The Freedom of Man for God

1. The Holy Spirit the Subjective Reality of Revelation

Jesus Christ objectively reveals God’s freedom to be for us. Our freedom to be for God is a reflection of this. We are free for God when we faithfully obey him. Yet according to Scripture our faith and obedience are both God’s gift to us.

God the Holy Spirit and Redeemer

1. God as Redeemer

Jesus Christ is Lord. For us to know this, two things must occur. First, Jesus Christ must objectively confront us. Secondly, we must subjectively acknowledge his lordship. In the New Testament, most people objectively confronted by Jesus Christ did not subjectively recognize him as Lord. The people who did were brought to him by the Father (John 6:65). They were empowered by the Son (John 1:12-13). It was and remains the Holy Spirit who enables us to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). Only this presence of God’s Spirit within us makes us capable of opening up to God’s revelation. God becomes present to us, then, not just objectively from outside us but also subjectively from inside us. He not only comes from outside of us to encounter us but also from inside of us to encounter himself.