Is the Holy Spirit Holy?

There are all kinds of folks who say that they have received God’s Spirit, but at the same time say that we can’t truly get rid of sin out of our hearts and lives. Well, some of these people have received the holy Ghost, and some just think they have, or have been told that they have received it. Man has made all kinds of efforts to twist the scriptures and find a way to justify sin remaining in him and with him. None of these efforts make sense or measure up to the truth of the scriptures, and I’ll show you why that is. It’s really very, very simplistic, like all other actual truth. Jesus said that the holy Ghost is the power of God (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:8) Beside that, everywhere that God’s holy Spirit is mentioned, it’s always referred to as ‘holy.’ Okay, that’s enough right there; let’s just look at what’s there. If God’s Spirit is his power and his holiness, how is it that if we receive it, it isn’t powerful enough or holy enough to get sin out of our lives and make us holy? This brings a few scriptures to mind: “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isa. 59:1). And, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14) And again: “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Lk. 1:37). And one more time, just for good measure: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20). Wow! What a lineup of potent scripture! So again I have to ask: Is the power of God sufficient to do anything and everything except for the most vital issue to our salvation, which is to take sin out of our lives and keep it out? In fact the new testament scriptures are replete with admonitions that we cannot have sin present in our lives and be saved in the end (Mat. 5:8; Jn. 15:1-6; I Cor. 6:9,10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7; Heb. 6:4-8; Heb. 10:26-29; Heb. 12:14; I Pet. 4:17,18; I Jn. 3:1-3; Rev. 20:6; Rev. 21:7,8; Rev. 22:14,15). There’s more where those came from, but you should read over those few references really slow, and see if maybe the fear of God makes your bones rattle a little. And add to that the reality that the Bible clearly tells us that the holy Ghost is what washes away our sins, thereby sanctifying and justifying us (I Cor. 6:11).

So much of modern Christianity has one big punch line, and it’s the same one that started all our troubles: “Thou shalt not surely die.” Many of the doctrines of Christianity today are designed for one purpose, and that is to get you to believe that you have salvation even though you are still a sinner, and can’t truly get sin out of your life. Oh yes, I know it’s by amaaazing grace. But the Bible says that the grace of God forbids that we should continue with sin, and also that grace teaches that we must be able to put away ungodliness, and live “righteously, soberly, and godly, in this present world,” if we hope to be saved at the Lord’s coming (Rom. 6:1,2; Tit. 2:11-14). Obviously we can’t do this on our own steam, but the good news is that God’s Spirit IS holy, and it IS powerful enough to get this done FOR us, if we diligently and relentlessly apply ourselves to the task (Mat.11:12; Heb. 11:6). Friend, what is known as Christianity is not the faith of Christ, but rather true holiness IS. True holiness is to be without sin, period. God is holy, and godliness means being holy. God has in fact commanded us to be holy, over and over again in the scriptures ( I Pet. 1:15,16; etc.). If having God’s Spirit in our life does not include making us literally free from sin, then that can only mean one thing: “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid” (Gal. 2:17). No my friend, Christ has not ministered sin to us by giving us his holy Spirit. There’s no tricks here; the holy Spirit of God can and does make those who have it holy, if we are willing to let sin go, even as the Bible tells us (Rom. 6:6). If you’re having trouble overcoming some sin, God is gracious and longsuffering, and will give you what it takes if you’ll just give him your best effort and ask him earnestly and persistently for the help you need (Heb. 4:15,16). He knows we are poor and needy, so we should act like we are when we come before him. But by all means, shake loose from the teaching that allows for and actually promotes sin, “that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev.18:4). Amen and God bless