The teaching set out in The Holy Spirit and the Believer Today by William Davison should be rejected and opposed:
• Because it is unscriptural.
• Because it will lead to a denial of the power of God’s Word and will reduce the believer’s dependence upon it for strength and guidance.
• Because it will lead to a lack of appreciation for the need to keep God’s commandments and produce in consequence a moral decline.
• Because it will encourage reliance upon human, subjective feelings as the basis and evidence of our religion.
• Because it will lead to the delusion of “instant salvation” as seen in the evangelical churches.
• Because it will change the gospel of the Kingdom, as Christ and the apostles preached it, from a literal Kingdom on earth to one which is mystical here and now — thus leading to “another gospel.”
• Because it will blind men to the importance of miracles in God’s outworking purpose.
• Because it will detract from the doctrine of angelic supervision of the lives of saints.
God in the believer’s life — a summary
The author of this Reply believes that the following is a true statement of the Christadelphian position in its positive and negative aspects.
He appeals to all those who love the truth to make their voices heard on its behalf. Individuals and ecclesias espousing the evangelical ideas are becoming more widespread and increasingly tolerated. They should be resisted by plain statement of the Truth.
Positive
1. The foundation of belief is Scripture written by the agency of the Holy Spirit, and therefore an infallible and truthful guide.
2. This Scripture is the written record of
the things God has done for our salvation, instructions as to how to avail ourselves
of that salvation, and prophecy showing how that salvation will ultimately be
brought about.
3. The Scripture is the voice of God and His Son, and as such is powerful to change the characters of those who come to it with an honest heart.
4. It does not, however, reveal its secrets to those who are not prepared to read it in its natural contextual and historical sense. Those who expect hidden meanings to be divinely revealed will ‘receive’ varied and often extraordinary interpretations not obvious to a reasoned study.
5. Christ is formed in us through a careful reading of the record about him, and through keeping his commandments. In this way we can understand his character, his words and his works and so come to grow more like him. He dwells in our hearts by faith, i.e. through our belief in the things concerning him.
6. Of great importance in the altering of our characters is the knowledge that Christ will return bodily to the earth. Until that time we are guided as to right and wrong only by the Word.
7. We are, however, under the control and guidance of angels, who watch providentially over the lives of all believers, and control the circumstances of their lives. But within that framework of angelic control we are left to ourselves (with help and guidance from the word) to deal with the situation.
Negative
Scripture does not teach that:
1. There is a divine influence, which, entering into our hearts causes us to understand Scripture.
2. There is any influence received direct from God that improves a believer’s character, or helps him to overcome sin.
3. Men are unable to do good even when they accept the Scripture until the Holy Spirit has acted upon them.
4. Men in our age receive the Holy Spirit directly, as in the First Century, either:
a. Before they can repent
b. After they repent
c. When they are baptised
d. When they are converted
e. Whenever they pray for it.