John 14:15-16 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever …
John 14:2-24 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
These verses regarding receiving the Holy Spirit, show us that obedience to God is very important in His eyes. Although it could be said that the primary work is faith in Jesus (John 6:29), His ability to forgive us our sins, it does not stop there. The scripture strongly shows the need for repentance, turning away from, sin. The order of receiving the Holy Spirit is:
- We receive God’s commands
- If we keep them, God will love us
- God will manifest Himself to those He loves
The Early Church Father Justin Martyr (110-165 A.D.) in his First Apology states:
Chap. X. — How God Is to Be Served.
… if men by their works show themselves worthy of this His design, they are deemed worthy, and so we have received — of reigning in company with Him, being delivered from corruption and suffering. For as in the beginning He created us when we were not, so do we consider that, in like manner, those who choose what is pleasing to Him are, on account of their choice, deemed worthy of incorruption and of fellowship with Him.
Also Dialogue of Justin, Philosopher and Martyr, with Trypho, a Jew.
Chap. LXXXVIII. — Christ Has Not Received the Holy Spirit on Account of Poverty.
For God, wishing both angels and men, who were endowed with freewill, and at their own disposal, to do whatever He had strengthened each to do, made them so, that if they chose the things acceptable to Himself, He would keep them free from death and from punishment; but that if they did evil, He would punish each as He sees fit.