THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #141 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #122
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3826
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #141
THE LIFE OF MOSES #122
MOSES AT MT. SINAI #21
THE TRANSFORMING GLORY OF GOD #5
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US
How exactly, then, does the Holy Spirit empower us for growth in godliness?
Let us look to the metaphor of Light.
The Holy Spirit, as we’ve seen, is a like a light shining into our dark places, exposing our sin and leading us to repentance.
The Spirit is also a lamp to illuminate God’s word, teaching what is true and revealing it as precious (1 Cor. 2:6-16).
And, as we saw in John 16, the Spirit throws a spotlight on Christ so we can see his glory and beauty and be changed accordingly.
This is the stunning argument Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Just as Moses had his face transformed when he saw the Lord’s glory on Mt. Sinai, so will we be transformed when we behold God’s glory in the face of Christ.
Except we won’t just get a shiny tan face, we will grow more and more into the image of the one we see. We become what we behold.
Thus the Holy Spirit is at work to sanctify us—by revealing sin, revealing truth, and revealing the glory of Christ.
In sanctification, the Holy Spirit “works in you, both to will and to work” according to God’s purpose, enabling His people to fulfill their new, godly desires (Phil. 2:12, 13).
Christians become increasingly Christlike, as the moral profile of Jesus (the “fruit of the Spirit”) is progressively formed in them (2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 4:19; 5:22–25).
Sanctification is an ongoing process, dependent on God’s continuing action in the believer, and consisting of the believer’s continuous struggle against sin.
God’s method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) nor apathy (God-reliant passivity), but human effort dependent on God (2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 3:10–14; Heb. 12:14).
Knowing that without Christ’s enabling we cannot do good works, but also that He is ready to strengthen us for all we have to do (Phil. 4:13), we “abide” in Christ, asking for His help constantly— and we receive it (Col. 1:11; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:7; 2:1).
Believers find within themselves contrary urgings. The Spirit sustains their regenerate desires and purposes, but their fallen instincts (the “flesh”) obstruct their path and drag them back. The conflict of these two is sharp. Paul says he is unable to do what is right, and unable to restrain himself from doing what is wrong (Rom. 7:14–25).
This conflict and frustration will be with Christians as long as they are in the body. Yet by watching and praying against temptation, and cultivating opposite virtues, they may through the Spirit’s help “put to death” particular bad habits (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5). They will experience many particular deliverances and victories in their battle with sin, while not being exposed to temptations that are impossible to resist (1 Cor. 10:13).
Thus the Holy Spirit is our best Helper to bring forth spiritual truths that truly set us free.
