The Holy Spirit and Salvation

The Holy Spirit plays an active role in the believers’ salvation. He is involved from the beginning of the conviction of sin to the glorification of the believers, and in everything in between. Without the Holy Spirit, an unsaved person cannot repent and be redeemed, sanctified, and quickened on the last day.

The Holy Spirit continues the works of Christ in the believers after Christ had ascended to heaven. He is the “another comforter” that Christ promised. The purpose of this article is to highlight the role of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of the believers.

Salvation is described as the work of creation which only God can do. This happens through the efforts of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. A sinner, or an unsaved person, goes from being an enemy of God to being reborn as a child of God through the three stages of the Holy Spirit’s functions described below:

1. Conviction

The Holy Spirit convicts the sinners of sin. This He does through the Word of God. He makes the sinner see, identify, or detect sinful behavior while at the same time leading him to a change of heart. The sinner could no longer deny or make excuses for his sins. He becomes totally submissive to Christ who only can provide the way out of the wrath of God.

John 16:7-11  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; 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. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

2. Regeneration

Following the conviction of sin, the sinner realizes his need for Christ, trusts in His shed blood as the only source of forgiveness. At this stage, the Holy Spirit comes in, regenerates the heart, and imparts new life into the one who believes. A totally new creature is formed (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is regeneration. Once a sinner and unsaved, the believer is now converted and permanently set apart from the condemnation of sins.

2 Thessalonians 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

In John 3, Jesus Christ speaks of being born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5 – we know that the water in this context refers to the Word of God). To be born again means to be born from above. This is what happens to the one who has trusted (put his/her faith) in Christ.

John 1:12-13  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

“The Spirit’s work of regeneration gives the sinner a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26–27), one in which he is capable of genuine love for God and heartfelt obedience to Christ (cf. John 14:15). The fruit of that transformation will be evidenced in a changed life, manifested in fruits of repentance (Matthew 3:8) and the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). To accomplish this miraculous work, the Spirit uses His Word. See James 1:17–18” – John MacArthur, Strange Fire.

3. Baptism

Part of what happens at salvation is that the believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. We simply call this the Holy Ghost baptism (or indwelling of the Holy Spirit). This baptism confirms the truth about the adoption of the believer into the Family of God.

Romans 8:14-16  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Galatians 4:6-7  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Having created the new man, the Holy Spirit continues to work in the believers to confirms them to the image of Christ, i.e. forming Christ in them. This is a process called sanctification. This sanctification work of the Holy Spirit happens alongside the believer’s submission to the authority of the Word of God. It is crucial for the Christians to know that the Holy Spirit does not function outside of, or contrary to the Scriptures.

The following terms can be used to describe the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the believers during this sanctification process:

1. Indwelling

The Holy Spirit indwells the believers, this is Christ in us!

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

The Spirit constantly fills the believers who live in accordance with the purpose of Christ. He is the enabler of good deeds in the livers of the believers. For more on the indwelling function of the Holy Spirit, please click here.

2. Fellowship

Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, the believers are brought into close fellowship with God. Since the beginning of creation, God has always loved to fellowship with Man. Adam and Eve enjoyed this fellowship in the Garden prior to the fall. But when they sinned, they lost fellowship with God.

In our times, the fellowship is restored when a sinner believes and trusts Christ. The Holy Spirit comes into the new believer to take a permanent residence.

1 John 1:3-4  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1 John 3:23-24  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Colossians 3:1-3  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

All the above is possible because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit is Christ in us, the “another comforter” in John 14:16. No longer do the believers need to be afraid of the judgment or the wrath of God.

3. Sealing

In Ephesians 1:13-14, the Bible says:

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

The believer receives the Holy Spirit (the indwelling Holy Spirit) at the moment of salvation. Among other functions of the Spirit in the life of the believer, this is the seal of the God signifying that the believer now belongs to God.

2 Timothy 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The Holy Spirit is the One who does the sealing, and He Himself is the seal. This sealing is permanent “until the redemption” of the believer. This is God’s protection on the believers till He returns to take them Home.

For more in the sealing function of the Holy Spirit, please click here.

The Word of God promises us that those whom God had predestinated, called, and justified  are also glorified. Christ also confirms this Himself. The Holy Spirit is put in the believers to ensure that this is accomplished.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Alive Forever

At salvation, the believer is made alive in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Although the believers may experience death in the body, we are guaranteed resurrection on the last day. The Holy Spirit is the one who raises us up at the resurrection, whether we are still alive at Rapture or dead before the Rapture. It is the Holy Spirit who makes our ‘catching up’ possible. Without Him, an individual cannot be ‘caught up’. This is why the baptism of the Holy Spirit is very important. Thank God we got it when we got saved!

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up 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” Romans 8:11.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

For more on the resurrection of the believers, please click here.

The plan of God in salvation is that we might be taken out of the world into the Body and Christ and from there into the presence of God in Heaven. The beauty of this plan is that the accomplishment does not depend on us the believers. It is the job of the Holy Spirit, and He will do it!

In the meantime, the believers are to live their lives to the glory of God, seeking to please Him at all times. We are to depart from the love and lusts of this world and hold on to Christ the author and the finisher of our faith. Focus your life more on things which have eternal value and less on things of temporary satisfaction.

2 Corinthians 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Thank you for reading!