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The Economy of the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant in Jesus Christ Moe Bergeron. ESSENTIALS #3. 1. Sovereign Grace Fellowship. The Economy of the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant / Law of the Spirit = The law of love for God and neighbor
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The Economy of the Holy Spirit The New Covenant in Jesus ChristMoe Bergeron ESSENTIALS #3 1 Sovereign Grace Fellowship
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • The New Covenant / Law of the Spirit = The law of love for God and neighbor • Brief Review: The new (then future) Covenant announced by the prophets was established by means of a radical change in man’s relationship with God through a change of law and its priesthood. Most folks understand how the change of priesthood from the Levitical system to Jesus Christ but most do not understand how the people of God are affected by the change in law as covenant. • Hebrews 7:12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. • Unlike the external Law Code written on tablets of stone, the (new) Law was to become, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit on man’s heart, an interior guideline, established "in the depths of man’s being". • As the Apostle writes to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 3:3): • "You show that you are a letter from Christdelivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." • Therefore the Law of the Spirit is man's interior imperative, or as plainly understood, it is the same Holy Spirit who is the regenerate person's teacher and guide in the depths of his or her heart. 2
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • The law of the Gospel, contained in the word and confirmed by the life and death of Christ, consists in a divine revelation which includes the continuing active work of the Holy Spirit within his New Covenant people, as Paul writes: • "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom 8:2). • According to the Apostle, the Holy Spirit, who "gives life" because through him man's spirit shares in God's life, becomes at the same time the new principle and source of man's activity: • "in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Rom 8:4). • It is the law which gives freedom, as Paul writes: • "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom 8:2). • End of Review 3
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • Pentecost was not just about the giving or the receiving of gifts. • Pentecost was about God giving the Gift of His Holy Spirit – GOD (HS) IS GOD’S GIFT! • And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." (Acts 2:38-39)Pentecost, in so far as it is "the pouring into our hearts" of God's love (cf. Rom 5:5), marked the beginning of a new human morality, based on the "law of the Spirit". • Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5) • This new morality established by Jesus Christ and administered by his Holy Spirit is more than mere observance of external law dictated by reason or by Revelation itself. It derives from, and at the same time reaches, something more profound. It derives from the Holy Spirit, who makes it possible, for his saints to live in a love which comes from God; it becomes a reality in our lives by having been poured into our hearts. 4
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • The Apostle Paul was (perhaps) the greatest teacher of this higher morality, rooted in "the law of the Spirit". • Prior to his conversion he had been a zealous pharisee, an expert on the Old Covenant law, a meticulous observer and a fanatical defender of the "letter of the Old Law," and who later became an apostle of Christ, could write about himself: • "God... who has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Cor 3 6). 5
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST • ROM 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. • The Word "For," which begins our text teaches us that our text is a proof of verse one. • ROM 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. • There is a total contrast between "...the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [and] ...the law of sin and death." • What are these two laws? They are synonymous with ROM 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. • Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. (Romans 3:27) • The law of the gospel must be understood as "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," for indeed it is a law with precepts and sanctions. • The law of the Spirit is Spiritual, not in the letter, but in the spirit of the law of love. The law of the gospel is called the "spirit of life," because through the preaching the Holy Spirit quickens and renews the soul. 6
The Economy of the Holy Spirit Practical Implications: ROM 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ROM 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. [i.e., the law of the gospel] For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? It was only in those whom the Holy Spirit quickens and renews the soul, that obeyed the gospel. Apart from the Holy Spirit’s activity no one would be saved. 7
The Economy of the Holy Spirit FOR OUR FIRST POINT, with God's help let's endeavor to unfold this "...law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” FOR OUR SECOND POINT, may God help to unfold what it is to be made "...free from the law of sin and death." 8
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • FOR OUR FIRST POINT, with God's help let's endeavor to unfold this • "...law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” • Let's attempt to deal with our first point now. • The law of the Spirit is "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," because He is the head of His church. • TIT 3:5-6 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; • The law of the Spirit is "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," because He is a covenant God. • HEB 8:10-11 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: • It was this "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" that the Psalmist wrote of in • PSA 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 9
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • When this "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," is written upon the tables of the heart there is not only a "delight in the law of God after the inward man," ROM 7:22, but there is a seeking and searching after God's will. • PSA 119:34-35 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. • This is synonymous with MAT 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” • The Lord has no pleasure in our doing His orders. "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" with our eye on the reward is what we find in EPH 6:6-8 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; • As with the laws of men, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," extends a reward that is equal to its penalty. 10
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • The law of the gospel, or "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," is that which the Apostle referred to in ROM 3:27 “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” • The law of the gospel, or "...the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," is referred to as the law of Christ in GAL 6:1-2; • “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” • Christ's kingdom was established, not only to saves sinners, but as we read in ROM 14:7-9 “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” • Entering the kingdom of heaven is entering the service of Christ as King. • Pardon and eternal life are Christ's reward to those who truly repent of their sins and live a new life of obedience to "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.“ 11
The Economy of the Holy Spirit • This "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," has all the requirements of a law, both penalty and reward. • DEU 18:18-19 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. • This is synonymous with what Jesus said in JOH 12:48-49; • He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. • What was this that Jesus had just spoken unto the people which He referred to here? • JOH 12:46-47 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 12
The Economy of the Holy Spirit As Jesus concludes His Sermon On The Mount He crystallizes that law of love into one verse. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. MT 7:12 13