The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 532

SANCTIFICATION

492

know him from

the least unto the greatest,"

someaccomplished, not by outward study, but by inward apprehension not by an exercise of the memory, but by a renewing of the mind, as St. Paul writes " Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Ezekiel prophesied of this renewing of the mind when he said: " A new heart also will I give you, and a 7iew spirit will I put within you." Instruction formerly received may be used as a means to that end; but the instruction which the human spirit receives in sancHence it is said: "They are tification is not human, but divine. taught of the Lord"; " Every man, therefore, that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto Me"; " I will put My law into shall

thing entirely different and

far

more

glorious.

it

And

offers us this is

;

:

their minds,

and

will write

it

in their hearts."

Since the books of Moses emphasize the fact that the tables of the law were written, not by Moses, Aholiab, nor Bezaliel, but di-

by God's own

from the nature of the case upon the tables of the heart, not as the work of man, but as the direct work of God. The sanctification of the human consciousness is wrought in us by God in a divine, unfathomable, and irresistible way; but not independently of the Word, for that Word itself is divine, and the preaching of the Word is divinely ordained and instituted. But, since the Word and the preaching can only present the matter to the consciousness, it is the Holy Ghost who makes the heart to understand it, declares it to the consciousness, works conviction, and causes the consciousness to assent to it, and thus enables it to feel the pressure which proceeds from that which is written on the

rectly

finger, it follows

that the Scripture intends to present this writing

heart.

Hence

the

sanctification

only in receiving

of

the

consciousness consists, not

new knowledge, and

in

being impressed with

quickened conceptions, but also in having the reason qualified for For the natural man the exercise of entirely different functions. does not understand the things of the Spirit of God; but the spiritual man, i.e., he whose consciousness is regenerated, sanctified. and enlightened discerns all things for such a man, says St. Paul, ;

has the mind of Christ.

However, the

sanctification of our consciousness does not

com-

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