Rees: the Holy Spirit (II)

Thursday, June 22, 2017
    Feast of Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c.209
Meditation:
    I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
    —Ephesians 1:17 (NIV)
Quotation:
    [Continued from yesterday]
    That Paul regarded the subsequent development of Christian life and character as in its totality the work of the Spirit is not questioned. All the Christian virtues are the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23). He is the Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4), of sanctification (II Thess. 2:13), and of a new life (Rom. 7:6). Love, the greatest of Christian graces, is the pre-eminent gift of the Spirit (I Cor. 13; Col. 1:8; Rom. 15:30), not only as a grace of character, but also as the principle of unity in the Church (Eph. 4:1-6; cf. Eph. 2:18, 22). The Spirit bestows wisdom and knowledge on the individual and in the Church. Paul spoke “God’s wisdom in a mystery... through the Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (I Cor. 2:7-10). “For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit” (I Cor. 12:8). All Christian knowledge was derived from the Spirit both by Paul and by [the Apostle] John (Eph. 1:17, 23; 3:16-19; John 16:13; I John 2:20, 27; cf. James 1:5; 3:15, 17). [Continued tomorrow]
    ... Thomas Rees (1869-1926), The Holy Spirit in Thought and Experience, New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1915, p. 82 (see the book)
    See also Eph. 1:17; John 16:13; Gal. 5:22,23; Rom. 1:4; 7:6; 15:30; 1 Cor. 2:7-10; 12:8; 13; Gal. 5:22,23; Eph. 1:23; 2:18, 22; 3:16-19; 4:1-6; Col. 1:8; 2 Thess. 2:13; Jas. 1:5; 3:15, 17; 1 John 2:20, 27
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I receive the gifts you ordain from Your hand. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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