Chapter # 2 Paragraph # 3 Study # 7
June 5, 2005
Lincolnton, N.C.
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<161> Thesis:  The primacy of the ministry of the Holy Spirit should not be overlooked simply because there is a large amount of mystery involved. Introduction:  When Luke set out to write to Theophilus, he had it in his mind that if he put the facts at Theophilus' disposal, it would be possible for Theophilus to make significant strides in his development as a Friend of God. This is a solid biblical conviction. True information about God does make it possible for people to enter into His Life. But, this true and solid biblical conviction is fraught with all kinds of qualifications and, therefore, "questions". Since questions are often the prelude to doubts, and since doubts are the prelude to Death, it is necessary for all believers to have a solid "bottom line" that is both unquestioned and doubt-free. It is for this cause that Paul wrote that God's Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. It is also for this cause that we read in our text about the activity of the Holy Spirit in respect to Simeon as he is presented by Luke as a very key "instrument of identification" of Jesus as the Lord's Christ. There is nothing more critical to Life than believing that Jesus is the Lord's Christ. Jesus said that if we "believe not" that He is "Christ", we will die in our sins. To die in our sins is to enter into the eternal regions of Death forevermore without any hope of Life at any level. Therefore, it is of the greatest importance that we come to a settled conviction that Jesus is the Christ. But, how we come to this settled conviction is the question. How do we get to the point of faith that Jesus is the Christ?