The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit lesson 12 continued
JD McCulley · Aug 8, 2021
Holy Spirit (2021-23), No. 25
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49261923501762

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Well, okay. Let's pick up with question number three. Explain sanctification by position. Go for it, someone. Well, I put a sanctification outside and not within ourselves. We have been taken from our position of distance and set apart as belonging to him.

It only happened once and it will never be rescinded. So was that clear enough? No, it was really well written. You didn't copy that, did you? I don't think so. I copied a little bit of it. It's in the paragraph. You don't have to answer that. I was just messing with you. Explained sanctification by position. Go ahead, Jim. I was just going to say, from a positional standpoint, it sounds like an historical fact. whereas conditionally, it's an ongoing process. I like that. I don't know if I've heard it put that way before. Historical fact. Mm-hmm.

A couple, so in Hebrews, Chapter 10, 14, I believe, it's not, I didn't write it down, but, by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And it goes on to say, for by one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified. Any thoughts on that? I like the two words, once for all and forever.

Positional truth is one of those things that I think maybe we don't think about a lot, but it really is a substance of our faith. What God has already done not only for the believer, but to the believer, makes a huge difference when you understand about these things that happened at the cross that are absolutely true of us and like Brian says, outside of us, but they're true. And so I think you see with lots of conversations with believers who are struggling, their struggle is based on the fact they either don't know their position positions, plural, or two, they may know them, but they don't believe them. Because they're relying on their experiences and circumstances rather than what the Word of God says. Let's assume that a believer knows what position means and what sanctification means, but what about the relationship? of those uh... i think there's a lot of dispensation list that might know those two terms beyond dispensation lists i mean just god fearing believers that have been introduced by some form but they don't understand that the relationship let's talk a little bit about that relationship I sound like a therapist all of a sudden.

But no, I do really want to talk about what do the two have to do with each other? Because usually you think about, oh, this is my position, and this is my condition, and how I'm being sanctified. Assuming you know that, what's the real relationship there?

I was gonna say, I think a big thing that I've had to learn is just recognizing, like the whole reckoning, right? Like just understanding your position, trusting it to be true is a huge part of growing, right? Does that make sense? Yeah, no, it totally did.

And the word reckoning is critical in that answer. You have to reckon that what God has said is true of you in order to believe it and walk according to it. Well, J.D., sometimes I think you read it and you believe it and you understand it to the point that you respond to it, but your walk doesn't line up. And so I think you get stuck in a, oh, I got to try harder syndrome, or I've got to make this walk look like what I know my position to be.

And so the relationship there ultimately boils down to, well, which is true? My inability to live up to my position or the position itself? Which one is really true? You know, Mike, I think there's, it goes back to what Jimmy was saying between position and condition.

I think we, we take sanctification. And that's is right outputs out that's related to to our position. I think when we get confused, I think our condition is not as much related to sanctification, but it's related to growth. And that's, we confuse sanctification with growth. And that our position, we try to, you know, we have been sanctified. We have been set apart. As I said, historical, it's done. And the setting apart is done. But we try and then relate it in our condition. But that's growth. That's maturity, spiritual maturity. That isn't sanctification. We've already been set apart.

So I think that's where the confusion lays maybe well, you know Jimmy's talking about his buddy that Looks like he's got cancer. What are you gonna say to him? Well, you're gonna talk to him about position, you know, if you're a believer, here's what's true of you Well, you know what you get back is well, you don't have cancer and where my experience or my circumstances don't line up with what my position says. So I'm not sure I can rest my faith in the position you're telling me about because my experience is different. And so I think a lot of times that this struggle between our experience and our position goes on for a long time before we finally settle down and trust God and believe Him for what He told us and is true of us. I like that. I think I come back to that. I think we all understand so much about these truths.

We understand the positional truth, but I think that we have to go beyond understanding it and hanging out with Christ. We have to have union, and fellowship, and that solves all the problems. All of a sudden, those trials become easier, and our walk becomes more spiritual if we're hanging out with Him. The knowledge of the truths are critical, but the focus in hanging out with Christ solves it.

Mm-hmm, I like that. Yeah, something, it might be a little, cliche to say this this way but I don't have cancer I have Christ right so I don't have whatever I have Christ and that's that's the truth that's the deepest truth that you you you might suffer we're all gonna suffer we're all gonna deal with it it just kind of came to my mind as I was listening you guys you know I like The Fridays, Hungry Heart. I like the quote by Arno Gablein.

He said to walk by the Spirit is not self-occupation, nor even occupation with the Spirit. Walking according to the Spirit is occupation with the Lord Jesus. When the believer looks to the Lord Jesus, depends on Him, draws all he needs from Him, if the Lord Jesus is his all, then the believer walks in the Spirit.

That's progressive sanctification right there, is what he's talking about. You know, walking, you know, occupation with the Lord Jesus. And he has to do it, so that's the only way it happens. Yeah. There is a sanctification which is positional, it's permanent.

But there's also a sanctification that is conditional, where it's a growth in knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Yeah, just to remind us all that that sanctification term means being set apart from what and by what means. And that's what we're kind of talking about here. So question number four says, what is meant by our condition?

Somebody grabbed Colossians 3.1. and then another grab a fusions six ten so colossus three one and a fusions six ten colossus three one is that should be risen with christ to those things which are about right that all of it What does that mean?

So let's hold on to Ephesians 6.10 for a minute, and Colossians 3.1, what's the key terms there?

We're raised. Yeah, since I am raised. I am raised. And so what does a raised person do? See, I've been crucified, buried, and resurrected with Christ, and that death with Christ separated me, again, positionally, from all that the world has to offer. So now I'm risen. I'm a new creature in Christ. I need to learn about my new environment, which is- And how does that happen?

Oh, good question. Being in Christ, in Christ, inside Christ. you know, that relationship again. And what does the Holy Spirit have to do with that? Yeah, what a great question that is. I think the first thing the Spirit has to do is you have to recognize that you were separated from the world positionally, and that that separation is total and complete. and that you were risen in Christ to newness of life, and with all that newness. And there has to be a educational process and a persuading process about that. So, is that our point? Is that the Holy Spirit? No, it's not the Holy Spirit. That's Holy Bill. Holy Bill.

Yeah, no, I think you're right, Mike. So there's definitely a convincing and convicting that we've talked about. Yeah. Use those words quite a bit. Um, of the truth of what you just read, uh, looking above to who we are in our position. And then looking down, we talked about the arrow last week. Uh, we looked down from the truths that we are convicted and convinced of. Right. Yeah.

Well, and as I read down the next couple of verses, I mean, it ties back to what you've been saying about, you know, earlier on about COVID, you know, we live or we die or whatever. And it says, I mean, set your mind on these things and, you know, what things?

For you have died, you know, your life is hidden with Christ in God. And I think there's so many issues in the world today. I mean, if we recognize the fact that we're, you know, we have already died, that we're in Christ, then we're untouchable, right? And all these things just become a lot less of a big deal, I guess, is maybe the way that I have to look at some of these things is, you know, big deal, you know, I've already died, I'm in Christ.

But it just seems like setting our mind on that is a major part of how we are sanctified through some of these trials and things, right? Whether it's cancer, whether it's COVID, whether it's whatever you're facing, right? Back to your question on what does the Holy Spirit do, J.D., the Holy Spirit is constantly leading us to Christ. It's His total focus is informing us about Christ, leading us to Christ.

So that was just my quick answer on that. Yeah, and miles and Jimmy both. Touched on two of the same things in terms of. In Christ, right? Hidden in Christ enveloped what however you want to describe it beyond. You know what? What we read here? Holy Spirit is. His. entire focus is to do exactly what you just said.

Um, to communicate who you are in Christ and to develop that out in your experience as well. So let's read Ephesians 6 10. Maybe that'll give us a little bit more clarity. I'll finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. How does that work? The dog has the answer. That's the Holy Spirit again. I think through the Holy Spirit leading us to Christ Jesus our Lord as often as possible, conditionally. They want it in the same. It's an infancy to maturity concept. It's not a concept, it should be a reality for a believer. Well, how much strength do we have? None. Ourselves. Yeah. Basically zero. And the Holy Spirit directs us to the Lord who has all the strength. So.

Well, you know, back to the Colossians verse when he says, set your mind on things above. Since you've been risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. What are the things? That's a good question. That comes into question number five here. The things are the person of Christ himself. And so like in Hebrews 11, 1, it talks about faith is a substance of things hoped for. They're God's things.

So believers that are heavenly minded and are aware of what goes on in the heavenlies, which is their home, this Colossians verse really fits, because from a conditional standpoint, Say it another way, we're not from around here. We really are aliens and sojourners on the planet. But we need to learn about our home. That's a nice way of putting it. Yep. OK. So what are the things that we set our mind on? Obviously, the person of Christ. But what does that really mean?

Second Corinthians 318. Read it. Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. I'm changed from one state of glory to the next state of glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. So the beholding of the things of Christ is in his word. Because we're here, I think it's reflective. Now we see partially, then face to face. But the word of God is designed to reveal a person to us. Facts go along with the person. That's how you get to know Christ. I've said a thousand times probably that the only reason you read your Bible is to know Christ. To hang out with him, to behold his glory. Yeah, I think Jimmy said that earlier, just to hang out with Christ.

Yeah, I like what Courtney said two weeks ago when he said he first thing he does reads a chapter every morning when he gets up and that's That's going and hanging out with Christ and letting the Holy Spirit, you know guide you and all of that. It's beautiful Yeah So is condition the same for every the condition of our experience in walking with the Lord the same for every believer. Same process, different conditions for each one.

Russ, did you agree with that? I saw you kind of nodding there. You're on mute. I wanted to pull you off mute. I agree with that. Yeah. It's not the same for every believer. And that's really hard for some of us to grasp that. Oh, I'm echoing. I think I look around the room and the different Zoom views and all of our conditions are different. But what's not different about us? Our position's not different. That's right. Yeah.

And that's really hard to take in sometimes, especially when, you know, you get someone kind of on an offshoot and they're like, you know, they're a believer or you would assume that they are as much as you can tell. And all of a sudden they go down a different path or they do something that's, you know, something that you wouldn't do and you wouldn't think was based on your position, but that's what they, they still reside in that same space that you do with the Lord. You're still hidden in him and they're hidden in him. And it's really sometimes difficult to, to depend on, our position, and then much less another person's position in Christ.

I don't know if I said that really well, but it's not the same for every believer. Any thoughts there? I think that's right, JD. And I think a lot of Christian conversation has to do with that exact point. You have discussions with other believers, It isn't that you're debating about your position, but you might talk about, well, you know, what has the Lord shown me today would be different than what He's showing you today. Same Christ, but different aspect of Him.

Isn't it a completely different conversation if you have that conversation from position versus condition, too? Yes. Yes, sure. Absolutely. I think one of the things that we can definitely grow in as believers is speaking to other believers from the perspective of position. Because that's where the conviction of the spirit works is the truth, right? Yeah. Not looking at what, oh, you're dealing with X, Y, or Z. This is who you are. Do you believe that? And then the Holy Spirit's the one that does the work there, right?

I was just thinking about Jim's friend, Patrick, and position and condition and sanctification and justification. For me, what I've learned in this church is that I have total and complete peace in regardless of what's going on in my life. Because I know that God sees me justified. I see through my position, God sees me absolutely sanctified, 100% complete and safe and secure in Christ. the Holy Spirit placed me into Christ. And as far as Patrick having a piece about a horrible physical condition, he's literally, from like a non-understanding of position and condition, you have no idea whether you're saved. And in the Catholic Church, they tell you that if you know you're saved, it's a sin of presumption.

And so it's a beautiful thing to have a total peace within a person. Yeah, I like the way you stated that, Ross. It's the safe and secure. What's that based on, though? Let's look at question number six. Explain conditional sanctification. What's it based on?

It might be a song that comes to somebody's head. You're laughing. Why are you laughing? You're going to have to answer the question now, Mike. Well, I'm amusical. Musical. I can turn the radio on and off. That's it. Me too. I used to try to pretend, but.

I think one of the hardest things early on is to actually investigate your position to know what it is. because everything what's your position based on that based on god's word and and work of christ on the cross that's right nothing but the blood of jesus right that's right that's exactly right is grace and mike's right it's totally on based on grace god has given it free If I don't understand it, then I'm subject to all of the winds of doubt and the circumstances that surround me on the earth. The more position that I understand and know and believe, I would say, the greater rest I have about circumstances because, you know, number one, I have a sovereign father who controls all circumstances.

I'll tell you where you really see it in our society is this COVID thing. You can tell the believers that, not that they're frivolous and not that they're not willing to be compliant, but there's rest about that. They're not worried that they're gonna bump into somebody and get sick and, oh, I may die. Oh, well, what's wrong with that as a Christian? Maybe I get to go home today. Miles Stanford had a saying that said, look, the facts of your position overwhelm the circumstances of your condition. I really like that. That's a good one. Jim, a couple of things, too.

I think of when is the Holy Spirit not working on you? What, does he take a day off? Does he go look at you or whatever? When, I mean, right there that gives me peace, knowing that he's always working. And it gets back to what's been comforting me for years, is the two facts. Do you believe God is the sovereign God? That he's in control?

And the second half, which is the Romans eight, which you can't be separated from his love. So even in pancreatic cancer or in blessings or whatever, the Holy Spirit doesn't take a day off on any of that in working with us and convincing us. And God is sovereignly in control of all things, not just partially, but all things. And he's using all things, inanimate objects, everything. And his whole goal and the Spirit's goal is to conform us to Christ, ultimately to glorify the Father.

And when you put that in perspective, no matter what comes your way, that's what he's doing. And that gives you, again, the peace that surpasses all understanding. And I go back to the usual from our side is, in James, consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith then it produces endurance and all the things, but these trials are meant, you know, ultimately to test our faith.

Do we believe what's true about us? Do we believe what is in God's word that says, you know, positionally we're in Christ? So, like, you know, we say there's two days in a Christian's life, the two best days are when he comes to know the Lord and when he goes home to be face to face with him. Those are the two best days of a Christian's life.

Do we believe that? what if you wake up one morning and say i don't believe it or i'm having trouble believing it, what do i do? it's still true well i know it's still true but the problem is i must not have enough faith to be resting in it your natural man's never going to believe it and if you're thinking through the mind of a natural man and relying on that you're in trouble but when you get in the word and you're in your inner man you always believe it well i guess And the ancillary question is, is my spiritual growth slow because I'm slow or because the Holy Spirit is just not busy enough?

He's thorough. And if I'm slow, we're going to cover a cool verse this morning that Paul talks about how God's grace motivates him to outwork everybody. So I think the spirit of God, like I think Courtney said, he never stops and he never gives up. The problem is that my faith is so slow sometimes. I think he keeps coming around to the same issue time after time until I learn it.

But that gets back to the growth factor. Can you do calculus when you're a one-year-old? No. receive all of this at one time. And it's a slow, it's a slow process and it's a lifetime for us to be, you know, God uses us until he's done with all the works he has for us and then he takes his home. But it's, he's working on us 24 seven growing us, drawing us to him and conforming us to his image. Yeah, that's right. Whether we doubt it or not, he's still doing it. Everybody grows at a different rate anyway.

Some people stay children all the way after 40 years. The Holy Spirit gives us what we need at the time he deems it's right. J.B. Stoney says that God gives us trials, and if we don't learn that trial fully, it's an accumulating trial. And the same trial keeps coming back. Once we learn the trial, we never have that particular trial again. We've learned. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we're at time. Oh, go ahead, Russ.

I was going to say, J.B., that I was going to say that, you know, our condition really matters. And we're supposed to become, you know, conformed to the image of Christ over time, positioning we're already there. And so it isn't that it doesn't matter that our position is stagnant, because we need to be being conformed to the image of Christ. So we need to grow. But the covering thing is that Jesus has already sanctified me and he's declared me to be justified.

And that is such a wonderful truth that we know is from our Lord's Word. I totally agree, Russ. That's such a good... just making sure that we understand that truth based on scripture, that we are being conformed to the image of Christ. It's very, very important.

I like Philippians 3.10. You want to read it real quick? To know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering. That's miles there. Keep looking down. This has been very great this morning. I've gleaned a lot from each of you and I appreciate it.

Why don't we pray? We'll get back together next week and continue the discussions around the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. So let's pray. Father, how we thank you for our security, for safety in you and the conviction and the convincing of the Holy Spirit of that truth in our position. Lord, may we not look upon other believers as having a conditional experience that is similar to ours, but trust them to rely on the truths that are real, that are facts. And may we continue to look down 24-7. The Holy Spirit convinces us of that. And as we listen, we learn.

And in terms of our trials, Lord, they're accumulating. And may we not continue to allow those trials to overwhelm us, but to be overwhelmed by who we are in you. And most of all, we thank you for your love and your grace. It's your name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, J.D. Thanks, J.D. Thank you, J.D.