The HOLY SPIRIT'S Work

"Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."(Acts 2:38-47)

In light of the ABOVE words to those who were part of those converted on Pentecost, fellow sinners saved exclusively by God's grace, I want to ask several questions to all of us who at least PROFESS or CONFESS that we have rested in Christ, His blood and righteousness alone. As believing justified saints, we should be able to agree on and Scripturally defend our answers. FIRST OF ALL: IS THE HOLY SPIRIT TRULY GOD? Read these words from the book of Acts concerning the HOLY SPIRIT - "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being privy [to it], and brought a certain part, and laid [it] at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart T*O LIE TO THE HOLY GHOST, and to keep back* [part] of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou HAST NOT LIED unto men, BUT UNTO GOD."(Acts 5:1-4) Do you see that? Peter told Ananias that by lying to the HOLY SPIRIT, he had lied to GOD. Here's the SECOND QUESTION: Seeing the Holy Spirit is TRULY GOD, DOES HE CHANGE in any of His action or purposes? "For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."(Mal.3:6); "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."(James 1:17) Here's the THIRD QUESTION: Does the HOLY SPIRIT, who IS GOD, and who IS UNCHANGEABLE "dwell" in all those the Father chose, and that the Son died for? "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."(Gal.4:4-6); "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."; "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU. NOW IF ANY MANY HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF GOD, HE IS NONE OF HIS. And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. But if THE SPIRIT OF HIM THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD DWELL IN YOU, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN YOU."(Rom.8:2; 5-11) Can WE AGREE that all these truths are SCRIPTURALLY CORRECT, i.e., that the Holy Spirit is truly God, and BEING GOD, He is UNCHANGEABLE, and that the Holy Spirit WHO IS GOD INDWELLS all His people?

In light of THESE TRUTHS (SEE ABOVE) think about these SAINTS who were REGENERATED, CALLED, and INDWELT by the Holy Spirit and their actions as those "born of God" - "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." These regenerated and converted sinners, INDWELT by the SAME HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, WHO INDWELLS EACH OF HIS OWN, had a sincere desire to be with, fellowship with, and worship with ALL THOSE WHO HAD THE SELF-SAME SPIRIT. Since this was true of them, answer this question: If the SAME SPIRIT that was in them is in ALL GOD'S ELECT, and I profess to be born of the SAME SPIRIT, give me a SCRIPTURAL GROUND upon which any of us can JUSTIFY deliberately and habitually absenting ourselves from those of "like precious faith" if the Lord has placed us where a Gospel church and Gospel ministry exists?

Something to prayerfully and thoughtfully consider.