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The Carpenter's Chapel (8)
- Thread starter DHK
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following-Him
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That is a very powerful message. Thank you for posting it Charles. I have never had the opportunity to read Torrey before. I must try and find some of his work.
Blessings
following-Him
Blessings
following-Him
R. A. Torrey Archive Homefollowing-Him said:
This is the best place that I have found. Note that all is public domain.
They even have a link to a web sight where you can actually hear his voice (the only recording known to be extant.) It takes Real Player which just happened to be one of the programs I deleted from my computer!
But, I am trying as I am typing here to install it again. I hope to hear his voice before the night is through.
Thanks DHK, we needed that.
Speaking of Torrey...
Criticizing God
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
One night one of my workers in Minneapolis called me down to speak to a man who said that he was an infidel. "Why are you an infidel?" I asked. 'Because I do not believe the Bible," he replied. 'Yes, but why do you not believe the Bible?" "It is full of contradictions," he answered. "Show me one," I quietly said, and handed him my Bible to find it. He said, "It is full of them."
'Well," I said, 'if it is full of them, you ought to be able to show me at
least one." "I don't pretend to know as much about the Bible as you do," he blurted out. I said, "Then what are you talking about it for?" I turned him to our Bible text of tonight, "0 man, who art thou that repliest against God"
Then I turned him to Matthew 12:36, 'Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Then I said, 'The Bible is Gods Word, and you have said it is full of contradictions, and in saying that you have condemned the Author, you have condemned God, and Jesus said, Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day ofjudgment." You have criticized God, and you will have to give account of it in the day of judgment, of all these words, these idle words that you have just used." He turned pale, and said, "I did not mean to do that." "But that is what you have done." And it is what some of you have done in the last twenty-four hours. You have ventured to laugh at something in the Bible. When you did that, you laughed at God. You ventured to set up some opinion of yours against what God says in His Book. You ventured to enter into controversy with God, you ventured to criticize something in the Bible, and when you did that, you criticized the Author of the Bible, you criticized God.
"0 man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
One night one of my workers in Minneapolis called me down to speak to a man who said that he was an infidel. "Why are you an infidel?" I asked. 'Because I do not believe the Bible," he replied. 'Yes, but why do you not believe the Bible?" "It is full of contradictions," he answered. "Show me one," I quietly said, and handed him my Bible to find it. He said, "It is full of them."
'Well," I said, 'if it is full of them, you ought to be able to show me at
least one." "I don't pretend to know as much about the Bible as you do," he blurted out. I said, "Then what are you talking about it for?" I turned him to our Bible text of tonight, "0 man, who art thou that repliest against God"
Then I turned him to Matthew 12:36, 'Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Then I said, 'The Bible is Gods Word, and you have said it is full of contradictions, and in saying that you have condemned the Author, you have condemned God, and Jesus said, Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day ofjudgment." You have criticized God, and you will have to give account of it in the day of judgment, of all these words, these idle words that you have just used." He turned pale, and said, "I did not mean to do that." "But that is what you have done." And it is what some of you have done in the last twenty-four hours. You have ventured to laugh at something in the Bible. When you did that, you laughed at God. You ventured to set up some opinion of yours against what God says in His Book. You ventured to enter into controversy with God, you ventured to criticize something in the Bible, and when you did that, you criticized the Author of the Bible, you criticized God.
"0 man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
Criticizing God
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
There is a third class who are replying against God, who are entering into
controversy with God, who are criticizing God, who are condemning God, and that is those who make light of the Bible doctrine of salvation by atoning blood, the Bible doctrine that we are saved through the shedding of the blood of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. That doctrine so frequently and so unmistakably taught in God's Word is ridiculed today in many a so-called Christian pulpit. Any pulpit that ridicules the doctrine of salvation by
atoning blood is not a Christian pulpit. A very noted preacher in New York
City, whose books have a wide sale, was reported to me by one who took down his words in his classroom to have said, "The doctrine of blood atonement is nauseating to me." Any preacher who ridicules the doctrine of salvation by atoning blood is not a minister of Jesus Christ, he is a minister of Satan, no matter how genial and amiable a man he may be.
The Bible doctrine of salvation by atoning blood is ridiculed in this day on
every hand. Some preachers have said it is foolish for me to preach this "old doctrine." Well, it is an old doctrine, but it is a true doctrine. And I would rather believe and teach the old that is true than the new that is false. I did not invent this doctrine. I do not know enough to invent it. I found it in that Book, and, thank God, I found it to be true in my own life; it saved me and I preach it, and it has saved thousands through my preaching of it. I preach it, but I did not invent it. God is the Author of this doctrine, and when you criticize the preaching of it, you do not criticize me, you criticize God. It would be a matter of no great consequence for you to criticize me or my preaching. Why should you not criticize me? I am not infallible. I cannot see why I am not just as properly an object of criticism as anybody else. It does not harm me, and it gives some people lots of fun. Sometimes it greatly helps me. But, ah, when you criticize this doctrine you are not criticizing me, you are criticizing God, and that is serious, tremendously serious. "0 man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
NOTE Well, I must say that when I first heard Torrey's voice my knee-jerk reaction was "Oliver B. Green." Similar voice and similar style.
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
There is a third class who are replying against God, who are entering into
controversy with God, who are criticizing God, who are condemning God, and that is those who make light of the Bible doctrine of salvation by atoning blood, the Bible doctrine that we are saved through the shedding of the blood of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. That doctrine so frequently and so unmistakably taught in God's Word is ridiculed today in many a so-called Christian pulpit. Any pulpit that ridicules the doctrine of salvation by
atoning blood is not a Christian pulpit. A very noted preacher in New York
City, whose books have a wide sale, was reported to me by one who took down his words in his classroom to have said, "The doctrine of blood atonement is nauseating to me." Any preacher who ridicules the doctrine of salvation by atoning blood is not a minister of Jesus Christ, he is a minister of Satan, no matter how genial and amiable a man he may be.
The Bible doctrine of salvation by atoning blood is ridiculed in this day on
every hand. Some preachers have said it is foolish for me to preach this "old doctrine." Well, it is an old doctrine, but it is a true doctrine. And I would rather believe and teach the old that is true than the new that is false. I did not invent this doctrine. I do not know enough to invent it. I found it in that Book, and, thank God, I found it to be true in my own life; it saved me and I preach it, and it has saved thousands through my preaching of it. I preach it, but I did not invent it. God is the Author of this doctrine, and when you criticize the preaching of it, you do not criticize me, you criticize God. It would be a matter of no great consequence for you to criticize me or my preaching. Why should you not criticize me? I am not infallible. I cannot see why I am not just as properly an object of criticism as anybody else. It does not harm me, and it gives some people lots of fun. Sometimes it greatly helps me. But, ah, when you criticize this doctrine you are not criticizing me, you are criticizing God, and that is serious, tremendously serious. "0 man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
NOTE Well, I must say that when I first heard Torrey's voice my knee-jerk reaction was "Oliver B. Green." Similar voice and similar style.
Criticizing God
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
Then there is a fourth class who are replying against God, namely, those who
complain of the Bible doctrine of retribution for sin, the Bible doctrine of
endless punishment. This is not my doctrine. I did not get it up. Some say
that it is a medieval doctrine. No, it is not a medieval doctrine. They did
not originate it in the Middle Ages. It is the doctrine of Jesus Christ,
taught by Him, not in the Middle Ages but in the first century. Why will
people who try to pose as scholars display such ignorance of the meaning of commonly used words?
Jesus Christ says distinctly in Matthew 25:41 that at the judgment of the
nations living on the earth when He comes again He will say to those on His left hand, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And, five verses farther down, He says, "And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Now, I did not invent that. That was in the Bible before I was born. Jesus
said it eighteen centuries before I was born. I simply found it in the Bible
and preach it because it is there. I received a letter once from a
Universalist preacher in New Hampshire, saying, "The doctrine you preach makes God a monster." Whoever says that this doctrine makes God a monster is himself a blasphemer, for it is God's doctrine. When you say that "Whosoever preaches this doctrine makes God a monster," you say that God is a monster. A lady in Liverpool wrote me, "I cannot conceive how a God of love should leave anybody to everlasting punishment." Why should she conceive how a God of love should leave anybody to everlasting punishment? It seemed to have never entered her
head that anything she could not conceive could be easily conceivable by
someone who knew more than she did. If she had had even a modicum of
commonsense, she would have seen at once that although she, with her very limited intelligence, could not conceive it, an infinitely wise God might have a thousand reasons for doing it, even though she could not see one.
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
Then there is a fourth class who are replying against God, namely, those who
complain of the Bible doctrine of retribution for sin, the Bible doctrine of
endless punishment. This is not my doctrine. I did not get it up. Some say
that it is a medieval doctrine. No, it is not a medieval doctrine. They did
not originate it in the Middle Ages. It is the doctrine of Jesus Christ,
taught by Him, not in the Middle Ages but in the first century. Why will
people who try to pose as scholars display such ignorance of the meaning of commonly used words?
Jesus Christ says distinctly in Matthew 25:41 that at the judgment of the
nations living on the earth when He comes again He will say to those on His left hand, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And, five verses farther down, He says, "And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Now, I did not invent that. That was in the Bible before I was born. Jesus
said it eighteen centuries before I was born. I simply found it in the Bible
and preach it because it is there. I received a letter once from a
Universalist preacher in New Hampshire, saying, "The doctrine you preach makes God a monster." Whoever says that this doctrine makes God a monster is himself a blasphemer, for it is God's doctrine. When you say that "Whosoever preaches this doctrine makes God a monster," you say that God is a monster. A lady in Liverpool wrote me, "I cannot conceive how a God of love should leave anybody to everlasting punishment." Why should she conceive how a God of love should leave anybody to everlasting punishment? It seemed to have never entered her
head that anything she could not conceive could be easily conceivable by
someone who knew more than she did. If she had had even a modicum of
commonsense, she would have seen at once that although she, with her very limited intelligence, could not conceive it, an infinitely wise God might have a thousand reasons for doing it, even though she could not see one.
Criticizing God
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
It has never dawned on some people that even God could by any possibility know more than they know. It never dawned on me for years, and in those days I was a Universalist. I thought that all men would ultimately be saved. I was a Universalist because I had an argument for the ultimate salvation of everybody for which I could see no possible answer. I thought if I could not see an answer, why, no one could. So I challenged anybody to meet me on that argument and answer it. I went around with my head pretty high and said, "I have found an unanswerable reason for Universalism." I thought that I was a Universalist for all time and that anyone who was not a Universalist was not well posted.
One day it occurred to me that an infinitely wise God might possibly know more than I did. That had never dawned on me before. It dawned upon me also that it was quite possible that a God of infinite wisdom might have a thousand good reasons for doing a thing, when I, in my finite foolishness, could not see even one. So my fondly cherished Universalism went up in smoke.
If you get that thought, that an Infinitely wise God may possibly know more than even you do, and that God in His infinite wisdom might have a thousand good reasons for doing a thing when you cannot see even one, you will have learned one of the greatest theological truths of the day-one that will solve many of your perplexing problems in the Bible.
Men try to lay hold of infinite wisdom and fancy that they can squeeze it down into the capacity of their pint-cup minds. But because they cannot squeeze infinite wisdom into their pint-cup minds, they say, "I don't believe that Book is the Word of God, because it has something in it that I cannot understand the philosophy of." Why should you understand the philosophy of it?
Who are you, anyhow? How much of a mind have you, anyhow? How long have you had it? How long are you going to keep it? Who gave it to you?
It is not our business to find out the philosophy of things; it is not our
business to see the reason of things. It is our business to hear what God has to say, and when He says it, believe it, whether you can understand the philosophy of it or not.
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
It has never dawned on some people that even God could by any possibility know more than they know. It never dawned on me for years, and in those days I was a Universalist. I thought that all men would ultimately be saved. I was a Universalist because I had an argument for the ultimate salvation of everybody for which I could see no possible answer. I thought if I could not see an answer, why, no one could. So I challenged anybody to meet me on that argument and answer it. I went around with my head pretty high and said, "I have found an unanswerable reason for Universalism." I thought that I was a Universalist for all time and that anyone who was not a Universalist was not well posted.
One day it occurred to me that an infinitely wise God might possibly know more than I did. That had never dawned on me before. It dawned upon me also that it was quite possible that a God of infinite wisdom might have a thousand good reasons for doing a thing, when I, in my finite foolishness, could not see even one. So my fondly cherished Universalism went up in smoke.
If you get that thought, that an Infinitely wise God may possibly know more than even you do, and that God in His infinite wisdom might have a thousand good reasons for doing a thing when you cannot see even one, you will have learned one of the greatest theological truths of the day-one that will solve many of your perplexing problems in the Bible.
Men try to lay hold of infinite wisdom and fancy that they can squeeze it down into the capacity of their pint-cup minds. But because they cannot squeeze infinite wisdom into their pint-cup minds, they say, "I don't believe that Book is the Word of God, because it has something in it that I cannot understand the philosophy of." Why should you understand the philosophy of it?
Who are you, anyhow? How much of a mind have you, anyhow? How long have you had it? How long are you going to keep it? Who gave it to you?
It is not our business to find out the philosophy of things; it is not our
business to see the reason of things. It is our business to hear what God has to say, and when He says it, believe it, whether you can understand the philosophy of it or not.
Criticizing God (Conclusion)
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
When my children were small and ignorant, I told them a lot of things that I could not explain to them because of the limitations of their minds. There are a great many things that even God cannot explain to you or to me because we do not know enough yet to have it explained to us. God is too wise, I say it reverently, to try to explain some things to a person who does not know more than you do.
There is one more class that is replying against God, that is the men who
instead of accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and surrendering to Him as their Lord and Master and openly confessing Him as such before the world, are making excuses for not doing it. Jesus says in John 6:37, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." God says in Revelation 22:17, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Anybody can come to Christ, and anybody who does come will be received and saved. Yet many of you, instead of coming, are making excuses for not coming. By every excuse you make you are replying against God, you are entering into controversy with God, you are condemning God, who invites you to come. You cannot frame an excuse for not coming and accepting Christ that does not condemn God. Every excuse that any mortal makes for not accepting Christ, in its ultimate analysis, condemns God. For example, some of you say, "I am too great a sinner to come." But God says
in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." And when you say, "I cannot come because I am too great a sinner," you give the lie to God. He says you can. Another says, "I cannot come because I am too weak to hold out in the Christian life." But God says in Jude 24, "He is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." You say, "God cannot keep me." God says He can. And when you say He cannot, you make God a liar and condemn God. Another says, "I cannot come because I have not the right kind of feeling." But God says, "Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely." God says, 'You can come," and you say, "I cannot," and that excuse condemns God. Every conceivable excuse the sinner makes for not coming to Christ at once, in its ultimate analysis, condemns God, and every man and woman who, instead of coming right to the Lord
Jesus and accepting Him, surrendering to Him, confessing Him as Master and going forth to serve Him-everyone who is making an excuse of any kind instead of accepting Christ is replying against God. "O man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
Are You Criticizing God?, by R.A. Torrey
Are You Criticizing God?
by R.A. Torrey
When my children were small and ignorant, I told them a lot of things that I could not explain to them because of the limitations of their minds. There are a great many things that even God cannot explain to you or to me because we do not know enough yet to have it explained to us. God is too wise, I say it reverently, to try to explain some things to a person who does not know more than you do.
There is one more class that is replying against God, that is the men who
instead of accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and surrendering to Him as their Lord and Master and openly confessing Him as such before the world, are making excuses for not doing it. Jesus says in John 6:37, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." God says in Revelation 22:17, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Anybody can come to Christ, and anybody who does come will be received and saved. Yet many of you, instead of coming, are making excuses for not coming. By every excuse you make you are replying against God, you are entering into controversy with God, you are condemning God, who invites you to come. You cannot frame an excuse for not coming and accepting Christ that does not condemn God. Every excuse that any mortal makes for not accepting Christ, in its ultimate analysis, condemns God. For example, some of you say, "I am too great a sinner to come." But God says
in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." And when you say, "I cannot come because I am too great a sinner," you give the lie to God. He says you can. Another says, "I cannot come because I am too weak to hold out in the Christian life." But God says in Jude 24, "He is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." You say, "God cannot keep me." God says He can. And when you say He cannot, you make God a liar and condemn God. Another says, "I cannot come because I have not the right kind of feeling." But God says, "Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely." God says, 'You can come," and you say, "I cannot," and that excuse condemns God. Every conceivable excuse the sinner makes for not coming to Christ at once, in its ultimate analysis, condemns God, and every man and woman who, instead of coming right to the Lord
Jesus and accepting Him, surrendering to Him, confessing Him as Master and going forth to serve Him-everyone who is making an excuse of any kind instead of accepting Christ is replying against God. "O man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
Looking To Jesus
Looking To Jesus
by
R. A. Torrey
(1856-1928)
"If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-3). One of the simplest and yet one of the mightiest secrets of abiding joy and victory is to never lose sight of Jesus.
1. First of all, we must keep looking at Jesus as the ground of our acceptance before God. Over and over again, Satan will make an attempt to discourage us by bringing up our sins and failures and thus try to convince us that we are not children of God, or not saved. If he succeeds in getting us to keep looking at and brooding sins, he will soon get us discouraged, and discouragement means failure. But if we will keep looking at what God looks at, the death of Jesus Christ in our place that completely atones for every sin that we ever committed, we will never be discouraged because of the greatest of our sins. We shall see that while our sins are great, very great, indeed they have all been atoned for.
Every time Satan brings up one of our sins, we shall see that Jesus Christ has redeemed us from its curse by being made a curse in our place (Galatians 3:13). We shall see that while in ourselves we are full of unrighteousness, nevertheless in Christ we are made the righteousness of God, because Christ was made to be sin in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21). We will see that every sin that Satan taunts us about has been borne and settled forever (1 Peter 2:24; "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. " (Isa 53:6)
We shall always be able to sing,
Jesus paid my debt,
All the debt I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
If you are this moment troubled about any sin that you have ever committed, either in the past or in the present, just look at Jesus on the cross; believe what God tells you about Him, that this sin which troubles you was laid upon Him Thank God that the sin is all settled, be full of gratitude to Jesus, who bore it in your place, and worry about it no more. It is an act of base ingratitude to God to brood over sins that He in His infinite love has
canceled. Keep looking at Christ on the cross and walk always in the sunlight of God's favor. This favor of God has been purchased for you at great cost. Gratitude demands that you should always believe in it and walk in the light of it.
Looking To Jesus
by
R. A. Torrey
(1856-1928)
"If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-3). One of the simplest and yet one of the mightiest secrets of abiding joy and victory is to never lose sight of Jesus.
1. First of all, we must keep looking at Jesus as the ground of our acceptance before God. Over and over again, Satan will make an attempt to discourage us by bringing up our sins and failures and thus try to convince us that we are not children of God, or not saved. If he succeeds in getting us to keep looking at and brooding sins, he will soon get us discouraged, and discouragement means failure. But if we will keep looking at what God looks at, the death of Jesus Christ in our place that completely atones for every sin that we ever committed, we will never be discouraged because of the greatest of our sins. We shall see that while our sins are great, very great, indeed they have all been atoned for.
Every time Satan brings up one of our sins, we shall see that Jesus Christ has redeemed us from its curse by being made a curse in our place (Galatians 3:13). We shall see that while in ourselves we are full of unrighteousness, nevertheless in Christ we are made the righteousness of God, because Christ was made to be sin in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21). We will see that every sin that Satan taunts us about has been borne and settled forever (1 Peter 2:24; "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. " (Isa 53:6)
We shall always be able to sing,
Jesus paid my debt,
All the debt I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
If you are this moment troubled about any sin that you have ever committed, either in the past or in the present, just look at Jesus on the cross; believe what God tells you about Him, that this sin which troubles you was laid upon Him Thank God that the sin is all settled, be full of gratitude to Jesus, who bore it in your place, and worry about it no more. It is an act of base ingratitude to God to brood over sins that He in His infinite love has
canceled. Keep looking at Christ on the cross and walk always in the sunlight of God's favor. This favor of God has been purchased for you at great cost. Gratitude demands that you should always believe in it and walk in the light of it.
Looking To Jesus
Looking To Jesus
by
R. A. Torrey
(1856-1928)
"If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
2. In the second place, we must keep looking at Jesus as our risen Savior, who has all power in heaven and on earth and is able to keep us every day and every hour. Are you tempted to do some wrong at this moment? If you are, remember that Jesus rose from the dead, remember that at this moment He is living at the right hand of God in the glory; remember that He has all power in heaven and on earth, and that, therefore, He can give you victory right now. Believe what God tells you in His Word, that Jesus has power to save you this moment "completely" (Hebrews 7:25). Believe that He has power to give you victory over that sin that
now besets you. Ask Him to give you victory; expect Him to do it. In this way, by looking unto the risen Christ for victory, you may have victory over sin every day, every hour, every moment. "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead" (2 Timothy 2:8).
God has called every one of us to a victorious life, and the secret of this
victorious life is always looking to the risen Christ for victory. Through
looking to Christ crucified we obtain pardon and enjoy peace. Through looking to the risen Christ we obtain present victory over the power of sin. If you have lost sight of the risen Christ and have yielded to temptation, confess your sin and know that it is forgiven because God says so (1 John 1:9), and look to Jesus, the risen One, again to give you victory now, and keep looking to Him.
Looking To Jesus
by
R. A. Torrey
(1856-1928)
"If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
2. In the second place, we must keep looking at Jesus as our risen Savior, who has all power in heaven and on earth and is able to keep us every day and every hour. Are you tempted to do some wrong at this moment? If you are, remember that Jesus rose from the dead, remember that at this moment He is living at the right hand of God in the glory; remember that He has all power in heaven and on earth, and that, therefore, He can give you victory right now. Believe what God tells you in His Word, that Jesus has power to save you this moment "completely" (Hebrews 7:25). Believe that He has power to give you victory over that sin that
now besets you. Ask Him to give you victory; expect Him to do it. In this way, by looking unto the risen Christ for victory, you may have victory over sin every day, every hour, every moment. "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead" (2 Timothy 2:8).
God has called every one of us to a victorious life, and the secret of this
victorious life is always looking to the risen Christ for victory. Through
looking to Christ crucified we obtain pardon and enjoy peace. Through looking to the risen Christ we obtain present victory over the power of sin. If you have lost sight of the risen Christ and have yielded to temptation, confess your sin and know that it is forgiven because God says so (1 John 1:9), and look to Jesus, the risen One, again to give you victory now, and keep looking to Him.
Looking To Jesus (conclusion)
Looking To Jesus
by
R. A. Torrey
(1856-1928)
"If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
3. In the third place, we must keep looking to Jesus as the One whom we should follow in our daily conduct. Our Lord Jesus says to us, His disciples today, as He said to His early disciples, "Follow me." The whole secret of true Christian conduct can be summed up in these two words "Follow me." "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6). One of the commonest causes of failure in Christian life is found in the attempt to follow some good man whom we greatly admire. No man and no woman, no matter how good, can be safely followed. If we follow any man or woman, we are bound to go astray. There has been but one absolutely perfect Man on this earth--the Man Christ Jesus. If we
try to follow any other man we are surer to imitate his faults than his
excellencies. Look to Jesus and Jesus only as your Guide.
If at any time you are in any perplexity as to what to do, simply ask the
question, What would Jesus do? Ask God by His Holy Spirit to show you what Jesus would do. Study your Bible to find out what Jesus did do, and follow Him. Even though no one else seems to be following Jesus, be sure that you follow Him. Do not spend your time or thought in criticizing others because they do not follow Jesus. See that you follow Him yourself. When you are wasting your time criticizing others for not following Jesus, Jesus is always saying to you, "What is that to you? You must follow me" (John 21:22). The question for you is not what following Jesus may involve for other people. The question is, What does following Jesus mean for you?
This is the really simple life, the life of simply following Jesus. Many
perplexing questions will come to you, but the most perplexing question will soon become as clear as day if you determine with all your heart to follow Jesus in everything. Satan will always be ready to whisper to you, "Such and such a good man does it," but all you need to do is to answer, "It matters not to me what this or that man may do or not do. The only question to me is, What would Jesus do?" There is wonderful freedom in this life of simply following Jesus.
This path is straight and plain. But the path of him who tries to shape his
conduct by observing the conduct of others is full of twists and turns and
pitfalls. Keep looking at Jesus. Follow on trustingly where He leads. This is
the path of the righteous, shining ever brighter till the full light of day
(Proverbs 4:18). He is the Light of the world, anyone who follows Him shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life all along the way (John 8:12).
Looking To Jesus
by
R. A. Torrey
(1856-1928)
"If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
3. In the third place, we must keep looking to Jesus as the One whom we should follow in our daily conduct. Our Lord Jesus says to us, His disciples today, as He said to His early disciples, "Follow me." The whole secret of true Christian conduct can be summed up in these two words "Follow me." "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6). One of the commonest causes of failure in Christian life is found in the attempt to follow some good man whom we greatly admire. No man and no woman, no matter how good, can be safely followed. If we follow any man or woman, we are bound to go astray. There has been but one absolutely perfect Man on this earth--the Man Christ Jesus. If we
try to follow any other man we are surer to imitate his faults than his
excellencies. Look to Jesus and Jesus only as your Guide.
If at any time you are in any perplexity as to what to do, simply ask the
question, What would Jesus do? Ask God by His Holy Spirit to show you what Jesus would do. Study your Bible to find out what Jesus did do, and follow Him. Even though no one else seems to be following Jesus, be sure that you follow Him. Do not spend your time or thought in criticizing others because they do not follow Jesus. See that you follow Him yourself. When you are wasting your time criticizing others for not following Jesus, Jesus is always saying to you, "What is that to you? You must follow me" (John 21:22). The question for you is not what following Jesus may involve for other people. The question is, What does following Jesus mean for you?
This is the really simple life, the life of simply following Jesus. Many
perplexing questions will come to you, but the most perplexing question will soon become as clear as day if you determine with all your heart to follow Jesus in everything. Satan will always be ready to whisper to you, "Such and such a good man does it," but all you need to do is to answer, "It matters not to me what this or that man may do or not do. The only question to me is, What would Jesus do?" There is wonderful freedom in this life of simply following Jesus.
This path is straight and plain. But the path of him who tries to shape his
conduct by observing the conduct of others is full of twists and turns and
pitfalls. Keep looking at Jesus. Follow on trustingly where He leads. This is
the path of the righteous, shining ever brighter till the full light of day
(Proverbs 4:18). He is the Light of the world, anyone who follows Him shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life all along the way (John 8:12).
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
One of the most characteristic and distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith is that of the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship. If the Holy Spirit is a divine person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith and our love, and we do not know and recognize Him as such, then we are robbing a divine Being of the adoration and love and confidence which are His due.
The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is also of the highest
importance from the practical standpoint. If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit; but if we think of Him in the Biblical way as a divine Person, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, "How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?" Is there no difference between the thought of the worm using God to thrash the mountain, or God using the worm to thrash the mountain? The former conception is low and heathenish, not differing essentially from the thought of the African fetich worshipper who uses his god to do his will. The latter conception is lofty and Christian. If we think of the Holy Spirit merely as a power or influence, our thought will be, "How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?"; but if we think of Him as a divine Person, our thought will be, "How can the Holy Spirit get more of me?" The former conception leads to self-exaltation; the latter conception to self-humiliation, self-emptyings and self-renunciation. If we think of the Holy Spirit merely as a Divine power or influence and then imagine that we have received the Holy Spirit, there will be the temptation to feel as if we belonged to a superior order of Christians. A woman once came to me to ask a question and began by saying, "Before I ask the question, I want you to understand that I am a Holy Ghost woman." The words and
the manner of uttering them made me shudder. I could not believe that they were true.
But if we think of the Holy Spirit in the Biblical way as a divine Being of
infinite majesty, condescending to dwell in our hearts and take possession of our lives, it will put us in the dust, and make us walk very softly before God.It is of the highest importance from an experimental standpoint that we know the Holy Spirit as a person. Many can testify of the blessing that has come into their own lives from coming to know the Holy Spirit, as an ever-present, livings
divine Friend and Helper. There are four lines of proof in the Bible that the
Holy Spirit is a person.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
One of the most characteristic and distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith is that of the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship. If the Holy Spirit is a divine person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith and our love, and we do not know and recognize Him as such, then we are robbing a divine Being of the adoration and love and confidence which are His due.
The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is also of the highest
importance from the practical standpoint. If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit; but if we think of Him in the Biblical way as a divine Person, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, "How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?" Is there no difference between the thought of the worm using God to thrash the mountain, or God using the worm to thrash the mountain? The former conception is low and heathenish, not differing essentially from the thought of the African fetich worshipper who uses his god to do his will. The latter conception is lofty and Christian. If we think of the Holy Spirit merely as a power or influence, our thought will be, "How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?"; but if we think of Him as a divine Person, our thought will be, "How can the Holy Spirit get more of me?" The former conception leads to self-exaltation; the latter conception to self-humiliation, self-emptyings and self-renunciation. If we think of the Holy Spirit merely as a Divine power or influence and then imagine that we have received the Holy Spirit, there will be the temptation to feel as if we belonged to a superior order of Christians. A woman once came to me to ask a question and began by saying, "Before I ask the question, I want you to understand that I am a Holy Ghost woman." The words and
the manner of uttering them made me shudder. I could not believe that they were true.
But if we think of the Holy Spirit in the Biblical way as a divine Being of
infinite majesty, condescending to dwell in our hearts and take possession of our lives, it will put us in the dust, and make us walk very softly before God.It is of the highest importance from an experimental standpoint that we know the Holy Spirit as a person. Many can testify of the blessing that has come into their own lives from coming to know the Holy Spirit, as an ever-present, livings
divine Friend and Helper. There are four lines of proof in the Bible that the
Holy Spirit is a person.
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. All the distinctive characteristics of personality are ascribed to the Holy
Spirit in the Bible. What are the distinctive characteristics or marks of
personality? Knowledge, feeling and will. Any being who knows and feels and
wills is a person. When you say that the Holy Spirit is a person, some
understand you to mean that the Holy Spirit has hands and feet and eyes and nose, and so on, but these are the marks, not of personality, but of corporeity, When we say that the Holy Spirit is a person, we mean that He is not a mere influence or power that God sends into our lives but that He is a Being who knows and feels and wills, These three characteristics of personality, knowledge, feeling and will, are ascribed to the Holy Spirit over and over again in the Scriptures.
KNOWLEDGE
In 1 Corinthians 2:10,11 we read, "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." Here "knowledge" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not merely an illumination that comes into our minds, but He is a Being who Himself knows the deep things of God and who teaches us what He Himself knows.
WILL
We read again in 1 Corinthians 12:11, R.V., "But all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally as He will." Here "will" is
ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere influence or power which we are to use according to our wills, but a Divine Person who uses us according to His will. This is a thought of fundamental importance in getting into right relations with the Holy Spirit. Many a Christian misses entirely the fullness of blessing that there is for him because he is trying to get the Holy Spirit to use Him according to his own foolish will, instead of surrendering himself to the Holy Spirit to be used according to His infinitely wise will. I rejoice that there is no divine power that can get hold of and use according to my ignorant will. But how greatly do I rejoice that there is a Being of infinite wisdom who is willing to come into my heart and take possession of my life and use me according to His infinitely wise will.
MIND
We read in Romans 8:27, "And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Here "mind" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The word here translated "mind" is a comprehensive word, including the ideas of thought, feeling and purpose. It is the same word used in Romans 8:7, where we read, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God. neither indeed can be." So then, in the passage quoted we have personality in the fullest sense ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. All the distinctive characteristics of personality are ascribed to the Holy
Spirit in the Bible. What are the distinctive characteristics or marks of
personality? Knowledge, feeling and will. Any being who knows and feels and
wills is a person. When you say that the Holy Spirit is a person, some
understand you to mean that the Holy Spirit has hands and feet and eyes and nose, and so on, but these are the marks, not of personality, but of corporeity, When we say that the Holy Spirit is a person, we mean that He is not a mere influence or power that God sends into our lives but that He is a Being who knows and feels and wills, These three characteristics of personality, knowledge, feeling and will, are ascribed to the Holy Spirit over and over again in the Scriptures.
KNOWLEDGE
In 1 Corinthians 2:10,11 we read, "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." Here "knowledge" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not merely an illumination that comes into our minds, but He is a Being who Himself knows the deep things of God and who teaches us what He Himself knows.
WILL
We read again in 1 Corinthians 12:11, R.V., "But all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally as He will." Here "will" is
ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere influence or power which we are to use according to our wills, but a Divine Person who uses us according to His will. This is a thought of fundamental importance in getting into right relations with the Holy Spirit. Many a Christian misses entirely the fullness of blessing that there is for him because he is trying to get the Holy Spirit to use Him according to his own foolish will, instead of surrendering himself to the Holy Spirit to be used according to His infinitely wise will. I rejoice that there is no divine power that can get hold of and use according to my ignorant will. But how greatly do I rejoice that there is a Being of infinite wisdom who is willing to come into my heart and take possession of my life and use me according to His infinitely wise will.
MIND
We read in Romans 8:27, "And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Here "mind" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The word here translated "mind" is a comprehensive word, including the ideas of thought, feeling and purpose. It is the same word used in Romans 8:7, where we read, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God. neither indeed can be." So then, in the passage quoted we have personality in the fullest sense ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
following-Him
Active Member
Amen. Thank you Charles.
Blessings
following-Him
Blessings
following-Him
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
LOVE
We read still further in Romans 15:30, "Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." Here "love" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere blind, unfeeling influence or power that comes into our lives. The Holy Spirit is a person who loves as tenderly as God, the Father, or Jesus Christ, the Son. Very few of us meditate as we ought upon the love of the Spirit. Every day of our lives we think of the love of God, the Father, and the love of Christ, the Son, but weeks and months go by, with some of us, without our thinking of the love of the Holy Spirit. Every day of our lives we kneel down and look up into the face of God, the Father and say, "I thank Thee, Father, for Thy great love that led Thee to send Thy only begotten Son down into this world to die an atoning sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary for me." Every day of our lives we kneel down and look up into the face of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and say, "I thank Thee, Thou blessed Son of God,
for that great love of Thine that led Thee to turn Thy back upon all the glory of heaven and to come down to all the shame and suffering of earth to bear my sins in Thine own body upon the cross." But how often do we kneel down and say to the Spirit, "I thank Thee, Thou infinite and eternal Spirit of God for Thy great love that led Thee in obedience to the Father and the Son to come into this world and seek me out in my lost estate, and to follow me day after day and week after week and year after year until Thou hadst brought me to see my need of a Saviour, and hadst revealed to me Jesus Christ as just the Saviour I needed, and hadst brought me to a saving knowledge of Him." Yet we owe our salvation just as truly to the love of the Spirit as we do to the love of the Father and the love of the Son.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
LOVE
We read still further in Romans 15:30, "Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." Here "love" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere blind, unfeeling influence or power that comes into our lives. The Holy Spirit is a person who loves as tenderly as God, the Father, or Jesus Christ, the Son. Very few of us meditate as we ought upon the love of the Spirit. Every day of our lives we think of the love of God, the Father, and the love of Christ, the Son, but weeks and months go by, with some of us, without our thinking of the love of the Holy Spirit. Every day of our lives we kneel down and look up into the face of God, the Father and say, "I thank Thee, Father, for Thy great love that led Thee to send Thy only begotten Son down into this world to die an atoning sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary for me." Every day of our lives we kneel down and look up into the face of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and say, "I thank Thee, Thou blessed Son of God,
for that great love of Thine that led Thee to turn Thy back upon all the glory of heaven and to come down to all the shame and suffering of earth to bear my sins in Thine own body upon the cross." But how often do we kneel down and say to the Spirit, "I thank Thee, Thou infinite and eternal Spirit of God for Thy great love that led Thee in obedience to the Father and the Son to come into this world and seek me out in my lost estate, and to follow me day after day and week after week and year after year until Thou hadst brought me to see my need of a Saviour, and hadst revealed to me Jesus Christ as just the Saviour I needed, and hadst brought me to a saving knowledge of Him." Yet we owe our salvation just as truly to the love of the Spirit as we do to the love of the Father and the love of the Son.
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
LOVE
If it had not been for the love of God, the Father, looking down upon me in my lost condition, yes, anticipating my fall and ruin, and sending His only begotten Son to make full atonement for my sin, I should have been a lost man today. If it had not been for the love of the eternal Word of God, coming down into this world in obedience to the Father’s commandment and laying down His life as an atoning sacrifice for my sin on the cross of Calvary, I should have been a lost man today. But just as truly, if it had not been for the love of the Holy Spirit, coming into this world in obedience to the Father and the Son and seeking me out in all my ruin and following me with never-wearying patience and love day after day and week after week and month after month and year after year, following me into places that it must have been agony for Him to go, wooing me though I resisted Him and insulted Him and persistently turned my back
upon Him, following me and never giving me up until at last He had opened my eyes to see that I was utterly lost and then revealed Jesus Christ to me as an all-sufficient Saviour, and then imparted to me power to make this Saviour mine; if it had not been for this long-suffering, patient, never-wearying, yearning and unspeakably tender love of the Spirit to me, I should have been a lost man today.
INTELLIGENCE AND GOODNESS
Again we read in Nehemiah 9:20, R. V., "Thou gavest also Thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not Thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst." Here "intelligence" and "goodness" are ascribed to the Holy Spirit. This does not add any new thought to the passages already considered, but we bring it in here because it is from the Old Testament. There are those who tell us that the personality of the Holy Spirit is not found in the Old Testament. This passage of itself, to say nothing of others, shows us that this is a mistake. While the truth of the personality of the Holy Spirit naturally is not as fully developed in the Old Testament as in the New, none the less the thought is there and distinctly there.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
LOVE
If it had not been for the love of God, the Father, looking down upon me in my lost condition, yes, anticipating my fall and ruin, and sending His only begotten Son to make full atonement for my sin, I should have been a lost man today. If it had not been for the love of the eternal Word of God, coming down into this world in obedience to the Father’s commandment and laying down His life as an atoning sacrifice for my sin on the cross of Calvary, I should have been a lost man today. But just as truly, if it had not been for the love of the Holy Spirit, coming into this world in obedience to the Father and the Son and seeking me out in all my ruin and following me with never-wearying patience and love day after day and week after week and month after month and year after year, following me into places that it must have been agony for Him to go, wooing me though I resisted Him and insulted Him and persistently turned my back
upon Him, following me and never giving me up until at last He had opened my eyes to see that I was utterly lost and then revealed Jesus Christ to me as an all-sufficient Saviour, and then imparted to me power to make this Saviour mine; if it had not been for this long-suffering, patient, never-wearying, yearning and unspeakably tender love of the Spirit to me, I should have been a lost man today.
INTELLIGENCE AND GOODNESS
Again we read in Nehemiah 9:20, R. V., "Thou gavest also Thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not Thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst." Here "intelligence" and "goodness" are ascribed to the Holy Spirit. This does not add any new thought to the passages already considered, but we bring it in here because it is from the Old Testament. There are those who tell us that the personality of the Holy Spirit is not found in the Old Testament. This passage of itself, to say nothing of others, shows us that this is a mistake. While the truth of the personality of the Holy Spirit naturally is not as fully developed in the Old Testament as in the New, none the less the thought is there and distinctly there.
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
GRIEF
We read again in Ephesians 4:30, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." In this passage "grief" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere impersonal influence or power that God sends into our lives. He is a person who comes to dwell in our hearts, observing all that we do and say and think. And if there is anything in act or word or thought, or fleeting imagination that is impure, unkind, selfish, or evil in any way, He is deeply grieved by it. This thought once fully comprehended becomes one of the mightiest motives to a holy life and a careful walk. How many a young man, who has gone from a holy, Christian home to the
great city with its many temptations, has been kept back from doing things that he would otherwise do by the thought that if he did them his mother might hear of it and that it would grieve her beyond description. But there is One who dwells in our hearts, if we are believers in Christ, who goes with us wherever we go, sees everything that we do, hears everything that we say, observes every thought, even the most fleeting fancy, and this One is purer than the holiest mother that ever lived, more sensitive against sin, One who recoils from the slightest sin as the purest woman who ever lived upon this earth never recoiled from sin in its most hideous forms; and, if there is anything in act, or word, or thought, that has the slightest taint of evil in it, He is grieved beyond description How often some evil thought is suggested to us and we are about to give entertainment to it and then the thought, "The Holy Spirit sees that and is
deeply grieved by it," leads us to banish it forever from our mind.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
GRIEF
We read again in Ephesians 4:30, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." In this passage "grief" is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a mere impersonal influence or power that God sends into our lives. He is a person who comes to dwell in our hearts, observing all that we do and say and think. And if there is anything in act or word or thought, or fleeting imagination that is impure, unkind, selfish, or evil in any way, He is deeply grieved by it. This thought once fully comprehended becomes one of the mightiest motives to a holy life and a careful walk. How many a young man, who has gone from a holy, Christian home to the
great city with its many temptations, has been kept back from doing things that he would otherwise do by the thought that if he did them his mother might hear of it and that it would grieve her beyond description. But there is One who dwells in our hearts, if we are believers in Christ, who goes with us wherever we go, sees everything that we do, hears everything that we say, observes every thought, even the most fleeting fancy, and this One is purer than the holiest mother that ever lived, more sensitive against sin, One who recoils from the slightest sin as the purest woman who ever lived upon this earth never recoiled from sin in its most hideous forms; and, if there is anything in act, or word, or thought, that has the slightest taint of evil in it, He is grieved beyond description How often some evil thought is suggested to us and we are about to give entertainment to it and then the thought, "The Holy Spirit sees that and is
deeply grieved by it," leads us to banish it forever from our mind.
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
THE ACTS OF THE SPIRIT
2. The second line of proof in the Bible of the personality of the Holy Spirit
is that many acts that only a person can perform are ascribed to the Holy
Spirit.
SEARCHING, SPEAKING AND PRAYING
For example, we read in 1 Corinthians 2:10 that the Holy Spirit searcheth the deep things of God. Here He is represented not merely as an illumination that enables us to understand the deep things of God, but a person who Himself searches into the deep things of God and reveals to us the things which He discovers. In Revelation 2:7 and many other passages, the Holy Spirit is represented as speaking. In Galatians 4:6, He is represented as crying out. In Romans 8:26, R. V., we read, "And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Here the Holy Spirit is represented to us as praying, not merely as an influence that leads us to pray, or an illumination that teaches us how to pray, but as a Person Who Himself prays in and through us. There is immeasurable comfort in the
thought that every regenerate man or woman has two Divine Persons praying for him, Jesus Christ, the Son of God at the right hand of the Father praying for us (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1); and the Holy Spirit praying through us down here.
How secure and how blessed is the position of the believer with these two Divine Persons, whom the Father always hears, praying for him.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITY
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
THE ACTS OF THE SPIRIT
2. The second line of proof in the Bible of the personality of the Holy Spirit
is that many acts that only a person can perform are ascribed to the Holy
Spirit.
SEARCHING, SPEAKING AND PRAYING
For example, we read in 1 Corinthians 2:10 that the Holy Spirit searcheth the deep things of God. Here He is represented not merely as an illumination that enables us to understand the deep things of God, but a person who Himself searches into the deep things of God and reveals to us the things which He discovers. In Revelation 2:7 and many other passages, the Holy Spirit is represented as speaking. In Galatians 4:6, He is represented as crying out. In Romans 8:26, R. V., we read, "And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Here the Holy Spirit is represented to us as praying, not merely as an influence that leads us to pray, or an illumination that teaches us how to pray, but as a Person Who Himself prays in and through us. There is immeasurable comfort in the
thought that every regenerate man or woman has two Divine Persons praying for him, Jesus Christ, the Son of God at the right hand of the Father praying for us (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1); and the Holy Spirit praying through us down here.
How secure and how blessed is the position of the believer with these two Divine Persons, whom the Father always hears, praying for him.
following-Him
Active Member
Amen.
Thank you Charles.
Blessings
following-Him
Thank you Charles.
Blessings
following-Him
The Holy Spirit
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITYOF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
THE ACTS OF THE SPIRIT
TEACHING AND GUIDING
In John 15:26,27, we read, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." Here the Holy Spirit is very definitely set forth as a Person giving testimony, and a clear distinction is drawn between His testimony and the testimony which those in whom He dwells give. Again in John 14:26 we read, "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." And again in John 16:12-14, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when
He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall
not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (cf. also Nehemiah 9:20).
In these passages, the Holy Spirit is set forth as a teacher of the truth, not merely an illumination that enables our mind to see the truth, but One who personally comes to us and teaches us the truth. It is the privilege of the humblest believer to have a divine person as his daily teacher of the truth of God. (cf. 1 John 2:20,27). In Romans 8:14 ("For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God") the Holy Spirit is represented as our personal guide, directing us what to do, taking us by the hand, as it were, and leading us into that line of action that is well-pleasing to God. In Acts 16:6,7 we read these deeply significant words, "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: But the Spirit suffered them not." Here the Holy Spirit is represented as taking command of the life and conduct of a servant of Jesus Christ. In Acts 13:2 and Acts 20:28, we see the Holy Spirit calling men to work and appointing them to office. Over and over again in the Scriptures actions are ascribed to
the Holy Spirit which only a person could perform.
The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit - THE PERSONALITY AND DEITYOF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY
R. A. TORREY, D. D.
THE ACTS OF THE SPIRIT
TEACHING AND GUIDING
In John 15:26,27, we read, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." Here the Holy Spirit is very definitely set forth as a Person giving testimony, and a clear distinction is drawn between His testimony and the testimony which those in whom He dwells give. Again in John 14:26 we read, "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." And again in John 16:12-14, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when
He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall
not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (cf. also Nehemiah 9:20).
In these passages, the Holy Spirit is set forth as a teacher of the truth, not merely an illumination that enables our mind to see the truth, but One who personally comes to us and teaches us the truth. It is the privilege of the humblest believer to have a divine person as his daily teacher of the truth of God. (cf. 1 John 2:20,27). In Romans 8:14 ("For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God") the Holy Spirit is represented as our personal guide, directing us what to do, taking us by the hand, as it were, and leading us into that line of action that is well-pleasing to God. In Acts 16:6,7 we read these deeply significant words, "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: But the Spirit suffered them not." Here the Holy Spirit is represented as taking command of the life and conduct of a servant of Jesus Christ. In Acts 13:2 and Acts 20:28, we see the Holy Spirit calling men to work and appointing them to office. Over and over again in the Scriptures actions are ascribed to
the Holy Spirit which only a person could perform.
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