The Gospel (part 2)

by

BERT BAUMAN

MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the true gospel. He is faithful in His work of leading every Christian into all truth and so He alone is able to purify the taught gospel. As we have already observed, life is usually given through the taught gospel, but the purified understanding of the true gospel can only come by revelation from God. In other words, the gospel which have been taught must pass through a process of revelation by the Holy Spirit so that it may be purified and become the revealed gospel to our hearts. Nevertheless, it does not follow that man has no part in bringing the revealed gospel. God has commissioned him to do so but man is only the preacher – God is the Revealer. Unless the messenger has allowed the gospel to be purified to his own heart and is careful minister under the direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that the gospel he teaches is truly the revealed gospel, he perpetuates a taught gospel which may be tainted with human wisdom and the traditions of men. Unfortunately, m ost Christians find it difficult to let go of their taught gospel when confronted with the revealed gospel. So often they are too deeply steeped in traditional understanding to receive correction from the Holy Spirit. This is the historical error of established religion.

God works from within, through the spirit into the heart. Man works from without, through the senses and mind. I John 2:20 teaches that the anointing of God’s Spirit causes us to know “all things”, and again in chapter 2:27, that same anointing is said to teach us so that we “need not that anu man teach” us. Why then is it that one of Christ’s gifts to His church is teachers? There may be many answers to this question, not the least of which is that God would have His people excel in fellowship and unity. These qualities are best nourished in an exchange of gifts in mutual need. But there is another reason which is a principle found throughout God’s dealings with man. It is that of the double witness. Jesus used it often in His teaching with the words, “Verily, verily”, and Paul enunciates it in 2 Corinthians 13:1, “… in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established”. God has sent two great revealers of truth into the earth – the Holy Spirit and the scriptures – if one or the other is ignored by truth seekers, error results. So we see that the process or bringing truth to man has a two part composition. Indeed, we “know all” as John says, but we are not aware or conscious of this knowledge because God puts His revelation into spirit (which is the unconscious self). It is therefore necessary to be “made conscious” of that which we know “unconsciously”. God brings this about through anointed, human teachers, who present the truth from the outside through the senses and mind. When the truth is thus presented and received, there is a union of that which God has put into the spirit with that which He brings through the anointed teaching, and the hearer experiences a “conscious knowing” of the truth. Some call this the witness of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, if we are sincere in doing the will of God, we shall know if the doctrine we are hearing is of God. (John 7:17). 

But the witness of the spirit is not possible if we reject what we hear before it can be examined by the inner man. It is always difficult to allow what is revealed in the heart by God’s Spirit to conquer what is entrenched in the man-taught mind, but unless we do, conflict between the heart and mind results in frustration – and more seriously, the Holy Spirit is hindered in bringing the truth of God to us. Of course, It was never intended that human teachers should be in conflict with what God puts in the spirit, rather, it is God’s plan that man should be a co-worker with Him. This grand plan, however, has many adversaries. Human beings find it easier to lean upon those who can be seen rather than upon Him Whom they cannot see, Fear holds many in traditional teachings, even when they suspect grave error. Often they are warned that to believe other than what “Mother Church” teaches will lead to destruction – even eternal torment in the hands of an angry God. Not less than these is the strong ambition to receive honor from our peers, “How can ye believe, who receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?” (John 5:44). Every prophet of God has had to overcome such obstacles in order to receive and preach God’s message, and it is no less traumatic for the average Christian to accept the Holy Spirit’s revelation of the pure gospel of Jesus Christ today. God is looking for bold warriors of truth who will courageously hear and trust His voice within and dare to believe the outer witness of the inspired scriptures. A limited gospel can only yield a limited salvation. The glorious and powerful salvation prophesied to take place in the last days can only be produced through a pure, Holy Spirit- revealed gospel.

Extract from the book “The Gospel” by Bert Bauman