LESSON 33.
The Third Article.
The Holy Ghost Has Enlightened, Sanctified, And Kept Me In The True Faith.
Which is the Third Article?
I believe in the Holy Ghost.
What does this mean?
I believe that the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
1. The Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, and in doing so He has also enlightened me with His gifts. By calling me, He has kindled true faith in Christ in me, so that I know Christ and acknowledge Him to be my Savior, I believe and trust, rejoice and find comfort in Him alone for life and death. These are gifts of the Holy Ghost with which He enlightens every child of God: true knowledge of Christ as his Redeemer, true faith in Him, peace with God, his Father, joy and comfort in all distress. What wonderful gifts! How rich does the Holy Ghost make a child of God! Do not forget to thank Him daily for the precious gifts He bestows upon you.
2. "The Holy Ghost has sanctified me," that is, He has made me holy, and He does this every day, more and more. He sanctifies me "in the true faith." By His call the Holy Ghost has called forth in us true faith in our Lord. Through faith you have forgiveness of sins and are a child of God, with whom God, for Christ's sake, is well pleased. But it is God's will that His children lead a holy life, flee and shun all sin, and live according to His commandments. "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." 1 Thess. 4,3. Of ourselves we cannot do this, but the Holy Ghost comes to our aid. He sanctifies us, He makes us holy. Through faith He comes into our heart and dwells in us. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" 1 Cor. 3,16. And the Holy Ghost works in us, the children of God. In His strength we begin to hate the sins that we formerly loved, and to flee them. In His strength we begin to fear and love God above all things, and to trust in Him. We no longer serve the devil and our sins, but begin to serve our Lord who has redeemed us, and our Father in heaven.
3. True, we are not perfectly holy, nor do we become so as long as we live here on earth. True children of God also must confess that they daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment. But they are heartily sorry for this. They daily ask God's forgiveness for Christ's sake. And the Holy Ghost daily gives them new strength and power to fight and struggle against all temptations of the devil and the world and their own evil lusts. He daily gives them new strength to walk in godliness, to love God and their neighbor. Let us abide in Him, and we shall more and more overcome the devil, the world, and our sins, become more and more holy as our Lord and God is holy. "He that abideth in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing." John 15,5.
4. "The Holy Ghost has kept me in the true faith," so a child of God confesses. The Holy Ghost has already called and enlightened us and begun to sanctify us in Holy Baptism. There already He has brought us to Christ and has bestowed His precious gifts upon us. And to-day we still have the true faith; we believe in our Savior, and in Him we are children of God. That is not our own merit, it is the work of the Holy Ghost in us. He has worked in us by the Gospel, through our parents, through the Christian school and the church, and by the Gospel. He has kept us in the true faith. "Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." 1 Pet. 1,5.—And He has promised in His Word that He will keep us in this faith until our end. "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1,6.