SSLS 2017-02-02
2017 1st Quarter
Lesson 5, January 28-February 3, The Baptism and Filling of the Holy Spirit
Thursday, February 2
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” KJV, Galatians 5:16-26, emphasis added.
“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” KJV, Ephesians 5:8-12, emphasis added.
“Having complied with the Word of God, do not depend on your feelings for evidence of acceptance with God. ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen’ ( Hebrews 11:1). If you have complied with the conditions, believe God, whether or not you feel any different. Christ declared, ‘As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do…. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love’ ( John 14:31; 15:10). Let all who understand the abiding claims of the law of God, yield implicit obedience to every requirement given in the Word. The convictions of the Holy Spirit are warnings which it is dangerous to disregard.” (Ellen White, Vol. 1, Manuscript Releases, 368, emphasis added.)
“The living oracles are the flesh and blood of the Son of God, although He had not then been crucified among them. His work as the substitute for all sin was the only hope of ancient Israel, and after the plan of God had been fulfilled in the death of Christ, the New Testament was written by holy men as they were moved by the Spirit of God. This additional blessing, the New Testament Scriptures, was given, not that the Old might be cast aside, but that the light of the New Testament might be reflected back into past ages, giving significance to the whole Jewish economy. The directions so plainly laid down in reference to practical holiness should enter the life of every one who claims to be a Christian. All should fulfill the terms and conditions given to ancient Israel in regard to practical obedience.” (Ellen White, Vol. 21, Manuscript Releases, 44, emphasis added.)