Holy Spirit -11- The Theory of the Direct Operation of the Holy Spirit in Conversion

1. The Theory of the Direct Operation of the Holy Spirit in Conversion. This is one of the most pernicious of all false theories. It has been most prolific in "fooling folks" and rests upon another theory equally false and soul-destroying-viz., the doctrine known as "Hereditary Total Depravity." The doctrine of hereditary total depravity is the teaching that men are, on account of Adam’s sin, born sinners, corrupt in all the faculties of soul and body, and are opposite to all good and wholly inclined to all evil, and so dead in sin that they cannot obey God or do anything at all well-pleasing to him without there first being a quickening to life and salvation through a direct operation, or impact, on the sinner’s heart by the Holy Spirit-a doctrine which is neither "whole some nor very full of comfort." This doctrine is false for the following reasons: First: Men do not inherit sins. Sin is a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4) . One cannot any more inherit guilt or transgression than he can inherit holiness or righteousness which is obedience to God’s law (Psalms 119:172; Psalms 1:1-6 1 John 2:29) . God expressly says neither call be bequeathed nor inherited (Ezekiel 18:2-24). "The soul that sinneth it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; nor the father the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

2. If the doctrine of inherent depravity were true then little children would be sinners, but Jesus who knows what is in man (John 2:24-25) says, "Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). Is the kingdom of heaven totally depraved ? Third: It is man’s own sins which alienate him from God, which they could not do if man were already alienated-separated- from God at birth (Isaiah 59:1-2). Fourth: Even the passages relied upon to support this infamous doctrine closely examined reveal that they teach the exact opposite of the doctrine they are supposed to support. Moreover, the direct operation theory makes God responsible for every soul that is lost. If God does not send his Spirit to every man, and one cannot be saved unless God does send his Spirit to him, then man is lost through either the neglect or through the partiality of God, both of which alternatives are unthinkable; especially since the Bible declares that God is no respecter of persons And since the theory holds further that this direct, enabling power is irresistible on the part of the sinner, the theory’s impeachment of God is further inescapable. God does convert people by his Spirit, but he does this by the Spirit’s operating through the word of God. As a matter of fact, God does convict and God-the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), and only in this way does he save men.

Everything that God says that he does for the sinner in the sinner’s being saved by the Spirit, God likewise says he does this through his word. Let’s try a few instances:

In every instance where it is asserted that the Spirit does something for the sinner in his turning to God a passage can likewise be found showing that this is done by the word of God, the gospel. This harmonizes beautifully with all that is known of the Spirit’s work, and emphasizes his work, for the Word of God was given by the Spirit. It is an inspired word; that is to say, a Spirit-breathed word. If men were converted by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit there would be no need of preaching the gospel; no need for missionaries to the heathen. Every missionary sent to a foreign land is a clear denial of the doctrine. Really every "home" missionary is a flat denial of the doctrine. To believe in preaching the gospel that men may be saved (Romans 1:16) and holding to the direct-operation-of-the-Spirit theory is a vain attempt to ride two horses going in opposite directions at the same time.

Another significant fact, overlooked by the advocates of the theory, is that no one has an operation of the Spirit, nor any idea of "The Holy Spirit," where the word of God has not gone. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God," but the Holy Spirit never leads anyone where the word of God is absent. No one has any adequate idea of God and no one ever knows of the Christ, the Savior of the world, except where the Bible goes. Despite all this men are urged to accept the Holy Spirit by these theorists and are promised the Christ it they receive the Spirit. In New Testament times the word was preached (See Acts 2:1-47 nd chapter and 8th chapter), men were asked to accept Christ and were then promised they should receive the Holy Spirit (See Acts 2:38; Acts 5:32). In deed the doctrine is neither of the Holy Spirit nor his work.