[Introduction to the Greek Word Studies]

LIGHT FROM THE GREEK ON THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Before we get into our Greek word study on the Holy Spirit and the imperative necessity of His ministry I want to go back to the time of creation. On the sixth day God created man [Gen1:27] "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." [2:7] "and the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

When God created man a living soul, that soul as seat and organ of his personality and consciousness, was linked, on the one side, through the body, with the outer visible world, on the other side, through the spirit, with the unseen and the Divine. The soul had to decide whether it would yield itself to the spirit and by yielding to the spirit, be linked with God and His will, or to the body and the solicitations [allurement] of the visible. In the fall, the soul refused the rule of the spirit and became the slave of the body with it's appetites. Man became flesh; the spirit lost it's destined place of rule, and became little more than a dormant power; it is no longer the ruling principle, but a struggling captive. And the spirit now stands in opposition to the flesh. The flesh is the name for the life of soul and body together, in their subjection to sin.

There is a remarkable brick from the wall of Babylon and it bears the inscription of one of it's mighty kings. In the center of the inscription is a footprint of one of the dogs which wandered about the crowded city. t was the custom to imprint the royal mark upon the bricks used for public works. While this particular brick was drying a vagrant dog accidentally walked upon it. The king's inscription is entirely illegible (indecipherable) the dog's footprint is perfectly distinct. The name of the mighty ruler of Babylon is unknown. The footprint of the dog has decidedly the advantage over the inscription of the king.

Can you see in this illustration a picture of man's present condition? Created originally "in the image and after the likeness of God," man as he is now by nature, no longer reflects the moral beauty and perfection of the Divine character. While in one part of his nature, the soul, God's image is defaced, in another part -- the spirit -- it is altogether obliterated. The footprint of the Evil One is distinctly visible.

We wouldn't say that there are no traces of the original inscription. The Scriptures recognize such outlines, though they be faint, even among the heathen [Rom. 2:14,15].
And yet while this is true, the word of God speaks of man as wholly corrupt, and needing a change, so complete and thorough, that it is called a "new creation." [II Cor.5:17]. "He must be born again." [John 3:7].

Now getting back to the flesh, the name for the life of soul and body together, in subjection to sin.

Paul, the Apostle, contrasts the unregenerate man with the spiritual in [I Cor. 2:14]. He calls him physical, soulish, or animal, having only the natural life. This is man's present condition since the Fall - he is "dead in trespasses and sin." [Eph. 2:1]. That is so far as his spirit - nature is concerned, towards God, dead. While he is dead towards God, he is not dead towards sin -- [Jude v19] Pg 42 Law of Liberty In The Spiritual Life. All capacity to understanding the things of the Spirit is gone. The Fall has robbed him of the ability to hold communion with God.

Fallen man is capable of every kind of sin -- not only sin that pertains to the body and soul, but of the sin that pertains to the spirit. he is capable of "Spiritual wickedness." He must therefore still possess a spirit-nature.

Satan needs the spirit of man to produce the highest development of human evil.

Where it is said that man is dead spiritually, we understand by this that he is incapable of intercourse with God. In this condition of death he is incapable of attaining the true ideal of human nature.

"What, then is man in this state?" How do scriptures designate him? He is described as "natural." "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." [I Cor. 2:14]. He is soulish. This is the highest condition he is capable of attaining. He is one whose highest nature is the soul. The natural man is the soulish man. He is governed by his soul. He cannot rise higher, but he may sink lower. He may become devilish. His spirit-nature may become satanically possessed.

Because the soul is under the power of the flesh, man is spoken of as having flesh, as being flesh. as the body consists of flesh and bone, and the flesh is part of it which is specially endowed with sensitivities, and through which we receive our sensations from the outer world, the flesh denoted human nature as it has become subject to the world of sense.

There are three great spheres -- of sense, of reason, and of spirit. The lower animals are endowed with the faculties of seeing and knowing these things common with man. With us they can touch, taste, and see. These powers are possessed by the "brute [beasts] of creation," as well as by ourselves. Of which it is written of a parallel of 'some certain men' who creep in and turn others away from God's Truth. [Jude vs.8-10]

Then there are the things which come within the sphere of reason. Now we rise into a higher domain -- into a region which is beyond the reach of the lower animals. Man alone has the power of drawing deductions, forming conclusions, and grasping abstract notions. Man alone has the sense of moral obligation.

Lastly, there are things that come into the sphere of the spirit. And these the Scripture declare are beyond the reach of the "natural man" -- the physical or soulish man. These belong to the spirit-life, and are grasped by faith.

The great and glorious thing about all this is that the natural man may become spiritual. A blind man sees nothing and cannot see, but the spiritually blind may be restored to sight.

This is brought about by the operation of the Spirit of God. But how? What is the nature of this process?

The spirit is quickened (made alive) by a direct communication of life from above.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." [John 3:6] "Ye must be born from above." So to be alive unto God is to have received this Divine quickening. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God." [I Cor. 2:12]

It is in the spirit-nature the Holy Spirit dwells. Until the nature is quickened, there can be no spiritual nourishment, no spiritual instruction or spiritual training. Question: What is there to instruct? What is there to feed? What is there to develop?

When Divine life has been imparted, that which follows is the growth and development of the spirit-principle; and this involves the progressive transformation of character.

Now the basic important question arises. How do I obtain this impartation of Divine life?

There has to be belief and faith in the existence of God. [Heb.11:6] That the Bible is the Word of God, and that Jesus Christ is God's Son, that He died on the cross to take away our sins [John 3:16], and that by believing in Him and receiving Him as Lord and Saviour, we become His children. [John 1:12]

This is the basic plan of salvation. I acknowledge to Him that I am a sinner and that I need to be saved, I repent of my sins (make about face) ask the Lord to forgive me, invite Him into my life to be my Lord. When this is done sincerely, Christ comes into the life. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. [Rom. 8:16] And there is nothing more wonderful or comforting than to know that if we are the children of God we are "predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son." In it's fullest sense it's realization cannot take place. It is at His appearing that likeness will be complete. "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." [I John 3:2]

But this conformity does not belong to the future alone. In a very true sense it is to take place now. It is a change that goes on into the soul. We are "being changed" -transfigured - "Into the same image from glory to glory." [II Cor. 1:18]

It is not a mere superficial likeness, just as a sovereign bears the image of the Queen. That image is put upon it to give the coin currency, but the sovereign is not the image of the Queen, it is simply stamped with it.

It is a change that takes place from within. Beginning with the spirit of the man; it advances progressively through every part of his nature.

In the words of [Ezek. 36:26,27] is the blessed promise, there is a glorious blessing God bestows through His Spirit. Which is, "A new heart Also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you;" that is man's own spirit is to be renewed and quickened by the work of God's Spirit. For, 'I will put MY Spirit within you.'[To dwell within your spirit.] For this is where God is to dwell, because He desires to have HIS habitation there. THIS IS HIS GRACE, and GLORY being manifested WITHIN the very flesh habitation of man. God is to manifest HIMSELF in and through man, so that THAT man, himself, sees God within his very own spirit. Therefore, God is manifesting Himself in there. Then, that which becomes manifested within, will also become manifested outwardly for others to also see the same manifestation of God. Man no longer sees himself apart (separated) from God, but in communion (totally merged: spirit IN Spirit) IN Him. "I IN you, you IN ME, that we may be ONE." Thus making us to become "ONE NEW MAN IN CHRIST."

The conformity to the image of God's Son consists of change of heart (core of the thought life). Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so as to have the same mind of Christ be known in you. This change is not seen all at once. Similar to a baby being formed within the womb. This form (DNA) is contained within the seed, but has to be brought forth in it's given form, but, within it's time. This also, needs time and the season, in order to form the new (creature) "son of God"

There is a will of the flesh, which is the will of man, and man's fleshly will is to do that which would be opposed to God's will. There is a worship which is satisfying of the flesh, because it is in the power of what flesh can do [Col. 2:18,23], and there is a worship of God which is in the Spirit. So, to become son's of God, one must become ONE, through the *will of which is of God's working, by His Spirit. [John 1:13; Phil 2:13] It is this worship Jesus came to make possible. and to realize in us, by giving a new spirit in our inmost part, and then, within that, God's Holy Spirit. * [God will is to 'Do Mercy' (See the Mercy Study Pages)].

Jesus says in John 4:24 'God is a Spirit and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth.

It is here I want us to find out what the word 'truth' really means. Just as the words in Spirit do not mean internal as contrasted with external observances, but Spiritual, in wrought by God's Spirit, as opposed to what man's natural powers can effect, so the words in Truth do not mean hearty, sincere, upright. Truth here means the substance, the reality, the actual possession of all the worship of God implies, both in what it demands and what it promises.

John speaks of Jesus as 'the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Now let us see here, WHO, Jesus was, He Himself, IS, GRACE (Mercy indwelling) and THE TRUTH (substance of God).' Faith IS THE SUBSTANCE (SPIRIT TRUTH OF GOD).
'They that worship God MUST worship Him IN Spirit and IN TRUTH' 'You shall have NO OTHER god, before HIM.' (in front of, besides, instead of, positioned in HIS rightful position, or anything else sitting on the throne of your very core of life, taking precedence over MERCY, HIMSELF.)

Next page: The Ministry Of The Holy Spirit, continued