How the Holy Spirit Transforms Believers; The operation of the gospel Part 2

The biggest lie that Satan has ever perpetrated on God's people is that once one is born again, the Holy Spirit, enables one to live the Law. This is definitely so far from truth that it has absolutely no basis in reality! Yet, it is the most popular and repeated concept in the sanctification process. It does a lot of irreparable harm. In the first post in this series I explained how the Holy Spirit uses the gospel to transform saints. How many times have you ever heard that proclaimed from a pulpit? Likely never!

When one reads the New Testament it should be easy to see that it is the gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to transform the believer. The problem is with the legal constitutional reading of scripture. It is viewed by way too many as a rule-book. This view of the scripture diminishes the gospel as the KEY transforming message. As I stated above, look at all the passages that demonstrate that the gospel, good news, God's grace, is in reality the transforming catalyst.

1. Titus 2:11-13 HCSB For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, (12) instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, (13) while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2. Romans 2:4 NKJV  Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
3. James 2:13 NKJV  For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
4. 1 John 4:10 NKJV  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
6. Romans 6:14 NKJV  For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
8. John 1:17 NKJV  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

All of the above passages clearly show that the gospel of grace is the transforming power. The Holy Spirit uses God's grace to cause love for God established by the peace one has with God based upon the gospel message.

The book or Romans is such a clear example of how this works. Paul spends eight chapters of Romans explaining the gospel of grace in precise detail, he then takes three chapters to explain why the Jews are loosing out on the gospel and the Gentiles are included. However, even in Romans 9-11 Paul ends with a glorious proclamation about God's grace and how God is watching over Israel. Then... in Romans 12:1-2 Paul brings the argument to its conclusion. He says, I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God.... He is saying, I just spent a lot of time writing about the gospel, and the goodness and graciousness of God, and now, I am begging you by God's mercy to love God in such a way as to present yourselves a living sacrifice. This whole argument gets lost in the legal constitutional reading of the scripture.

It is a shame, that when one attends most churches, listens to most sermons, reads most evangelical books, that they never hear how the gospel via the Holy Spirit is the transformation catalyst. The read and do, legal approach is found NOWHERE in any of the epistles. Hearing the gospel message over and over produces the peace and love which allows the Holy Spirit to supernaturally bring about love for God that ultimately results in increased obedience, that is, the person grows closer to the image of Christ. Again, the letter kills, while the Spirit gives life!