The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 64

THE CREATION

24

might say that it consists merely in finishing the perfection of the creature. But this is not so. Every believer knows that there is a most intimate connection between his life before and after conversion not as tho the former determined the latter, but in such a way that the life in sin and the life in the beauty of holiness are both conditioned by the same character and disposition, by similar circumstances and influences. Wherefore, to bring about our final perfection the Holy Spirit must influence the previous development, the formation of character, and the disposition of the whole person. And this operation, altho less marked in the natural life, must However, since our personal life is only a manifesalso be traced. tation of human life in general, it follows that the Holy Spirit must have been active also in the creation of man, altho in a less marked degree. And finally, as the disposition of man as such is connected with the host of heaven and earth, His work must touch the formation of this also, tho to a much less extent. Hence the Spirit's work reaches as far as the influences that affect man ;

in the attaining of his destiny or in the failure to attain

it.

And

the measure of the influence is the degree in which they affect In the departure of the redeemed soul every one acknowledges a work of the Holy Spirit; but who can trace His work in the star-movements? Yet the Scripture teaches not only that we are bom again by the power of the Spirit of God, but that " by the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath [Spirit] of His mouth." Wherefore the Spirit's work leading the creature to its destiny includes an influence upon all creation from the beginning. And, if sin had not come in, we might say that this work is done in three successive steps: first, impregnating inanimate matter; second, animating the rational soul third, taking up His abode in the elect his perfecting.

;

child of God.

a power appeared to keep man and Hence the Holy Spirit must antagonize sin His calling is to annihilate it, and despite its opposition to cause the elect children of God and the entire creation to reach their end. Redemption is therefore not a new work added to that of the Holy Spirit, but it is identical with it. He undertook to bring all

But

sin

entered

nature frorn their

in,

i.e.,

destiny.

;

things to their destiny either without the disturbance of sin or in of it J first, by saving the elect, and then by restoring all things heaven and on earth at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

spite

in

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen