LORD’S DAY, OCTOBER 1
Genesis 1:1-2
John 1:1-3

“Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet…”

THE HOLY SPIRIT

There is an urgent and universal need for Christians to be well acquainted with the person of the Holy Spirit, for the knowledge in this area is either woefully lacking in some, or mixed with much that is false in others. Ignorance of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity is dishonouring to Him and highly injurious to ourselves. On the other hand, confused and erroneous teaching leads to a multitude of unchristian and unscriptural practices. It is needful therefore that every true child of God make a serious and diligent study of the Holy Scriptures.

In the Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism Question 9 says: “How many persons are there in the Godhead?” Answer: “There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.” Christians are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Benedictions are ended with the same words.

Of God the Father, most of us can say: “He is the Lord Almighty who created all things and me.” Of God the Son, we all know Him as “the Son of God who loved me and died for me.” But what can you say of the Holy Ghost? Can you say with any degree of confidence that “He is the Comforter sent from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, and He lives in me?” If we humbly confess our ignorance of the Holy Spirit, the blessed Spirit will teach us and guide us into all truth.

The gift of the Spirit is the crowning mercy of God in Christ. It was in the eternal counsels of the Triune Godhead that the Church should be born of the Spirit and be sustained, nourished, kept and sanctified by the same blessed Spirit. Every spiritual gift of God is communicated to us by the Spirit. All our knowledge and understanding of the truth is by the enlightening of the Spirit. The question is: how well do you know the Spirit?

THOUGHT: Ignorance of the Spirit is not bliss.
PRAYER: Lord, teach me about the Holy Spirit.