For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NKJV)

 

Holiness is the God-given ability to live the life of the Spirit without ever contradicting Scriptures.

Both the Spirit and Scriptures are of Christ and from Christ. Without the Spirit, no one can hear the Scriptures, and no one can heed the Spirit without the Scriptures. The Scriptures without the Spirit distort grace, and the Spirit without the Scriptures distort truth. Without the Spirit, the Scriptures lead to blind obedience, while the Scriptures without the Spirit lead to obsessive fixation.

The truth of God's Word is lived by the power of God's Spirit.

Without this clarity, you may wind up going against the Spirit or the Scriptures. When the Holy Spirit says "Yes!" you will say "No!" and when the Scriptures say "No!" you will say "Yes!" As a result, the Christian life is reduced to a perplexing and often conflicting relationship with God and others.

The Apostle Paul urged the Thessalonians to consider the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures to be important and integral parts of the gospel. What they heard in the gospel was more than just words, but the power of God to transform their lives. Paul also recounted how he and others, such as Slivanus and Timothy, actively modelled for them in following Christ. Their exemplary way of life teaches the Thessalonians and us how a proper perspective of the Spirit and Scriptures is the best guarantee for our spiritual growth and health.

Lean on Christ always to follow His Spirit and Scriptures without bias or deviation.