Mid-Week Musings
May 22, 2024
Suggested Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:14
Dear NBRC Family & Friends,
Celebrating Pentecost last Sunday, May 19, has left me thinking and wondering more about the Holy Spirit. Briefly, Pentecost is when Christians commemorate the unleashing and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the empowering of the church by the Holy Spirit, and when Jesus’ disciples first received a permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
In the sermon on Pentecost Sunday morning, I spoke of believers having the Holy Spirit within us as long as we live our lives on this earth and of Him being with us and within us on a daily basis in the world regardless of what we face, regardless of where we are. The Holy Spirit helps believers cope with life and to live the Christian life.
But what about beyond this lifetime? Both John 14:16 and Q/A 53 of the Heidelberg Catechism refer to the Spirit as abiding with a believer forever. In these instances, does “forever” include eternity? If it does, then what might be the Spirit’s work in the eternal lives of believers? How might believers experience His presence and activity in heaven?
Some of what the Spirit does in the lives of believers in this lifetime will no longer be necessary in heaven. For example, there’s no need for Him to help us resist temptation. There’s no need for Him to help us confess sin.
But when we who are believers get to heaven, will the Holy Spirit continue to indwell us for eternity? Will He fill us beyond the extent to which He fills us while we’re on earth? Will He forever teach us about God? Will He enable us to use in heaven at least some of the spiritual gifts given to us as believers while on earth? Will He eternally help us remember the teachings of Jesus? Will He conform us more and more into the image of Jesus?
I think the Holy Spirit is and will be active in the eternal lives of believers. Regardless of however else He might minister to believers in heaven, I think we can anticipate Him assisting and empowering us as we worship Him, the Father, and the Son for eternity, and assisting us as we enjoy being in the presence of God for eternity. What do you think?
Pastor Ron
Prayer suggestion: As you pray, thank God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world and in the lives of believers.
(Sunday, May 26, 2024 is Trinity Sunday. The title of the sermon in the morning is Who Are We? The scripture lesson will be from Romans 8:12-17.)