G*M
发帖数: 6042 | 1 Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
Lesson 8
God the Holy Ghost
Lord's Day 20 - 22
God the Holy Ghost
In Lord's Day 11-19, on the basis of articles 2 - 7 of the Apostles' Creed,
there is spoken of Jesus Christ and His work. In Lord's Day 20-22, on the
basis of the last five articles of the Creed, there is spoken of the Holy
Ghost and His work, who He is and what He does in order that we may be
partakers in the deliverance which Christ has merited for us.
Lord's Day 20
Q. 53. What dost thou believe concerning the Holy Ghost?
A. First, that He is true and co-eternal with God the Father and the Son
(a); secondly, that He is also given me (b), to make me by a true faith,
partaker of Christ and all His benefits (c), that He may comfort me (d) and
abide with me forever (e).
(a) 1 John 5:7, Genesis 1:2, Isaiah 48:16, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, Acts 5
(b) Galatians 4:6, Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13;
(c) Galatians 3:14, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Corinthians 6:17;
(d) John 15:26, Acts 9: 31;
(e) John 14:16, 1 Peter 4:14.
The Holy Ghost is God
The Holy Ghost is not something of God, as our spirit, beside our body, is
something of us, a part of our being. The Holy Ghost is also not only a
power emanating from God. No, the Holy Ghost is in Himself perfect and true,
that is true God. The Holy Ghost is God from eternity unto eternity. He is
together with God the Father and God the Son, one God, which for us is an
incomprehensible mystery (Lord's Day 8). The Holy Ghost is Himself God and
in this way He works in the world and in the hearts of men. Jesus has said
of Him, "He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew
it unto you" (John 16:14).
Also Given Me
The believer now rejoices: He is also given me! The human spirit has been
defiled through sin. From it nothing can come from it anymore that is good
before God. But now the Holy Ghost is given in his heart. He renews all
thinking, feeling, and willing. In what way does He do so? God Himself says,
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you"
(Ezekiel 36:26). The Holy Ghost shows him all his sins and his entire sinful
existence. In this way he experiences and confesses that he is a sinner and
that he has deserved eternal death. However, the Holy Ghost shows him also
that there is forgiveness possible through the blood of Christ. He unites
the sinner with Christ. How does He do this? He does this by working true
faith in the heart (Ephesians 2:8). Through that faith, there comes
communion between the believer and Christ. The Holy Ghost sprinkles the
blood of Christ on a guilty soul, so that it will be cleansed (1 Peter 1:2).
In this way the believer becomes a partaker of Christ and all the benefits
which Christ merited for him: forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Power and comfort in the spiritual warfare
This Holy Ghost will always remain in the believer. The believer is still
often assaulted by the devil. He must fight the spiritual warfare against
the sin which remains in him. However, the Holy Ghost gives the strength to
fight. This is the sanctification which He works in the life of the believer
. The Holy Ghost also comforts in this warfare and in the persecutions he at
times must experiences, and in all sorrows and difficulties. With what does
He comfort him? It is by making him partaker in all the benefits of Christ,
in that Christ is his Savior, his Redeemer, his King, and also in that he
is truly a child of God and will be so forever. Paul said, "And because ye
are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying
, Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:6).
Lord's Day 21
Q. 54. What believest thou concerning the "holy catholic church" of Christ?
A. That the Son of God (a) from the beginning to the end of the world (b)
, gathers, defends, and preserves to Himself (c) by His Spirit and Word (d),
out of the whole human race (e), a Church chosen to everlasting life (f),
agreeing in true faith (g); and that I am and forever shall remain (h), a
living member thereof (i).
(a) Ephesians 5:26, John 10:11, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11-13;
(b) Psalm 71: 17-18, Isaiah 59:21, 1 Corinthians 11:26;
(c) Matthew 16:18, John 10:28-30, Psalm 129:1-5;
(d) Isaiah 59:21, Romans 1:16, 10:14-17, Ephesians 5:26;
(e) Genesis 26:4, Revelation 5:9;
(f) Romans 8:29, Ephesians 1:10-13;
(g) Acts 2:42, Ephesians 4:3-5;
(h) Psalm 23:6, 1 Corinthians 1:8-9, John 10:28, 1 John 2:19, 1 Peter 1:5;
(i) 1 John 3: 14, 19:21, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Romans 8:10.
The fellowship of the believers
The Holy Ghost does not only brings about fellowship between a believer and
Christ, but also mutually between believers, the fellowship of the Church.
In this way there is a unity of all God's children. They were already all
elected by God the Father from eternity. They all have the same faith, as it
is confessed in the Apostles' Creed. They are gathered by God the Son and
God the Holy Ghost out of all mankind. The Church is not the work of men,
but of God.
The work of the Holy Ghost
How does the Holy Ghost work? It is through a powerful calling, in the
preaching, through His Spirit and Word, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Ephesians 5:14). Christ
merited that God again dwells with men and desires to work in them. It was
for that reason that God at Pentecost sent the Holy Spirit into the world in
a special manner. It was with the sign of wind - invisible, but powerful,
overturning everything, but also life-giving; and of fire - consuming, but
also purifying, enlightening, and warming. His work was observed immediately
the Son, and drawn by the Holy Ghost.
Christ also sends preachers into the world, moved by the Holy Ghost. They
proclaim God's Word. The Holy Spirit causes that Word to work powerfully in
the hearts, so that sinful and unbelieving people come to repentance and
faith. Then that Word is accepted as true and is believed, working a renewal
in their entire lives. We read of Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi,
"Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were
spoken of Paul" (Acts 16:14).
In this way, a holy (that is, cleansed by the blood of Christ), catholic (
and found throughout the whole world), Christian Church comes into existence
. Until the last day of this world sinners will still be added to that
congregation of Christ.
Abiding grace
Christ also defends and preserves all His people by His Spirit and Word. As
their King He defends them against all enemies and against all dangers,
against all powers, inside and outside, which try to deceive them or
forcefully tear them away from God and His service. Christ also preserves
His people by giving them food and medicine: they find this in His Word and
in the holy sacraments. For Christ loves His Church "which He hath purchased
with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).
Of this congregation, God's child may say to his great joy, "Of it I am and
forever shall remain a living member." He, who by grace becomes a child of
God, will remain so forever.
Q. 55. What do you understand by "the communion of saints"?
A. First, that all and every one who believes, being members of Christ,
are in common, partakers of Him, and of all His riches and gifts (a);
secondly, that every one must know it to be his duty, readily and cheerfully
to employ His gifts, for the advantage and salvation of other members (b).
(a) 1 John 1:3, Romans 8:32, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 1 Corinthians 6:17;
(b) 1 Corinthians 12:21, 13:1, 5, Philippians 2:4-8.
The communion of saints
The Christian Church is called "the communion of saints." These "saints" are
not sinless people, but persons whose sins are forgiven through the blood
of Christ and who are renewed by the Holy Ghost, so that they again desire
to live according to all the commandments of God. And this is true for all
believers.
They have, in the first place, communion of faith with Christ, for the same
Spirit lives both in Christ and in the believers. The Holy Spirit ingrafts
them into Christ through the gift of faith (Lord's Day 7, question and
answer 20). And because they belong to Christ, they are also partakers of
His riches and gifts. These riches are the benefits of Christ.
Paul wrote: "But of Him (that is: through God's grace and power) are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).
Gifts of the Spirit
But Christ also bestows through the Holy Spirit many spiritual gifts. Paul
said, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). He
gives them a share of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge which are in
Christ (Colossians 2:3). He also grants them gifts to serve in the
congregation, as the apostle wrote: "Whether prophesy, let us prophesy
according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us us wait on our
ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on
exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth,
with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness" (Romans 12:6-8).
The mutual communion of saints
The communion of saints further infers that the believers employ their gifts
which they received for the advantage of other believers. It is their
calling to do so. But they also do this - with all the shortcomings that
still continues to cleave to them - voluntarily and with joy. He who loves
Christ also loves them who are of Christ! And he who is of Christ does not
live primarily for himself. He desires to live to the honor of God and to
the wellbeing of his neighbor. As Paul wrote: "For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond
or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:
13, see also verses 14-21).
Believers also have need to exercise communion of saints around Word and
Sacrament for themselves, in order that their fervor of faith and love will
continue to burn. In the epistle to the Hebrews we read, "And let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good works: not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching"
(Hebrews 10:24-25).
Q. 56. What believest thou concerning "the forgiveness of sins"?
A. That God, for the sake of Christ's satisfaction, will no more remember
my sins, neither my corrupt nature, against which I have to struggle all my
life long (a); but will graciously impute to me the righteousness of Christ
(b), that I may never be condemned before the tribunal of God (c).
(a) 1 John 2:2, 1 John 1:7, 2 Corinthians 5:19;
(b) Romans 7:23-25, Jeremiah 31:34, Micah 7:19, Psalm 103:3, 10, 12;
(c) John 3:18, John 5:24.
The forgiveness of all sins
The true Christian believes the forgiveness of sins. How has this
forgiveness become possible? It is because Christ has given satisfaction for
sin: for all believers He has sufficiently satisfied, that is, totally
satisfied the demand for punishment upon the transgression of God's law.
Although He Himself was innocent, yet He bore the penalty for sin. He
endured the punishment for God's children, in their stead. Therefore their
sins are forgiven them. That consists of the greatest comfort imaginable.
David said, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our
transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).
This forgiveness not only applies to all sins which have been committed in
the past, but also all sins which regrettably will still be committed. For
the Christian still retains his sinful nature, that source from which all
sins come forth, until the moment of his death. That is the greatest grief
in his life. He does strive against it all his life, but he does not
completely conquer it. In the midst of his grief it is now his comfort that
God has also forgiven that sinful nature. It is covered by the righteousness
of Christ, for Christ has paid for the sins he has committed and for those
he will yet commit. Because of that perfect payment, God will therefore also
forgive his remaining weakness. And he knows that at his death God will
deliver him from this.
Sinful and yet holy
Paul, sighing because of his sinful flesh, groans, "But I see another law in
my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am
! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" But immediately after
that, he may, by looking at the coming deliverance, exclaim with joy, "I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:23-25). In the last
judgment, God will also not hold the believer accountable for his sins and
his sinful nature. Therefore God's child will not be condemned in the
judgment. On the contrary, God gives him, imputes to him, the perfect
righteousness (that is, the perfect obedience to God's law) of Christ. It is
as if he had not committed any sin, yes, as if he had done nothing else all
his life but been obedient to the whole law of God. This can be called
nothing but grace.
Lord's Day 22
Q. 57. What comfort does the "resurrection of the body" afford thee?
A. That not only my soul after this life shall be immediately taken up to
Christ its Head (a); but also, that this my body, being raised by the power
of Christ, shall be reunited with my soul, and made like unto the glorious
body of Christ (b).
(a) Luke 16:22, 23:43, Philippians 1:21, 23;
(b) Job 19:25-26, 1 John 3:2, Philippians 3: 21.
The comfort of faith in the resurrection of the body
The article of faith concerning the resurrection of the body is especially
full of comfort. Our flesh is our body, which is, through sin, subject to
infirmities, sickness and death.
When a man dies, his body becomes subject to decay. Sometimes slowly, in the
grave; sometimes quickly, for instance, by burning. On occasion, the ashes
will even be scattered. This sometimes happened with the ashes of Christians
who were burned because of their faith.
However, when Christ returns on the clouds, all the particles of such a body
will be brought together again by God. Unbelief says, "Is that possible?"
But would He, who created the whole world out of nothing, not be able to do
this? He will from the dust put the body together again. Then the body will
arise from the dead and live again, never to die again, but to continue
forever in eternal bliss or eternal damnation.
For all those who have died outside of Christ, it will be an eternal terror!
In hell they will in soul and body eternally be under the wrath of God,
without any relief or comfort.
However, God's children also shall then, in body, enter into the eternal joy
, into eternal life in the new Paradise. Already at their death, their soul
immediately entered into heavenly glory. There is no type of sleep by the
soul, also not a purgatory. The Lord Jesus said to the malefactor on the
cross next to Him, "Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt thou be with Me
in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). At the resurrection, soul and body will again be
united to be forever with God. When Job, the great sufferer of the Old
Testament, looked beyond death and the grave, he said, "And though after my
skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:26).
The resurrection of believers
Believers who are still living when Christ returns will be changed in the
twinkling of an eye from corruptible into incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:51
-52).
Christ at His ascension was taken up into heaven. But He shall one day
return to cause all the dead to arise, and as Judge to judge the living and
the dead who then are resurrected, and to take up His Church into heaven.
Paul said, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord."
Glorified with Christ
At the resurrection of believers, their bodies will be made like unto the
now already glorified body of the risen Christ, "Who shall change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body" (Philippians 3:
21). Then the body will be perfect, without any infirmity and without a
handicap. It will then no longer be mortal. Then it will again be as when
God first created it. We read in Paul's words, "It [the body] is sown (as a
seed in the field) in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown
in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in
power" (1 Corinthians 15:42-43).
Q. 58. What comfort takest thou from the article of "life everlasting"?
A. That since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy (a),
after this life I shall inherit perfect salvation, which "eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man" to conceive, and
that, to praise God therein forever (b).
(a) 2 Corinthians 5:2-3;
(b) 1 Corinthians 2:9.
A glimpse into eternal glory
To his inexpressible amazement, while he was still living on earth the
apostle Paul once was given a glimpse of the eternal glory in heaven, with
God (2 Corinthians 12:1-4).
What he saw was inexpressible: so much joy and so much glory! He could not,
nor was he permitted to say what he had seen. for each human word would not
clarify, but only make it more obscure. Human language and the human
imagination would fall short. It is a perfect salvation, a perfect fullness
of blessedness. It is perfect, because God's children will there be able to
serve and praise God without any sin, and they will experience blessed
communion with each other and with the angels. Then life will again be
perfect, and there will be on the new earth perfect righteousness and peace.
A foretaste of eternal glory
The apostles Paul and John were granted a glimpse of that glory. However,
God's children also here sometimes have a foretaste of that glory. Then God,
their heavenly Father, causes them to experience His love in a special way.
This powerfully strengthens their faith and hope. The Bible calls this "
seeing God's countenance." Then they see and experience the rudiments of the
peace which they have with God: "In Thy presence is fullness of joy," said
David (Psalm 16:11). Then, in principle, they have a foretaste of the
eternal joy. And because they sometimes experience this, they can live
comforted, also when the love of God is not felt as strongly. They live
comforted and with desire: "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22
Questions for Lesson 8 (Lord's Days 20-22).
1. Is the Holy Ghost something of God, for instance, a power emanating from
God?
(Answer 53)
2. In what way does the Holy Ghost bring sinners to Christ? (Answer 53)
3. Respectively, what is the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Ghost,
in the salvation of sinners? (Answer 54)
4. Read Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16, as to what the Lord Jesus has
said to His
disciples when He sent them out into the world. Name four important
things which were
said with this.
5. Is it necessary to go to church in order to be saved? (Romans 10:13-15)
Explain.
6. How can we know whether we are members of the Church? (Answer 54) (See
also
Galatians 4:6)
7. Why can you, after having become, through regeneration, faith, and
repentance, a living
member of the Church, never lose that membership? (Answer 54) (See also
John 17:19,
11, and 24)
8. By carefully reading 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, what appears to be the
actual gifts of the
Holy Ghost which are given to all believers?
9. In what way does Paul make it clear that the members of the congregation
cannot do
without each other?
10. According to God's Word, why cannot believers miss the assembling of
themselves
together around Word and sacrament? (Hebrews 10: 24 and 25)
11. Why is the article "I believe the forgiveness of sins" in the Apostles'
Creed such a
comforting article? (Answer 56)
12. What is the difference between the body of the believer before death
and that same
body after the resurrection from the dead? (Answer 57)
13a. Name some persons from the Bible who, while living on earth, were
enabled to cast a
glimpse into heaven in a special way. (Isaiah 6, Acts 7:55, 2
Corinthians 12: 1-4,
Revelation 1:9-18)
13b. Why could Paul not explain what he saw? (Answer 54)
14. Why will the salvation which God's children receive at their death not
be a totally
strange enjoyment for them? (Answer 58) | h*o
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谢谢
愿神赐福你早日认识真道 | x****g
发帖数: 4008 | 3 Thanks for sharing
,
【在 G*M 的大作中提到】
: Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
: Lesson 8
: God the Holy Ghost
: Lord's Day 20 - 22
: God the Holy Ghost
: In Lord's Day 11-19, on the basis of articles 2 - 7 of the Apostles' Creed,
: there is spoken of Jesus Christ and His work. In Lord's Day 20-22, on the
: basis of the last five articles of the Creed, there is spoken of the Holy
: Ghost and His work, who He is and what He does in order that we may be
: partakers in the deliverance which Christ has merited for us.
| j********1
发帖数: 2073 | 4 Thanks for sharing
,
【在 G*M 的大作中提到】
: Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
: Lesson 8
: God the Holy Ghost
: Lord's Day 20 - 22
: God the Holy Ghost
: In Lord's Day 11-19, on the basis of articles 2 - 7 of the Apostles' Creed,
: there is spoken of Jesus Christ and His work. In Lord's Day 20-22, on the
: basis of the last five articles of the Creed, there is spoken of the Holy
: Ghost and His work, who He is and what He does in order that we may be
: partakers in the deliverance which Christ has merited for us.
| m****u
发帖数: 1689 | 5 Thanks for sharing
,
【在 G*M 的大作中提到】
: Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
: Lesson 8
: God the Holy Ghost
: Lord's Day 20 - 22
: God the Holy Ghost
: In Lord's Day 11-19, on the basis of articles 2 - 7 of the Apostles' Creed,
: there is spoken of Jesus Christ and His work. In Lord's Day 20-22, on the
: basis of the last five articles of the Creed, there is spoken of the Holy
: Ghost and His work, who He is and what He does in order that we may be
: partakers in the deliverance which Christ has merited for us.
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