Today, Selwyn talks about an important aspect of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.
He says: “A question I have often been asked concerning the Holy Spirit is this: Does the Holy Spirit withdraw from our hearts if we ever fall into sin? I have thought long and hard about this, and I have to say. He is hurt by our sin, even deeply saddened by it, but He remains with us and in us nevertheless. … Experiencing the sting of one’s own conscience when one has sinned is bad enough, but the thought that the Holy Spirit is there in the soul also – hurting, grieved and pained – seems to make the sin more heinous still.”
I agree with Selwyn that God stays with those He has ‘predestined’ to be His. Not only do we have the verses from Ephesians (1:13-14, which Selwyn quotes, ‘ … you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit … guaranteeing our inheritance.’ We also have a number of other verses, Romans 8:28-29 (NIV): “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
However, I think that there are two sides to a relationship – God, always stays with us, His children; but we can separate our will, from God’s will – in a sense we can take a different path, yet He is always with us to lead us back to the one, true path. In 1 John 2:4-6 (NIV), we read: “The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
It is important to recall, the words of Jesus on this issue, which clearly and unambiguously tells us, the role of the Holy Spirit, John 14:14-2, 26 (NIV): “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. … the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Did you notice there is a condition – ‘If, you love Me – you will (try to) obey my commands – I’ll will then live in you’?
Satan and the Holy Spirit cannot co-exist in the same heart – do you believe this statement?
A lot of what Paul writes about in his letters points to a gradual transformation of our heart, and with perseverance, it becomes more and more like the heart of Jesus. We seek His perfection, but we never, even get close to reaching it – this side of the grave – yet, it is the direction which we must follow. It is in following Jesus that we experience the full benefit of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, it’s my view that during periods of conscious sin; we do separate ourselves from the guidance and benefits of the Holy Spirit – but not His presence. And, He can intervene at any time and in any way, to point us in the right direction – just like He did with David – as an act of grace. Do you agree?