Pastor Billy Myron continues the Christian Life series by examining the Holy Spirit’s role in salvation. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as the Comforter, Spirit of truth who would abide forever, guide into all truth, show things to come, and glorify Christ (John 14, 16).
The Holy Spirit is active in past-tense salvation: He sanctifies believers, setting them apart for God (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). At salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes (immerses) every believer—Jew or Gentile, slave or free—into one body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:26-28). He seals believers and serves as the earnest or guarantee of inheritance and future bodily redemption, making loss of salvation impossible (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14).
In present-tense salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells believers, making the body the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). He gives spiritual gifts to every believer for the profit of the body—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation—dividing them as He wills (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12; 1 Peter 4:10). These are extra abilities beyond natural capacity that define roles in the body.
The Holy Spirit helps in weakness by interceding in prayer with groanings (Romans 8:26-27). Believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit rather than drunk with wine, resulting in worship, thanksgiving, and mutual submission (Ephesians 5:18-21). He leads believers, enabling them to mortify the deeds of the body and live as sons of God (Romans 8:12-17). He teaches all things, brings remembrance of Christ’s words, provides anointing that instructs in truth, and illumines Scripture (John 14:26; 1 John 2:20,27).
Believers are to walk by the Spirit, which prevents fulfilling the lust of the flesh. The flesh and Spirit are contrary, so walking by the Spirit yields the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control (Galatians 5:16-25). This provision makes the Christian life possible—not by human effort but by God’s enablement through the Holy Spirit.
