Ye Do Always Resist the Holy Ghost (Acts 7:51)

2024-06-25

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. (Acts 7:51)

More thoughts from Ridout’s lectures on the Holy Spirit.

The role of the Holy Spirit in the world is to convince them of sin. Above, we see the nation of the Jews largely resisted the Holy Spirit, and they continued to do so while the deacon preached. In the days before the flood, the Spirit of the Lord was there convicting the people of sin despite their hardening. “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3).

Some were so hardened that they willingly denied the power of the Spirit despite witnessing it firsthand. “But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils” (Luke 11:15).

Since His coming into the hearts of believers, He continues to testify against the world. “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

Praise the Lord for the ministry of the Spirit, for so many of us were convicted by His power and have turned to the Lord Jesus.