The Witness Of The Spirit Asserted And Examined.

Adapted From A Sermon By

Philip Doddridge

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

(Romans 8:16 ESV)

Our text this morning is Romans 8:16: The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God as dwell on the reality and the nature of the Witness Of The Spirit.

Wonderful things are said about the city of God and the inheritance of the saints in light. To be the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, must be acknowledged as a privilege of such deep importance that all the lesser distinctions that honor the people of this world seem trivial by comparison. Our main focus should be to secure this privilege, to make it our own.

This assurance can never be so satisfying and comforting, never rest on so firm a foundation, nor produce such noble results, as when the Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God. It is clear that the apostle speaks of this as his own privilege and as the privilege of many other believers in his time. And this is what all true believers earnestly desires, though many may grieve that they have not, as they would have wished, been able to attain it.

This assurance will be the focus of our sermon this morning. Based on the words of our text we will:

I. Examine what is meant by the expression of the Spirit’s bearing witness;

II. Explore how it may be recognized and distinguished from any false or overconfident assurance;

And in the next sermon by Doddridge we will:

III. Demonstrate how desirable this testimony is;

IV. Consider some guidance for obtaining this great privilege; and

V. Conclude with some specific application.

I. We will consider what we are to understand by this witness of the Spirit with our spirit; and here we will first seek to clarify the general meaning, and then explore the more specific significance.

1. Let us consider the broader meaning of the word. Here, we will focus on two points: the words refer not only to the miraculous gifts of the Spirit but also to his positive influence on the soul; and these influences are not limited to the apostle himself or to early Christians.

i) This witness of the Spirit involves not only his miraculous gifts but also his positive influence on the soul. There was indeed a powerful testimony, which the Spirit provided regarding the inclusion of the Gentiles into the Christian church, particularly clear in the case of Cornelius’s family. While Peter preached to them, the Holy Spirit descended upon them like a sacred anointing,{Acts 10:44} from which the apostle reasonably concluded that it was the will of God that they should be admitted to baptism and granted all the privileges of other Christians. This is referenced when it is said that it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to them, to admit believing Gentiles without circumcision.{Acts 15}

However, this cannot accurately be described as bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. For that was a testimony directed toward others rather than to a man’s own self, and it could not prove him a child of God, since many who prophesied in his name, and in his name cast out devils, would later be rejected by him, as persons whom he never knew, and on whom he would show no favor. Therefore, it could not establish them as children in the sense of being heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

The text, then, must refer to an inner work of God’s Spirit upon their mind, assuring them that they were truly Christians, and thus entitled to the blessings of the Christian covenant, exercising the acts of grace so clearly that there could be no reasonable doubt of their sincerity; and so guiding their minds that they should not be troubled by unnecessary doubts.

Thus, I consider it to be the same as that to which the apostle refers when he prays that the God of hope would fill them with all joy, and peace, in believing, that they might abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.{Romans 15:13} Since this is a prayer for those who were notable for their spiritual gifts, as the Christians of Rome clearly were at that time, and given the natural meaning of the expressions themselves, it strongly supports that the expression in the text pertains to positive and sanctifying actions, rather than solely to miraculous ones.

ii) There is no reason to limit this to the apostles or to the Christians of that time, but much reason to see it as applying to others, even to all believers. This is not to say that it is necessarily the privilege of every believer, nor perhaps of any at all times, for that would suggest a level of constant faith and assurance that lacks a solid basis in God’s word and would only cause fear and confusion.

However, there is no reason to restrict such a scripture as this, which involves the testimony of God’s Spirit, only to the apostolic age; for it is clear that Christians in later times would have the same, and in some ways, greater need for support. Greater need, depending on how far they were from the time when the key event, upon which redemption rests, was fulfilled; and when they lived in a time when sin thrived, and the love of many grew cold.

Now all Christians are generally said to have received the first fruits and the pledge of the Spirit:{2 Corinthians 1:22} and the apostle describes it as the common privilege of every believer, when he has been "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God," writes the apostle, "by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."{Ephesians 1:13, 4:30} "He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee."{2 Corinthians 5:5} Since this Spirit is meant to produce the fruits of holiness and to encourage us to live a godly life, why should we conclude that Christians in any age should be excluded from sharing in his work?

Consider also that the apostle, in this very context, argues on this principle. He states that if any man lacks the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him: that all those who are led by the Spirit, they and they alone are the children of God. Surely we cannot think it less necessary to possess and be guided by the Spirit of Christ now, in our character and behavior, than it was when the apostle wrote. If we are now to have the Spirit as a sanctifier and guide, what could be more natural than to suppose that he should also serve as a comforter and bear witness with our spirits, as he did with those of earlier Christians, that we are indeed the children of God?

Having provided this general overview of the subject, let us consider more specifically,

2. What is meant by the witness of the Spirit with our spirit, that we are the children of God. It involves the response of a clear conscience toward God in the person to whom the testimony is given; a serious and careful examination on his part; and, finally, that the words are to be understood in a way that allows for significant variation in the experiences of different Christians, and of the same Christian at different times.

i) The witness of the Spirit involves the testimony of a clear conscience in the person to whom it is given. We are certain that the judgment of God aligns with truth; it would be completely unreasonable to think that in this case it would rely on falsehood. To testify to any person’s adoption must assume a testimony to their regeneration, that is, to a true change of heart, which naturally leads to a changed life. This is further suggested in the words of the text, when it states that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, showing that we possess the testimony of our own spirit.

The apostle John highlights this with clarity and passion fitting its importance. "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God."{1 John 3:21} This, declares the apostle, is our joy, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with worldly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world:{2 Corinthians 1:12} and the baptism that saves is the response of a clear conscience toward God.{1 Peter 3:21}

From this, we may reasonably conclude (and it is a profoundly important conclusion) that all those who seek to receive the witness of the Spirit should, like that blessed apostle, strive daily to maintain a conscience free of offense, both toward God and toward man.{Acts 24:16} And the more a childlike attitude lives in our hearts, the greater reason we will have to expect that Divine witness to its truth.

ii) The text points to a strong concern for understanding the state of the soul. It should not be assumed that the Spirit offers his testimony without being sought; indeed, there is no opportunity for the Spirit to testify to him as a child of God if that person does not value the privileges of the family. The witness is given alongside our spirit; therefore, our spirit must be examined, and the abilities of self-reflection, which God has given to us, must be used. We are told that the spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord (meaning a lamp that God has, so to speak, lit in his heart), which searches the hidden parts of the inner self, {Proverbs 20:27} revealing the deepest corners of the mind. Any special help that God has provided to us is not meant to replace this examination but, on the contrary, to encourage and support it.

iii) The text clearly indicates that, beyond the use of rational abilities, there is a special action of God on the good man’s heart to strengthen his hope and increase his joy. The witness of the Spirit is not merely setting the standards by which the Christian character can be recognized; for this is the witness he provides not only to the children of God but to everyone else. It certainly involves something more than helping the rational abilities in their searches. In that case, he might be said to enlighten, but then it could not be said that he was testifying. Nor is it only his work in us to produce those qualities that become clear upon reflection, although that is an important action; rather, it is something through which he acts as a Comforter.

It is the voice of God, speaking inwardly to the soul, to confirm its hopes and stir its joys, saying, "Son! Daughter! be of good courage; your sins are forgiven. Fear not, for I am with you. I will never fail you nor forsake you. I will surely do you good; your life shall be given you as a prize of war."

We do not know the exact way the Spirit works in producing these effects on the soul, and who can be surprised at our lack of knowledge in this matter, since we do not understand how God works in the natural world or how our own souls function in their interactions with the body. However, the effect is no less real because the specific method is beyond explanation. In addition,

iv) Fourthly, this communication and witness are not equally given to all believers, nor to the same person at all times. It is certain that many who sincerely fear the Lord and follow the guidance of his servants still walk in darkness and experience little or no light. Indeed, there may be some of God’s cherished children, who, while enduring his terrors, are nearly overwhelmed because he hides his presence from them; because he treats them, or at least seems to treat them, as enemies. They are ready to ask, “Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”{Psalm 77:9} This is, indeed, their weakness; but it is a weakness that some experience, perhaps for a significant portion of their lives. As a result, while others declare, “We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God,”{2 Corinthians 5:1} these individuals, throughout their lives, remain bound by fear.

Nor is it consistent for the same person at different times, either in terms of assurance or comfort. Some who once had strong confidence in the reality of their faith later fall into great doubts, saying, “Oh, that I were as in the months of old, when the friendship of God was upon my tent!"{Job 29:2, 4} They recall their former times of joy and delight, their private prayers, their sacred gatherings, their moments at the Lord’s table, when all their emotions were love, and all their energies were praise. Yet now they say, “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him.{Job 23:8} I bow down on my knees before him, but my lips remain silent. I come to his house, but he does not speak to me. I come to his table, but this hardened heart of mine can scarcely produce a single sigh or shed a single tear for a dying Redeemer or for my own fading and struggling faith.” This is the condition of many a faithful soul; and sometimes their distress of this kind occurs just when their deliverance is nearest. It is the hour and the power of darkness.

Again, even when a well-founded hope remains, the Christian’s experience varies greatly in terms of comfort and the clear experience of holy joy and affection. Physical weakness or a lack of energy in one’s spirit can greatly affect this; yet, without doubt, the blessed Spirit could, if he chose, overcome these barriers. However, for wise and kind reasons, He who never intended earth to be heaven often pauses the special communications that he has sometimes given to the believer. Indeed, if he did not often withhold them, afflictions would mean little to the person enduring them, as they would hardly be felt, being overwhelmed by such divine joy.

It should be remembered that it is a deep truth that a Christian may firmly believe he is a child of God while, at the same time, experiencing little clear joy in that belief, because that joy largely depends on the vivid awareness of the privileges tied to that relationship. It is one thing to value these privileges and another to find joy in them.

It is important to see this to prevent the distress that may arise when those intense feelings of holy affection, which are not within our control, are withheld. It is especially necessary to understand this idea because the devil sometimes uses this to cast doubt on everything, stirring turmoil in the soul simply because those special experiences, which were never meant to be our daily nourishment but rather occasional treats, are paused. Our Heavenly Father provides these rich delights occasionally to gladden the souls of his children and, as it were, to create a feast for them.

The more significant any hopes and prospects are, the more we should ensure their foundation is solid. It is certain that many deceive themselves in vital matters. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."{Proverbs 14:12} Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light; indeed, even more, just as he can use the word of God as a tool for temptation, he can also mimic the inward testimony of the Spirit, acting as a deceptive spirit in the hearts of his own followers, convincing them that they are children of God and have passed from death to life. You may or may have feared that this could be your situation, and it may indeed be the case for those who least suspect it. Therefore, in the second place, we will,

II. Consider how we may distinguish this testimony of the Spirit from false hopes and baseless beliefs. We will consider how it can be distinguished by the manner in which it enters the mind and the effects it produces there.

1. The testimony of the Spirit is distinguished by the way it is received and given. It is important to note that this testimony is generally obtained through prayer and diligent seeking, and it is supported by the word of God.

i) The testimony of the Spirit is generally obtained through frequent prayer. Consider how the influences of the Spirit are generally promised by Christ in this context. "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."{Luke 11:13} Indeed, all the scriptures, which describe him as a God who hears prayer, encourage us to trust that the comfort received in this way is genuine and comes from heaven. Can we imagine that, when we have been earnestly asking God to examine us and know our deepest thoughts and hearts, he will allow us to be deceived by bold and baseless hopes? Furthermore, as it is the same Spirit who is both the Spirit of prayer and of comfort, his work in one of these roles encourages us to hope that it is he who works in the other.

ii) The testimony of the Spirit is generally the result of earnest seeking. Sometimes, indeed, it may arise suddenly in the soul, surprising it with an unexpected blessing. However, in most cases, as with other efforts, the hand of the diligent brings wealth, both in grace and in comfort. It is a treasure that a man may seek as he would seek silver or search for as hidden treasure. His situation may resemble that of a miner, where even a rock must be broken through and many streams redirected until, at last, the precious ore appears, richly rewarding all the worker’s effort and exhaustion.

iii) The testimony of the Spirit commonly enters through the scriptures and always aligns with them. We can be confident that, since the scriptures are divinely inspired and holy men "spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,"{2 Peter 1:21} nothing in them can be contradicted by his direct influence. Therefore, we have this reliable standard for testing: "To the teaching and to the testimony."{Isaiah 8:20} If your inner promptings, whatever they may be, do not conform to these, you can be certain something is not right. The Spirit of God cannot declare you innocent while the word of God condemns you; nor can one testify that you are children of God while the other states that you are of your father, the devil, as you surely are if you perform the works of him as your father.

Furthermore, note that the Spirit often delivers his testimony through the words of scripture or makes a particular scripture especially effective in relieving the mind’s burden, of which there are countless examples. However, this is not to say that every time a scripture is impressed upon the mind, it comes from God. As mentioned earlier, Satan tempted our Lord with misused scripture, and he has often succeeded with others using the same approach, which, in the Lord's case, proved so ineffective.

2. Secondly, we can more certainly judge these impressions by the effects they produce. We may, with great appropriateness, apply to this occasion those words of our Lord upon another, "You will recognize them by their fruits."{Matthew 7:20} If it is the Spirit of God that witnesses with your spirit, those comforting feelings, which you may, perhaps, now be experiencing, will produce a deep sense of your unworthiness; grateful feelings of Divine love; appropriate respect for the Lord Jesus Christ; a consistent effort in heart and life to avoid whatever is displeasing to him; a strong zeal for the Divine glory; a heartfelt acceptance of his decisions; and a fervent and surrendered desire for that inheritance which follows this adoption. These are the workings of a childlike attitude; and if the Spirit witnesses that you have these, he will nurture and strengthen them.

i) The Spirit’s testimony with your spirit will create a deep sense of your own unworthiness. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."{1 Peter 5:5} It is certain that the privilege revealed will seem so great to a soul under the influence of this blessed Spirit that it will fill it with amazement equal to its joy. “Does it seem to you a little thing,” says David, “to become the king's son-in-law?”{1 Samuel 18:23} “Is it a small matter,” the believer will say, “that I, a poor sinful creature, a condemned wrongdoer, should not only be forgiven but adopted and called a child? How have I earned this? How can I repay it? Oh! I must bow at the feet of my Heavenly Father and say, with the poor returning prodigal, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son.’ Lord! It would not, overall, have been so astonishing if you had chosen from stones those who would become children of Abraham. Is your grace given to me to make me a child, when many who never offended you as much have perished as enemies and are already in hell? Is your Spirit given to bear witness that I am your child, when so many, better than I, are walking in darkness and weighed down to the dust? Oh! What can I offer you in return? Lord! Not to me, but to your name be the praise.”

ii) The Spirit will foster a deep appreciation for all practices of sacred communion with God. The Spirit of adoption will proclaim, “Abba Father!” It will shape the soul to have a proper enjoyment of the pleasures of devotion, making religious practices cherished and the house of God a place of delight. “My Heavenly Father,” the Christian will say, “will he permit me to come to him, and shall I hesitate in that fellowship? Oh, that I could set aside everything else to focus on you! Oh, that from morning until evening, and, if possible, in all my waking thoughts from evening to morning, my eyes may always be fixed on you! Oh, that wherever I am, I might hear your voice and see your face! I welcome the blessed times of regular visits to my God! I welcome the moments of regular devotion! I welcome the Lord's day, the most honored of days. Lord, it is good to be here. To sit with a prince would be a small honor compared to the privilege I enjoy when I sit as a child at your table. 'So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.'{Psalm 63:4, 5}”

iii) The Spirit will foster proper affection and reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of Christ, and he will honor Christ, taking from Christ and revealing him to us. There is a natural connection here, as through him we have received adoption and reconciliation, predestined to the adoption of children through Jesus Christ to himself.{Ephesians 1:5} It will lead us to honor the Lord Jesus Christ as our dear elder brother, closer to the Father, the heir of all things, and through whom the inheritance is granted, as the result of his blood and the effect of his grace.

“Blessed Jesus,” the Christian in these circumstances will say, “how much do I owe to you! How precious should your cause and your very name be to my soul! Where would all this hope and joy have been if you had not looked upon me? If your eye had not pitied me? If your arm had not saved me? Alas, I would now be fleeing from God in terror; his dread would have overwhelmed me, and his majesty would have made me afraid. Indeed, perhaps hell would have already opened its mouth and swallowed me. Jesus delivers from the wrath to come. To him let me offer my eternal songs of gratitude and joy.” Let it be remembered as a point of great importance that the comfort which comes from God as an absolute God, without any regard to a mediator, is far from being true Christian comfort and cannot genuinely be considered the work of the evangelical Spirit.

iv) The Spirit will foster a careful concern to avoid anything that might dishonor or displease our Heavenly Father. He is the Holy Spirit, and, as we have already considered in greater detail, he shapes the soul toward complete devotion and holiness. Now this very testimony he provides helps produce this positive outcome. “Am I a child of God,” the believer will say, “and has that great, almighty, all-kind Father granted me both the honor and comfort of such a relationship, and shall I do anything to displease him? What would I have said of the prodigal if, after his father welcomed him home so kindly, he had returned to his reckless and foolish ways? Shall I play such a regrettable role? Shall a child of God stoop so low as to seek the base pleasures of the senses in any forbidden ways, trading his Father’s honor, the sense of his favor, and perhaps even the reputation of the family to which he belongs, for the shameful, fleeting pleasure of a few guilty hours or moments?

Shall the child of God chase this empty world as if his entire inheritance lies here? Shall this Holy Spirit, by whose welcome and long-sought influence I am now sealed for the day of redemption, be driven away from this temple where he chooses to dwell, and, as it were, be forced to withdraw from me in sorrow, leaving me once again to the anguish from which he has so recently rescued me? It would be far better to give up not only all guilty pleasures but also all innocent joys of life, to see all other comforts buried as in one grave, than to allow my sins to once again hide his face from me and create a separation between God and my soul.”

v) The witness of the Spirit will, based on the same principles, inspire us to a greater zeal for divine honor and service. He is called the Spirit of power due to his mighty actions, which are symbolized by a "mighty rushing wind,"{Acts 2:2} that shook the place where the apostles were when he visibly descended. The sign of his presence was fire, representing the active sacred flame he ignites in the hearts of believers, in reference to which they are urged not to quench the Spirit.{1 Thessalonians 5:19}

The Christian, under this influence, will be ready to say, “God forbid that I should be content merely with the thought that I am not a disgrace to the family. Let me instead ensure that I am an honor to it. My Father, great and kind as he is, chooses to maintain a cause here on earth, which he distinctly claims as his own; it is the cause of humanity and the establishment of a Redeemer’s kingdom among them. Let motives of devotion and childlike gratitude, combined with those of common humanity and kindness, compel me to promote its spread. Oh, that every day and every hour might be used in this way, according to my role in public or private life.

Let me set aside the petty, childish distractions in which many rational beings waste their precious time, thereby diminishing the greater abilities God has given them. Let me apply myself with energy and determination to this, for this is my work; this is my purpose in life. Oh, that my eyes might always turn away from pointless things, and that I might be increasingly energized to see myself not as my own, but as bought with a price, that I may glorify God with my body, which is his! Oh, let me follow every prompting of this good Spirit, who testifies that I am truly the Lord’s!”

vi) This blessed influence and witness will shape us to calmly accept the divine will. “God is my Father, and he oversees my affairs. My soul, be at peace with them. You face troubles, but they are fatherly corrections. Your desires are restrained, but it is your Father who sets their boundaries. Here is a bitter cup offered to you, but it is the cup my Father places in my hands. Shall I not drink it? I can be certain it is a remedy, not a poison. Whatever I am called to endure or give up, Lord, it is enough that my time, my circumstances, and my joys are all in your hands. I am so rich in this relationship with God that I cannot be poor. I am so blessed that I cannot be wretched. I have such a Father that I cannot be without friends.”

With these feelings and under these impressions, the good man reflects on past trials, and though he recalls the bitterness and sorrow his soul still remembers, he does not complain about them. Instead, he says, “Good is the word of the Lord that he has spoken. Lord, did a hasty word escape me during my heaviest trouble, or a grumbling thought arise? I would take it back and, if possible, erase it. Again, Lord, I agree with your wisdom: it was well done.”

Thus, the good man looks around and looks ahead, and though he cannot deny that greater challenges may await, that every remaining comfort might pierce him like a sword or sting like a thorn in his eyes, he still says, “Father, your will be done: it matters little what I endure, as long as God is glorified by it.”

vii) The witness of the Spirit will further reveal itself in earnest yet surrendered longings to enter the heavenly inheritance. The Spirit testifies, and if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. “Am I an heir of heaven?” the Christian asks. “Then I am merely a stranger and traveler on earth. Lord, allow me to say, Oh, that if it were God’s will, my journey would be over! If it is so delightful now and then to cast a longing glance toward my Father’s house, to read, as it were, this letter his goodness sends me, and to receive tokens of his care in the wilderness, what will it be to dwell with him and all my brothers in the Lord?"

"O earth! All your attractions are not worth a moment’s delay. It would be better, far better, for me to depart. How my heart would leap to see his chariot appear! How welcome would the messenger be who calls me to his house and his embrace!”

This is the Christian’s attitude, not only when weighed down by such heavy trouble that nature itself might seek relief, but even in times of the greatest prosperity and pleasure. Still, he would desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Yet, as fervent as these desires are, they are tempered with holy submission to his heavenly Father. “I would not demand my return. I would not dictate to you how or when it should happen. If you have further tasks for me here on earth, then earth is better for me than heaven itself, far better, even if my glory is delayed, my labor extended, and my sorrows renewed, rather than any part of your purpose being neglected."

"If you require me to carry a frail body, to endure old age in feeble efforts of service, or to honor you by patiently waiting for your salvation when my active strength is gone, Lord, I am willing to wait, even all the days of my appointed time. You remain my Father; from this distance, I can still look up to you. I can look forward and see the signs of my connection with you, written on my heart by your Holy Spirit. While this is true, I have so much reason for gratitude that I can never have cause for complaint. Lord, I believe, and therefore I will hasten.”

May we, each one of us, examine our hope and joy by this standard. Reflect on what has been said and consider how soon God will weigh you in a fair balance.