The Wednesday Word ~ 17 January, 2024 A.D.

Impossible Things Believed! 

 

I am so thankful for the ministry of the Holy Spirit in relation to the gospel. He gives us faith (Eph 2:8) and then persuades us of impossible things, the most unfeasible of these being the gospel itself! 

 Have you ever considered the unlikeliness of the whole gospel story?  Here we are on a tiny, insignificant speck of a planet, un-noticeable in the vast array of galaxies and yet God, the creator of all things, has a special interest in us. And the sceptic says, “What a far-fetched idea!” Well it may be far fetched to some, but the truth is He came here and became one of us! And the doubter says, “Wait a minute, I don’t believe in fairy stories!” But this is no fairy story my friend; not only did He become one of us, He also died the cruelest of deaths for us as He took responsibility for our sins and failures. And not only did He die for us, He also became a curse for us and at the cross became the greatest reject in the world. And the cynic says, “But that’s impossible”  

Impossible to believe?  

Yes indeed, the whole thing is impossible to believe unless the Holy Spirit possesses us and, in grace, opens our spiritual eyes.  It’s all impossible to grasp unless He gives us faith to believe. He lets us see that the baby born in the stable was the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6).  He births faith that we might see that our redemption and security are in the Lamb of God alone (John 1:29).  He convinces us that our righteousness is in Christ alone (Jeremiah 23:6).  He shows us that, because of the blood, our conscience can be at peace (Hebrews 9:14). He guarantees us that we are fully accepted in heaven, right now and forever, because of Jesus (Ephesians 1:6). He assures us that our adversary, Satan, has been judged and defeated at the cross (Colossians 2:15). He persuades us that there is a fierce judgment to come and yet witnesses to us that we can approach it with confidence because the Lord Jesus was slain as our Substitute (Romans 3:25). The Holy Spirit continually takes us to the Lord Jesus Whom we have never seen and does the impossible by making Him exceedingly precious to our hearts.  He magnifies the Lord Jesus and causes our desires to go after Him.   We could see nothing in Christ Jesus to desire were it not for the ministry of the Spirit. 

The great English preacher, William Romaine said it this way: “This is the way in which the Holy Ghost glorifies Jesus: He gives the believer such views of the infinite fullness and everlasting sufficiency of Emmanuel, that he is quite satisfied with Him. His conscience is brought into sweet peace through the sprinkling of the blood of the Lamb of God: and when guilt would arise and unbelieving fears disturb, he is enabled through faith in Jesus to maintain his peace; because, whatever rendered him hateful to God, he sees it removed by his adorable Surety: Thus he enters into the promised rest; thus he maintains himself in it.” 

-William Romaine: Letter 11 (December 29th, 1764 A.D.). 

Without the ministry of the Holy Spirit the whole gospel record and it’s ensuing mercies are impossible to grasp.  It is far fetched.  It is foolishness (I Corinthians 1:18).  Someone says, “I see what you mean, when I think about it I find it’s almost impossible to believe that one simple act of faith on my part can wipe out the entire record of sin and the accumulated filth of a lifetime of wickedness.” Well no, that’s not what I mean. You talk about the impossibility of faith wiping out your sin----well I agree with you.  No amount of believing on your part can erase the horror and depth of your sin---that is indeed impossible!   

But, here’s the reality. Jesus Christ Himself has already purged our sin.  Jesus Christ Himself has already redeemed (paid for) us. Because of Him we are out of spiritual debt; we are free and clear.  Your believing does not purge your sins; your believing does not redeem you. Your believing doesn’t pay your debt to God.  And it doesn’t have to because Christ has already finished and accomplished our redemption at Calvary.  The Holy Spirit gives faith to believe this---He gives faith to rest on this. Believe on Christ Jesus, rest on Him and the impossible will become reality---you will be saved!  

And that’s the Gospel Truth!