Month: November 2022

Are the Blessings that Unbelievers Enjoy from God Given Through the Holy Spirit?

Emmanuel Okpor from Nigeria writes:

Hello Pastor Confex,

I have a pressing question. We have seen and heard of unbelievers experiencing something of God’s mercy. Things like healing; escaping death by the whiskers; having a premonition of impending doom and being able to make the right decision just in time to escape tragedy and many more. On the positive side, these unbelievers also enjoy success and come up with innovative solutions that alleviate human suffering and make communities healthier and more peaceful.

Sir, will it be correct to say these unbelievers were being led by the Holy Spirit to accomplish these things (even though it is clear from scriptures that they don’t possess the Spirit of Christ)? Yes, God’s mercies extend to them too, but is it through the agency of the Holy Spirit? If not, then what categories are there to help us explain the goodness they experience and express?

Dear Emmanuel,

In answering your question let me start by highlighting that the Bible is clear as you have already pointed out that the Holy Spirit does not indwell unbelievers (John 14:16, 17). Nevertheless, he can still work in them. One work that is clearly explained in the Scriptures is to convict them of sin, righteousness, and judgement (John 16:8).

Now as for unbelievers experiencing God’s blessings like healing, protection, and success in their work or in the world we need to consider God’s grace. The Bible shows us that there are two types of God’s grace. Theologians describe them as God’s common or non-saving grace and Gods’ special or saving grace. God’s common grace is the one he gives even to unbelievers and enables them to enjoy his blessings that are not attached to salvation in Christ. Some examples of these blessings from God’s common grace include sunshine, rain, fruitful seasons, food, God’s kindness and many good things (Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:17; Luke 6:35; 16:35). I believe we can also add to the list God’s protection, healing, and success as you have mentioned in your question. God’s special grace on the other hand is his saving grace which Paul describes well in Ephesians 2:8, 9 when he writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” 

So according to the Bible, the blessings that unbelievers receive and enjoy in this world are a result of God’s common grace. But the Bible is silent on whether they are given directly through or by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I would not say that they are given through him without any scriptural support. Having said that let me also add this caveat: unbelievers should not be content with God’s common grace. They should cry out to God for his special grace in their lives because the blessings of God’s common grace can become a curse if they blind them to their need for God’s saving grace in Christ. A good example that readily comes to mind is the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21. The rich man was pumped up with worldly blessings and never sought spiritual blessings of salvation in Christ. In the end God called him a fool for he worked so much for the bread that perishes while neglecting the bread of life that lasts forever (John 6:27). He laid up for himself treasure in this world but was not rich toward God (Luke 12:21).

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If you have any question for me, please email it to confex@refomationmalawi.org. With your consent it might be featured in “That’s a Good Question Series.”

The Dark Night of the Soul

The dark night of the soul is a phrase used to refer to the period that a Christian experiences mental, emotional or spiritual anguish. This is a time that a Christian goes through a prolonged period of depression that reduces  him or her to the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. I thought about this phrase this week when I read in the local papers that the Malawi Police reported that 58 people committed suicide in the month of October alone this year. I also thought about all these souls just before they decided to take their own lives. In their own minds they had reached a point beyond hope. They also felt helpless. They were convinced that their darkness would never turn into light. In despair they resolved to end their lives.   

Now I don’t know whether some of them were believers. But I would not be surprised if I learn that some were because as already pointed out even Christians are not immune to dark nights of the soul. One Old Testament believer experienced and expressed it in Psalm 88. This psalm is one of most depressing expressions of despair in the Bible. The psalmist despairs of life as he experiences pain, betrayal, loneliness, and darkness. Unlike all the other psalms of lament which end with praise or expression of hope in God this Psalms begins and ends with gloom.

The Psalmist laments, “My soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength…You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep…my eye grows dim through sorrow” (vv. 3-6). What the psalmist is seeing all around him is darkness and death. He even says it at the end of the psalm that “my companions have become darkness” (v. 18).

The psalmist also feels completely abandoned by God. “But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O LORD why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless” (vv. 13-15). There is no greater agony for the soul and body than to believe that God has forsaken you.

Now, dear Christian, when you go through the dark night of the soul know for sure that you are not alone. Fellow saints before us have gone through similar experiences. More importantly consider Christ who literally went through it too. From Gethsemane sorrows to the three hours of darkness on the Friday afternoon he died (Luke 23:44-49). In the midst of our darkness let’s pray for grace and faith to see the Light of the World, the Lord Jesus Christ. He can never be overcome by darkness no matter how thick it is. But he is also able to sympathize with us having fought and overcome darkness himself as the author of Hebrews testifies, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Apostle Paul further testifies from his own experience that the Lord is able to deliver us from those moments in which we despair of life itself. In 1 Corinthians 2:8-10 he writes, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” 

Sorrows and dark nights are inevitable for various reasons some which are best known by God alone. But deliverance is also guaranteed for those in Christ. May the Lord help us to never believe that our darkness is thicker than the light of the gospel. If you are experiencing a dark night of the soul, please talk to a fellow faithful Christian or a pastor. Some cases of depression might require medical help, never hesitate to seek one when needed.  

My dear unbelieving friend who is feeling hopeless and helpless. You might even be contemplating suicide. Here is hope! The one and only sure and steady anchor in the storms of this life is Jesus Christ. He calls out to all of us who are wearied down by the sorrows and burdens of this life to come and find rest in him. May you not linger. Please talk to any faithful Christian or pastor near you. You may also contact me via this blog.