The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 85

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CREATION AND RE-CREATION

45

become unnatural and fallen man a subject for redemption. Lastly, came that of the Holy Spirit regenerating and sanctifying the redeemed on the ground of the work of Christ. According to this view, in childhood, when eating, drinking, and playing occupied all our time, we had to do with the Father. Later, when the conviction of sin dawned upon us, we felt the need of the Son. And not until the life of sanctification had begun in us did Hence while the Father the Holy Spirit begin to take notice of us. wrought, the Son and the Holy Spirit were inactive when the Son undertook His work, the Father and the Holy Spirit were inactive and now since the Holy Spirit alone performs the work, the Father and the Son are idle. But since this view of God is wholly untenable, Sabellius, who elaborated it philosophically, came to the conclusion that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were after all but one Person; who first wrought in creation as Father, then having become the Son wrought out our redemption, and now as the Holy ;

Spirit perfects our sanctification.

And

yet, inadmissible as this

and God-fearing than the crude

view may

be.

it is

more reverent

superficialities of the current

views

that confine the Spirit's operations entirely to the elect, beginning

only at their regeneration. True, sermons on creation referred, in passing, to the moving of the Holy Spirit on the face of the waters, and His coming upon

Bezaleel and Aholiab is treated in the catechetical class but the two are not connected, and the hearer is never made to understand what the Author of our regeneration had to do with the moving upon the waters; they were merely isolated facts. Regeneration was the principal work of the Holy Spirit. Our Reformed theologians have always warned against such representations, which are only the result of making man the starting-point in the contemplation of divine things. They always made God Himself the starting-point, and were not satisfied until the work of the Holy Spirit was clearly seen in all its stages, throughout the ages, and in the heart of every creature. Without this the Holy Spirit could not be God, the object of their adoration. They felt that such superficial treatment would lead to a denial of His personality, reducing Him to a mere force. Hence we have spared no pain, and omitted no detail, in order, by the grace of God, to place before the Church two distinct ;

thoughts, viz.

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