CHAPTER IV.—The general consequences in the hearts of believers of the effects of the Holy Ghost bef
of their author, nor falling short in offering the appropriate responses they require.
CHAPTER IV
The general consequences in the hearts of believers of the effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned—Consolation; its adjuncts, peace, joy—How it is wrought immediately, mediately.
HAVING come this far in exploring the manner of our communion with the Holy Spirit and discussing his most notable and well-known effects, it is now necessary to elucidate the general consequences of these effects in the hearts of believers. Thus, we will have at least mentioned the key aspects of his dispensation and work in the realm of divine grace. However, I will do little more than mention these consequences, as it is not my intention to delve into their nature, but merely to demonstrate their relevance to the matter at hand. The following are the general consequences of the Holy Spirit's work, much like the previously mentioned effects:
1. Consolation is the first of these consequences. Acts 9:31 states, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."
The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the Comforter, and He provides us with comfort and consolation through His work in and towards us. Whenever the Scriptures refer to comfort or consolation granted to the saints, which is quite frequent, it is
the direct result of the Holy Spirit's work on their behalf.
Comfort or consolation, in its essence, entails the settling and contentment of the soul amidst or despite troubles, through the consideration or presence of some good that outweighs the evil or perplexity one is contending with. When comfort and consolation are mentioned, it implies a relationship with trouble or perplexity. For example, in 2 Corinthians 1:5-6, the apostle
Paul speaks of the abundant consolation that accompanies the sufferings of Christ. Suffering and consolation are presented as opposing forces, with the latter providing relief against the former. Consequently, all promises and expressions of comfort in the Old and New Testaments are presented as remedies for trouble.
All our consolation stems from the effects and acts of the Holy Spirit previously mentioned. There is no comfort apart from them, and there is no trouble from which we cannot find comfort through them.
Suppose a person finds themselves in the gravest calamity that could befall a child of God, facing a convergence of all the afflictions listed by Paul in Romans 8:35 and beyond. If that person has the Holy
Spirit working in the ways mentioned earlier, their consolations will abound despite all their troubles. Imagine that individual having a keen sense of God's love, a clear witness within themselves that they are accepted and sealed as children of God, an assurance of being heirs to God's promises, and so on. It would be impossible for that person not to triumph in all their tribulations.
The descriptions of consolation found in Scripture arise from its properties and attributes. For instance:
Consolation is everlasting. It is referred to as "everlasting consolation" in 2 Thessalonians 2:16: "Now our Lord Jesus
Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace." This means it is a comfort that does not fade away because it stems from eternal things—everlasting love, eternal redemption, and an everlasting inheritance.
Consolation is strong. Hebrews 6:18 speaks of "strong consolation" given to the heirs of the promise. Just as strong opposition and formidable troubles can arise, our consolation is also strong. It abounds and is unconquerable, serving as a reinforcement against all adversity. It strengthens and fortifies the heart, enabling it to joyfully endure whatever it is called to face, for it comes from the One who is mighty.
Consolation is precious. This is why the apostle exhorts the Philippians in Philippians 2:1, saying, "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies..." If they hold any esteem or value for the precious mercy of consolation in Christ, then they should live accordingly.
This is the primary consequence in the hearts of believers resulting from the great effects of the Holy Spirit previously mentioned. It encompasses various aspects of our walk with God and is so extensive that the Holy Spirit is often referred to as the Comforter, just as Jesus Christ is called the Redeemer and Savior of His Church due to His work of redemption and salvation. We have no consolation apart from the Holy Spirit, and all His effects towards us undoubtedly have this consequence to a greater or lesser degree. I dare say that anything we possess among the things previously mentioned, which does not bring consolation with it at least in its root, if not in its full fruition, is not of the Holy Spirit. The way in which comfort arises from these works pertains to specific situations.
The fellowship we have with the Holy Spirit includes a significant
portion of the consolation we receive from Him. It helps us appreciate His love and directs us on where to seek solace in our distress—to whom we should pray, whom we should wait upon in times of perplexity.
2. Peace is also an outcome of the Holy Spirit's work. Romans 15:13 says, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." The power of the Holy Spirit extends not only to hope but also to our peace in believing. Similarly, in John 14:2627, Jesus promises to give us the Comforter, and with that grant,
He says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you."
Christ imparts His peace to us by bestowing the Comforter upon us. The peace of Christ involves a deep sense within the soul of being accepted by God in friendship. Christ is described as "our peace" in Ephesians 2:14, as He reconciles us to God and removes the enmity between us, eradicating the debt of sin.
Romans 5:1 states, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." This peace is rooted in a comforting assurance of our acceptance by God in Christ. It encompasses deliverance from eternal wrath, hatred, curse, and condemnation, and it profoundly impacts the soul and conscience.
This peace is another branch that springs from the same root as the previous consequence—a result of the effects of the Holy Spirit mentioned earlier. Suppose a person is chosen in the eternal love of the Father, redeemed by the blood of the Son, and justified by the grace of God, thereby having a rightful claim to all the promises of the Gospel. However, this person cannot find true and lasting peace through their own reasoning, considerations of the promises themselves, or contemplation of God's love or Christ's grace found in
those promises, until peace is produced within them as a fruit and consequence of the Holy Spirit's work in and towards them. "Peace" is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The aroma of the Spirit is "life and peace" (Romans 8:6). All that we possess comes from Him and through Him.
3. Joy is also included in this list. As mentioned before, the Holy Spirit is called "the oil of gladness" (Hebrews 1:9). His anointing brings joy, as stated in Isaiah 61:3: "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning." Romans 14:17 describes the kingdom of God as "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Believers are said to have received the word "with joy of the Holy Ghost"
(1 Thessalonians 1:6), and Peter speaks of believers experiencing "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8). Bringing joy to the hearts of believers is a prominent aspect of the Comforter's work, which He accomplishes through the aforementioned means. The rejoicing in hope of the glory of God mentioned in Romans 5:2, which enables the soul to triumph even in the midst of tribulation, is rooted in the Spirit's "shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts" (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit produces joy within believers through two main avenues:
(1) The Holy Spirit directly and immediately infuses joy into the soul without the need for any further considerations, reasonings, deductions, or conclusions. Just as the Holy Spirit is a wellspring of water that springs up within the soul for sanctification, He also directly imparts His refreshing and joyous influence. It is not a result of our introspection on the love of God, but rather it gives rise to such introspection. When the Holy Spirit sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts and fills them with gladness through His immediate and operative act (similar to how John the Baptist leaped
for joy in the womb upon Mary's arrival), the soul is prompted to contemplate the love of God, from which joy and rejoicing flow. This joy is beyond explanation and is often accompanied by indescribable rapture of the mind.
(2) The Holy Spirit mediates joy indirectly through His other works towards us. He grants us a sense of God's love, our adoption and acceptance, and enables us to receive and apprehend them. When we consider the Holy Spirit's operations towards us—how He assures us of God's love, grants us life, power, and security, and provides a pledge of our eternal well-being—it becomes evident that He lays a firm foundation for joy and gladness. Yet, we cannot, by our own rational considerations, deductions, or conclusions drawn from these things, affect our hearts with the intended joy and gladness. It is no less the specific work of the Holy Spirit to produce joy and gladness from these considerations, as well as to produce them directly without such considerations. This process of producing joy in the heart is depicted in Psalm 23:5-6: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."
Hope is also among the effects of the Holy Spirit's work in and towards us, as mentioned in Romans 15:13. These are the general consequences of the Holy Spirit's effects on the hearts of believers. If we were to consider their various manifestations, including exultation, assurance, boldness, confidence, expectation, and glorying, it would become evident how deeply our entire communion with God is influenced by them. However, I have only mentioned the main points and will now move on. The next topic should have been the general and specific manner of our communion with the Holy