The believer's responsibility is to obey the Spirit's revelation of Christ, which leads to spiritual growth and transformation.
G. Campbell Morgan emphasizes the believer's responsibility to respond to the progressive revelation of Christ through the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit unveils new aspects of Christ, it demands obedience from us, urging us to walk in the light we receive. Morgan illustrates that failing to respond leads to spiritual decline, while obedience transforms us into the likeness of Christ. He encourages believers to actively cooperate with the Spirit, recognizing that our duty is to answer the call of truth and allow the Spirit to work dynamically within us. Ultimately, our response to the light we receive shapes our witness to the world.
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G. Campbell Morgan observes, "When once the Lord has been seen and crowned there is a progressive operation of the Spirit in the life of the believer. The Spirit reveals the Christ to you in some new aspect as you read His Word, as you meditate upon Him, and the moment you see Christ in some new glory, that vision makes a demand upon you. What are you going to do with it? Answer it, obey it, and the Spirit realizes in you the thing you have seen in Christ. . . .
The Spirit is always unveiling Christ. Your responsibility and mine if we would cooperate with Him in witness is that we obey when He speaks. When Christ is seen in a new light, the light is calling you to obey its claim. Answer it and you will become the thing you have seen. Deny it and you will sink to lower levels. This is His method, line upon line, here a little and there a little, grace for grace, beauty for beauty.
Man, you have never seen Christ, nor have I. I have seen something of Him, like a blind man walking to his first vision I have seen men as trees walking. I have seen more and more of the beauty of my Lord as the Spirit has unveiled Him, but I have never seen all the glory. I could not bear it yet. So little by little the Spirit patiently leads us on. Our responsibility is that when light comes we walk in it. When the trumpet call of truth sounds in our souls we must answer it. The Spirit's office--and He never fails--is to reveal Christ. Our duty is to answer the revelation, and when we do so, the Spirit becomes more than illumination, He becomes dynamic and makes us that which we obey.
Soul of mine, answer the light. Obey the Spirit. Do not resist, do not grieve, do not quench the Spirit, and thou . . . shall be made like Him. . .
. . . The Spirit witnessing in me, I become the instrument through which the Spirit witnesses to the world. Where? Anywhere. When? Everywhen. (The Westminster Pulpit, Vol. 2, pp. 278-280).
Sermon Outline
- The Progressive Operation of the Spirit
- The Spirit's Method of Revelation
- The Believer's Responsibility
- The Spirit's Office and the Believer's Duty
- The Spirit reveals Christ
- The believer's duty is to answer the revelation
- The Spirit realizes the thing seen in Christ
Key Quotes
“Soul of mine, answer the light. Obey the Spirit. Do not resist, do not grieve, do not quench the Spirit, and thou . . . shall be made like Him.” — G. Campbell Morgan
“The Spirit is always unveiling Christ.” — G. Campbell Morgan
“When Christ is seen in a new light, the light is calling you to obey its claim.” — G. Campbell Morgan
Application Points
- We must walk in the light when it comes and obey the Spirit's revelation of Christ.
- The Spirit's office is to reveal Christ, and our duty is to answer the revelation.
- Obedience to the Spirit leads to spiritual growth and transformation.
