(Romans 5:5) "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Master of deduction

Imagine the apartment at 221B Baker Street in London where mysteries are solved. The two occupants are Dr. John Watson and the detective Sherlock Holmes. These are the fictional characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The celebrated detective deduces a conclusion in unsolvable crimes from the hound of the Baskerville family to the Napoleon of crime Professor Moriarty. Sherlock's undefeated method was to deduce the facts no matter how ridiculous the process - a deduced conclusion always wins the day and solves the crime.

Argument of the Bible

When studying the Bible there is nothing wrong with this method of deduction to arrive at a certain conclusion. A great deal of Paul's letters is written in the form of an argument. Cases are presented to us in the scriptures. Both sides are fully explained. A conclusion is drawn by a method of deduction.

" The case of the Law of Moses and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He tells us that the law sets us up for failure but also tells us that when sin abounds grace abounds even more. He then asks the question, (Romans 6:1) "What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" He concludes that we have died to sin so how can we carry on and live in it? We died with Christ, were buried with him, but also raised with him. It is a matter of deduction.
" The case of circumcision and no circumcision. There is a circumcision group in the church. He tells us that the outward sign of an Israelite is circumcision but a true Israelite is circumcised in the heart inwardly. (Romans 3:1) "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?" He concludes that outward physical circumcision done with human hands means nothing compared with the circumcision of the heart done by the hand of God. Another matter of deduction.
" The case of Abraham's seed. He argues that Abraham did not only birth the Israelite nation but that he saw the Gentiles included in his seed and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:10) "Under what circumstances was it credited to him?" He takes the argument further to say there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female but all are one in Christ. Once more it is a matter of deduction.

Conclusion

There is nothing wrong with this method as Paul uses it. We should also use it. If I am facing a test of faith I can say the very fact I am facing this is evidence that I have faith. There has to be something to test. (James 1:3-4) "…because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." I can also say that God disciplines those who he loves. (Hebrews 12:6) "…the Lord disciplines those who he loves…" I can deduce that God also loves me as I face the test of faith. This is a proven way of knowing the love of God. It is indirect and not immediate because it waits for you to process the information before you.

Poured out love

This is not what Paul is saying in our text or the method he is using. "…God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit…" Another translation would be 'the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.' This is not something Dr. Watson or Sherlock Holmes can deduce. Why? Because it is "…by the Holy Spirit…" It is not something we argue and deduce arriving at a conclusion. Paul speaks about a deeper understanding that comes "…by the Holy Spirit…" It is far more direct and immediate speaking of God's grasp of us not our grasp of God by deduction. Over and above our intelligent apprehension of God's love, over and above our argument of his love, over and above our deduction of his love is an immediate and direct pouring out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. He pours into your heart the inexpressible, unspeakable, unutterable and unchanging love that leads to an inevitable conclusion - God loves us. (1 Peter 1:8) "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…" Have you been in a church service at the altar and experienced God saying 'I cannot put it into words.' It is precisely what Christ meant when speaking to his disciples. (John 14:18) "I will come to you." He is speaking about the Holy Spirit after his resurrection and ascension into heaven. It will be immediate and direct and of no working out in your own mind.

Holy Spirit

We know that we cannot be born again without the Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit is given to every Christian. (Romans 8:9) "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." We must not think about the Holy Spirit as just a godly influence. The Spirit has been given to us. He dwells in us. (John 14:17) "…for he lives with you and will be in you." (1 Corinthians 3:16) "…God's Spirit lives in you…" (John 14:23) "…make our home with him." (Revelation 3:20) "…I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Every Christian has the Holy Spirit but not every Christian has the love of God poured out into their heart by the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul impressed upon the church in Ephesus. He commends them for being rooted and established in God's love but there was more. (Ephesians 3:19) "…and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was not arrived at by argument and deduction. It was so immediate they could not grasp its dimensions that it overflowed in what appeared to be tongues of fire upon their heads. (Ephesians 3:18) "…grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…" This is not something that can be discussed in a classroom or taught by a college professor. It is something immediate and direct.

Why is this not common?

" Personal life: Whenever we find tears in our eyes, especially unexpected tears, we should pay close attention to what is happening in us where the Holy Spirit has made his dwelling. Most of the time there is a summoning in us as the love of God is being poured into our hearts. The summons will always create brokenness in you. (Psalm 51:17) "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart…" It was the experience of the woman who bought an alabaster jar of oil to Christ. There was a summoning in her to be broken before God. Maybe that day or previous days she had experienced God as Christ ministered in the community. (Luke 14:3) "She broke the jar and poured…" The emphasis is not the alabaster or the expense of it but what led her to do this. The language of the soul mostly tears but our sensitivity is desensitized. We no longer feel the touch of God upon our lives. Have you seen people 'get a grip' of themselves when God wants to lift them up?
" Prayer: Almost all prayer in the form of intersession has to wrestle with grief. 130 million people are medicated in the US. There are more prescription drugs per person in the US than any other country. The sale of prescription drugs last year was equal to gasoline sales from gas stations across the US. Our ability to 'feel' is becoming sedated. If we are elated then we need to calm down. If we are solemn then we need to cheer up. If we cannot do these things by ourselves help will come in the form of medication. But the Psalms tell us about our soul "…faints…" "…weary…" "…sorrowful…" "…consumed…" "…thirsts…" "…pants…" "…hungers…" "…aches…" It calls out to be "…revived…" "…restored…" "…delivered…" This dialogue in our prayer is sedated and ashamed to call out to God. It is here where God pours out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
" Church: When the Holy Spirit called people together as a church several things followed. (Acts 2:42) "They devoted themselves…" Now we have to follow up the believer because of lack of devotion. Their devotion was threefold (v42) "…teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Families are teaching their children to be devoted to the coach on the sports team. (v44) "…had everything in common…" Now we have nothing in common because we meet together for 90 minutes a week. (v45) "…they gave…" No one had to raise an offering for anything. (Acts 2:47) "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." This is the result of people working together because the love of God had been poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

The promise

(Romans 5:5) "And hope does not disappoint us…" Understand that Paul is not speaking about the Day of Judgment when the hearts of men are made known. He is not speaking about the future but about the present. It brings it full circle in everything he has already said: We have peace with God, we stand in the grace of God, we can rejoice in the glory of God, we can rejoice in present suffering…and this life will not disappoint you.

" Alexander the Great broke down in tears when he could go no further
" Hugo Grotius who founded international law said he had accomplished very little in his lifetime.
" John Quincy Adams said his life was spent in idle and vain aspirations.
" Robert Louis Stevenson said he meant well, tried a little and failed a lot.

So many times people get disappointed with life but the touch of God where the love of God is poured out by the Holy Spirit will never disappoint.

If you would like to see previous transcripts you can find them here: Teaching Series