John 16:8 said that the Holy Spirit will convict the world, not just of sin but also of righteousness. In other words, the world, which does not know what sin really is, does not know what true righteousness is, either. Unconverted people imagine that external morality will suffice. They desire not the righteousness of God … Continue reading –>
Read John 16:8-9. What crucial work does the Holy Spirit do for us, and why is this so important? Jesus has called the Holy Spirit the paraclete, a word rich in meaning and that conveys the idea of helper, advocate, and comforter. The Holy Spirit does not enter into this important work of conviction as … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: John 16:8-11; Rom. 5:10; Heb. 4:15-16; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; 1 John 5:12-13; Ps. 31:24. Memory Text: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NASB). As we come … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: Understanding the ministry of the Holy Spirit leads us not to want to do anything that would grieve, resist, or quench the Spirit in our lives. 1. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 4:30. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. b. What … Continue reading –>
The mere fact that people anxiously ask whether they have committed the unforgivable sin reveals that they most surely haven’t. If they had committed it, they certainly wouldn’t be worrying about it. Their worry is all the evidence they need that, indeed, they are still open to the Spirit’s leading. What the person should do … Continue reading –>
Alluring sin. The lesson for this week opens with the comment that sin is appealing and alluring to us humans and the thought that we are “feeble sinners.” What is the cure for being attracted to sin? How can the Holy Spirit help to separate us from the lure of sin that the evil one presents … Continue reading –>
Read Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10; and Matthew 12:31-32. If all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven, what is it that cannot be forgiven? Perhaps no other sin has caused greater uncertainty and anguish among Christians and has been more misunderstood than has the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Some think that Jesus has in mind … Continue reading –>
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21. How can the Holy Spirit be quenched? The word “quenching” suggests the idea of a fire. The same Greek root word is used in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 and in Ephesians 6:16. This suggests that something about the Holy Spirit is like a fire that we can extinguish. We should remember that … Continue reading –>
That the Holy Spirit can be grieved tells us that God is not indifferent to us and what we do. God is affected by what we decide and how we live. Read Ephesians 4:25-5:2. What are we told to do here and how different would our lives be were we to follow these biblical commands? … Continue reading –>
Read Ephesians 4:30. Here Paul uses an imperative and admonishes us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is a personal being, not just a divine force. That is why He can be grieved. But how do we grieve the Holy Spirit? Perhaps we … Continue reading –>
