23 – By His Spirit
God’s holy, educating Spirit is in His word. A light, a new and precious light, shines forth from every page. Truth is there revealed, and words and sentences are made bright and appropriate for the occasion, as the voice of God speaking to the soul. {COL 132.2}
Much is being said regarding the impartation of the Holy Spirit, and by some this is being so interpreted that it is an injury to the churches. Eternal life is the receiving of the living elements in the Scriptures and doing the will of God. This is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. To those who do this, life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel, for God’s Word is verity and truth, spirit and life. It is the privilege of all who believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour to feed on the Word of God. The Holy Spirit’s influence renders that Word, the Bible, an immortal truth, which to the prayerful searcher gives spiritual sinew and muscle. {21MR 131.4}
“Search the Scriptures,” Christ declared, “for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” Those who dig beneath the surface discover the hidden gems of truth. The Holy Spirit is present with the earnest searcher. Its illumination shines upon the Word, stamping the truth upon the mind with a new, fresh importance. The searcher is filled with a sense of peace and joy never before felt. The preciousness of truth is realized asnever before. A new, heavenly light shines upon the Word, illuminating it as though every letter were tinged with gold. God Himself has spoken to the mind and heart, making the Word spirit and life. {21MR 131.5}
Every true searcher of the Word lifts his heart to God, imploring the aid of the Spirit. And he soon discovers that which carries him above all the fictitious statements of the would-be teacher, whose weak, tottering theories are not sustained by the Word of the living God. These theories were invented by men who had not learned the first great lesson, that God’s Spirit and life are in His Word. If they had received in the heart the eternal element contained in the Word of God, they would see how tame and expressionless are all efforts to get something new to create a sensation. They need to learn the very first principles of the Word of God; they would then have the Word of life for the people, who will soon distinguish the chaff from the wheat, for Jesus left His promise with His disciples. {21MR 132.1}
Just before His crucifixion one of His disciples asked Him the question, “How is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings, and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” [John 14:22-27]. {21MR 132.2}
These words are not half comprehended by individuals, by families, or by church members, to whom and through whom, as His family, God would represent pure, unadulterated truth, which, if received and properly digested, brings eternal life. {21MR 132.3}
Let us believe the Word. He who thus eats the bread of heaven is nourished every day, and will know what these words mean, “Need not that any man teach you” [1 John 2:27]. We have lessons pure from the lips of Him who owns us, who has bought us with the price of His own blood. {21MR 132.4}
The precious Word of God is a solid foundation upon which to build. When men come to you with their supposed suppositions, tell them that the Great Teacher has left you His Word, which is of incalculable value, that He has sent a Comforter in His own name, even the Holy Ghost. “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” {21MR 132.5}
Here is presented before us a rich banquet, of which all who believe in Christ as a personal Saviour may eat. He is the tree of life to all who continue to feed on Him. {21MR 133.1}
I am instructed to ask those who profess to receive Christ as their personal Saviour, Why do you pass by the words of the Great Teacher, and send your letters to human beings for words of comfort? Why do you rely upon human help when you have the large, full, grand promises, “He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him. … This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever”? He may die, yet the life of Christ in him is eternal, and he will be raised up at the last day. “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” {21MR 133.2}
“We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life” [2 Corinthians 5:1-4]. {21MR 133.3}
All who study these precious utterances may have strong consolation. If they will feed upon the banquet of God’s Word, they will gain an experience of the highest value. They will see that in comparison with the Word of God, the word of man is as chaff to the wheat. {21MR 133.4}
I am instructed by the Word of God that His promises are for me and for every child of God. The banquet is spread before us; we are invited to eat the Word of God, which will strengthen spiritual muscle and sinew. – [Letter 132, 1900. {21MR 133.5}]
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