01 “He Will Not Leave Us Orphans”

A. T. Jones 

“CHRIST impressed upon His disciples that they were to ask God in prayer for the gift of the Holy Spirit; and then, placing themselves in an attitude to receive, they would receive all the gifts comprehended in the gift of the Spirit.”

Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing.”

But He is gone away; He is not here as He was when He said this.

That is all right, however; for it was expedient for us that He should thus go away.

Nevertheless He says: Be not troubled: “I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you.”

We are not left orphans, because He comes to us by the Helper. And “the Helper, which is the Holy Spirit,” shall “abide with you forever.”

The Holy Spirit brings the presence of Christ to the believer, to abide with him forever. “His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts, . . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

The Holy Spirit comes to abide with us forever. The Holy Spirit brings the presence of Christ to abide with us forever. Therefore says Jesus, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing.” It is the Holy Spirit only that brings Christ to us. Therefore it is as plain as A-B-C, and as true as the word of God, that without the Holy Spirit we can do nothing.

Professing religion, joining the church, “working in the cause,” are all “nothing” without the gift, baptism, and the abiding forever of the Holy Spirit. “Ask, and it will be given to you.” “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

“The Lord Jesus wants all to stand in their appointed place. He makes use of one believer’s influence, another’s wealth, and another’s attainments. On all is inscribed, Holiness to the Lord. All is sanctified and set apart for a holy purpose. All are to co-operate with God. Mind, heart, soul, and strength belong to God. We are His by creation and by redemption. “You are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

When Cyrus W. Field, the maker of the Atlantic cable, left home at the age of fifteen to make his way in the world, his father said to him: “Cyrus, I feel sure you will succeed; for your playmates could never get you off to play, until all the work for which you were responsible was done.” That is sufficient surety that any boy will succeed. It is simply faithfulness. And faithfulness itself is success.

“He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that He can keep him from sinning, has not that faith that will give him an entrance into the heaven of God.” 

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 22, 1898

EXTRA: “We may have had a measure of the Spirit of God, but by prayer and faith we are continually to seek more of the Spirit. It will never do to cease our efforts. If we do not progress, if we do not place ourselves in an attitude to receive both the former and the latter rain, we shall lose our souls, and the responsibility will lie at our own door” (RH March 2, 1897).