Conders: Trust (truth) part 2

Occasionally my wife of great worth and I like to splurge and buy all the fixings to make incredible sub sandwiches. It all begins with the appropriate bread. It has to be soft on the inside, but have that crusty outside, the kind that has that slight crunch. Adoring a great sub is all the garden fresh veggies you can pack in, But the heart and soul hands down is the selection of choice meat and cheese. My selection is roast beef of the rare sort; it is the only way to go. I stumbled upon just this sort about a year ago with a flavor that could only have come from heaven; unfortunately, the 10.99 a lb (ouch) price surely was from the gates of Hades trying to prevail against my wallet. The last time I bought this high roller meat the butcher cut and weighed it back behind the counter out of view. Immediately I envisioned the butcher enjoying a sub at my expense (Hey I am broken too, Jesus is not finished with me yet). I asked him (in love of course) to weigh it on the front counter scale where I could see it. I later thought about why this was such an issue to me; my conclusion was that the game changer of truth only comes when there is a standard of measure by which we can weigh it against. In our last lesson, we proposed trust to be wise only when it is in the truth founded by integrity. The truth of God is the standard by which all things are measured. If we want to eliminate doubt, confusion, and self-imposed perspective God must reveal His standard towards us; this is a part of grace, the “door of faith”. The father has revealed this standard in three distinct, but inter-dependent ways. His standard in a Person (our Lord Jesus in flesh), in His written Word, and deposited inside the saints; the Holy Spirit of Promise
 Jesus proclaimed that the truth (appropriated) is what sets a man free. By contrast we infer that walking outside this truth is to be slaves. How do we get into this liberating truth? When we open to Johns gospel (14:15-17, 15:26-27, and 16:12-15) we see That God’s standard in Person is leaving, but He isn’t going to leave us as orphans. The overwhelming teaching we are to receive is that our relationship to the truth will come by our interaction with the Spirit of Truth. He is to abide, testify, guide, and disclose. Like Jesus, for a time the Spirit of God has left Heaven to minister to all whom the Father has given to the Lord. What we want to consider is how the Spirit ministers to us.  The three ministries (in View) of The Spirit of Truth (one of the many names applied to the Holy Spirit).

1. He is the expediter ( giver) of truth from the Son to man
2. He is the Teacher (interpreter)  of truth To man
3. He is mans divine enabler to live up to truth

 The Holy Spirit is an expediter of the Truth; What He expedites is not Himself but The Son. Notice John 14:6,  “Jesus said to him (Peter), “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” Jesus is The Truth (whole, complete), and what He is in Person and practice proves the victory of truth for us. The Holy Spirit imputes, implants, and imparts Truth to us. Our understanding of this Truth is only the first step; Trust (attitude and action) is our right response (James 1:21-22) to the expedited Truth. Consider this ministry in three quick ways (needs of man met). One- we have a heart (spirit) to love; this heart by design must love something. The Holy Spirit leads us in love of  the Person of Jesus Christ, opposed to all others . Two- we have been giving a mind to think. As we learn the truth through the written word we not only grow in the knowledge of Jesus but our love for Him. This is the unity of heart and mind (Phil 2:2). Three- The Holy Spirit after He has control of our heart and mind, He can now control our will. If our hearts and minds unite, the will has no choice but  to submit to their demands; the motive in the end is love.
He is the Teacher (interpreter) of truth to man. Spiritual thoughts become combined with spiritual truths. For every doctrinal teaching we glean its counterpart illustration. Stated another way; When we read the O.T. the N.T explains it, when we read the N.T the O.T. illustrates it.  In John 7: 17 Jesus testifies, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.” It is the Spirit who testifies (by teaching Truth), because he is the Spirit of Truth (1Jn 5:6). Consider three arenas of interpreted truth. One- the Holy Spirit of Truth convinces us of the Son of truth, whom is now seated on the throne in Heaven. Two- the Holy Spirit of truth inspired the holy scriptures of Truth we hold in our hands. Three- both these truths are applied to our hearts internally by the Spirit of truth, our seal of promise.
He is mans divine enabler to live up to truth. In Romans 8:14 we are told, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons (position of distinction, neither male nor female) of God.” Fatherhood implies authority. The Father commands and disposes; the initiative which he calls his son to exercise is the initiative of resolute obedience to the Father’s will. Second, fatherhood implies affection. “The Father loves the Son”. Third, fatherhood implies fellowship. Fourth, fatherhood implies honor. God wills to exalt his Son. All this extends to God’s adopted children. In, through and under Jesus Christ their Lord, they are ruled, loved companied with and honored by their heavenly Father (J.I. Packer). None of us without the assistance of the Holy Spirit can live up to our distinct position as adopted sons of God. The implication of sonship is one of endowment not merit. This is not only the endowment of grace onto salvation (justification), but also the impartation of salvation (sanctification). This is all by the ministry of the Holy Spirit; the One who has been sent to come along side to ensure and affirm the work of Christ.
As the teacher closes this lesson, I am burdened to write these last words, both for consideration (prayer) and warning. God has deposited the truth of His Son, His word, and His Spirit with His beloved Bride (Church); The pillar and support of the Truth (1 Tim3:15). We have been commissioned to keep the word of truth in this present world; A world that is hostile to God. When we fail to keep the truth the Church fails. How do Contenders faithfully “support the truth”? Walk it in the open by the Spirit of Truth For the Son of Truth, out of love for the glory of the Father of Truth. Until next time pick up your sword…it’s the leather one.-Ryan