CSC: WELS Topical Q&A: Bible: Interpretation/Meaning: Is 63:10
Most Recently Posted Ask a Question
Q:What does this mean concretely if the Holy Spirit is fighting against people?

Can this happen still today?

Is there any relationship to the sin against the Holy Spirit?


A:In Psalm 51 David prays, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (Ps 51:10-12)

David understood that only the Holy Spirit can create the joy of salvation and the pure heart and willing spirit within a believer. Being brought to faith in Jesus and living that faith in Jesus is a work that only the Holy Spirit can accomplish.

Paul said, "No one can say that Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:3) Indeed, our on-going walk of faith is something that God accomplishes, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (Phil 2:13) That is why Paul can say, "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." (Ro. 8:9)

What is the tool the Spirit uses to achieve such miracles in hearts born dead in sin?

"Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Ro. 10:17)

What a glorious demonstration of God's pure and free grace! The Holy Spirit works a resurrection miracle in the hearts of believers.(Eph. 1:19)

However, the Spirit never coerces conversion. Although a person does not have the power to choose to believe(see John 15:16), a person does have the ability to turn away from grace and reject God's gracious gift. Indeed, that is the inclination of the sinful nature. "The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." (Ro. 8:7) When believers take God's Word lightly and ignore God's holy law by willingly sinning, they "grieve the Holy Spirit." (Read the whole context of Eph. 4: 25 - Eph. 5:20)

In the specific context of your question, Isaiah 63, please also read the whole section. The prophet had recounted deeds of God's saving activity among his people. God had proven his faithful love and his rescuing power. Yet the people rebelled. Note that first the people had turned away from God's goodness. The people had grieved the Holy Spirit. Then God turned against them and fought against them, Why? In order to call them to repentance. (See also Amos 4:9-11) Note in the context of Isaiah 63 that the people then did recall God's faithful acts of saving love.

If a person persists in turning away from God's grace and continually despises the Word of salvation, then God will judge that hard heart. Read through Matthew 13 and see how Jesus uses a parable to state a simple truth: there will be people who reject the Word. In the midst of the parable and its explanation, Jesus explains how his teaching in parables is actually judgment upon hard hearts, as Isaiah wrote in Is. 6:9,10. The hardened sinner who persists in rejecting the Word, rejects the Spirit who uses that Word to create faith. That sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31) is unbelief, and unbelief damns.

So God's people, knowing the weakness of our human flesh, the constant temptations of Satan and the world, continue to pray:
"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people, and kindle in us the fire of your love."



<< PreviousTopic: Bible: Interpretation/MeaningNext >>
Now Viewing: #46 of 787

WELS Topical Q & A: Recently posted Topical index