“Purpose and Function of the Holy Spirit” Pt 1:
Trying to explain the Trinity to a single person or group most likely will still leave each person walking away scratching their head. Some things are complicated and maybe somethings aren’t to be entirely understood. At least in this life. My desire is to put practical thoughts that hopefully help you understand the purpose and function of the Holy Spirit.
God as our Creator makes sense, as does Jesus, the Son of God who died for our sins on the cross becoming our Savior. The Holy Spirit makes up the third person of the Trinity, and the Bible teaches the three are One. What? Again, some things are complicated. Let me simplify.
Jesus ascended into Heaven 40 days after His resurrection. While on earth he was human, but also divine. He was God but also walked among us as a man. He experienced everything you and I experience in life; except he was perfect and never sinned. The only sins Jesus carried was yours and mine and took them to the cross. That’s why we’re to seek forgiveness of sin through Christ who sacrificed His life for ours. He told his disciples, I must go away so the Comforter, the Holy Spirit can come.
While on earth, Jesus could only be in one place at a time – remember, at that time He was human. Returning to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father, the Holy Spirit came and filled the hearts and lives of the early disciples (Acts 2). We know and embrace that powerful experience as Pentecost. The Holy Spirt was sent because He CAN BE everywhere, with every believer, at the same time. That’s why we have confidence in praying for a loved one that may be thousands of miles away. The Spirit of God is alive in your life while giving comfort to another person.
I’ll give more details on the function of the Holy Spirit tomorrow but let me close with this. The Holy Spirit is God’s voice (communicating) convicting us of our sins. When one is convicted of a crime, there is a formal declaration by a court that someone is guilty of a criminal offense. It’s an unshakable belief implying the person is guilty as charged. The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and draws us to God. God’s presence provides an opportunity for us to confess our sins.
Pastor Carnes
