The Holy Spirit JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE PARTNERS
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Rom. 8:11.
The work of God for us is accomplished by Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the work of God in us is accomplished by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is Jesus and the Holy Spirit working together in both. There is no need to distinguish between them. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. The work of the Holy Spirit, following conversion and regeneration, is to cleanse the Christian. This is one of the unique missions of the people who are symbolized by the three angels--to emphasize something in addition to justification, that is, the transforming, victorious power of the Holy Spirit.
The subject of the cleansing work of the Spirit was not clearly taught by Luther and other Protestant leaders. One of the unique contributions by the remnant church to the world is to emphasize both the work of justification and cleansing, which are both of God and the Holy Spirit.
One of the problems is that many people who become Christians experience only the first works of the Holy Spirit, in convicting of sin and converting the sinner. But they have done nothing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the work of cleansing. They go to church and sit on the pew week after week, and yet know nothing of a daily experience with Jesus, which is the factor that enables the Holy Spirit to do His cleansing and sanctifying work. The Desire of Ages, page 302 says, "If the eye is kept fixed on Christ, the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image." It is through constant communication and fellowship with God that we cooperate with the Spirit for His cleansing work in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is the breath of spiritual life in the soul. The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ (ibid., p. 805). It is by choosing the continuing relationship with Jesus that we allow the Holy Spirit to accomplish for us the cleansing that He has in mind.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Rom. 8:11.
The work of God for us is accomplished by Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the work of God in us is accomplished by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is Jesus and the Holy Spirit working together in both. There is no need to distinguish between them. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. The work of the Holy Spirit, following conversion and regeneration, is to cleanse the Christian. This is one of the unique missions of the people who are symbolized by the three angels--to emphasize something in addition to justification, that is, the transforming, victorious power of the Holy Spirit.
The subject of the cleansing work of the Spirit was not clearly taught by Luther and other Protestant leaders. One of the unique contributions by the remnant church to the world is to emphasize both the work of justification and cleansing, which are both of God and the Holy Spirit.
One of the problems is that many people who become Christians experience only the first works of the Holy Spirit, in convicting of sin and converting the sinner. But they have done nothing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the work of cleansing. They go to church and sit on the pew week after week, and yet know nothing of a daily experience with Jesus, which is the factor that enables the Holy Spirit to do His cleansing and sanctifying work. The Desire of Ages, page 302 says, "If the eye is kept fixed on Christ, the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image." It is through constant communication and fellowship with God that we cooperate with the Spirit for His cleansing work in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is the breath of spiritual life in the soul. The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ (ibid., p. 805). It is by choosing the continuing relationship with Jesus that we allow the Holy Spirit to accomplish for us the cleansing that He has in mind.
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