Purity and Power as Witness (Expanded)
(Below is the full version of the research paper I wrote on Purity and Power as Witness for my HOLY SPIRIT Class when I attended the FIRE School of Ministry Chicago in June of 2018. It's quite lengthy compared to the previous post’s condensed version, and the jargon is a bit more academic, but I think it has a lot of great nuggets of truth and encouragement that are essential. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. May our story faith in action. Amen!)
When unbelievers see the purity produced in Christians by the Spirit as a loving and forgiving people, they witness the holy nature and character of God who is among the them and are convicted of their own sinful nature. And, when unbelievers see such loving Christians engage the world with the Good News accompanied by the Spirit’s miraculous power to heal and deliver, they behold the reality of God’s existence and His ultimate authority. This combination of purity and power sets the stage for a true and accurate witness to the Kingdom. Therefore, it is imperative for Christians to be led by the Spirit and walk in purity and power, being living witnesses of the Kingdom.
As Spirit-born children of God, our old sinful nature has died, being mortally wounded (Fee, 137). We are now “a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new [and pure] has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “Jesus [said], “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:5). Thus, we are new creations, Spirit-humans as it were. Henceforth, we must live our lives according to our new Godly natures and put off the old, dead nature and its inclinations toward sin (Ephesians 3:22-24). Paul tells us that this is done by living by the Spirit. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Gl 5:16,22). Holy Spirit-led Christians then are marked by lives of love, service and forgiveness toward each other and unbelievers. Though still encased in sin-corrupted, earthly bodies, the Spirit-born lives within shine through and manifest Godly character before unbelievers. We are then living witnesses to the Spirit’s work to cleanse and regenerate once condemned sinners into saved saints whose new lives of purity testify of the goodly character of God to a dark a dying world. Such a witness will move the unbeliever to either conviction of sin with desire for salvation and new life or to resist the goodness of God and remain under condemnation, desiring darkness and uncleanness rather than light and purity. Recall John 3:19-21, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Allow me to bear witness how God has produced this Kingdom love and community in my own family. The Spirit led my wife, Melody, and I to adopt our young adult daughter Maria when our bio-daughter, Jael, was 6 months old. The Spirit empowered us to love Maria through all her mess. Driving us to become more dependent on Jesus, God brought us to new depths of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness for this young lady. Maria herself was being purified by God to repent from hidden sin and pride as well as to forgive her past offenders. Jesus was making us all more into the image of Christ as humble, patient, enduring and kind brother and sisters toward each other. Eventually, Maria experienced great deliverance and began to truly receive love from us and others. We enjoyed true, Spirit-inspired, Kingdom-family love. Glory to God! By God’s grace, we could “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2).
As Robert Gladstone puts it, “The gospel does more than save our souls. It re-creates us into a spiritual family – a corporate man that fully bears Christ’s image and proclaims what Jesus really did on the cross” (Gladstone, Gospel Community, 10/30/2016). Unfortunately, to some, this kind of love and purity among believers is considered weird and strange. Some family and friends questioned the “purity” of our relationships with a young woman only 8 years my junior living under the same roof. They were made uncomfortable and called us extreme to build family with strangers. “Of course, these 'strangers’ become the only people we can really relate to in ultimate and eternal ways” (Dr. Jeff Hubing). The precedent comes from the first generation church, “And all who believed were together and had all things in common...selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Ac 2:44-45). Mysteriously, it is this same Spirit-produced, Kingdom love and purity that produces family out of strangers that also exposes and convicts others of their own lack of faith; “None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem” (Ac 5:13).
When believers walk in Spirit-empowered purity, they also become living witnesses against the rebelliousness of this world. The loving, peaceful, pure, and holy qualities of Christ reflected in the lives of believers contrast the selfish, striving, impure, sinful qualities of unbelievers (1 Peter 2:12; 3:16). Those who seek and would love the light behold these characteristics and draw near, confessing and repenting from sin. Those who see the purity of believers and disdain it would find the purity of believers obnoxious, being convicted of sin but resisting the conviction from the Spirit, thus remaining condemned. Paul reminds us that we are “to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” (2 Cor 2:16). Consequently, the Church’s witness of purity may incite antagonism and even persecution from those rebelling against God. Through this the Holy Spirit produces an even greater love and endurance in believers to combat such antagonism which becomes a greater witness of the purity produced in believers to be just like Jesus. Thus Peter instructs us to “keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God…[yet] when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good...” (1 Pt 2:12; 3:16-17). And, Keener reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit who is “equipping us to suffer for Christ’s name [as] part of [His] mission to [and through] us” (Keener, 66).
Besides the purity produced among the people of God as a witness to Christ and His Kingdom, is the witness of power produced through the people of God by the Spirit to display the Kingdom. Acts 5:12, 14 records that “many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles… And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women”. It was the display of power that helped draw many to believe the Good News of the Kingdom. When Peter found himself standing trial before officials for preaching Jesus and performing these miraculous he simply said, “we are witnesses to [Jesus death and resurrection], and so is the Holy Spirit” (Ac 5:32). The display of God’s miraculous power is a witness to the the presence and work of His Spirit, and that His Kingdom is superior over this fallen, worldly kingdom. Furthermore, accompanying supernatural signs give further witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ as the risen Lord and Savior. Witnesses and onlookers are thus confronted with His reality, having their post-enlightenment rationalism dismantled and become more open to the Good News. Keener mentions that he himself had to “overcome the severe rationalism of his atheistic background and believe God to confirm his Gospel in this way” (Keener, 66). And so his faith increased when he began to see healing as a response of his prayers as did the faith of his prayer-recipients.
My wife, Melody, has often shared with me how the Holy Spirit has used her to prophetically speak into women’s lives informing them of information that only God knew, which would then make them much more open to hearing the Gospel and receiving more of what Jesus would want to say to them. Once Melody shared to a well-known Christian artist, who struggled to believe the Spirit of God still moves in power, that she had a dream that the artist was pregnant and inquired if it were so. The artist was filled with wonder confessing that she was pregnant but that it wasn’t announced yet and was surprised that God would give Melody such a dream. Well, Melody was then able to pray for her and prophetically encouraged her in a much-needed way that she may not have received in any other way.
Though witnessing God’s supernatural power can open one up to the reality of God and His message, there are other supernatural forces that produce lying wonders to deceive and lead people away from God, namely “hosts of wickedness in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). As noted by Charisma News writer, Larry Sparks, “Satan hates Holy Spirit intensely for one key reason. The Christian who fully embraces the revelation that he or she is actually filled with the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead…releases the promise land of heaven on earth. We begin thinking, speaking, and acting like people who are, quite literally, possessed by God. Surely, this throws a wrench into Satan's diabolical plans” (Sparks, Point). Christians are equipped with authority and power by the Spirit to expel these opposing spiritual dark forces and heal those who are under demonic oppression. This victorious clash between the two kingdoms, light and dark, bears witness to God’s truth and supreme authority. Derek Prince reiterates this truth saying “Jesus stated very clearly that Satan has a kingdom, and that it is not divided. Then He went on to speak about the kingdom of God: And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12:27–28)” (Prince, C1.P7). When the Kingdom of God comes upon us, His power and authority is made manifest, and He invited believers to participate in the display.
Melody and I experienced this with Maria. On 5 or 6 different occasions, Melody and I had to pray for Maria’s deliverance from unclean spirits. She had been tormented and deceived for years and experienced instability in her walk with Jesus. However, when confronted with the light and truth of God’s Kingdom by the Spirit, and in the context of a loving family, the lies were exposed and the unseen liars kicked and screamed as their influence and position in Maria’s life came to end. The manifest power of the Presence of Jesus and His Kingdom was a witness to us all of the supremacy and authority of God. Maria also bore witness of the Spirit’s powerful work in herself as many could see the definite transformation and new freedom she walked in. Also, her testimony of the power and Presence of God to deliver her from demonization also was a witness to the supremacy and authority of God.
The enemy is displaying himself more through demonic influence on society. The times are becoming rougher, and offenses are increasing on the earth. Christ’s Church must be the beacon of light, truth and hope, drawing people into the presence of God and the promise of new and eternal life in the Kingdom of God that is present yet fully to come. It is the Spirit among us that bears witness to this the reality and promise of new everlasting life in God’s Kingdom to come. Grenz states, “As the eschatological Creator Spirit he is already at work giving life to believers. In so doing, he promises that we will participate in the eschatological community of God” (Grenz, 378) - that is participate in the Kingdom of God to come, now. Unfortunately, many believers are caught up in unbelief and debate of the present purpose and power of the Holy Spirit and not revealing the supernatural God nor His Kingdom promise accurately. As Henry Blackaby asks, “Does the world marvel at the church today? Unfortunately, much of what happens in the contemporary church is little more than a reflection of the values and the reasoning of the surrounding culture… The result: we don’t need the Holy Spirit…The world therefore…[doesn’t] see the power of God working through His people to accomplish what only He can do” (Blackaby, 6). We must repent and allow the Spirit to flow in and through us and bear witness of Him faithfully. We must abide in God’s Word and continue in purity and power by the Spirit, displaying God’s character and supreme authority in the name of Jesus. The world can then see that they can find both hope and healing in Jesus as we bear witness with the Spirit.
I believe it is imperative for all believers to grow in their witness to the Spirit’s work of purity and power in their lives. As the end draws nearer and the day gets darker, we must also grow brighter, being and bearing witness to God’s character and supreme authority. Unbelievers should find hope and faith in God through us, seeing the tangible Spirit-work of pure and peaceful relationships among us. Francis Chan says, “The world is not moved by love or actions that are of human creation… But when believers live in the power of the Spirit, the evidence in their lives is supernatural. The church cannot help but be different, and the world cannot help but notice” (Chan, 17). Furthermore, unbelievers should also often behold the power of God confront the kingdom of darkness as the Spirit moves through God’s people to liberate the sin-captive, heal the wounded, and deliver the oppressed. They should be able to find hope and freedom among the people who, by the Spirit, bear witness to the Kingdom of Light and Christ. Unbelievers would be confronted with the reality of God and the authority of His Word. Ultimately, unbelievers would then be compelled to lovingly surrender or foolishly resist God. “But we will never advance this heavenly cause if we do not rely on the power of the Spirit. Jesus needed the Spirit’s power—what makes us any different?” (Bevere, 81). So, it is imperative for the saints of God to seek and be led by the Spirit, to walk in purity and power, being living witnesses of the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Bibliography
Bevere, J. The Holy Spirit: An Introduction. Palmer Lake: Messenger International, 2013.
Blackaby, H. & Blackaby, M. Experiencing the Spirit: The Power of Pentecost Every Day. Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2009.
Chan, F. Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2009.
Fee, G. D. Paul, the Spirit and the People of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996.
Gladstone, D. R. Gospel Community. Retrieved from Heaven Rules: http://robertgladstone.org/2016/10/gospel-community, 2016, Oct. 16.
Grenz, S. Theology for the Community of God. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994.
Keener, C. S. Gift & Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
Prince, D. Pulling Down Strongholds [Kindle]. New Kinsington: Whitaker House, 2013
Sparks, L. Point of Breakthrough. Retrieved from Charisma Magazine: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/point-of-breakthrough/25663-the-1-lie-millions-of-christians-are-believing-about-the-holy-spirit, 2016, June 4.
The Holy Bible - English Standard Version (ESV). Wheaton: Crossway/Good News Publishers, 2001.
