The Holy Spirit In The Process Of Salvation Series

Obviously to the people there that day, salvation was about so much more than just staying out of hell one day when they died, or about praying the “sinner’s prayer” or even about walking down an aisle. If that is all salvation is about we really don’t need the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives right now. But if salvation is the kind of radical life-changing encounter with God like they experienced that day, then the constant work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is indispensable. If we truly desire to repent and follow Jesus live a holy life, we can’t possible do that without being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit are not merely some optional add-ons for those who would desire to follow Jesus. They are the essence of what it means to be a mature disciple of Jesus. So rather than arguing about whether they are required for salvation or not, or the exact sequence in which they occur or engaging in other similar theological arguments, it seems to me that the more important thing is to follow the example of those first century disciples and just obey what God has told us to do. And if we’ve done those things, then our lives, like the lives of those first century believers ought to be radically transformed.

Pastor John Piper had this to say about the life-changing experience of receiving the Holy Spirit:

The really valuable contribution of the Charismatic renewal is their relentless emphasis on the truth that receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is a real, life-changing experience. Christianity is not merely an array of glorious ideas. It is not merely the performance of rituals and sacraments. It is the life-changing experience of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord of the universe.

So here’s my question to you this morning:

Have you experienced the life changing experience of receiving the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ?

Notice that I didn’t ask you if were christened as an infant. I didn’t ask you if you prayed a prayer and asked Jesus into your life. I didn’t ask if you’ve walked down an aisle in response to an altar call. As I shared with you earlier, I did all those things at some point in my life. But based on what I’ve learned this week, I know realize that I wasn’t truly saved as a result of doing any of those things. And notice that I didn’t even ask you if you’re a member or a regular attender here at TFC because that, while it is important, doesn’t make you a Christ-follower either.

So let me ask the question again:

Have you experienced the life changing experience of receiving the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ?

I know that at least some of you here this morning can answer that question with a confident “yes” because your life has been radically transformed by your faith in Jesus. But perhaps some, even many of us, aren’t quite sure how to answer that question. So let me suggest a few other questions that might help you answer that question: