The Way to Eternity
What Must I Do?
2. Receive the Holy Spirit
BE BORN AGAIN
This also is a requirement of Jesus. He told Nicodemus that he must be born again, not this time in a physical sense, but born of the Spirit. It is sometimes referred to as being baptised in the Spirit, or being anointed in the Spirit. The image of being born of the Spirit is of the Holy Spirit being wedded or blended with our human spirit to produce a new creation. Being baptised in the Spirit is a picture of being immersed and soaking up the attributes of the Holy Spirit such as goodness, truth, love and power. The anointing, as in a king's coronation, is the setting apart and empowering for a task. All this is a miracle of God's grace. It has no set pattern or procedure. God decides how it happens and how long it takes. God may initiate it, as with Cornelius' household (Acts 10). He may require an understanding, desire for and asking for this gift, as with the Ephesian disciples (Acts 19). It is an event which may have outward signs such as praise and prophecy. We always have to make a response. If God calls us and makes the offer of his gift, we can accept it or refuse it. It is not forced upon us. If we desire it, then we need to ask and pray earnestly and persistently for it. The Bible gives instances of other Christians helping with prayer and laying on of hands (Acts 8 : 17).
In 2 Corinthians 1 vv 21 and 22 Paul likens receiving the Holy Spirit to a deposit or down payment on goods, which are then stamped or sealed with the owner's name. We receive God's stamp or seal, showing that we belong to him. It is also the guarantee that he has more to give us.
GO ON BEING FILLED
This also relates to the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Going on being filled is a process. It goes on continuously for the rest of our lives. This ties in with Paul's idea of a seal and deposit, guaranteeing more to follow. References to being filled (as in Ephesians 5 : 18) are to "go on being filled". In another analogy the Holy Spirit is likened to "living water" which flows into us, through us and out of us. It is a continuous flow. The ongoing work of the indwelling Spirit is to transform us into the likeness of Jesus which lifts us from one degree of glory to another in the process of a lifetime. The continuous filling with the Spirit is a continuing equipping and empowering for service. We are called to different forms of service, some to evangelism, some to teaching, some to healing and deliverance, and so on. The calling to and the equipping for ministry come from God. We have to be available to be used.
SHOW FRUIT
We show fruit by our character and lifestyle of goodness. This is seen in practice by the way we show consideration and helpfulness to other people, and by doing the good deeds which God has designed for us. These good deeds must not be confused with works of self-righteousness, done in the hope of earning salvation. Salvation is God's gift of grace, which we do not deserve and cannot earn. The works which are pleasing to God are those which he plans and works through us, using us as his instruments or channels of his blessing.
John the Baptist used this expression, saying our lives had to show the fruit of repentance. Jesus also talked about fruit, saying that a plant is shown to be good or bad by the nature of its fruit. He approved the rich young ruler's keeping of the Ten Commandments, but told him that more was needed. He must share his wealth with the poor. He warned his disciples against the desire for material possessions, particularly the love of money. We cannot worship both God and material riches.
Fruit in our lives is produced through obedience to Jesus, as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus laid down some specific requirements. We are to love God and our fellow men (giving the widest interpretation to the word "neighbour"). We are to worship, pray, and break bread together. Our dealings with other people are illustrated in the Sermon on the Mount. These are not things that we force ourselves to do, but they are things which we are enabled to do. They are not legal demands, they are a standard against which we can measure our progress into righteous living as the Holy Spirit works through us.
This working of the Holy Spirit is emphasised by Paul when he talks of the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the attributes of Jesus, which the Holy Spirit brings to fruition in our lives.
PERSEVERE
We need to persevere in our lifestyle of goodness. It is not something that we do for a while, then slip back into our old ways. We have to continue faithfully on the path to which we have been called and to which we have committed ourselves. Jesus said that after we have put our hand to the plough, we must not look back. We must learn to take up our cross daily and follow him. This means a total surrender of our lives to him, whatever the consequences. Paul uses the imagery of the runner in a race, and tells Timothy, "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith". The writer to the Hebrews also uses the analogy of a race to stress the need for perseverance, and says, "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised". The word is also used in the letter of James. "Perseverance must finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete". It is used by Peter in his second letter in the linked series of attributes: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, love. So many of the New Testament writers draw our attention to this.