I’m on a roll. More than two pages in a row seemed to make sense in Barth.

In Vol. 1.2 he discusses “The Freedom of Man for God.” He takes up the issue of just what the outpouring of the Spirit means in the life of the believer.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit exalts the Word of God to be the master over men, puts man unavoidably under his mastery.

This is about the powerful lordship of Christ. What does that look like for the believer?

1. We always have someone over against, from whom we can no longer withdraw.

Other powers in this world can call to us, but we can flee. We can withdraw. But with Christ? Once he is Lord, that’s just something that is not happening. (We may tend to the Calvinist view at this point.) But Barth is on solid ground. Think of Psalm 139.

¹ You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

His presence is there. Barth says this is to our misery and our comfort. It is our misery if we desire to run. I know that feeling in my own life. Barth is correct. It’s pure misery.

But it is also comfort. His presence will not leave. When the Spirit is poured out and Jesus is Lord, nothing separates me from this love.

2. We have discovered his supreme authority.

We can surrender to other authorities, yet in a sense we can remain “independent.”

But the outpouring of the Holy Spirit means that man is placed under the Word, because it is God’s Word.

We are always responsible to him. When we are convicted by the Word, we stay in that correction because we are submitted to that authority.

3. We are subject to a command.

Here we may think Barth is off his rocker. Barth would say we can’t be insubordinate. To which we have something rise up in us and say, “Well you just watch me!”

(Which begs the question, “Why would we desire to be insubordinate to our Savior?”)

As we are subject to his command, we need to realize we can’t make excuses. We have received his orders. When we receive the outpouring of the Spirit it means we are under absolute command. We have our orders. We are bound by them. The tremendous upside of this is that we are able to hear his revelation. (We don’t need to slip into unneeded rebellion!)

4. We now exist in an ultimate and more profound irresponsibility.

This is my favorite point from Barth. It’s a shocking word! Irresponsible.

Barth’s point is that all other teachers and lords burden us with responsibility. When questions are presented to us we are expected to answer out of our knowledge. There are obligations we satisfy by our wish and action. Programs are there to recognize our achievements. The world’s authorities give us orders but leave us to execute those orders on our own.

The Word of God has limitless power of command. It claims our response. it claims our own will and action. Our participation doesn’t depend upon our fitness for this work. It is participation in spite of our unsuitability. We know we are unable! (Or we should know.)

This work we are ordered to do rests on the forgiveness of sins. It is grace.

We are called to participate when the Word acts. We are free from worry. We need not worry about others. We need not worry about manipulation. Our prayer is, “Thy will be done.” I am not responsible. I obey. The responsibility lies on Christ… on the Word of God.

I am bound to the Word of God. Live in this truth: He cares for you.

5. We have a definite formation and direction.

The Spirit poured out means we are formed and directed by the Word of God.

6. We have no concern of our own.

Christ’s concern is our concern. We can’t allow any other rivals to call for our allegiance. It is Christ alone.