This morning, as my children were getting ready to go to school, my wife called me and told me to brush the teeth of Joe, my youngest son. Now this is what my kid does—he applies toothpaste to his brush, puts it in his mouth and just enjoys the taste. He simply keeps it over the tongue and doesn’t properly brush his teeth. His focus is more on relishing the taste of the toothpaste than on cleaning his teeth so as to protect them from germs and bacteria.
Well, don’t you think this is how we treat the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity? It seems many of us want to feel His sweet presence, enjoy His good blessings, experience His pleasant comfort in our troubles and do some fascinating things by His power. Although there is nothing wrong to expect such things, I am concerned that in our passion to relish His sweet blessings are we missing the supreme purpose of the Holy Spirit in us?
God’s purpose in sending His Spirit is not to lead us into all pleasure, but into all truth (Jn. 16:13). God’s aim in blessing us with His Spirit is not to revive our emotions but to reveal the glory of Christ Jesus in us (Jn. 16:14). God’s desire in having His Spirit dwell in us is not to enjoy ourself but to glorify Him (Phi. 3:3). God’s passion in giving us His Spirit is not to satisfy our wants but to sanctify our soul (Rom. 8:13-14).
Of course, we do enjoy the sweetness of His blessings but that is just the byproduct of sanctification, not the supreme purpose. Let us not treat the Holy Spirit like how kids use the toothpaste to enjoy its taste without allowing it to clean. Remember, the Holy Spirit is holy and His greatest passion for us is to make us holy by sanctifying us from our sinful passions and from the contamination of the world.
Well, don’t you think this is how we treat the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity? It seems many of us want to feel His sweet presence, enjoy His good blessings, experience His pleasant comfort in our troubles and do some fascinating things by His power. Although there is nothing wrong to expect such things, I am concerned that in our passion to relish His sweet blessings are we missing the supreme purpose of the Holy Spirit in us?
God’s purpose in sending His Spirit is not to lead us into all pleasure, but into all truth (Jn. 16:13). God’s aim in blessing us with His Spirit is not to revive our emotions but to reveal the glory of Christ Jesus in us (Jn. 16:14). God’s desire in having His Spirit dwell in us is not to enjoy ourself but to glorify Him (Phi. 3:3). God’s passion in giving us His Spirit is not to satisfy our wants but to sanctify our soul (Rom. 8:13-14).
Of course, we do enjoy the sweetness of His blessings but that is just the byproduct of sanctification, not the supreme purpose. Let us not treat the Holy Spirit like how kids use the toothpaste to enjoy its taste without allowing it to clean. Remember, the Holy Spirit is holy and His greatest passion for us is to make us holy by sanctifying us from our sinful passions and from the contamination of the world.
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thes. 5:23).
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