Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY.
Adam Clarke
XI.—THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.—As every pious soul that believed in
the coming Messiah, through the medium of the sacrifices offered up
under the law, was made a partaker of the merit of his death, so every
pious soul that believes in Christ crucified is made a partaker of the Holy
Spirit. It is by this Spirit that sin is made known, and by it the blood of
the covenant is applied; and, indeed, without this the want of salvation
cannot be discovered, nor the value of the blood of the covenant duly
estimated.
From the foundation of the church of God it was ever believed by his
followers that there were certain infallible tokens by which he discovered
to genuine believers his acceptance of them and of their services. This
was sometimes done by a fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice;
sometimes by an oracular communication to the priest or prophet; and at
other times, according to the Jewish account, by changing the fillet or
cloth on the head of the scape goat from scarlet to white: but most
commonly, and especially under the gospel dispensation, he gives this
assurance to true believers by the testimony of his Spirit in their
consciences that he has forgiven their iniquities, transgressions, and sins
for His sake who has carried their griefs and borne their sorrows.
"The Spirit itself"—that same Spirit, the Spirit of adoption; that is, the
Spirit who witnesses this adoption; which can be no other than the Holy
Ghost himself, and certainly cannot mean any disposition or affection of
mind which the adopted person may feel; for such a disposition must
arise from a knowledge of this adoption, and the knowledge of this
adoption cannot be known by any human or earthly means; it must come
from God himself. "With our spirit"—in our understanding, the place or
recipient of light and information; and the place or faculty to which such
information can properly be brought. This is done that we may have the