The Spirit's Witness: Revealing Christ

What Does it Mean the Spirit Bears Witness? Part 1

Have you ever pondered how the Holy Spirit vividly reveals Christ to us—assuring our adoption as God's children, convicting hearts of His righteous victory, and unveiling divine wisdom straight from the Saviour? Are you unsure of Christ death and resurrection? Join me in this video where we'll uncover scripture to ascertain the Spirit's role in spotlighting Jesus' glory and transforming our lives.

Throughout Romans chapter 8 Paul addresses several Christian issues, starting with no condemnation in verse 1, followed by the life in the Spirit vs the flesh in verses 5-11, the Spirit of Adoption in verse 15 and finally, the joint testimony of the Holy Spirit and believers in verse 16. Romans 8:16–17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Firstly, notice Paul says the Spirit ‘Himself’ bears witness, declaring the Spirit’s personhood meeting with us and directly testifying of the truth of Christ, not just spiritual feeling, it is direct revelation by the Spirit—illuminating the Scriptures—that Jesus has died for the forgiveness of our sins and that through Christ we become Adopted into the family of God as children of God. Secondly, Paul writes ‘with our Spirit’. This further attests to the personal nature of the Holy Spirit and His way of acting is the same way God always acts, it is with us and through us, as the Holy Spirit sovereignly initiates works in perfect unity with the Father and the Son in our regeneration while involving our renewed spirits.

John 16:8–11 “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

In this passage Jesus is addressing fullness of things coming which will be advocated by the Spirit to unbelievers, that Jesus is the only true righteous one without sin, the lamb without blemish. That He ascends to the right hand of the Father, to be reunited with Him and restored to the glory of God (I’m referencing John 17:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” ). The Spirit will convict the elected that it is finished with Christ on the cross, Satan is defeated, the battle is won and victory is accomplished by the glorious lamb. But the fight for us as Christians is not over; God calls us to sanctify us, so that we may grow in the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be given purpose to partake in Christ’s righteousness—His imputed righteousness in justification leading to imparted holiness in sanctification—through the power of the Holy Spirit, in Christ’s victory, that we may declare the glory of God to all and work to His glory and purpose for us. While the Spirit convicts unbelievers primarily of their unbelief in Christ, for believers He provides assurance and empowers obedience in this ongoing process of sanctification.

1 Corinthians 2:10–13 “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

This passage is extremely detailed, but I’m only going to address the elements relevant to this topic. What Paul writes here is twofold. Paul uses somewhat of an analogy demonstrating the relationship between a person’s spirit and God’s Spirit. God gave man spirit, the potter gave the inanimate clay life, like a power source used to start a car, the spirit is the source of life. A man’s spirit can be reconciled to God and His Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ—a faith that is itself a gift from God by His grace—by which we are put to death in our sin and given a new Spirit, the Spirit of God is now our source of life, no longer the Spirit of man. Now that we have the Spirit of God, we may access the knowledge, wisdom and understanding of God, so that we may discern spiritual truth and impart this to others. But be careful and diligent, man is still fallible, and spirits are deceiving, be wise and vigilant to heed only to the Holy Spirit of God, for this Spirit alone reveals truth to man.

What Does it Mean the Spirit Bears Witness? Part 2

John 1:29–34 “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.””

Romans 8:16–17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

1 John 5:6–8 “This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.”