not obligated to obey but we get to obey God because the Trinue God dwells in us. We have the Almighty God and he has the infinite double grip snatch on us forever.

Song of Songs 2:16 (CSB) My love is mine and I am his;

Forever. Amen.