Witness of the Spirit that we are born of God...

[turmeric]

...What is this? According to Will Metzger (Tell the Truth) it's one of three things that assure us correctly of salvation, the other two being; trust in the Person of Christ for salvation - that Christ died for us personally, and fruits of repentance. He then states that "feeling saved" is not a sign of regeneration in itself. So what is this "witness with our spirits that we are born of God" if not something subjective within us?

 

[Herald]

1689 LBC 18.2

The work of the Spirit in assurance is explained here:

This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel; and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy.

Meg, our salvation (and it's assurance thereof) is based on the precious promise of the gospel. Our belief (by faith; Eph. 2:8,9) and our walking in a manner consistent with our profession (Eph. 4:1), gives us confidence and assurance through the Spirit. All this is rooted in the word of God, not on a subjective feeling that can change with our emotions. We are to measure our profession against the evidences of faith that scripture clearly enumerates (2 Cor. 13:5).

 

[turmeric]

the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God

At risk of seeming stubborn, what is this? It seems to be something the Holy Spirit does with our spirits, individually, but it's not a feeling, which is also something internal. Along with the other things, we just "know" internally...how do we know?

 

[Herald]

the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God

At risk of seeming stubborn, what is this? It seems to be something the Holy Spirit does with our spirits, individually, but it's not a feeling, which is also something internal. Along with the other things, we just "know" internally...how do we know?

Romans 8:12-15 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

Meg, the Spirit works through the means of the word of God. We don't just know internally; we know because of the testimony of the Word through the Spirit. Look at 1 Corinthians 2:

1 Corinthians 2:6-9 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."

Paul appeals to the written word in verse 9. In verse 8 he indicates of the "rulers of this age" that the Word existed for them to understand, although they didn't (and couldn't).

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.

How do we receive the things of the Spirit of God? Through the Word of God. The Spirit agrees with our spirit through the word of God,"spiritual thoughts with spiritual words."

 

[Galatians220]

Beware, I pray thee, of presuming that thou art saved. If thy heart be renewed, if thou shalt hate the things that thou didst once love, and love the things that thou didst once hate; if thou hast really repented; if there be a thorough change of mind in thee; if thou be born again, then hast thou reason to rejoice: but if there be no vital change, no inward godliness; if there be no love to God, no prayer, no work of the Holy Spirit, then thy saying “I am saved” is but thine own assertion, and it may delude, but it will not deliver thee.
— Charles H. Spurgeon

"Hating things that we once loved..." -- That did it for me. That was the "witnessing of the Spirit" with my spirit. All of a sudden, I could see my sins as God saw them, or as much as He would allow me to see them that way. How horrible, how stinking they were and are!

"Witness of the Spirit" is also love for the brethren... I used to stand on my *rights* - to be heard, to be deferred to, not to be trampled on, etc., etc. Now, most of the time (not all! - the Lord's not done with me yet!) I'm just fine with others getting deference, with serving them, with getting out of the way so that someone else may be served, or listened to, whatever. I find that I can do things that would have been repulsive to me before my conversion, for example, sitting in a hot apartment in a senior citizen complex, feeding someone cereal whose dentures don't fit right, and cleaning up after her - and loving her with every messy spoonful because she is my sister in Christ, and she is in need. Christ loved me when I was in need of more than just earthly food, and most amazingly, even when I was His enemy. Love even for those you suspect are not your brethren... I was "done really wrong" in a church, but I could see that someone else was hurt even worse, and that I needed to step aside permanently for that person. LOVE given by the Spirit of Christ Himself: no way could I have done that but for the love that He showed me on that cross, and when He saved me!

His mercies and the gift of the witness of the Spirit are new every morning. We can pray for more grace, for more witness of the Spirit. It's the very finest, most precious gift we can receive in ANY particular day.

When thoughts of eternity - happy ones that they are! To be present with the Lord! - press upon one and brighten one's day, and when one senses an increasing urgency to pray for the lost, for specific ones and for the lost generally, that is a witness of the Spirit that we are born of God.

There are so many other things, Meg, that are concrete incidents of "witness of the Spirit" that I could list here, but there isn't the space or the time... After all,

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
- ("The Love of God," F. Lehman)

Blessings to you,

Margaret