THE 3
GLORIES OF HEAVEN Receiving the Holy Spirit Now, if you were so fortunate as to receive an invitation to attend a Presidential inauguration, you couldn't show up wearing your bathrobe or dirty overalls. They wouldn't let you in! To properly respond to the invitation you must correctly dress for the occasion: tuxedos, formal gowns, etc. Then with your official invitation in hand and presented to the ushers, you'd be welcomed in. So it is with the Holy Spirit. It's an invitation / empowering that enables the believer, with God's help, to develop his heart's attitude, and be welcomed into God's presence. In the process God will mold, scourge, and test the believer. (Heb. 12-5-9) Whereas much sin is allowed to remain in the lives of the court Christians, God wouldn't allow that in His presence. Dogs, sorcerers, the sexually immoral, murders, idolaters, and liars will remain outside his city. (Rev. 22:14, 15) All the N.T. epistles constantly remind us of this. So, the prudent virgins responded correctly and enter in. The foolish virgins were misinformed or ignored their invitation / empowering. |
