The Most Precious Work of the Holy Spirit
by Pastor Scott Bucher
“If you could lose your salvation, you would already have lost it.” This was how John MacArthur began his sermon on Romans 8:26-33 at this years Shepherd’s Conference. His contention was that the work of preserving us is a work that only God can do. As such, if we were in any way responsible for “keeping” our salvation we would fail. The work of keeping us is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit. He said that it was his opinion that the Holy Spirit’s work in preserving us is the most precious work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26 says “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groaning to deep for words.” The word likewise is important. In the preceding paragraph we learn that the creation groans, waiting for redemption, and that we groan, waiting for redemption. The Spirit likewise groans as he intercedes for us. When someone groans, it matters. The work of redemption, of conforming us to the image of Christ, is hard work even for the Spirit.
Romans 8:34 tells us that Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us. This is an amazing thought. Both the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus are interceding for us, for our preservation. Our flesh is incredibly weak and Satan accuses us but we have two members of the Godhead interceding for us with God the Father. Romans 8:28 tells us that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. This keeps getting better! All 3 persons of the Godhead are actively working to preserve those who are in Christ. The work of salvation is solely of God. We cannot do anything to earn our salvation, and we have no power to keep it.
Praise God for his incredible love, grace and mercy in doing for us that which we are incapable of doing on our own. If we could lose our salvation, we surely would, but as Romans 8:31 says “If God is for us, who can be against us?”. Who can be against us, indeed.