Spit Out the Sweet Morsels of Sin
The Holy Spirit is necessary for true repentance and the pursuit of holiness, motivating believers to leave off sin and turn to God.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in recognizing and rejecting sin. He explains that true conviction of sin and the desire to forsake cherished sins can only occur when one is filled with the Holy Spirit. Brooks illustrates this by comparing the struggle against sin to sacrificing one's most beloved possessions and highlights the Spirit's role in cultivating a love for holiness and a commitment to turn towards God. The sermon calls for believers to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in their journey towards holiness and away from sin.
Text
"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin."
John 16:8
A man never comes . . .
to see his sins, nor
to be sick of his sins, nor
to loathe his sins, nor
to arraign his sins, nor
to condemn his sins, nor
to judge himself for his sins--
until he comes to be possessed by the Holy Spirit.
A man never comes . . .
to spit out the sweet morsels of sin,
to make a sacrifice of his only Isaac,
to hack his trembling Agag in pieces,
to strangle his Delilah,
and in good earnest to set upon an utter extirpation
of his most cherished sins--until the Spirit of holiness
comes upon him. Until the Holy Spirit falls upon the
hearts of sinners, they will never be turned out of . . .
their pride,
their formality,
their carnality,
their sensuality,
their security.
To make a man holy--is greater than to create a world;
it can be done by none but by the Holy Spirit. It is the
great work of the Spirit--to shape and form holiness,
in all the vessels of glory.
The Spirit sweetly and strongly moves His people . . .
to mind holiness,
to fall in love with holiness,
to press after holiness;
to leave off their sins,
to turn to God,
to embrace Christ,
to tremble at threatenings,
to embrace promises.
Sermon Outline
- The Holy Spirit's Role in Conviction
- The Human Heart's Resistance to Conviction
- The Power of the Holy Spirit in Holiness
- The Result of the Holy Spirit's Work
- Believers are motivated to leave off sin and turn to God
- Believers are drawn to Christ and tremble at threatenings
Key Quotes
“To make a man holy--is greater than to create a world; it can be done by none but by the Holy Spirit.” — Thomas Brooks
“The Spirit sweetly and strongly moves His people to mind holiness, to fall in love with holiness, to press after holiness;” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Believers must be possessed by the Holy Spirit to truly repent and turn to God.
- The Holy Spirit gives believers the power to pursue a holy life and leave off sin.
- The ultimate goal of the Holy Spirit's work is to create a people who are holy and devoted to God.