(Present Truths or the Supernatural) 5
A.B. Simpson teaches that believers can experience a foretaste of their future resurrection and the supernatural life through the indwelling Holy Spirit even in this present life.
In this teaching sermon, A.B. Simpson explores the profound truth of resurrection as both a future hope and a present reality through the Holy Spirit. He explains how believers receive a foretaste of their glorified bodies now, empowered by the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. Simpson encourages Christians to embrace this supernatural life, living with assurance and anticipation of the full redemption to come. This message deepens the understanding of redemption and the transformative power of the Spirit in the believer's life.
Text
"If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you." (Rom. 8: 11.)
The redemption of the body is an accepted truth of Christianity. The chief difference among Christians is with respect to the extent of its application. Many believe that this part of our redemption is only to be realized at the close of the present age in the translation and resurrection at the coming of our Lord. Others of us have been led to believe that we anticipate in the present life to a certain extent the power of our future resurrection, and that we have a foretaste of this part of our salvation here even as we have a foretaste of heaven.
This, we believe, is what is meant by the use of the word "earnest" or "first fruits" applied in several instances in relation to the work of the Holy Ghost in our bodies. An earnest is a first installment, a pledge in kind of the thing which is afterward to be given in full. As the earnest of our spiritual future He gives us in our spirit the foretaste of the heavenly glory, but as the earnest of the resurrection of the body He gives us the physical life of Christ in our mortal body and anticipates in our material form now, as far as we are able to receive it, that which we shall enjoy in boundless fullness in the body of glory in the ages to come.
An earnest is the very same in kind but less in degree than that of which it is the pledge. Therefore if the Holy Ghost is to be the earnest of our physical resurrection it must be through some physical operation in our being now.
We believe that we shall have a supernatural body in the heavenly world, but we also believe that we begin to receive the elements of that body now, if not its form at least its vital element and the hidden power which is to animate it then.
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Sermon Outline
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I. The Promise of Resurrection
- The Spirit that raised Jesus dwells in believers
- This Spirit will quicken mortal bodies
- Resurrection is a key part of Christian redemption
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II. The Earnest of the Spirit
- The Holy Spirit as the 'earnest' or 'first fruits'
- Earnest as a pledge of future full redemption
- Foretaste of heavenly glory and resurrection now
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III. Present Experience of the Supernatural Body
- Believers receive elements of the resurrection body now
- Physical operation of the Spirit in the body
- Anticipation of the body of glory in the future
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IV. Practical Implications
- Living in the power of the Spirit today
- Understanding redemption as both present and future
- Hope and assurance in the resurrection
Key Quotes
“If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.” — A.B. Simpson
“An earnest is a first installment, a pledge in kind of the thing which is afterward to be given in full.” — A.B. Simpson
“We believe that we shall have a supernatural body in the heavenly world, but we also believe that we begin to receive the elements of that body now.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- Trust the Holy Spirit to bring resurrection power into your daily life.
- Live with the assurance that your future glorified body is already being prepared.
- Embrace the present experience of spiritual and physical renewal through the Spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'earnest' mean in this context?
'Earnest' refers to a first installment or pledge, indicating a foretaste of the full redemption believers will receive.
Is the resurrection only future or also present?
Simpson teaches that while the full resurrection is future, believers can experience a foretaste of it now through the Holy Spirit.
How does the Holy Spirit relate to the resurrection?
The Holy Spirit is the agent who raised Jesus and now dwells in believers, quickening their mortal bodies as a pledge of resurrection.
What is meant by a 'supernatural body'?
A supernatural body is the glorified resurrection body believers will receive, which begins to be experienced in part even now.
Why is this teaching important for Christians?
It encourages believers to live in the power and hope of resurrection, experiencing spiritual and physical renewal now.