BROOKLYN, N.Y., JUNE 10TH, 1907
BROOKLYN, N.Y., JUNE 10TH, 1907
Beloved Brother, — I could not make any alteration in the text after I heard from Mr. Henderson as the address was already printed. But on reading it over, I did not see anything needing to be changed, only I think the note added makes the point clearer. I think there is often a want of simplicity in reading Scripture; for myself, in dwelling upon the Lord’s utterances I always endeavour to listen to Him, as it were, so [p. 62] as to find out what He intended to convey always remembering that “the commandment” is exceedingly broad. I find that it is preventive from the tendency to rest in fixed interpretations. Reading Luke 11 and John 4 in this way it is utterly impossible for me to limit the bearing of the teaching in these passages to the period which preceded the coming of the Spirit. Even if one did ask for the Spirit at that time, the Gift would not be received then, as He was not yet given. No individual could receive the Spirit until after Pentecost, and it is individual prayer that is in view in the passages mentioned. The fact is that when the light of God enters into a man’s heart it begets confidence in God and hence the spirit of prayer is there. This constitutes a man morally qualified to receive the divine Gift. You feel that it would not be suited that the Spirit should come into a person unless His presence were appreciated. But this in no way conflicts with God’s sovereignty, that He gives the Spirit sovereignly. Whatever He may do for us we may say that He does it sovereignly, yet He does many things in answer to prayer. “How shall He not with Him give us all things?”
It is remarkable that although God had promised the Spirit the Lord speaks of begging the Father for Him for the disciples. Then in Acts 8 the Spirit came on the Samaritans, of course sovereignly, yet not until the apostles had prayed that they might receive Him. The believer (characteristically) has the Spirit, but no one can prove from Scripture that he receives Him instantly on believing in Christ. The contrary can easily be shown. The Samaritans had believed for some time before they got the Spirit; then on the other hand He fell on Cornelius and his company before they made any profession of faith.
I am not favourably impressed with ———’s remarks, for he does not seem to attach sufficient importance to Scripture. He speaks of Luke 11 as the only ground for my statement. One scripture should be enough for us. But Luke 11 is not the only ground as I have shown. He says, ‘I find from Scripture that the Spirit is the gift of the Father and Son to the believer, and not dependent on His being asked for’. I would not make anything that God has for man dependent on being asked for, for that would give prayer rather a meritorious character; divine blessings are available through Christ, and they are presented in the gospel as free to all. This is God’s side. But God looks for a subjective response in man, and this is expressed in prayer. Hence if the Scripture (or more strictly the Lord’s own words) teach that the Spirit is given in answer to prayer, why should He not be prayed for? There should be no difficulty on the point of uniformity as the Scriptures do not present uniformity in the way the Spirit was received. See Acts 8 and 10, as I have mentioned.
Affectionately yours in Christ,
James Taylor.