Online Bible Study - Foundations of Faith

The Holy Spirit

We learn the truth from the Bible that the Holy Spirit calls people to faith by the Gospel. When the good news that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty of sin is heard by repentant sinners, the Holy Spirit gives that Gospel message the power to save. Again we read in the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Rom 1:16-17).

This work of the Holy Spirit has a name. It is called "conversion." Sometimes it is called "rebirth" or "regeneration." All of these point to a great change in the sinful person who, by the Gospel, has been "called" by the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus says about conversion in Matthew 18:3, "I tell you the truth, unless you change (are converted) and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Again Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about rebirth in John 3:7, "You must be born again."

Just exactly how conversion, or rebirth, takes place is not stated in the Bible. For some, the moment of conversion can be pinpointed to an exact time or moment in a person's life, such as the jailer at Philippi. "The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household" (Acts 16:29-31).

For others, their life in Christ began with baptism, when they became children of God. These are Jesus words in St. John 3:5-6, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

So far, as we have been taught by these Bible teachings, for a person to be converted or born again, the Holy Spirit must, through the Gospel, call a person to be sorry for sinning. Secondly, the Holy Spirit must call that person to believe, or trust, in Jesus Christ as the only Savior from sin. This takes place all over the world, in every nation, among both rich and poor. This is absolutely true! After all, we know that in Jesus' redemptive act, "He died for all" (2 Corinthians 5:15).

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