This is similar to a point Hugh Martin made in The Abiding Presence in the section on 'the Spirit as the author of all reality in religion', speaking of how it is 'the things' of the Spirit of God that the natural man cannot receive:

'Take, for example, the doctrine of forgiveness. who can tell how profoundly you may study it; how acutely you may argue it; how clearly you may teach it, how instructive to others your statement and exposition of it may be? Forgiveness -- as a topic of speculation -- may be one among the thoughts of your mind; and, in this light, even as a natural man, you may possibly do great justice to the theme. But forgiveness as a privilege -- actual and real forgiveness -- must be not one of the thoughts of your spirit, but one of the thoughts of God's Spirit: one of those thoughts of peace and not of evil which He knows that He thinks concerning you (Jer. 29:11); the thoughts of God, not transient and inefficient like your own thoughts, but substantial, effectual, eternal; the thoughts of God, which in their self-realizing substantiality are worthy to be called "the things" of God. Forgiveness to bee real must be one of these things of the Spirit of God; and in that view, without God's Spirit you cannot discern it. As a mere thought, or doctrine, in your mind, it is altogether unreal; an abstraction; a shadowy, unsubstantial, nothing. Scanned and studied to eternity it would leave you unforgiven still. As one of the things of God -- real, and that may be grasped and held fast -- you are forgiven when you see it and receive it.
'Adoption, in like manner, you may deal with merely as a doctrine, giving it a place among your thoughts. And you may master all its details and bearings. But still it may remain unreal to you. As an actual reality, as an act of God's free grace, a real transaction conferring real privilege, it is among the things of God -- those things which the natural man does not receive, neither can he know them.
'Ah! it is this dealing with Divine doctrines, to the exclusion of Divine things which the faithfulness of God has enshrined in them, that leaves so many with a religion destitute of the element of reality; and destitute, therefore, of power and comfort and refreshment.
'But if our religion is to be real, if the real things of the Spirit are to be introduced into it, it is the Spirit Himself that must introduce them. The Spirit will be the author of this reality.'

He goes on to write of how the Spirit testifies of Christ and indwelling us, gives a religion of personal relationship -- fellowship with Christ.

__________________
Heidi
Indianapolis, Indiana

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.