The Things of the Spirit

It is common knowledge that God has arranged the course of this world's history in what we call ages or dispensations, which simply means that at certain different times a particular distinguishing, character is given to the period… It is also common knowledge that the advent of the Holy Spirit, on that particular occasion which has come to be known as 'The Day of Pentecost', marked a change in the nature of the ages. That day saw a change of dispensations. That day brought in the dispensation in which we still live, which has its own particular and peculiar characteristics, different from all the others.

This, of course, is a commonly accepted truth, but the failure to recognise adequately the nature of the change which took place on that day has resulted in very much that is dishonouring to the Lord Jesus, and to Christianity. There is a great deal that does not honour the Lord Jesus in the present state of Christianity as we know it. There is that about the present condition which almost everyone deplores. For instance, there are very few people who do not deplore the divisions amongst Christians. These and many other things have brought about a state which really does not glorify our Lord, and makes room for much that would not exist if He had things according to His own mind. That is due in the main to an inadequate apprehension of the change which took place on the day of Pentecost - the advent of the Holy Spirit - and what it was intended to mean for this world and for the people of God.