Children need their parents. Yet, at certain times, this need is heightened. The majority of these cases involve distress and suffering. When Paul speaks about the sons of God crying out to their Father, he has these times in mind. Even in times of deepest sorrow, in stages of greatest need, the child of God may cry out to Him with confidence that He desires their supplication. The sons of God have this privileged access on account of the work of the Holy Spirit, who brings us from the darkness into the light of God's family and conforms us to the image of our perfect elder brother, Jesus.
The Spirit of Sonship
Message 12
Sinclair Ferguson
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Who Is the Holy Spirit?
Order from Chaos
Sinclair Ferguson
Many Christians have either heard, or even muttered, the phrase, "The Holy Spirit is the forgotten person of the Trinity." This assertion misses the real problem in the church today, a problem not extant in generations past. Christians know about the Holy Spirit, but, unlike the Father or the Son, they don't really know who the Holy Spirit is. In this message, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson purposes to remove this ignorance by exploring the questions of the identity of the Spirit, the nature of His character, how we, as Christians, may come to know and have fellowship with Him, and more.
The Face of God
Sinclair Ferguson
Many people have claimed at various times and in various ways that the God of the Old Testament is not the same God as the God of the New Testament. Sadly, this assertion misunderstands the nature and purposes of God. God is immutable: He does not change in His nature, character, will, or purposes. Nonetheless, He has chosen to reveal His person and plans progressively in the history of redemption through His Spirit. This does not mean that the Spirit did not reveal the face of God at all in the Old Testament. On the contrary, the Old Testament reveals that the Spirit disclosed the very personal nature of our Lord to His people throughout the old covenant while pointing forward to the fullness of this disclosure in Jesus Christ.
The Spirit of the Lord
Sinclair Ferguson
It is tempting to understand the Spirit as an impersonal force fulfilling the purposes of God mechanically. However, the Scriptures paint a different picture, and they portray the Spirit as anything but impersonal. The third person of the Trinity is personal, and His role in the life and ministry of Jesus attests to this fact. The Spirit is the lifelong companion and friend of Jesus, and the two were never, nor ever will be, apart. This revelation is marvelous, and our wonder should increase as we consider Jesus' role in sending His Spirit, His companion and friend, to dwell with us.