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The Holy Spirit—The Gift Of Gifts, September 27
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:8
.
In proportion to Christ’s humiliation and suffering is His exaltation. He could
have become the Saviour, the Redeemer, only by first being the Sacrifice. What a
mystery there is in the godliness of Christ. Having magnified the law and made it
honorable by accepting its conditions in saving a world from ruin, Christ hastened
to heaven to perfect His work, and to accomplish His mission by sending the Holy
Spirit to His disciples. Thus He would assure His believing ones that He had not
forgotten them, though now in the presence of God, where there is fullness of joy
forevermore.
The Holy Spirit was to descend on those in this world who loved Christ. By
this they would be qualified, in and through the glorification of their Head, to
receive every endowment necessary for the fulfilling of their mission. The Life-
giver held in His hands, not only the keys of death, but a whole heaven of rich
blessings. All power in heaven and earth was given to Him, and having taken His
place in the heavenly courts, He could dispense these blessings to all who receive
Him.
Christ has said to His disciples, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if
I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send
him unto you” (
John 16:7
). This was the gift of gifts. The Holy Spirit was sent as
the most priceless treasure man could receive. The church was baptized with the
Spirit’s power. The disciples were fitted to go forth and proclaim Christ, first in
Jerusalem, where the shameful work of dishonoring the rightful King had been
done, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth....
How full and free are the blessings to be bestowed on all who come to God in
the name of His Son. If they will observe the conditions laid down in His Word,
He will open to them the windows of heaven, and pour them down a blessing
that there will not be room enough to receive it.... If God’s people will sanctify
themselves by obedience to His precepts, the Lord will work in their midst. He
will renew humble, contrite souls, making their characters pure and holy.
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