[p. 19]
Chapter 8 por Pastor Ron Crisp
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN COMMON GRACEINTRODUCTION
Common grace may be defined as the unmerited goodness of God bestowed upon the world at large. It is called "common" not to downgrade it, but rather to distinguish it from "saving" or "efficacious" grace. Examples of common grace would include God's provision for man's physical needs (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17), the gospel call (Mark 16:15), Christian influence (Matthew 5:13) and the long-suffering of God (Romans 9:21-22).
While each of the afore-mentioned blessings are external, yet common grace goes beyond even this to include many internal workings of God's Spirit. Some have supposed that because the effectual call is extended only to the elect that the Holy Spirit never works in others. This is a false conclusion. The Bible mentions many dealings of the Holy Spirit in men who were never regenerated. I. THE RESTRAINT OF DEPRAVITY.
The corrupting power of sin is so great that only the restraining power of God's Spirit keeps this world from quickly becoming an unbearable cesspool. The fact that civil government, the family, public worship and some degree of safety are ever allowed to exist in this world must be attributed to common grace. That morality and honesty are even found among the unsaved reveals that God restrains men from giving free reign to their depravity. Think of what our own country would be like should God cease to work through His people in preserving some truth and decency. Would this world that crucified Christ ever let a saint live, should God cease to restrain (I Timothy 2:1-2, Genesis 20:1-18)?
This restraining power of God is revealed in the fact that God is said to "harden" hearts or "give men over" to iniquity. As God is never the author of sin (James 1: 13) these expressions must mean that God removed the restraints that formerly held back these individuals (Exodus 10:1, Psalms 105:25, I Samuel 2:25, Romans 1:24, 26 and 28). The removal of restraints could include the permitting of events that expose men's depraved nature, or the removal of conscience and fear of retribution. The Scriptures also reveal that Satan and his demons will incite men to sin whenever permitted by God (II Thessalonians 2:8-11, I Kings 22:15-23, I Samuel 16:14).
The restraining power of the Spirit is a blessing for which we should not forget to thank God. Unsaved men who boast of outward morality and culture, little realize what depths of depravity lay pent up within their own hearts. It is a glorious truth that God in fact restrains all sin that will not ultimately contribute to his glory (Psalms 76:10). II. THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE UNSAVED.
The Bible clearly teaches that unregenerate men are spiritually blind (I Corinthians 1:18, 2:11-14, Ephesians 4:17-18). Their eyes are closed to the glory of Christ and the nature of salvation. This, however is not to say that they are without any knowledge in the moral realm. God is pleased in His work of common grace to impart some knowledge unto the unregenerate. A. While unsaved men hate the knowledge of God, yet they never succeed in erasing it from their minds (Romans 1:23, 28). In every nation men admit the existence of Deity. Atheism has never been natural to man. All this is because God has been pleased to give a universal manifestation of His existence. (Romans 1:19-20).
B. Another manifestation of common grace is the impartation to men of the knowledge of right and wrong. The natural man hates God's law (Romans 8:7), yet he can never erase its precepts. This is because the Holy Spirit has written them in his conscience (Romans 2:14-16). This Scripture proves that any mortality on the part of the unregenerate must be attributed to God.
One should notice here that both the saved and the unsaved have the law of God written in their hearts (Romans 2:14-15, Hebrews 8:10). The difference is that the saved not only have a much fuller and more spiritual revelation of God's law, but they are also enabled to love it Romans 7:22). The unsaved have a contracted view, of God's law which produces guilt and mere restraint rather than joyful obedience. III. SPECIAL GIFTS.
Every good gift comes from God (James 1: 17). It was the Spirit who strengthened Samson (Judges 14:6), and gave Bezeleel his skill (Exodus 31:2-5). Should we not also attribute the abilities of those who benefit society today to the workings of God's Spirit.
In going beyond this we find that spiritual gifts are sometimes given to the unsaved. Balaam was given the gift of prophecy and Judas had the power to do miracles (Matthew 10:1). Saul prophesied and received power to rule and fight bravely (I Samuel 10:9-11, 11:6). In all this we see that while one must differentiate between spiritual gifts and saving grace, yet these gifts are to be regarded as blessings of God. IV. SPECIAL INFLUENCES.
The Holy Spirit does not restrict His activity to the elect, but in fact often helps and protects them by influencing those around them. We are told that God controls the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21: 1). One thinks of Cyrus, Artaxerxes and Nebuchadnezzar. Cyrus, though a pagan, was called God's anointed because of God’s special purpose for Him in assisting the Jews (Isaiah 45:1). We remember how Joseph and Daniel found favor with their jailers, and Jacob was saved from Laban's wrath. All this reminds us that God is able to influence even the unregenerate for good. (Proverbs 16:7). CONCLUSION
Whether it be the restraint of sin or the giving of physical necessities, yet all must admit that God is good to men (Psalms 145:9). How mistaken is the man who would limit all of God's blessings to the elect. Let us rather emulate God by being kind to both the good and the bad among men (Matthew 5:43-48). ================ Return to Holy Spirit Index Page