Called Unto Holiness # 11

Likeness to Christ

The Right Adjustment to the Holy Spirit

This work of sanctification can be carried on only through the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, that second great gift bestowed at to us. The moment you were brought into union with Christ, the wonderful Holy Spirit came to indwell you, and He is there for one purpose: to glorify Christ in you. How does He do this?

The Spirit of Truth Who Enlightens

As the Spirit of truth He enlightens us that we may know what we possess in Christ and what Christ possesses in us. Ephesians speaks  of a double inheritance, the saint's inheritance in Christ and Christ's inheritance in the saint.

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe" (Ephesians 1:17-19).

The Spirit of truth gives us a progressive revelation of Christ and of our riches in Him so that once having seen Him, we will want Him and Him only.

The Spirit of Power Who Enables

As the Spirit of power He enables us that we may possess what we know to be ours in Christ. He is the power who works in us to make Christ a living reality within and to fill us unto all the fullness of God.

"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; ... that ye might be filled unto all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19). The Spirit of power works for a progressive realization of Christ within us as our life and our Lord.

The Spirit of Holiness Who Separates

As the Spirit of holiness, he separates us from the world. He shows us there can be no mixture between darkness and light, no friendship between the world and the Church. The Spirit makes us know that whoever is a friend of the world is in the light of God an adulteress, for that one has broken the marriage vow to Christ and, by so doing, has become the enemy of God.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (2 Co. 6:14, 17).

"Ye adulteresses [who break your marriage vow to Christ], know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

The Spirit of holiness works progressively to separate us from earthly things and from the love of the world and to strip us of everything of which Christ is not the source, the center, and the goal.

~Ruth Paxson~

(continued with # 12 - "The Spirit of Life Who Counteracts")