Renewing Your Mind – The Role of the Holy Spirit

Date: October 15, 2025
Guest Teacher: Dr. Joel Beeke
Host: Nathan W. Bingham

Episode Overview

This episode explores "The Role of the Holy Spirit" in providing assurance of salvation for Christians. Dr. Joel Beeke delves deeply into Romans 8:12-17, highlighting five (occasionally six) evidences of the Spirit’s witness in the believer’s life. The discussion emphasizes progressive sanctification, the Spirit’s internal testimony, the meaning of adoption, and the unshakeable hope found in being heirs with Christ—even amid suffering.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Work of the Holy Spirit: Assurance and Sanctification

• Sanctification as an Ongoing Process:
  The Spirit progressively sanctifies believers, increasing assurance as holiness grows.
  • “The work of the Spirit is key to our assurance. As Paul says in Romans 8:16, the Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God.” (Nathan W. Bingham, 00:19)
  • John Owen’s Metaphor: The heart is likened to a tangled forest gradually cleared by the Spirit throughout life, yet never fully until death.
    • “He paints the natural human heart as a thick woods...the woods won’t be cleared off completely until you die.” (Joel Beeke, 00:00, 12:44)

2. Five Evidences of the Spirit’s Witness in Believers (Romans 8:12–17)

Dr. Beeke walks through specific ways the Spirit’s presence is made manifest, each directly drawn from the passage:

Evidence 1: Oughtness—A Sense of Moral Obligation

Romans 8:12 – “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh…”

• Definition: An inner compulsion, “oughtness,” develops in believers—to live by the Spirit, not the flesh.
• Distinction from Mere Conscience:
  • Unbelievers have an internal ‘policeman,’ but believers experience oughtness connected to the Holy Spirit as a loving presence to please rather than fear.
  • “The Spirit’s work is to develop in the very first place an oughtness within us…Paul is saying…there ought to be in you a holy revulsion for the things of the flesh.” (Joel Beeke, 03:11)
  • Richard Sibbes Quote: “We ought to entertain the Holy Spirit. Like when you entertain someone…you want the Spirit to dwell within you and to teach you this oughtness.” (Joel Beeke referencing Sibbes, 06:17)

Evidence 2: Mortification—Killing Sin

Romans 8:13 – “But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

• Definition: Mortification means actively putting sinful deeds to death by the Spirit’s power.
• John Owen’s Famous Maxim:
  • “‘Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.’…To kill sin, to clear the woods of sin in our heart is a critical part of the whole process of sanctification.” (Joel Beeke quoting Owen, 08:05)
• Progressive Sanctification: Like brush and trees progressively cleared from woods. The Spirit helps us identify, mourn, and fight sin, though the heart isn’t fully cleared this side of eternity.

Evidence 3: Leading of the Spirit—Illumination and Direction

Romans 8:14 – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

• Ongoing Activity:
  • Leading involves both "illumination" (bringing duty to mind) and "direction" (empowering us to follow).
  • “It’s sort of like this…a classmate…was blind…if he was going in the same direction…I would lead him by the hand from class to class.…He needed me, but yet he was involved.” (Joel Beeke, 12:27)
  • Richard Sibbes’s Analogy: The Spirit as a pianist, making heavenly music through our sanctified response (17:42).
• Personal Nature:
  • “God is unique in leading every one of his believers.…No two boats take exactly the same path through the sea.” (Joel Beeke, 19:24)

Evidence 4: Adoption—The Spirit Producing Childlike Cry (“Abba, Father”)

Romans 8:15 – “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

• Liberation from Fear: The Spirit brings believers into the security of sonship, not servile fear.
• Derek Thomas Story/Illustration:
  • An Orthodox Jewish boy, exhausted, cries out for his father, who scoops him up—likened to how we, weak in faith, cry “Abba, Father” and are comforted.
    • “‘That’s what happens when we cry out, Abba, Father, in our great need—the Father picks us up, scoops us along, and meets every need of the soul.’” (Joel Beeke recounting, 21:33)
  • Experiential Assurance: When rescued or upheld by God, we sense our adoption and can say, “My Lord and my God. And I am thy adopted child.” (22:10)

Evidence 5: The Spirit’s Direct Witness

Romans 8:16 – “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

• Transforming Relationships:
  • Changes how we view God (Father, not Judge), the world (as pilgrims, not at home), ourselves (pursuing holiness), and fellow Christians (true brothers and sisters).
  • “Once you’re adopted…it governs everything about you and who you are. It governs your whole life…” (Joel Beeke, 23:05)
• Personal Story: A woman, deeply lonely, was comforted by the doctrine of adoption—that the church is her true family.
  • “‘You made me look around and say I belong to the biggest family on earth.…I should rejoice. That’s the fruit of adoption.’” (Joel Beeke, quoting congregant, 24:10)

Evidence 6: Our Inheritance—Heirs with Christ Amid Suffering

Romans 8:17 – “If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him…”

• Christian Suffering:
  • Suffering is not a sign of abandonment, but part of being God’s children on the way to glory.
  • “If you’re a child of God, you are far more than a multi multi multibillionaire. You own everything in heaven and on earth. The meek shall inherit the earth.” (Joel Beeke, 27:09)
• John Trapp’s Analogy:
  • “‘He who fears a rainy day is forgetting that he’s riding to be crowned.…For he who is riding to glory need not fear a rainy day or two. You’re on your way to glory…’” (Joel Beeke quoting Trapp, 29:02)

Memorable Quotes and Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 00:00 | Joel Beeke | “Owen has a beautiful word picture. He paints the natural human heart as a thick woods. And he says, by nature it's just all woods. But he says the woods won't be cleared off completely until you die.” | | 08:05 | Joel Beeke | “John Owen said so famously, ‘be killing sin or sin will be killing you.’” | | 12:27 | Joel Beeke | “[Being ‘led by the Spirit’ is] sort of like this. We had a fellow classmate...who was blind. And sometimes if he was going in the same direction I was going in, I would lead him by the hand from class to class…” | | 17:42 | Joel Beeke | “Richard Sibbes...talks about how the Holy Spirit is a pianist...he makes heavenly music by leading us in the way of God.” | | 21:33 | Joel Beeke | “That’s what happens when we cry out, Abba, Father, in our great need—the Father picks us up, scoops us along, and meets every need of the soul.” | | 24:10 | Joel Beeke | “You made me look around and say I belong to the biggest family on earth. These are my brothers and my sisters. Why should I weep? I should rejoice. You see, that’s the fruit of adoption.” | | 29:02 | Joel Beeke | “He who fears a rainy day is forgetting that he’s riding to be crowned. For he who is riding to glory need not fear a rainy day or two.” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:12 — Setting up the theme; illustration of the heart as woods
• 01:12–03:11 — Introduction: Romans 8 and “oughtness”
• 03:11–06:17 — Oughtness as evidence of the Spirit; Sibbes on entertaining the Spirit
• 06:17–12:27 — Mortification; Owen’s analogies; sanctification in daily life
• 12:27–19:24 — Leading of the Spirit; illumination and direction; analogies (blind classmate, piano, boats)
• 19:24–23:05 — Adoption and “Abba, Father”; Derek Thomas’s story; experiencing assurance
• 23:05–24:10 — The Spirit’s direct witness; personal testimony of assurance and belonging
• 24:10–29:02 — Inheritance with Christ; suffering as preparation for glory; John Trapp’s comforting analogy

Conclusion & Application

• Assurance Grows through the Spirit’s Work: The believer’s assurance is anchored in the Spirit’s ongoing witness and work—producing oughtness, aiding in mortification, providing guidance, giving the cry of adoption, offering internal witness, and reminding us of our inheritance.
• Suffering Is Not the End: Suffering is part of the Christian path, but as heirs with Christ, believers are destined for glory beyond their trials.
• Encouragement: “He who is riding to glory need not fear a rainy day or two.” (Joel Beeke quoting John Trapp, 29:02)

For Listeners

This episode is rich with pastoral encouragement and profound theological depth, blending Puritan insight with practical application for assurance in the Christian life. If you’re struggling with assurance or understanding the Spirit’s work, this teaching offers both comfort and clarity—reminding you of your adoption, inheritance, and the Spirit’s active presence guiding you to glory.