The role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation

Our loving God is spirit. Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour receives a deposit of His Spirit in their hearts. This represents a change in our spiritual position, not necessarily a physical or dramatic occurrence. God’s powerful Spirit is unseen, gentle, and quiet. We are called blessed if we believe in Him without seeing Him.

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 圣灵在救恩上的角色 | 繁體中文 > 聖靈在救恩上的角色)

John 4:23-24 ESV  But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV  Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

John 20:29 ESV  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

As we develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit, we will grow more familiar with His voice and presence, even though we were not so tuned in to Him at first.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The different titles in the Bible for the Holy Spirit include the Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4), wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17), justice (Isaiah 28:6), truth (John 14:17), grace (Hebrews 10:29), and glory (1 Peter 4:14).

The Holy Spirit has always been present and actively working in all the major events described in the Bible. He is mentioned on the first (Genesis 1:2) as well as the last page of the Bible (Revelation 22:17.) He is also known as the Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2), the Spirit of the LORD (Isaiah 11:2), as well as the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11). It would be a mistake to refer to the Holy Spirit as “it,” rather than He.

Genesis 1:2 ESV  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Revelation 22:17 ESV  The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

The Holy Spirit helped in the conception of Jesus as a human being (Luke 1:35), anointed Him during His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17), and led Him throughout His temptations in the desert (Matthew 4:1). Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus did many powerful works (Acts 10:38) and was raised from the dead (Romans 8:11.) This too is a picture of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.

The Holy Spirit is the Source of all life (Job 33:4.) Naturally, all new spiritual life in us will also come through His power. He helps us overcome all things that lead to spiritual death.

The role of the Holy Spirit in our hearts

We are anointed with the Spirit of God after we repent of our sins and are baptised (Romans 8:2). Then He comes into our hearts to quietly and gently guide our thoughts and attitudes, and make us aware of the sin that is in our lives and in our surroundings. In this way, He helps us to turn away from sinful impulses and temptations (Galatians 5:16.) If we heed His promptings, we will be freed from the power of sin that leads to spiritual death (Romans 8:2). 

Acts 2:38 ESV  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT  It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

As we follow the Holy Spirit, our hearts will transform over time and we will become more and more like Jesus Christ. An increasingly transformed life and active relationship with God’s Spirit is our singular guarantee of salvation and proof that we are truly legitimate sons and daughters of God. We will find that we have the same strength, power, and self-control as Jesus Christ to stand firm in our faith and follow God’s will. 

Romans 8:16 ESV  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 ESV  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV  for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

If we try to change ourselves on our own, however, we are likely to fail or even burn out. Human beings only have the power to modify our actions and behaviour. Only God has the power to transform us from inside out – if we follow Him.

When we ignore or disobey the Holy Spirit, we will grieve God. Over time, we will be filled with darkness again because we have rebelled against God’s Spirit inside us. As we continue to willfully rebel in this way, we will eventually block out God’s light altogether and go back to spiritual darkness and death.

Ephesians 4:22-24,30 NLT  throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.  … And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Ephesians 4:5:8-9 NLT  For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

The Holy Spirit plays an important role in our transformation to become more like Jesus Christ.

• He produces new spiritual life in us | John 3:6 NLT Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’
• Imparts wisdom, power and fear of the Father | Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
• Helps us discern the things of God | 1 Corinthians 2:10,14 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God… The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
• Teaches us and reminds us of God’s Word | John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
• Convicts us of the sin that defiles our hearts | John 16:8-11 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
• Heals broken hearts | Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me… to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
• Pours God’s love in our hearts | Romans 5:5 … because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• Literally prays through us if we invite Him to | Matthew 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
• Gives us spiritual gifts to build God’s Kingdom on earth | 1 Corinthians 12:4-10 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
• Fills us with abundant joy, peace, and hope | Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
• Empowers us to do good works and heal the sick | Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
• Transforms us to become more like Jesus | 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit

Romans 8 helps us understand our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9-17 NLT  But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Pursue holiness to honour the Holy Spirit in us

God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32) and makes us His holy temples (1 Corinthians 3:16-17.) God’s Word warns us not to defile our temples with idols and impurities – it would be equivalent to desecration and vandalism. We need to safeguard our spiritual temples just as we would our own physical homes.

This is why we pursue purity and holiness as part of a disciple’s life. No one wants to sleep in a filthy, stinking, and cockroach-infested toilet. To God’s Spirit, a rebellious, sin-infested body is similar. We become a stench to His nostrils. Let us not insult and put off the Holy Spirit from dwelling inside us.

Acts 5:32 … the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

1 Corinthians 3:16-17  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Isaiah 65:2,5 NLT  All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes… These people are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away.

We can snuff out the Holy Spirit by choosing to repeatedly submit to our fleshly desires, the occult, unbelief, and “every form of evil”. Over a period of time, it can feel like we can’t hear from God or connect with Him. Our hearts become spiritually dull, indifferent, or heavy. As we move further and further away from God, our lives start to bear “thorns and thistles” (Hebrews 6:4-8) – a reference back to Genesis 3:17-18 where God pronounced Adam’s curses and banished Him from His presence. Finally, we run the risk of cutting ourselves off from God for all eternity if we ever blaspheme Him by accusing the Holy Spirit’s character, will, and deeds as being evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:19,22 BSB  Do not extinguish the Spirit… Abstain from every form of evil.

Mark 3:28-29  “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

Hebrews 6:4-8 NLT  For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

Pursuing holiness is not about acting in traditional ‘religious’ ways, such as merely going to church or putting on a righteous attitude so that people can see that we desire to be holy. It is not about putting on a performance to convince others that we are good.

To pursue holiness is to pursue spiritual purity by humbly submitting to God’s Word, and by confessing and repenting for our sins on a daily basis. To pursue holiness is to ask God to examine our hearts, and we do so because we love and fear Him, and want to honor His Spirit’s presence in our lives.

Becoming pure and holy is impossible for any human being. This is why God the Father, in His great compassion and love for us, has chosen to deposit His own Spirit into us so that He can personally guide us back to Him for comfort, correction, and counsel in the name of Jesus Christ. God has certainly done the heavy lifting for us!

1 Corinthians 5:7  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Testimony: Turning from pride through revelation from the Holy Spirit

“I was doing my usual morning devotionals when to my surprise, the Holy Spirit gave me the word “pride” several times. My pride has been so blinding and deceptively sneaky that I did not even notice it in myself. Little did I know that the manifestations of pride have been evident in my life.

I would burst out in anger or frustration because my expectations were not met, I would struggle with criticism because I could not accept who I really am, and I would speak about others’ sins with contempt, irritation, frustration, or judgment.

Hence, I was also left overwhelmed with two other debilitating issues.

The more notable one was my people-pleasing attitude. On the surface, I was clearly concerned with helping and serving others. In fact, it was all about self-satisfaction and self-preservation – fearing men more than God and chasing after the happiness that comes with man’s approval.

A performance-driven living style complicated the issue. My goal was to always do something that distracts people from the things that I think they won’t love in me or to find a solution so that no one would see the things that I felt ashamed of.

I thought my behaviour could change my standing with God where in fact, it was Jesus’ perfect behaviour that secured it.

Through all these revelations, I truly witnessed the hands of God at work. He humbled me and removed the lens of pride from my eyes. All this enabled me to see myself more clearly and confess my pride. Though it takes time to bring our hearts to the point of genuine repentance, it is a deep and joyful blessing. God’s salvation is real and there is a wonderful relief in our hearts when we repent!”

May this sharing be a blessing as you seek to love God with all your heart and rely on the Holy Spirit to bring salvation to all aspects of your inner being.