Lesson 37

How does the Holy Spirit bring people to faith?

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… is the third person of the triune God

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? Acts 5:3-4 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” We know this because… The Bible calls him God

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? Psalm 139:7-8 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. We know this because…

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? Hebrews 9:14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! We know this because…

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 …but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We know this because… he has divine characteristics

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. We know this because…

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God? Titus 3:5 …he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit… We know this because… he performs divine actions

Key Point #1 We know that the Holy Spirit is true God with the Father and the Son because he is called God, he has divine characteristics, and he does things that only God can do.

Why wouldn’t we agree with this statement: “Since the Holy Spirit didn’t heal the sick or raise people from the dead the way that Jesus did, he can’t be true God exactly like Jesus.

Why is the Holy Spirit’s work called sanctification? His divine actions (sanctification) 1 Corinthians 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. washes my sins away by working faith in me

Why is the Holy Spirit’s work called sanctification? His divine actions (sanctification) 1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours…

Why is the Holy Spirit’s work called sanctification? His divine actions (sanctification) 1 Peter 2:9,11 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. through faith, he calls me away from the sinful world to be holy along with all other believers

Key Point #2 The Holy Spirit’s work is called sanctification because, by bringing us to faith, he washes away all our sins and turns us away from the sinful world to live holy lives along with all other believers.

Mary says to you, “Sometimes I’m still attracted to the treasures and pleasures of the world, so I wonder whether the Holy Spirit has really sanctified me.” How would you respond?

How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us What means does the Holy Spirit use to bring us to faith and sanctify us? How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. through the gospel

How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us What means does the Holy Spirit use to bring us to faith and sanctify us? How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. What means does the Holy Spirit use to bring us to faith and sanctify us? How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. in God’s Word

How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us What means does the Holy Spirit use to bring us to faith and sanctify us? How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

What means does the Holy Spirit use to bring us to faith and sanctify us? How he brings us to faith and sanctifies us Matthew 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. in the sacraments (Baptism / Lord’s Supper)

Key Point #3 The means the Holy Spirit uses to bring us to faith and sanctify us is the gospel, specifically, in his Word and the sacraments. (means of grace)

Evaluate… Since the Holy Spirit brings people to faith only by the gospel in his Word and the sacraments, then that means the Holy Spirit’s work is limited to how much mission work we do.

Lesson 37 The Holy Spirit uses his divine power to turn people away from the sinful world to faith in Jesus through God’s Word and the sacraments.

Vocabulary… “Sanctify” To set apart as holy

“Sanctification” (broad sense) Vocabulary… “Sanctification” (broad sense) the Holy Spirit’s work of making believers

the gospel in Word and sacrament Vocabulary… “Means of Grace” the gospel in Word and sacrament