The Oberlin Evangelist

August 14, 1839

Lecture XIV.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE

by the Rev. Charles G. Finney

Modernized by Cliff Collins

“That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal 3:14)

This text teaches us that:

I. The blessing of Abraham has come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.

II. It teaches us what this blessing is.

III. The blessing of Abraham is to be received by faith.

Before I finish what I want to say about the promises, I will discuss the relationship that the New Covenant has with the Covenant made with Abraham.

I. The blessing of Abraham has come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.

In the 12th chapter of Genesis, we have the first mention of the covenant that God made with Abraham. In the last clause of the third verse, it says, “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”. (Gen 12:3) “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.” (Gen 17:4) “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” (Gen 17:7) “Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him”. (Gen 18:18) “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Gen 22:18) “I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen 26:4)

Remember, there were two things promised concerning the covenant made with Abraham. Earthly Canaan or Palestine was promised to the natural descendants of Abraham who became the Jews. There was also a blessing promised through Abraham to all the nations of the earth. This covenant was not only made with Abraham, but as we shall see, this covenant was also made with all the nations of the earth though his seed. This was a spiritual blessing, and our passage today says that this blessing has come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.

I will quote several other passages to show that this spiritual blessing was intended for the gentiles, and has come upon them. “For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.” (Romans 4:13,16) This epistle to the Romans was written to the Gentiles. Here, the apostle Paul says that those Gentiles who had faith are of the seed of Abraham, and that he is the father of us all.

“Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” “…that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:7,9,14,29) Here it is clear, that in writing to the Gentiles, Paul clearly includes them in the covenant made with Abraham and affirms that if they are Christians, then they are “Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. And in 4:28, he says; “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise”. Here Paul affirms that the Gentiles are as absolutely within the promise made to Abraham as Isaac was.

Ephesians 2:12-22 declares that the Gentiles inherit all the promises of spiritual blessings made to Abraham and the fathers. Here, there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. All who have faith are entitled to the promises of spiritual blessings. “That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” I might quote many more passages that are just as important but these are enough.

II. I will show what this blessing is.

1. This blessing is not merely a promise that Christ should be of Abraham’s seed, for the Apostle affirms in Galatians 3:16,19 that the promise was made to Christ through Abraham. “Now the promises were made to Abraham and his seed. He did not say, ‘and to seeds’ as of many, but as of one, ‘and to your seed’, which is Christ. What purpose then does the law serve? The law was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.” And in verse 14 it says, “that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus”. This blessing, then promised, was not Christ himself, but the promise was first given to Christ, and then through Christ to all the nations of the earth.

2. This passage informs us that this blessing promised to Abraham and to his seed, and through Christ, Abraham’s seed, to all the nations of the earth, is the Holy Spirit. Throughout the old dispensation, the prophets and the inspired writers seem to have had their eye on this all along. If you examine the scriptures carefully, you will find that the promises are one unbroken chain pointing out this particular blessing everywhere from Abraham to Christ and even to the time when the canon of the scripture was complete. Sometimes, it was promised in figurative language, where the Spirit of God is represented as water. But in most situations, the prophets did not speak figuratively and promised the Holy Spirit by name.

“Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.” (Isaiah 32:15)

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” (Isaiah 44:3)

“As for Me”, says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants”, says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore”. (Isaiah 59:21)

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says the Lord, I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jer 31:33)

“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.” (Jer 32:40)

“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh.” (Ezek 11:19)

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezek 36:27)

I can’t forget today’s scripture. “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gall 3:14)

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which,'' He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:38-39)

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” (John 16:7,13)

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

If you will carefully examine these passages you will see what the great blessing under the eye of inspiration was. The great thing promised to Abraham is affirmed in our passage, and in the passages that I’ve just quoted, and in numerous other passages that might be quoted. These passages demonstrate that the great thing promised was the Holy Spirit. This was the spiritual blessing that belonged to all nations, while earthly Canaan only belonged to the Jews. In Eph. 1:13, the Holy Spirit is clearly called the “Holy Spirit of promise”.

III. This blessing is to be received by faith.

1. This is stated in Galatians 3:14, “That we might receive the promise of the Spirit THROUGH FAITH”. In the second verse of this same chapter Paul asks, “Have you received the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of FAITH?” In John 7:38-39 Christ says, “ ‘He who BELIEVES IN ME, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ But this Jesus spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those BELIEVING IN HIM would receive.” We could quote other passages that basically say the same thing.

2. It is naturally impossible that the Holy Spirit should be received in any other way but by faith. We will see this if we ask:

(1) What is the nature of faith?

(2) What it mean to receive the Holy Ghost?

The three elements of faith are:

(a) An intellectual perception of the truth.

(b) A realization of the truth.

These are the essential elements of faith.

(2) To receive the Holy Spirit is to receive Him as our Comforter, Guide, and Instructor. The Holy Spirit can only be received by our mind, by an act of faith. Perceiving the truth is not faith itself. Realizing the truth is not faith. Although both perceiving and realizing the truth are indispensable to the existence of faith, faith itself is still an act of our will. Faith is trusting in, confiding in, and yielding up of our whole being to the influence of truth. Faith is yielding up our voluntary powers to the guidance, instruction, influences, and government of the Holy Spirit. This is the only possible way to receive the Holy Spirit. Simply understanding truth about Him is not faith, nor is it receiving Him. We can know all kinds of truth about the Holy Spirit and still reject Him. This happens a lot. No matter how deep or intense our knowledge is, simply realizing the truth about Him is neither faith nor receiving Him. Nevertheless, when we perceive and realize His offers of guidance, faith is that act of our mind that grabs a hold of these offers and yields up our whole being to His influences and control.

REMARKS.

1. The Abrahamic covenant is not abolished. Neither has it been completely fulfilled to the whole world. Some believe that the Abrahamic covenant was fulfilled when Christ came, and was then abolished. This idea comes from the mistaken opinion that Christ was the particular blessing promised. But, the passages we read shows that Christ was not the thing promised, but that the promise was first made to Him and then through Him to all the nations of the earth. This covenant then is not done away with or set aside, nor can it be set aside until all the nations of the earth are blessed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And it is clear that this covenant not only concerns all the nations of our generation, but also extends its provisions to the end of time.

2. This promise made to Abraham, and all those other promises that are based on it and promise the same things, are now due. In other words, the time has come when we should consider these promises in the present tense. The Church can now claim them for themselves and for all the nations of the earth. These promises were not due in Abraham’s day. They were promises made to Abraham and to all the Old Testament saints concerning future good. And, concerning Abraham and the Old Testament saints, the Bible clearly states that they “all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off”. (Heb 11:13) And again in Hebrews 11:39, 40, “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Here it clearly states that these promises are due to us and available to us in a higher sense than they were to Abraham and the Old Testament saints.

3. The New Covenant, that is quoted so often and dwelt on so much, is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant to those who receive it. It consists in the Holy Spirit taking up His home in the heart and writing His law there. Please understand, that the New Covenant sustains the same relation to the Abrahamic Covenant that the fulfillment of a promise does to the promise itself. The Abrahamic Covenant and the New Covenant are not identical, but the New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.

4. This blessing of the Holy Spirit must be received immediately, by faith. It has nothing to do with works. No work whatever, performed without the influence of the Holy Spirit prepares us, in the least degree, to receive Him, or puts us in any more favorable circumstances concerning our salvation or our sanctification.

5. All preparation on our part to receive Him and all delay, no matter how serious we may think we are in seeking and preparing to receive His influences, is self-righteous and rebellious. Every God provoking attempt to get grace by works, and to purchase, by our Pharisaical efforts, the gift of the Holy Ghost, is a waste of time. It seems to be one of the most difficult things in the world, for the self-righteous spirit of man to understand the simplicity of Gospel faith. Man is continually seeking salvation and sanctification by works of law without even being aware of it.

6. I have already said that since the seed has come to whom the promise was made, which is Christ, we are to regard the promise that the Holy Spirit will be poured out on all flesh, as a promise in the present tense. The Church should understand, plead, and urge its immediate fulfillment. Until the Church comes to understand this as a promise actually made to all nations and as having actually become due, and to be received right now and treated by the Church as a promise in the present tense, the Millennium will never come.

When God promised the restoration of Israel after seventy years captivity in Babylon, the Bible says that Daniel learned by books, that is by the prophets, that the captivity should continue seventy years. Therefore, at the end of the seventy years, he turned his face to the Lord for the fulfillment of this promise by prayer and supplication, with sackcloth and ashes. And he wrestled with God until he prevailed.

When God had clearly promised to Elijah that if he would go and show himself to Ahab He would send rain on the earth, Elijah regarded the promise, after he had shown himself to Ahab, as in the present tense. He had every right to do this. But, he did not expect the fulfillment without prayer. Instead, he dedicated himself to wrestling mightily with God, and he did not leave his knees until he saw the cloud rise that watered the land.

In the same way, God, in the promise of the outpouring of his Spirit in Ezekiel 36:25, 27, has added in the 37th verse, “I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.” Now the Church is praying, and has been praying for a long time for the Millennium to come, and for the fulfillment of this promise. But, please let me ask you. Do they understand that these as promises are now due, which they have a right to plead in faith for all the nations of the earth? It would seem as if they believed that the promise still belongs to the future. It seems like they don’t understand that a promise that is due at some specified future time, is always in the present tense after that future time arrives. And until the Church regards, treats and pleads this promise for today, and the required means are used for its accomplishment, it will never be fulfilled. Christians seem to pray as if they doubt that God’s time has come to convert the world. They ask Him to do it in His own time and in His own way. Now we should understand that He has bound Himself by a promise to give his Spirit to all the nations of the earth, when the seed to whom the promise was made comes and prepares the way to bestow the blessing. Now God says, He “will be inquired of by the house of Israel”. It is not enough that one or a few should understand these promises properly and plead them. A few can never use a sufficient amount of means to bring about their fulfillment. Christians must understand them generally, in their proper importance and as being due now, and they must resolve not to hold their peace, nor give God rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. They must insist on their fulfillment now, and not consent that it should be put off any longer. Perhaps billions have gone to hell since these promises have become due; since these promises should have been understood and pleaded and the proper means used for their fulfillment. How long shall the Church make it an act of piety and think that they are submitting to the will of God, in letting these promises rot in their Bibles while God is waiting to fulfill them, and commanding them not to give Him rest until He does fulfill them?

7. The Old Testament saints were saved, not by works of law, but by faith in the covenant made with Abraham. In other words Abraham, together with all that were saved before and after him under the Old Testament dispensation, were saved by faith in Christ. The ceremonial law was a shadow of the Gospel, and it clearly says in Galatians 3:8 that, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed’”. Here, Paul calls this covenant with Abraham “the Gospel”, a preaching beforehand, or foretelling the Gospel to Abraham. The difference then between the old dispensation and the new, does not lie in the fact that under the old dispensation the saints were saved by works, while under the new they are saved by grace. Everyone who was ever saved was saved by grace through faith in Christ. But, under the old dispensation, the Holy Ghost was neither promised nor enjoyed to such an extent as He is promised and enjoyed under the new dispensation. The thing that Abraham and the Old Testament saints did not receive was that measure of the Holy Spirit that constitutes the New Covenant, and produces the entire sanctification of the soul.

8. Finally. Every individual Christian may receive and is bound to receive this gift of the Holy Spirit through faith right now. Don’t think that every Christian has received the Holy Spirit the way He is promised in these passages of Scripture. Many Christians have never received the Holy Spirit in any higher sense than the Old Testament saints who had actually been regenerated received him and were real saints, of whom the Bible says, “They all died in faith not having received the promises”. (Hebrews 11:13) Thousands of Christians have not received the promises because of their ignorance and unbelief. It is said that “after we believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”. (Eph 1:13) Now beloved, what we need to do is to understand and get hold of this promise to Abraham, and through Abraham to Christ, and through Christ and by Christ to the whole Church of God. Now remember the Holy Spirit is to be received by simple faith in these promises. “According to your faith be it unto you.” (Matt 9:29) “As it is written, ‘the just shall live by faith’.” (Romans 1:17)