There are several African tribes whose wisdom sayings include the statement: A stick of firewood burns readily if it has not been out in the rain. A person may fail, because he has been left out in the rain. Many African peoples make appeals to mind pictures, to real life experiences, that teach the practicality of life decisions and conducts. This proverb informs, without explanation, that if beneficial results are to be gained, one must begin with the right stuff and not betray purpose.
Salvation is provided for those who follow Christ’s directives for effective faith. The offering of Christ in death provides forgiveness for sin, and his resurrection that is base for immortal hope and holiness. According to New Testament writers, the Holy Spirit provides effective support for righteous living, for those determined to live with Christ-likeness. (Acts 11:24) That principle of spiritual life is divine fire. The symbol at Pentecost was like visible fire. It came as one bolt, but divided so that a strand of fire touched each of the persons present. There are fires that are not seen, even in presence of visible fire, in parable, to illustrate what is occurring. Each cell of the human body is burning oxygen, unseen fire, and the life principle of our physical welfare is attached to that efficient burning. The burning of calories keeps us alive and warm. If burning fails, or is shut off in some way, we die. God’s fire is life giving. The Church was born.
According to Scripture that burning spiritual life in us is in the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. Even among Christians, the range of ideas and concepts creating controversy about the Holy Spirit has made almost taboo any discussion, Bible study, preaching, or conversation about the third Person of the Trinity. The subject is strange to skeptical publics, secular or religious. This is understandable, related to persons that wrestle with even the basic claims of Christ, more easily perceived than Holy Spirit theology. Christians (even secularists) should not lose some perception in life accomplished through the person known as the Holy Spirit.
The large impression of Scripture is that the Holy Spirit chooses to be effective, in special relationships, when Christians are conditioned by righteous tendencies, and request to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13) But what if the Christian, like the stick in the Congo jungle in his own context, is water-soaked, soggy, relative to spiritual life? There is a revival of Christian writings about the Holy Spirit, writings in which authors deplore the loss of an understanding and practice of the Spirit-filled life. As Christians increasingly incorporate their conducts to secular ones, we may be sure that the Holy Spirit is grieved. (Ephesians 4:30) He is resisted. (Acts 7:51) The Holy Spirit, we are informed, is a gift; is sinned against; is a comforter; fills Christians; gives joy and peace; witnesses; sanctifies; communes; indwells; and, the list may be lengthened. Tucked away in the theologies of nearly every Christian denomination at least some of this narrative is acknowledged. We ought to become ready kindling, on the hearth of our hearts, for his fire. This ought to be awareness experience for believers. One wonders why that which ought to be common seems generally uncommon for many. For those knowing the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, there is no doubt or debate. My presupposition is that persons wrestle in their minds with the basic issue of redemption with humility of repentance, activation of faith, and change for life thought and conduct that there is not much left for the more extensive work of God. We need to believe that larger understanding of the deeper Christian life is not difficult, and does not occupy mammoth periods of time to learn about, and to seek directed application. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020