MONDAY, OCTOBER 2
John 14: 15-18
1 Corinthians 2:9-16

“…and a light unto my path.”

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Men of the world (“the natural man”) cannot receive the Spirit of truth because they do not know Him, neither can they understand His teaching. The Spirit has come to reveal and to teach us the deep things of God that “eye hath not seen, nor ear … heard the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor 2:9). These are spiritual things, the invisible things of God (1 Cor 2:14).

The worldwide “Holy Spirit Renewal” movement is also the Charismatic movement. Its groups and members make extravagant and startling claims of “gifts of the Holy Spirit” – prophecies, visions, healings, tongues, “signs and wonders.” Today we shall look into a few of these claims and examine them in the light of God’s Word, whether the alleged “miracles” are indeed attributable to the “Spirit of truth.”

A fervent Charismatic couple was reported to have had this extraordinary experience: “One day our automobile was involved in an accident and the bodywork was badly dented. That night we committed the matter to God in prayer. Next morning, lo and behold, the dent had disappeared, healed by the Holy Spirit!!” Among other claims of Holy Spirit healing are: dead puppies raised to life, washing machines healed, empty gas tanks supernaturally filled, men and women “slain” (The Charismatics by MacArthur, 1979). In America and elsewhere these claims are so prolific that they can hardly be numbered, let alone verified.

But verification is not the problem. We are more concerned with the understanding of the work of the Spirit. When our Lord promised to send the Comforter, “that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17), was it for the purpose of our mundane and material needs? Is the Spirit (or another spirit) the agent responsible for the ever-abounding and bizarre claims of “signs and miracles”?

THOUGHT: (Read John 8:32.)
PRAYER: “Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me…”