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THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of the trinity. He has a mind and he searches the heart. Rom 8:22 he searches all things 1 Cor. 2:10,11. He is grieved by our unbelief. Eph 4:30. He strives with us to help us to pray. Rom 8:26.
He is God, He is a personality with character. He is not a force, but he has a supernatural force. When he takes up residence within a person it is evident to others. The Holy Spirit breathes new life into a spiritually dead person. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to live within us. All those who have been born of the Spirit have entered into God’s rest. We no longer strive for salvation or for the gift of eternal life. We have it once and forever. There is no longer a need for us to labor for it. Our good deeds don’t help achieve salvation. Salvation is from the baptism of the Holy Spirit alone.
He becomes our adviser and empowers us, directs and enlightens us. He is the author of divine revelation. Where there is little or no acquaintance with Him, there will be no spiritual life. Only the twice born will be able to successfully resist the evil one because the Holy Spirit indwells them. The Holy Spirit of God is concerned about our growth and usefulness in the vast program of reaching the lost. The purpose of the local church is to provide training and teaching that bring growth and reaches those in the darkness. The Holy Spirit gives to each child of God, an ability, a gift, and a task to do, a specific task. He gives the gifts as he desires’ it is not up to anyone to decide for themselves what gift(s) they receive. We are to use the gifts we are given according to his will not our own. He is the architect and the builder. He is using each individual to build the church; we are each a building stone. We are each a part of the whole and we each have our own part to complete. Someday the last piece will be set in place by the Holy Spirit and then the church will be ready for Jesus’ return.
The unity in the body of Christ can only happen when it’s members recognize that the Holy Spirit is the one putting the pieces into their proper place. It is a spiritual task for the spiritual Temple, and when we understand the spiritual implications of the building of the church, we will strive to be in tune to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We would be of one mind, because we each listen to and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. We have all overstepped our boundaries at some time. The church has all sorts of problems. If we come to maturity and realize the growth, maturity, and love that would unite us and nurture our relationship with each and with God, we would each be about our Father’s business in bringing the plan together. We would nurture all the church’s members, we would reach out to the lost, and we would unite in love. It may be that that lost soul is the is the final piece in the Temple construction.
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He is God, He is a personality with character. He is not a force, but he has a supernatural force. When he takes up residence within a person it is evident to others. The Holy Spirit breathes new life into a spiritually dead person. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to live within us. All those who have been born of the Spirit have entered into God’s rest. We no longer strive for salvation or for the gift of eternal life. We have it once and forever. There is no longer a need for us to labor for it. Our good deeds don’t help achieve salvation. Salvation is from the baptism of the Holy Spirit alone.
He becomes our adviser and empowers us, directs and enlightens us. He is the author of divine revelation. Where there is little or no acquaintance with Him, there will be no spiritual life. Only the twice born will be able to successfully resist the evil one because the Holy Spirit indwells them. The Holy Spirit of God is concerned about our growth and usefulness in the vast program of reaching the lost. The purpose of the local church is to provide training and teaching that bring growth and reaches those in the darkness. The Holy Spirit gives to each child of God, an ability, a gift, and a task to do, a specific task. He gives the gifts as he desires’ it is not up to anyone to decide for themselves what gift(s) they receive. We are to use the gifts we are given according to his will not our own. He is the architect and the builder. He is using each individual to build the church; we are each a building stone. We are each a part of the whole and we each have our own part to complete. Someday the last piece will be set in place by the Holy Spirit and then the church will be ready for Jesus’ return.
The unity in the body of Christ can only happen when it’s members recognize that the Holy Spirit is the one putting the pieces into their proper place. It is a spiritual task for the spiritual Temple, and when we understand the spiritual implications of the building of the church, we will strive to be in tune to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We would be of one mind, because we each listen to and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. We have all overstepped our boundaries at some time. The church has all sorts of problems. If we come to maturity and realize the growth, maturity, and love that would unite us and nurture our relationship with each and with God, we would each be about our Father’s business in bringing the plan together. We would nurture all the church’s members, we would reach out to the lost, and we would unite in love. It may be that that lost soul is the is the final piece in the Temple construction.
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1. REGENERATION IS A DIVINE WORK.
We are "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13). It was of His own will he begat us (Jas. 1:18): Our regeneration is a creative act on the part of God, not a reforming process on the part of man. It is not brought about by natural descent, for all we get from that is "flesh." It is not by natural choice, for the human will is impotent. Nor is it by self-effort, or any human generative principle. Nor is it by the blood of any ceremonial sacrifices. It is not by pedigree or natural generation. It is altogether and absolutely the work of God. Practically speaking, we have no more to do with our second birth, than we had to do with our first birth.
The Holy Spirit is the Divine Agent in our regeneration. For this reason it is called the "renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit. 3:5). We are "born of the Spirit" (John 3:5).
2. AND YET THERE IS A HUMAN SIDE TO THE WORK.
John 1:12 and 13 bring together these two thoughts—the divine and the human in regeneration: Those who received Him (i. e., Christ)....were born of God. The two great problems connected with regeneration are the efficiency of God and the activity of man.
a) Man Is Regenerated by Means of the Acceptance of the Message of the Gospel.
God begat us by "the word of truth" (James 1:18). We are "born again," says Peter (1 Peter 1:23), "of incorruptible seed, by the word of God." We are "begotten through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). These scriptures teach us that regeneration takes place in the heart of man when he reads or hears the Word of God, or the Gospel message, or both, and, because of the Spirit working in the Word as well as in the heart of man, the man opens his heart and receives that message as the Word of life to his soul. The truth is illuminated, as is also the mind, by the Spirit; the man yields to the truth, and is born again. Of course, even here, we must remember that it is the Lord who must open our hearts just as He opened the heart of Lydia (Acts 16:14). But the Word must be believed and received by man. 1 Pet. 1:25.
b) Man Is Regenerated by the Personal Acceptance of Jesus Christ.
This is the clear teaching of John 1:12, 13 and Gal. 3:26. We become "children of God by faith in Jesus Christ." When a man, believing in the claims of Jesus Christ receive s Him to be all that He claimed to be—that man is born again.
Man therefore is not wholly passive at the time of his regeneration.
He is passive only as to the change of his ruling disposition.
With regard to the exercise of this disposition he is active. A dead man cannot assist in his own resurrection, it is true; but he may, and can, like Lazarus, obey Christ's command, and "Come forth!"
Psa. 90:16, 17 illustrates both the divine and human part: "Let thy work appear unto thy servants," and then "the work of our hands establish thou it." God's work appears first, then man's. So Phil. 2:12,13.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
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We are "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13). It was of His own will he begat us (Jas. 1:18): Our regeneration is a creative act on the part of God, not a reforming process on the part of man. It is not brought about by natural descent, for all we get from that is "flesh." It is not by natural choice, for the human will is impotent. Nor is it by self-effort, or any human generative principle. Nor is it by the blood of any ceremonial sacrifices. It is not by pedigree or natural generation. It is altogether and absolutely the work of God. Practically speaking, we have no more to do with our second birth, than we had to do with our first birth.
The Holy Spirit is the Divine Agent in our regeneration. For this reason it is called the "renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit. 3:5). We are "born of the Spirit" (John 3:5).
2. AND YET THERE IS A HUMAN SIDE TO THE WORK.
John 1:12 and 13 bring together these two thoughts—the divine and the human in regeneration: Those who received Him (i. e., Christ)....were born of God. The two great problems connected with regeneration are the efficiency of God and the activity of man.
a) Man Is Regenerated by Means of the Acceptance of the Message of the Gospel.
God begat us by "the word of truth" (James 1:18). We are "born again," says Peter (1 Peter 1:23), "of incorruptible seed, by the word of God." We are "begotten through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). These scriptures teach us that regeneration takes place in the heart of man when he reads or hears the Word of God, or the Gospel message, or both, and, because of the Spirit working in the Word as well as in the heart of man, the man opens his heart and receives that message as the Word of life to his soul. The truth is illuminated, as is also the mind, by the Spirit; the man yields to the truth, and is born again. Of course, even here, we must remember that it is the Lord who must open our hearts just as He opened the heart of Lydia (Acts 16:14). But the Word must be believed and received by man. 1 Pet. 1:25.
b) Man Is Regenerated by the Personal Acceptance of Jesus Christ.
This is the clear teaching of John 1:12, 13 and Gal. 3:26. We become "children of God by faith in Jesus Christ." When a man, believing in the claims of Jesus Christ receive s Him to be all that He claimed to be—that man is born again.
Man therefore is not wholly passive at the time of his regeneration.
He is passive only as to the change of his ruling disposition.
With regard to the exercise of this disposition he is active. A dead man cannot assist in his own resurrection, it is true; but he may, and can, like Lazarus, obey Christ's command, and "Come forth!"
Psa. 90:16, 17 illustrates both the divine and human part: "Let thy work appear unto thy servants," and then "the work of our hands establish thou it." God's work appears first, then man's. So Phil. 2:12,13.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
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Spirit
The Old Testament. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is ruah . It appears 389 times in the Old Testament. Its varied use almost defies analysis, but some emphases are discernible. It is used more often of God (136 times) than of persons or animals (129 times).
Its basic meaning is wind (113 times). The trees of the forest sway before a wind ( Isa 7:2 ); a wind sweeps over the waters ( Gen 1:2 ); and the Lord walked in the garden at the breezy time of day ( Gen 3:8 ). It was an east wind that brought locusts ( Exod 10:13 ) and a strong east wind that divided the Red Sea and dried it up ( Exod 14:21 ).
Breath is also a basic meaning of this term. It is the Lord who gives breath to people ( Isa 42:5 ) and to lifeless bodies ( in 1:1 Ezek 37:9-10 in ; this chapter there is a wordplay on ruah, allowing it to mean wind, breath, spirit a similar phenomenon is found in John 3:5 John 3:8 ; where pneuma [pneu'ma] means both wind and spirit ). It is also used of bad breathJob's breath was repulsive to his wife ( Job 19:17 ).
By extension when applied to a person ruah comes to mean vital powers or strength. It is the spirit that sustains a person through illness ( Prov 18:14 ), but the spirit of the troubled person can be crushed ( Psalm 34:18 ). This dynamic force can be impaired or diminished as well as renewed or increased. It was a drink that caused the spirit (strength [sunistavw]) of Samson to return and revive him ( Jud 15:18-19 ) and the coming of the wagons from Egypt that revived Jacob's numb heart ( Gen 45:26-27 ). Spirit also bespeaks limitations. When taken back, the person returns to dust ( Psalm 104:29-30 ).
The spirit of the Lord is the creative power of life ( Psalm 33:6 ). When it descends on the judges it activates and enables them to do great exploits ( Judges 3:10 ; 14:6 ). By contrast, there is no spirit in idols of wood and stone. They are inert and have no power to awake and arise ( Hab 2:19 ).
Ruah can also refer to feelings. The queen of Sheba was left breathless when she saw the wisdom and wealth of Solomon ( 1 Kings 10:5 ). She was overcome by astonishment. Eliphaz accuses Job of venting his anger on God ( Job 15:13 ). Ahab was dispirited and sullen because of Naboth's unwillingness to sell his vineyard ( 1 Kings 21:4 ). "Shortness" of spirit is impatience, whereas "longness" of spirit is patience ( Prov 14:29 ). To be proud in spirit is to be arrogant ( Eccl 7:8 ). The suspicious husband is said to have a (fit) spirit of jealousy ( Numbers 5:14 Numbers 5:30 ).
Ruah can also refer to the will. Those whose spirits God had stirred up went up to rebuild the temple ( Ezr 1:5 ). Caleb had a different spirit from the other spies ( Num 14:24 ) and thus was resolute in his assessment relative to the conquest of the land. The psalmist prays for a steadfast spirit ( Psalm 51:10 ).
Given the distributed uses of ruah (standing twice as often for the wind/power of God as it does for the breath/feelings/will of the person), mortals cannot see themselves as independent of God. The ruah is living not simply through a surge of vitality, but because of God's initiatives and actions. The link between the anthropological and the divine ruah is not always clear and well defined.
The New Testament. Pneuma [pneu'ma] is the New Testament counterpart to the Old Testament ruah . While it occasionally means wind ( John 3:8 ) and breath ( Matt 27:50 ; 2 Thess 2:8 ), it is most generally translates "spirit"an incorporeal, feeling, and intelligent being.
It was Mary's spirit that rejoiced ( Luke 1:47 ). Jesus "grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom" ( Luke 2:40 ). He was "deeply moved in spirit" when he saw Mary weeping over the death of Lazarus ( John 11:33 ). Apollos was characterized as speaking with "great fervor" ( Acts 18:25 ) and Paul "had no peace of mind" when Titus did not meet him at Troas ( 2 Cor 2:13 ). Jesus pronounced a blessing on the "poor in spirit" ( Matt 5:3 ).
In the New Testament spirit is also seen as that dimension of human personality whereby relationship with God is possible ( Mark 2:8 ; Acts 7:59 ; Rom 1:9 ; 8:16 ; 1 Cor 5:3-5 ). It is this human spiritual nature that enables continuing conversation with the divine Spirit ( Rom 8:9-17 ).
Occasionally pneuma will be treated in a parallel structure with psyche [yuchv]. The terms seem to be one and the same ( Luke 1:46-47 ) and seem to be interchangeable. On the other hand, there are passages that distinguish between the two. Paul speaks of Adam as a "living soul" but of Christ as a "life-giving spirit." The one is oriented to human life and the other to heavenly life.
Flesh and spirit are often juxtaposed. Both can be defiled ( 2 Cor 7:1 ) and both can be holy ( 1 Cor 7:34 ). The flesh (works) and the spirit (fruit) are unalterably opposed to each other ( Gal 5:16-26 ). Spirit is also contrasted with letter. While the letter kills, the Spirit gives life ( 2 Cor 3:6 ). Spirit is also contrasted with human wisdom ( 1 Cor 2:5 ). Weakness of flesh can prove stronger than the spirit's will to pray ( Mark 14:38 ).
Worship of God in the spirit is acceptable, contrasting with unacceptable worship in the flesh ( Php 3:3 ). "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth" ( John 4:24 ).
While God's Spirit is holy, reference is made to unclean, evil, and demonic spirits that are injurious to relationships with God and other humans.
There are a few passages that see the spirit as disembodied ( 2 Cor 5:1-5 ; Heb 12:23 ; 1 Peter 3:19 ). Paul speaks of being absent in body, but present in spirit ( Col 2:5 ), and James notes that the body without the spirit is dead ( James 2:26 ).
Carl Schultz
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Baptism of the Holy Spirit
SEVEN New Testament passages speak of baptism of/in/with/by the Holy Spirit. The varying prepositions reflect the fact that the Spirit is both the agent and sphere of this baptism. Six of these passages refer to John the Baptist's teaching, contrasting his baptism in water with Jesus' future baptism in the Holy Spirit. The seventh is 1 Corinthians 12:13, which refers to the initiation of all the Corinthian Christians into the church.
In Matthew 3:11 and lu 3:16, John predicts that the Messiah who will come after him will baptize with the Spirit and fire. This expression is best taken as referring to the one purifying action of the Spirit that blesses believers and condemns unbelievers, and which embraces the entire work of the Spirit from Pentecost on, culminating in final judgment. Mark 1:8 and John 1:33 reflect this identical utterance of John, but mention only the baptism of the Spirit. It is unlikely that anybody in John's original audience knew exactly what he meant by these predictions.
In Acts 1:5, however, as Jesus prepares to ascend into heaven, he refers back to John's words and predicts their fulfillment within "a few days." In just a little over a week, the disciples celebrate Pentecost and receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 ( Acts 2:1-41 , esp. vv. 17-21 ). A number of years later, when Peter is ministering to Cornelius, the Spirit again manifests itself in dramatically similar ways (leading to the common labeling of this event as the "Gentile Pentecost"). These similarities lead Peter to reflect on Jesus' parting words again and to quote them to the Jewish-Christian leaders in Jerusalem in defense of his "scandalous" association with Gentiles ( Acts 11:16 ).
It is clear that all six of these references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit have Pentecost-like experiences primarily in view. In 1 Corinthians 12:13, however, it is not stated that all the Corinthians had experienced some dramatic, visible manifestation of the Spirit when they were baptized. The common phenomenon seems rather to be that of initiation. Just as baptism in water was the initiation rite symbolizing repentance and faith in Christ, entrance into the community of believers, and incorporation into Christ's body, so "baptism in the Spirit" referred to that moment in which the Spirit first began to operate in believers' lives. No particular style of the Spirit's arrival is paradigmatic; he may come quietly and almost imperceptibly or dramatically and tangibly.
The experience of the disciples at Pentecost is further complicated by the fact that they lived through the transitional period from the old covenant age to the time of the new covenant, which the complex of events beginning with the crucifixion and resurrection and culminating with Christ's exaltation and sending of the Spirit at Pentecost inaugurated. It is important to note that Pentecost was not the disciples' first experience of the Holy Spirit ( John 14:17 ; 20:22 ), but that does not necessarily justify the generalization that the "baptism of the Spirit" will ever again be a "second blessing"a deeper experience of the Spirit subsequent to conversion. Pentecost was a second blessing for the disciples because they were followers of Jesus both before and after his death. But there is no indication that Cornelius and his friends underwent any second experience of the Spirit. Their Spirit-baptism was simultaneous with their conversion to Christ. So too nothing is said about the Corinthians having any two-stage experience. If the entire church had been baptized in the Spirit, including the large number of "carnal" Christians Paul elsewhere rebukes ( 1 Cor 3:1-4 ), then clearly Spirit-baptism cannot guarantee a certain level of Christian maturity or holiness. And if no one spiritual gift was held by all Corinthian believers ( 1 Cor 12:29-30 ), then neither may Spirit-baptism be uniformly equated with the reception of any particular gift of the Spirit.
None of this is to deny that Christians often receive a renewed sense of the Spirit's presence or power one or more times after conversion. Luke employs the expression, "the filling of the Holy Spirit, " to refer to these occasions, particularly when bold proclamation of the gospel quickly follows (e.g., Acts 2:4 ; Acts 4:8 Acts 4:31 ; 13:9 ). When one of these events seems particularly constitutive for a new stage of Christian experience, it may be appropriate, as Green suggests, to speak of a "release in the Spirit." But if one wishes to be faithful to biblical usage, one will reserve the expression "baptism in the Spirit" for the indwelling of God through his Holy Spirit at the moment of a believer's salvation. As Green, himself a charismatic, lucidly concludes (p. 134), all seven scriptural references "point not to a second experience, but to an unrepeatable, if complex, plunging into Christ, with repentance and faith, justification and forgiveness, sonship and public witness, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the seal of belonging, all being part of initiation into Christ, " even if "some parts of the whole [may be] seen sooner than others."
It is sometimes argued that certain passages that refer to baptism, without any further qualification, also teach about Spirit-baptism (e.g., Rom 6:4 ; Gal 3:27 ; Col 2:12 ; 1 Peter 3:21 ). This interpretation is usually designed to protect these texts against a view that takes them to teach baptismal regeneration. But, in fact, the early church consistently used "baptism" without any qualifiers to refer to water-baptism. None of these passages, even when taken to refer to immersion in water, implies baptismal regeneration, but they do demonstrate how closely linked water-baptism and conversion were (and hence Spirit-baptism as well) in New Testament times.
Craig L. Blomberg
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Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
Overt, verbal, and conscious repudiation of the fact that God is at work in Jesus Christ accomplishing his designs through the power of the Holy Spirit. Exactly what is being described by this expression, found in Mark 3:29 (par. Matt 12:32 ; Luke 12:10 ), has vexed both scholars and ordinary Christians for centuries.
Several observations are in order. First, the object of this "blasphemy" is the Holy Spirit, who is clearly distinguished in the context from Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, who may be blasphemed by someone who yet is forgiven ( Matt 12:32 ). While the Spirit is the object, however, it is the Spirit's work in Jesus Christ that is the focus of the passage. Second, the result of this blasphemy is that the blasphemer cannot be forgiven by God. Third, the consequence of this blasphemy is eternal unforgivability. Mark calls this the "eternal sin, " a term found in modern translations; the KJV has "eternal judgment." Finally, the circumstances of Jesus' pronouncement include the attribution of his powers to demonic sources ( Mark 3:22 ).
What is this sin? Both Mark and Luke use the term "blaspheme" while Matthew has the more ordinary "speaks against, " showing that all three have in mind some kind of verbal repudiation or denunciation of the Spirit of God in the ministry of Jesus. Ancients believed in the power of words and uttering imprecations, curses, and blasphemies were taken seriously. The verb "blaspheme" means to speak abusively or insultingly of someone or something ( Acts 18:6 ; Rom 14:16 ). In the Old Testament the term was used specially for derisive language and attitudes toward the God of the covenant with Israel ( 2 Kings 19:4 ; 6,22 Isa 66:3 ; Ezek 35:12-13 ). The fundamental notion inherited by New Testament authors, and Jesus in particular, is expressed in Leviticus 24:15-16: "Whoever curses (qalal [l;l'q]; katareo [katavra]) his God shall bear his sin. He who blasphemes (naqab [b;q"n]; onomazo [ojnomavzw]) the name of the Lord shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him; the sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes (naqab [b;q"n]; onomazo [ojnomavzw]) the Name, shall be put to death" (RSV cf. Lev 24:10-23 ; for the blasphemer ).
Furthermore, the Spirit is the sign of the new age and the reception of the Spirit is the focus of hope in some Old Testament visions. Thus, Isaiah 63:7-64:11 speaks of God's covenantal faithfulness to his people, led by Moses, even when they grieved the Holy Spirit ( 63:10 ). The prayer is that God would rend his heavens and come down to his people and make his name great among the nations ( 64:1-2 ). One suspects that the advent of the Holy Spirit at the baptism of Jesus fulfills this Old Testament hope, and yet Israel remains hardened and grieves the Spirit once again (cf. 63:10 ; Mark 3:29 ). What we find then is double accountability: Old Testament disobedience, followed by God's promised restoration in sending the Spirit, and now once again the same rejection.
Consequently, when we come to the text of the Synoptic Gospels there is a history of interpretation and applications that prohibit anyone ( Lev 24:15-16 ; includes the sojourner ) from denouncing the God of Israel, repudiating his claims, and insulting his honor. What Jesus claims is that a similar type of sin is being committed whenever one speaks against the Holy Spirit as revealed powerfully in his ministry. What caused stoning in the Old Testament, now incurs eternal condemnation; such a sin is unforgivable.
What are the specific symptoms of this sin? There have been many suggestions in the history of interpretation, including breaking the third commandment ( Exod 20:7 ; taking the Lord's name in vain ) or the seventh commandment ( Exod 20:14 ; adultery cf. 1 Cor 6:18 ), postbaptismal sins (Origen), post-Pentecost rejection of the Spirit, and the attempt to achieve meritorious righteousness before God. Others have given up on finding the meaning. While the various proposals may have some merit, it is best to examine "blasphemy against the Spirit" in the Gospels themselves to see what light they shed on what is being addressed.
The contexts of the Gospels provide the important clues. In Mark and Matthew, the context is Jesus' exorcisms by the power of God's Spirit ( Matt 12:22-24 ; cf. Mark 3:22 ). While Jesus contends that one might miss the revelation of God in his lowly person ( Matt 12:32 a), no one can miss the power of God at work in his ability to exorcize demons ( Matt 12:32 b; Mark 3:29 ). Thus, the unforgivable sin is repudiation of the work of God, seen in Jesus' powerful Acts of exorcism.
Luke puts this same saying in a slightly different context: the public acknowledgment of Jesus Christ. Jesus says it is one thing to deny him publicly; it is quite another thing to repudiate the power of the Holy Spirit ( Luke 12:8-10 ). Thus, the unforgivable sin here seems to be public repudiation of the power of the Spirit in the ministry of the apostles of Jesus. What we see here is probably an application: inasmuch as it is blasphemous to reject the Spirit in the ministry of Jesus, so it is also blasphemous to reject the Spirit in the ministry of the Twelve (since they are personal agents of Jesus). After all, the Spirit purifies and enables holiness ( Psalm 51:11-13 ; Ezek 36:25-27 ). In summary, we may confidently conclude that "blasphemy against the Spirit" is overt, even verbal, repudiation of the presence of God's Spirit in the ministry of Jesus and those whom he has sent.
After the earthly ministry and death of Christ, the emphasis on the Spirit as the object of the blasphemous words and attitudes will give way to an emphasis on Jesus Christ (cf. James 2:7 ). Hence, we find Paul's preaching of Christ crucified being repudiated; this would appear to be "blasphemy against the Spirit" as well ( Acts 13:8 Acts 13:45 ; 14:2 ; 18:6 ; 19:13-16 ).
Blasphemy against the Spirit and apostasy are related. Apostasy, whether defined in the Calvinistic or Arminian sense, is committed by those who have had some relationship to God through Christ. Thus, apostasy is acceptance followed by repudiation of Jesus Christ ( Heb 6:4-6 ; 10:29-39 ; 1 John 5:16-17 ); blasphemy against the Spirit is not preceded by acceptance. It describes overt repudiation before any kind of commitment is made. While we may distinguish these two sins in this manner, it also needs to be observed that the two sins amount to largely the same stance. For both involve an overt repudiation of God's work in Christ.
Scot McKnight
Advocate [N] [E] [S]
Translation (consistently in NRSV and JB) of the Greek work parakletos [paravklhto"], which is used five times in the New Testament. Parakletos [paravklhto"] is found in John 14:16, 26; 15:26; and 16:7 in the words of Jesus with reference to the Holy Spirit. In 1 John 2:1 it refers to Christ. Most English translations have "advocate" in 1 John 2:1, although the New International Version renders it as "one who speaks in our defense." To determine the meaning we need to consider the word's etymology, its usage outside the New Testament, and its context in the New Testament passages. By derivation the word means "one called alongside, " but the Gospel emphasizes that the Holy Spirit, as Parakletos [paravklhto"], is "sent" from the Father. In earlier Greek the word signified one called in to a person's defense, a helper in court. In two Greek translations of Job ( 16:2 ) it is used for Job's "comforters." Clearly the work of the Holy Spirit is more than either of these: the Spirit is more than a "Counselor" and stronger than a "Comforter" (in our modern sense of the word). The Gospel passages certainly mean that the Holy Spirit is Helper, "another" Parakletos [paravklhto"] ( John 14:16 ), because Jesus had truly been that. The Spirit was promised to remain with Jesus' disciples always ( 14:16 ), to "teach" ( 14:26 ), to "testify" about Christ and to enable them to testify ( 15:26 ), and to "convict the world of guilt" ( 16:7 ). Then 1 John 2:1 speaks of Jesus as our continuing advocate with the Father, because we who are sinful find in him the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and thus have our acceptance with the Father.
Francis Foulkes
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Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit's presence and working in the lives of maturing believers and is itemized in Galatians 5:22-23. In the context of these verses, the singular fruit of the Spirit is contrasted with the plural works of the flesh ( 5:19-21 ). Neither listing is exhaustive, as is clear from Paul's ending of his list of the works of the flesh with the phrase, "and things like these, " and his statement at the close of his itemizing of the fruit of the Spirit that "against such things there is no law."
Several attempts have been made to explain the reason why "works" is plural and "fruit" is singular. Some have suggested that the singular stresses the truth that the fruit is one cluster with many individual parts, as one diamond has many facets. Others have suggested that the singular refers to one harvest and the unity of the characteristics that the Spirit produces within the individual. Another possibility is that the fruit of the Spirit is actually one, love, with the other virtues being different manifestations of love in operation. A support of such a view may be 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, where several of the things itemized as fruit in Galatians are included as identifying features of agape [ajgavph] love. It is notable that the fruit of the Spirit, as listed, is in direct opposition to the works stemming from the flesh.
An Identification of the Fruit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit's work in the life of the individual Christian, which is enumerated in Galatians 5:22-23, can be described as follows: an active love for God and one's fellowman; a rejoicing in all kinds of circumstances; peacefulness and serenity of character and peacemaking among people; patience and longsuffering with persons, some of whom may not be easy to get along with; kindness toward others; goodness that seeks to aid others; faithfulness and dependability in one's relationships with God and other people; gentleness and meekness in accepting God's will and in dealing with others; and the ability to keep oneself in check and under control in all kinds of circumstances. Paul concludes by observing the obvious: "Against such things as these virtues no law has been enacted."
A Contrast of the Fruit with the Gifts of the Spirit. This fruit is the evidence of the Spirit-filled, sanctified life. The evidence is not, as some claim, the gifts of the Spirit called charismata. The fruit is one but the gifts are various. The fruit is shared by and expected from all Christians alike, while the gifts are parcelled out to various members of the body of Christ as the Holy Spirit wills ( 1 Cor 12:8-11 ). In addition, love, which seemingly is the chief element in the fruit, being named first in Galatians 5:22 and being declared the greatest of Christian virtues in 1 Corinthians 13, is never said to be a gift but rather "the most excellent way" in which the spiritual gifts are to be used ( 1 Cor 12:31 ). In other words, the fruit of the Spirit sets forth the manner in which those who have the gifts of prophesying, teaching, administering, helping, speaking in tongues, and the others are to utilize their gifts. For example, as Paul writes, if I speak in the tongues of men or of angels and do not have love, the fruit of the Spirit, I am just noise ( 1 Cor 13:1 ). The Christian should use whatever gift or gifts he or she may have been given lovingly, joyfully, peacefully, patiently, kindly, and in keeping with the other fruit of the Spirit. The problem in the Corinthian church with which Paul had to deal was not their lack of the gifts of the Spirit but their lack of the graces or the fruit. In 1 Corinthians 1:4-7 Paul thanks God, among other things, for the fact that the Corinthian congregation was not lacking any spiritual gift; yet at the same time he rebukes them for their being carnal and obviously lacking the fruit of the Spirit in their lives ( 1 Cor 3:1-3 ).
The Requirement of Human Cooperation with the Spirit. Finally, it is important to note that, as with all analogies, the comparison of natural fruit with the metaphorical fruit of the Spirit's work in individual Christians breaks down. Naturally good fruit is produced without any effort by a good tree; however, the fruit of the Spirit does not come into being that automatically. Regularly it requires effort on the Christian's part. It demands a heeding of the commands of Scripture and a cooperation with the Holy Spirit in his work in the believer's life. The declaration of the Bible, that this fruit is the production of the Holy Spirit, must be balanced with the demands found in the Bible. The declarations of the indicative mood are to be balanced with all of the exhortations of the imperative mood. All of the fruit of the Spirit are, in other biblical references, expected from and commanded of the believer. For example, the fruit of the Spirit is love and yet Christians are commanded to love God with all their heart and to love their neighbor as themselves ( Matt 22:37-39 ; Gal 5:13-14 ). Another fruit of the Spirit is declared to be joy, and yet the individual believer is commanded to continue rejoicing always in all circumstances ( Php 4:4 ; 1 Thess 5:16 ). The peace of God is something the Christian is expected to enjoy ( Php 4:7 ). The believer is commanded to continue living at peace with all people ( Rom 12:18 ) and to seek to be reconciled with those who consider themselves enemies ( Matt 5:23-24 ). Another facet of the fruit is goodness and yet Paul commands us to overcome evil done to us by doing good in return ( Rom 12:20-21 ).
Either by direct commands or by divinely approved examples, such as the self-control Paul declared was his practice as a Christian ( 1 Cor 9:25-27 ), it is the responsibility of each Christian to yield to the Holy Spirit. In other words, one is not passive but very active in the development of the fruit of the Spirit. In fact, in Colossians 3:10-15 Paul commands Christians to put on many of these same virtues. Peter in 2 Peter 1:5-8 commands his readers to add to their faith some of the same characteristics that are called the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5.
Consequently it is important not only to know what the fruit of the Spirit is but diligently to attempt to make it an integral part of one's own Christian life. No one ever drifts into spiritual maturity or excellence. It demands a yielding of life to the Spirit's leading by means of the Bible ( Rom 8:14 ; Gal 5:18 ) and this can involve, at times, a real battle. The Christian life for Paul is always a combination of the work of the Spirit of God in originating fruit and the cooperation of the will of the individual.
Wesley L. Gerig
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THE PERSONALITY OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT.
It seems strange that it should be necessary to discuss this phase of the subject at all. Indeed, in the light of the last discourse of the Master (John 14-16), it seems superfluous, if not really insulting. During all the ages of the Christian era, however, it has been necessary to emphasize this phase of the doctrine of the Spirit (cf. Arianism, Socinianism, Unitarianism).
1. WHY IS THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT QUESTIONED?
a) Because, as Contrasted with the Other Persons of the Godhead, the Spirit Seems Impersonal.
The visible creation makes the personality of God the Father somewhat easy to conceive; the incarnation makes it almost, if not altogether, impossible to disbelieve in the personality of Jesus Christ; but the acts and workings of the Holy Spirit are so secret and mystical, so much is said of His influence, graces, power and gifts, that we are prone to think of Him as an influence, a power, a manifestation or influence of the Divine nature, an agent rather than a Person.
b) Because of the Names Given to the Holy Spirit.
He is called breath, wind, power. The symbols used in speaking of the Spirit are oil, fire, water, etc. See John 3:5-8; Acts 2:1-4; John 20:22; 1 John 2:20. It is not strange that in view of all this some students of the Scriptures may have been led to believe, erroneously of course, that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal influence emanating from God the Father.
c) Because the Holy Spirit is not usually Associated with the Father and the Son in the Greetings and Salutation of the New Testament.
For illustration, see 1 Thess. 3:11—"Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you." Yet we must remember, in this connection, that the Apostolic Benediction in 2
2 Cor. 13:14 does associate the three persons of the Trinity, thereby asserting their personality equally.
d) Because the Word or Name "Spirit" is Neuter.
It is true that the same Greek word is translated wind and Spirit; also that the Authorized Version uses the neuter pronoun "itself," when speaking of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16, 26). As we shall see later, the Revised Version substitutes "himself" for "itself."
The importance of the personality of the Spirit, and of our being assured of this fact is forcibly set forth by Dr. R. A. Torrey:
"If the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person and we know it not, we are robbing a Divine Being of the love and adoration which are His due. It is of the highest practical importance whether the Holy Spirit is a power that we, in our ignorance and weakness, are somehow to get hold of and use, or whether the Holy Spirit is a personal Being . . . . who is to get hold of us and use us. It is of the highest experimental importance. . . . . Many can testify to the blessing that came into their lives when they came to know the Holy Spirit, not merely as a gracious influence . . . . but as an ever-present, loving friend and helper."
2. METHOD OF PROOF.
It is difficult to define personality when used of the Divine Being. God cannot be measured by human standards. God was not made in the image of man, but man in the image of God. God is not a deified man; man is rather a limited God ("a little . . .. less than God." Heb. 2:7, R. V.). Only God has a perfect personality. When, however, one possesses the attributes, properties and qualities of personality, then personality may be unquestionably predicated of such a being. Does the Holy Spirit possess such properties? Let us see.
a) Names that Imply Personality are Given to the Spirit.
The Comforter: John 14:16; 16:7. "Comforter" means one who is called to your side—as a client calls a lawyer. That this name cannot be used of any abstract, impersonal influence is clear from the fact that in 1 John 2:1 the same word is used of Christ. (See Rom. 8:26). Again in John 14:16 the Holy Spirit, as the Paraclete, is to take the place of a person—Christ Himself, and to personally guide the disciples just as Jesus had been doing. No one but a person can take the place of a person; certainly no mere influence could take the place of Jesus Christ, the greatest personality that ever lived. Again, Christ, in speaking of the Spirit as the Comforter, uses the masculine definite article, and thus, by His choice of gender, teaches the personality of the Holy Spirit. There can be no parity between a person and an influence.
b) Personal Pronouns are Used of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7, 8, 13-15: Twelve times in these verses the Greek masculine pronoun ekeinos (that one, He) is used of the Spirit. This same word is used of Christ in 1 John 2:6; 3:3, 5, 7, 16. This is especially remarkable because the Greek word for spirit (pneuma) is neuter, and so should have a neuter pronoun; yet, contrary to ordinary usage, a masculine pronoun is here used. This is not a pictorial personification, but a plain, definite, clear-cut statement asserting the personality of the Holy Spirit. Note also that where, in the Authorized Version, the neuter pronoun is used, the same is corrected in the Revised Version: not "itself," but "Himself" (Rom. 8:16,26).
c) The Holy Spirit is Identified with the Father and the Son—and, indeed, with Christians—in Such a Way as to Indicate Personality.
The Baptismal Formula. Matt. 28:19. Suppose we should read, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the wind or breath." Would that sound right? If the first two names are personal, is not the third? Note also: "In the name" (singular), not names (plural), implying that all three are Persons equally, The Apostolic Benediction. 2 Cor. 13:14. The same argument may be used as that in connection with the Baptismal Formula, just cited.
Identification with Christians. Acts 15:28. "For it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost, and to us." Shall we say, "It seemeth good to the wind and to us"? It would be absurd. 10:38—"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Shall we read, "Anointed .. with power and power?" Rom. 15:13—"That ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Shall we read, "That ye may abound in hope, through the power of the power"? See also Luke 4:14. Would not these passages rebel against such tautological and meaningless usage? Most assuredly.
d) Personal Characteristics are Ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is represented as searching the deepest and profoundest truths of God, and possessing knowledge of His counsels sufficiently to understand His purposes (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). Could a mere influence do this? See also Isa. 11:3; I Pet. 1:11.
Spiritual gifts are distributed to believers according to the will of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12). Here is wisdom, prudence and discretion, all of which are distinguishing marks of personality. The Spirit not only bestows spiritual gifts, but bestows them discreetly, according as He thinks best. See John 3:8 also.
The Spirit is said to have a mind, and that implies thought, purpose, determination: Rom. 8:27, cf. v. 7. Mind is an attribute of personality.
e) Personal Acts are Ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit speaks: Rev. 2:7 (cf. Matt. 17:5—"Hear ye him.") It is the Spirit who speaks through the apostles (10:20). Speech is an attribute of personality.
The Spirit maketh intercession: Rom. 8:26 (R. V.), cf. Heb. 7:25; I John 2:1, 2, where Christ is said to "make intercession."
Acts 13:2; 16:6, 7; 20:28. In these passages the Holy Spirit is seen calling missionaries, overseeing the church, and commanding the life and practice of the apostles and the whole church. Such acts indicate personality.
f) The Holy Spirit is Susceptible to Personal Treatment.
He may be grieved (Eph. 4:30); insulted (Heb. 10.29); lied to (Acts 5:3); blasphemed and sinned against (Matt. 12:31, 32). Indeed, the sin against the Holy Spirit is a much more grievous matter than the sin against the Son of Man. Can such be said of an influence? Can it be said even of any of the sons of men?
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
By the Deity of the Holy Spirit is meant that the Holy Spirit is God. This fact is clearly set forth in the Scriptures, in a five-fold way:
1. DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
In Acts 5:4, the Spirit is called God. And this in opposition to man, to whom, alone, Ananias thought he was talking. Can any statement allege deity more clearly? In 2 Cor. 3:18—"We .... are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (R. V.). Here the Spirit is called the Lord. For the meaning of "Lord" see under the Deity of Christ.
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESSES DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.
He is eternal in his nature (Heb. 9:14, R. V.); omnipresent (Psa. 139:7-10); omnipotent (Luke 1:35); omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). For the meaning of these attributes, see under the Doctrine of God and Jesus Christ.
3. DIVINE WORKS ARE ASCRIBED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Creation (Gen. 1:2; Psa. 104:30, R. V.); Job 33:4—"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Regeneration (John 3:5-8); Resurrection (Rom. 8:11).
4. THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON.
See under Personality of the Spirit. The same arguments which there prove the Personality of the Spirit may be used here to prove the Deity of the Spirit. It would be just as absurd to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Moses"—thus putting Moses on an equality with the Father and the Son—as it would be to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the wind"—thus making the wind as personal as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is on an equality with the Father and the Son in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
5. PASSAGES WHICH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFER TO GOD ARE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE TO REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Compare Isa. 6:8-10 with Acts 28:25-27; and Exod. 16:7 with Heb. 3:7-9.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
1. DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
In Acts 5:4, the Spirit is called God. And this in opposition to man, to whom, alone, Ananias thought he was talking. Can any statement allege deity more clearly? In 2 Cor. 3:18—"We .... are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (R. V.). Here the Spirit is called the Lord. For the meaning of "Lord" see under the Deity of Christ.
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESSES DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.
He is eternal in his nature (Heb. 9:14, R. V.); omnipresent (Psa. 139:7-10); omnipotent (Luke 1:35); omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). For the meaning of these attributes, see under the Doctrine of God and Jesus Christ.
3. DIVINE WORKS ARE ASCRIBED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Creation (Gen. 1:2; Psa. 104:30, R. V.); Job 33:4—"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Regeneration (John 3:5-8); Resurrection (Rom. 8:11).
4. THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON.
See under Personality of the Spirit. The same arguments which there prove the Personality of the Spirit may be used here to prove the Deity of the Spirit. It would be just as absurd to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Moses"—thus putting Moses on an equality with the Father and the Son—as it would be to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the wind"—thus making the wind as personal as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is on an equality with the Father and the Son in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
5. PASSAGES WHICH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFER TO GOD ARE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE TO REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Compare Isa. 6:8-10 with Acts 28:25-27; and Exod. 16:7 with Heb. 3:7-9.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
Just as the Father and the Son have certain names ascribed to them, setting forth their nature and work, so also does the Holy Spirit have names which indicate His character and work.
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Luke 11:13—"How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Rom. 1:4—"The Spirit of holiness."
In these passages it is the moral character of the Spirit that is set forth. Note the contrast: "Ye, being evil," and "the Holy Spirit." The Spirit is holy in Himself and produces holiness in others.
2. THE SPIRIT OF GRACE.
Heb. 10:29—"And hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace." As the executive of the Godhead, the Spirit confers grace. To resist the Spirit, therefore, is to shut off all hope of salvation. To resist His appeal is to insult the Godhead. That is why the punishment mentioned here is so awful.
3. THE SPIRIT OF BURNING.
Matt. 3:11, 12—"He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Isa. 4:4—"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion.... by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning." This cleansing is done by the blast of the Spirit's burning. Here is the searching, illuminating, refining, dross-consuming character of the Spirit. He burns up the dross in our lives when He enters and takes possession.
4. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; I John 5:6. As God is Love, so the Spirit is Truth. He possesses, reveals, confers, leads into, testifies to, and defends the truth. Thus He is opposed to the "spirit of error" (1 John 4:6).
5. THE SPIRIT OF LIFE.
Rom. 8:2—"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." That which had been the actuating principle of life, namely, the flesh, is now deposed, and its controlling place taken by the Spirit. The Spirit is thus the dynamic of the believer's experience that leads him into a life of liberty and power.
6. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.
That the references in Isa. 11:2; 61:1, 2 are to be understood as referring to the Spirit that abode upon the Messiah, is clear from Luke 4:18 where "Spirit" is capitalized. Christ's wisdom and knowledge resulted, in one aspect of the case, from His being filled with the Spirit. "Wisdom and understanding" refer to intellectual and moral apprehension; "Counsel and might," the power to scheme, originate, and carry out; "Knowledge and the fear of the Lord," acquaintance with the true will of God, and the determination to carry it out at all costs. These graces are the result of the Spirit's operations on the heart.
7. THE SPIRIT OF PROMISE.
Eph. 1:13—"Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." The Spirit is the fulfillment of Christ's promise to send the Comforter, and so He is the promised Spirit. The Spirit also confirms and seals the believer, and thus assures him that all the promises made to him shall be completely fulfilled.
8. THE SPIRIT OF GLORY.
1 Pet. 4:14—"The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." What is glory? Glory as used in the Scripture means character. The Holy Spirit is the One who produces godlike character in the believer (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).
9. THE SPIRIT OF GOD, AND OF CHRIST.
1 Cor. 3:16—"The Spirit of God dwelleth in you." Rom. 8:9—"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." The fact that the Spirit is sent from the Father and the Son, that He represents them, and is their executive, seems to be the thought conveyed here.
10. THE COMFORTER.
See The Comforter.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Work of the Spirit may be summed up under the following headings:
His work in the universe; in humanity as a whole; in the believer; with reference to the Scriptures; and, finally, with reference to Jesus Christ.
1. IN RELATION TO THE WORLD.
a) With Regard to the Universe.
There is a sense in which the creation of the universe may be ascribed to God's Spirit. Indeed Psa. 33:6—"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath (Spirit) of his mouth," attributes the work of creation to the Trinity, the Lord, the Word of the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord. The creation of man is attributed to the Spirit. Job 33:4—"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." It would be proper, doubtless, to say that the Father created all things through the agency of the Word and the Spirit. In the Genesis account of creation (1:3) the Spirit is seen actively engaged in the work of creation.
Not only is it true that the Spirit's agency is seen in the act of creation, but His power is seen also in the preservation of nature. Isa. 40:7—"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it." A staggering declaration.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Spirit comes in the fierce east wind with its keen, biting blast of death. He comes also in the summer zephyr, which brings life and beauty.
b) With Regard to Humanity as a Whole.
John 16:8-11—"And when He is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go unto my Father and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Here are three great facts of which the Spirit bears witness to the world: the sin of unbelief in Christ; the fact that Christ was righteous and absolutely true in all that He claimed to be; the fact that the power of Satan has been broken. Of sin: the sin in which all other sins are embraced; of righteousness: the righteousness in which all other righteousness is manifested and fulfilled; of judgment: the judgment in which all other judgments are decided and grounded. Of sin, belonging to man; of righteousness, belonging to Christ; of judgment, belonging to Satan.
John 15:26—"The Spirit of truth ... shall testify of me." Acts 5:32—"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost." It is the work of the Holy Spirit to constantly bear witness of Christ and His finished work to the world of sinful and sinning men. This He does largely, although hardly exclusively, through the testimony of believers to the saving power and work of Christ: "Ye also shall bear witness" (John 15:27).
2. THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN RELATION TO THE BELIEVER.
a) He Regenerates the Believer.
John 3:3-5—"Born of ... the Spirit." Tit. 3:5—"The... renewing of the Holy Ghost." Sonship, and membership in the kingdom of God, come only through the regenerating of the Holy Spirit. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth." Just as Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost, so must every child of God who is to be an heir to the kingdom.
b) The Spirit Indwells the Believer.
1 Cor. 6:19—"Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you." Also 3:16; Rom. 8:9. Every believer, no matter how weak and imperfect he may be, or how immature his Christian experience, still has the indwelling of the Spirit. Acts 19:2 does not contradict this statement. Evidently some miraculous outpouring of the Spirit is intended there, the which followed the prayer and laying on of the hands of the apostles. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:3).
c) The Spirit Seals the Believer with Assurance of Salvation.
Eph. 1:13, 14—"In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise; which is the earnest of our inheritance." Also 4:30—"Sealed unto the day of redemption." This sealing stands for two things: ownership and likeness (2 Tim. 2:19-21). The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of adoption" which God puts into our hearts, by which we know that we are His children. The Spirit bears witness to this great truth (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:14, 16). This sealing has to do with the heart and the conscience—satisfying both as to the settlement of the sin and sonship question.
d) The Holy Spirit Infills the Believer.
Acts 2:4—"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." Eph. 5:18—"Be filled with the Spirit." The filling differs somewhat from the indwelling. We may speak of the baptism of the Spirit as that initial act of the Spirit by which, at the moment of our regeneration, we are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ; the Spirit then comes and takes up His dwelling within the believer. The filling with the Spirit, however, is not confined to one experience, or to any one point of time exclusively; it may be repeated times without number. There is one baptism, but many infillings with the
Spirit. The experience of the apostles in the Acts bears witness to the fact that they were repeatedly filled with the Spirit. Whenever a new emergency arose the y sought a fresh infilling with the Spirit (cf. Acts 2:4 with 4:31 showing that the apostles who were filled on the day of Pentecost were again filled a few days after).
There is a difference between possessing the Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit. All Christians have the first; not all have the second, although all may have. Eph. 4:30 speaks of believers as being "sealed," whereas 5:18 commands those same believers to "be filled (to be being filled again and again) with the Spirit."
Both the baptism and the infilling may take place at once. There need be no long wilderness experience in the life of the believer.
It is the will of God that we should be filled (or, if you prefer the expression, "be baptized") with the Spirit at the moment of conversion, and remain filled all the time. Whenever we are called upon for any special service, or for any new emergency, we should seek a fresh infilling of the Spirit, either for life or service, as the case may be.
The Holy Spirit seeks—so we learn from the story of the Acts—for men who are not merely possessed by but also filled with the Spirit, for service (6:3, 5; 9:17; 11:24). Possession touches assurance; infilling, service.
e) The Holy Spirit Empowers the Believer for Life and Service.
Rom. 8:2—"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (also vv. 9-11). There are two natures in the believer: the flesh and the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). But while the believer is still in the flesh, he does not live after the flesh (Rom. 8:12, 13). The Holy Spirit enables the believer to get constant and continual victory over sin. A single act of sin a believer may commit; to live in a state of sin is impossible for him, for the Spirit which is within him gives him victory, so that sin does not reign over him. If sinless perfection is not a Scriptural doctrine, sinful imperfection is certainly less Scriptural. The eighth chapter of Romans exhibits a victorious life for the believer; a life so different from that depicted in the seventh chapter. And the difference lies in the fact that the Holy Spirit is hardly, if at all, mentioned in the seventh chapter, while in the eighth He is mentioned over twelve times. The Spirit in the heart is the secret of victory over sin.
Then note how the Holy Spirit produces the blessed fruit of the Christian life (Gal. 5:22, 23). What a beautiful cluster of graces! How different from the awful catalogue of the works of the flesh (vv. 19-21). Look at this cluster of fruit. There are three groups: the first, in relation to God—love, joy, peace; the second, in relation to our fellowman—longsuffering, gentleness, goodness; the third, for our individual Christian life—faith, meekness, self-control.
f) The Holy Spirit is the Guide of the Be liever's Life.
He guides him as to the details of his daily life, Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16, 25-"Walk in the Spirit." There is no detail of the believer's life that may not be under the control and direction of the Spirit. "The steps (and, as one has well said,'the stops') of a good man are ordered by the Lord."
The Holy Spirit guides the believer as to the field in which he should labor. How definitely this truth is taught in the Acts 8:27-29; 16:6, 7; 13:2-4. What a prominent part the Spirit played in selecting the fields of labor for the apostles! Every step in the missionary activity of the early church seemed to be under the direct guidance of the Spirit.
g) The Holy Spirit Anoints the Believer.
This anointing stands for three things:
First, for knowledge and teaching. 1 John 2:27—"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth . . . ye shall abide in him." Also 2:20. It is not enough to learn the truth from human teachers, we must listen to the teaching of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 2:9-14 teaches us that there are some great truths that are spiritually discerned; they cannot be understood saving by the Spirit-filled man, for they are "spiritually discerned." See also John 14:26; 16:13.
Second, for service. How dependent Christ was upon the Holy Spirit for power in which to perform the duties of life is clear from such passages as Luke 4:18—"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach," etc. Also Acts 10:38—"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good." Ezekiel teaches a lesson by his vivid picture of the activity of God portrayed in the wheels within wheels. The moving power within those wheels was the Spirit of God. So in all our activity for God we must have the Spirit of power.
Third, for consecration. Three classes of persons in the Old Testament were anointed: the prophet, the priest, and the king.
The result of anointing was consecration—"Thy vows are upon me, O God"; knowledge of God and His will—"Ye know all things"; influence—fragrance from the ointment. Just as the incense at Mecca clings to the pilgrim when he passes through the streets, so it is with him who has the anointing of the Spirit. All his garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia. He has about him the sweet odor and scent of the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.
3. THE RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE SCRIPTURES.
a) He is the Author of the Scriptures.
Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Pet. 1:20, 21. The Scriptures came by the inbreathing of God, 2 Tim. 3:16. "Hear what the Spirit saith to the churches," Eev. 2 and 3. It was the Spirit who was to guide the apostles into all the truth, and show them things to come (John 16:13).
b) The Spirit is also the Interpreter of the Scriptures.
1 Cor. 2:9-14. He is "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation," Eph. 1:17. "He shall receive of mine and show it unto you," John 16:14, 15. (See under the Inspiration of the Bible.)
4. THE RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO JESUS CHRIST.
How dependent Jesus Christ was, in His state of humiliation, on the Holy Spirit! If He needed to depend solely upon the Spirit can we afford to do less?
a) He was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Spirit, Luke 1:35.
b) He was led by the Spirit, Matt. 4:1.
c) He was Anointed by the Spirit for Service, Acts 10:38.
d) He was Crucified in the Power of the Spirit, Heb. 9:14.
e) He was Raised by the Power of the Spirit, Rom. 1:4; 8:11.
f) He gave Commandment to His Disciples and Church Through the Spirit, Acts 1:2.
g) He is the Bestower of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:33.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
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It seems strange that it should be necessary to discuss this phase of the subject at all. Indeed, in the light of the last discourse of the Master (John 14-16), it seems superfluous, if not really insulting. During all the ages of the Christian era, however, it has been necessary to emphasize this phase of the doctrine of the Spirit (cf. Arianism, Socinianism, Unitarianism).
1. WHY IS THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT QUESTIONED?
a) Because, as Contrasted with the Other Persons of the Godhead, the Spirit Seems Impersonal.
The visible creation makes the personality of God the Father somewhat easy to conceive; the incarnation makes it almost, if not altogether, impossible to disbelieve in the personality of Jesus Christ; but the acts and workings of the Holy Spirit are so secret and mystical, so much is said of His influence, graces, power and gifts, that we are prone to think of Him as an influence, a power, a manifestation or influence of the Divine nature, an agent rather than a Person.
b) Because of the Names Given to the Holy Spirit.
He is called breath, wind, power. The symbols used in speaking of the Spirit are oil, fire, water, etc. See John 3:5-8; Acts 2:1-4; John 20:22; 1 John 2:20. It is not strange that in view of all this some students of the Scriptures may have been led to believe, erroneously of course, that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal influence emanating from God the Father.
c) Because the Holy Spirit is not usually Associated with the Father and the Son in the Greetings and Salutation of the New Testament.
For illustration, see 1 Thess. 3:11—"Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you." Yet we must remember, in this connection, that the Apostolic Benediction in 2
2 Cor. 13:14 does associate the three persons of the Trinity, thereby asserting their personality equally.
d) Because the Word or Name "Spirit" is Neuter.
It is true that the same Greek word is translated wind and Spirit; also that the Authorized Version uses the neuter pronoun "itself," when speaking of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16, 26). As we shall see later, the Revised Version substitutes "himself" for "itself."
The importance of the personality of the Spirit, and of our being assured of this fact is forcibly set forth by Dr. R. A. Torrey:
"If the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person and we know it not, we are robbing a Divine Being of the love and adoration which are His due. It is of the highest practical importance whether the Holy Spirit is a power that we, in our ignorance and weakness, are somehow to get hold of and use, or whether the Holy Spirit is a personal Being . . . . who is to get hold of us and use us. It is of the highest experimental importance. . . . . Many can testify to the blessing that came into their lives when they came to know the Holy Spirit, not merely as a gracious influence . . . . but as an ever-present, loving friend and helper."
2. METHOD OF PROOF.
It is difficult to define personality when used of the Divine Being. God cannot be measured by human standards. God was not made in the image of man, but man in the image of God. God is not a deified man; man is rather a limited God ("a little . . .. less than God." Heb. 2:7, R. V.). Only God has a perfect personality. When, however, one possesses the attributes, properties and qualities of personality, then personality may be unquestionably predicated of such a being. Does the Holy Spirit possess such properties? Let us see.
a) Names that Imply Personality are Given to the Spirit.
The Comforter: John 14:16; 16:7. "Comforter" means one who is called to your side—as a client calls a lawyer. That this name cannot be used of any abstract, impersonal influence is clear from the fact that in 1 John 2:1 the same word is used of Christ. (See Rom. 8:26). Again in John 14:16 the Holy Spirit, as the Paraclete, is to take the place of a person—Christ Himself, and to personally guide the disciples just as Jesus had been doing. No one but a person can take the place of a person; certainly no mere influence could take the place of Jesus Christ, the greatest personality that ever lived. Again, Christ, in speaking of the Spirit as the Comforter, uses the masculine definite article, and thus, by His choice of gender, teaches the personality of the Holy Spirit. There can be no parity between a person and an influence.
b) Personal Pronouns are Used of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7, 8, 13-15: Twelve times in these verses the Greek masculine pronoun ekeinos (that one, He) is used of the Spirit. This same word is used of Christ in 1 John 2:6; 3:3, 5, 7, 16. This is especially remarkable because the Greek word for spirit (pneuma) is neuter, and so should have a neuter pronoun; yet, contrary to ordinary usage, a masculine pronoun is here used. This is not a pictorial personification, but a plain, definite, clear-cut statement asserting the personality of the Holy Spirit. Note also that where, in the Authorized Version, the neuter pronoun is used, the same is corrected in the Revised Version: not "itself," but "Himself" (Rom. 8:16,26).
c) The Holy Spirit is Identified with the Father and the Son—and, indeed, with Christians—in Such a Way as to Indicate Personality.
The Baptismal Formula. Matt. 28:19. Suppose we should read, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the wind or breath." Would that sound right? If the first two names are personal, is not the third? Note also: "In the name" (singular), not names (plural), implying that all three are Persons equally, The Apostolic Benediction. 2 Cor. 13:14. The same argument may be used as that in connection with the Baptismal Formula, just cited.
Identification with Christians. Acts 15:28. "For it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost, and to us." Shall we say, "It seemeth good to the wind and to us"? It would be absurd. 10:38—"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Shall we read, "Anointed .. with power and power?" Rom. 15:13—"That ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Shall we read, "That ye may abound in hope, through the power of the power"? See also Luke 4:14. Would not these passages rebel against such tautological and meaningless usage? Most assuredly.
d) Personal Characteristics are Ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is represented as searching the deepest and profoundest truths of God, and possessing knowledge of His counsels sufficiently to understand His purposes (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). Could a mere influence do this? See also Isa. 11:3; I Pet. 1:11.
Spiritual gifts are distributed to believers according to the will of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12). Here is wisdom, prudence and discretion, all of which are distinguishing marks of personality. The Spirit not only bestows spiritual gifts, but bestows them discreetly, according as He thinks best. See John 3:8 also.
The Spirit is said to have a mind, and that implies thought, purpose, determination: Rom. 8:27, cf. v. 7. Mind is an attribute of personality.
e) Personal Acts are Ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit speaks: Rev. 2:7 (cf. Matt. 17:5—"Hear ye him.") It is the Spirit who speaks through the apostles (10:20). Speech is an attribute of personality.
The Spirit maketh intercession: Rom. 8:26 (R. V.), cf. Heb. 7:25; I John 2:1, 2, where Christ is said to "make intercession."
Acts 13:2; 16:6, 7; 20:28. In these passages the Holy Spirit is seen calling missionaries, overseeing the church, and commanding the life and practice of the apostles and the whole church. Such acts indicate personality.
f) The Holy Spirit is Susceptible to Personal Treatment.
He may be grieved (Eph. 4:30); insulted (Heb. 10.29); lied to (Acts 5:3); blasphemed and sinned against (Matt. 12:31, 32). Indeed, the sin against the Holy Spirit is a much more grievous matter than the sin against the Son of Man. Can such be said of an influence? Can it be said even of any of the sons of men?
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
By the Deity of the Holy Spirit is meant that the Holy Spirit is God. This fact is clearly set forth in the Scriptures, in a five-fold way:
1. DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
In Acts 5:4, the Spirit is called God. And this in opposition to man, to whom, alone, Ananias thought he was talking. Can any statement allege deity more clearly? In 2 Cor. 3:18—"We .... are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (R. V.). Here the Spirit is called the Lord. For the meaning of "Lord" see under the Deity of Christ.
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESSES DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.
He is eternal in his nature (Heb. 9:14, R. V.); omnipresent (Psa. 139:7-10); omnipotent (Luke 1:35); omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). For the meaning of these attributes, see under the Doctrine of God and Jesus Christ.
3. DIVINE WORKS ARE ASCRIBED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Creation (Gen. 1:2; Psa. 104:30, R. V.); Job 33:4—"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Regeneration (John 3:5-8); Resurrection (Rom. 8:11).
4. THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON.
See under Personality of the Spirit. The same arguments which there prove the Personality of the Spirit may be used here to prove the Deity of the Spirit. It would be just as absurd to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Moses"—thus putting Moses on an equality with the Father and the Son—as it would be to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the wind"—thus making the wind as personal as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is on an equality with the Father and the Son in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
5. PASSAGES WHICH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFER TO GOD ARE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE TO REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Compare Isa. 6:8-10 with Acts 28:25-27; and Exod. 16:7 with Heb. 3:7-9.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
1. DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
In Acts 5:4, the Spirit is called God. And this in opposition to man, to whom, alone, Ananias thought he was talking. Can any statement allege deity more clearly? In 2 Cor. 3:18—"We .... are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (R. V.). Here the Spirit is called the Lord. For the meaning of "Lord" see under the Deity of Christ.
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESSES DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.
He is eternal in his nature (Heb. 9:14, R. V.); omnipresent (Psa. 139:7-10); omnipotent (Luke 1:35); omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). For the meaning of these attributes, see under the Doctrine of God and Jesus Christ.
3. DIVINE WORKS ARE ASCRIBED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Creation (Gen. 1:2; Psa. 104:30, R. V.); Job 33:4—"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Regeneration (John 3:5-8); Resurrection (Rom. 8:11).
4. THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON.
See under Personality of the Spirit. The same arguments which there prove the Personality of the Spirit may be used here to prove the Deity of the Spirit. It would be just as absurd to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Moses"—thus putting Moses on an equality with the Father and the Son—as it would be to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the wind"—thus making the wind as personal as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is on an equality with the Father and the Son in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
5. PASSAGES WHICH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFER TO GOD ARE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE TO REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Compare Isa. 6:8-10 with Acts 28:25-27; and Exod. 16:7 with Heb. 3:7-9.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
Just as the Father and the Son have certain names ascribed to them, setting forth their nature and work, so also does the Holy Spirit have names which indicate His character and work.
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Luke 11:13—"How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Rom. 1:4—"The Spirit of holiness."
In these passages it is the moral character of the Spirit that is set forth. Note the contrast: "Ye, being evil," and "the Holy Spirit." The Spirit is holy in Himself and produces holiness in others.
2. THE SPIRIT OF GRACE.
Heb. 10:29—"And hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace." As the executive of the Godhead, the Spirit confers grace. To resist the Spirit, therefore, is to shut off all hope of salvation. To resist His appeal is to insult the Godhead. That is why the punishment mentioned here is so awful.
3. THE SPIRIT OF BURNING.
Matt. 3:11, 12—"He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Isa. 4:4—"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion.... by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning." This cleansing is done by the blast of the Spirit's burning. Here is the searching, illuminating, refining, dross-consuming character of the Spirit. He burns up the dross in our lives when He enters and takes possession.
4. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; I John 5:6. As God is Love, so the Spirit is Truth. He possesses, reveals, confers, leads into, testifies to, and defends the truth. Thus He is opposed to the "spirit of error" (1 John 4:6).
5. THE SPIRIT OF LIFE.
Rom. 8:2—"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." That which had been the actuating principle of life, namely, the flesh, is now deposed, and its controlling place taken by the Spirit. The Spirit is thus the dynamic of the believer's experience that leads him into a life of liberty and power.
6. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.
That the references in Isa. 11:2; 61:1, 2 are to be understood as referring to the Spirit that abode upon the Messiah, is clear from Luke 4:18 where "Spirit" is capitalized. Christ's wisdom and knowledge resulted, in one aspect of the case, from His being filled with the Spirit. "Wisdom and understanding" refer to intellectual and moral apprehension; "Counsel and might," the power to scheme, originate, and carry out; "Knowledge and the fear of the Lord," acquaintance with the true will of God, and the determination to carry it out at all costs. These graces are the result of the Spirit's operations on the heart.
7. THE SPIRIT OF PROMISE.
Eph. 1:13—"Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." The Spirit is the fulfillment of Christ's promise to send the Comforter, and so He is the promised Spirit. The Spirit also confirms and seals the believer, and thus assures him that all the promises made to him shall be completely fulfilled.
8. THE SPIRIT OF GLORY.
1 Pet. 4:14—"The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." What is glory? Glory as used in the Scripture means character. The Holy Spirit is the One who produces godlike character in the believer (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).
9. THE SPIRIT OF GOD, AND OF CHRIST.
1 Cor. 3:16—"The Spirit of God dwelleth in you." Rom. 8:9—"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." The fact that the Spirit is sent from the Father and the Son, that He represents them, and is their executive, seems to be the thought conveyed here.
10. THE COMFORTER.
See The Comforter.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Work of the Spirit may be summed up under the following headings:
His work in the universe; in humanity as a whole; in the believer; with reference to the Scriptures; and, finally, with reference to Jesus Christ.
1. IN RELATION TO THE WORLD.
a) With Regard to the Universe.
There is a sense in which the creation of the universe may be ascribed to God's Spirit. Indeed Psa. 33:6—"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath (Spirit) of his mouth," attributes the work of creation to the Trinity, the Lord, the Word of the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord. The creation of man is attributed to the Spirit. Job 33:4—"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." It would be proper, doubtless, to say that the Father created all things through the agency of the Word and the Spirit. In the Genesis account of creation (1:3) the Spirit is seen actively engaged in the work of creation.
Not only is it true that the Spirit's agency is seen in the act of creation, but His power is seen also in the preservation of nature. Isa. 40:7—"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it." A staggering declaration.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Spirit comes in the fierce east wind with its keen, biting blast of death. He comes also in the summer zephyr, which brings life and beauty.
b) With Regard to Humanity as a Whole.
John 16:8-11—"And when He is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go unto my Father and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Here are three great facts of which the Spirit bears witness to the world: the sin of unbelief in Christ; the fact that Christ was righteous and absolutely true in all that He claimed to be; the fact that the power of Satan has been broken. Of sin: the sin in which all other sins are embraced; of righteousness: the righteousness in which all other righteousness is manifested and fulfilled; of judgment: the judgment in which all other judgments are decided and grounded. Of sin, belonging to man; of righteousness, belonging to Christ; of judgment, belonging to Satan.
John 15:26—"The Spirit of truth ... shall testify of me." Acts 5:32—"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost." It is the work of the Holy Spirit to constantly bear witness of Christ and His finished work to the world of sinful and sinning men. This He does largely, although hardly exclusively, through the testimony of believers to the saving power and work of Christ: "Ye also shall bear witness" (John 15:27).
2. THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN RELATION TO THE BELIEVER.
a) He Regenerates the Believer.
John 3:3-5—"Born of ... the Spirit." Tit. 3:5—"The... renewing of the Holy Ghost." Sonship, and membership in the kingdom of God, come only through the regenerating of the Holy Spirit. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth." Just as Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost, so must every child of God who is to be an heir to the kingdom.
b) The Spirit Indwells the Believer.
1 Cor. 6:19—"Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you." Also 3:16; Rom. 8:9. Every believer, no matter how weak and imperfect he may be, or how immature his Christian experience, still has the indwelling of the Spirit. Acts 19:2 does not contradict this statement. Evidently some miraculous outpouring of the Spirit is intended there, the which followed the prayer and laying on of the hands of the apostles. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:3).
c) The Spirit Seals the Believer with Assurance of Salvation.
Eph. 1:13, 14—"In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise; which is the earnest of our inheritance." Also 4:30—"Sealed unto the day of redemption." This sealing stands for two things: ownership and likeness (2 Tim. 2:19-21). The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of adoption" which God puts into our hearts, by which we know that we are His children. The Spirit bears witness to this great truth (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:14, 16). This sealing has to do with the heart and the conscience—satisfying both as to the settlement of the sin and sonship question.
d) The Holy Spirit Infills the Believer.
Acts 2:4—"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." Eph. 5:18—"Be filled with the Spirit." The filling differs somewhat from the indwelling. We may speak of the baptism of the Spirit as that initial act of the Spirit by which, at the moment of our regeneration, we are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ; the Spirit then comes and takes up His dwelling within the believer. The filling with the Spirit, however, is not confined to one experience, or to any one point of time exclusively; it may be repeated times without number. There is one baptism, but many infillings with the
Spirit. The experience of the apostles in the Acts bears witness to the fact that they were repeatedly filled with the Spirit. Whenever a new emergency arose the y sought a fresh infilling with the Spirit (cf. Acts 2:4 with 4:31 showing that the apostles who were filled on the day of Pentecost were again filled a few days after).
There is a difference between possessing the Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit. All Christians have the first; not all have the second, although all may have. Eph. 4:30 speaks of believers as being "sealed," whereas 5:18 commands those same believers to "be filled (to be being filled again and again) with the Spirit."
Both the baptism and the infilling may take place at once. There need be no long wilderness experience in the life of the believer.
It is the will of God that we should be filled (or, if you prefer the expression, "be baptized") with the Spirit at the moment of conversion, and remain filled all the time. Whenever we are called upon for any special service, or for any new emergency, we should seek a fresh infilling of the Spirit, either for life or service, as the case may be.
The Holy Spirit seeks—so we learn from the story of the Acts—for men who are not merely possessed by but also filled with the Spirit, for service (6:3, 5; 9:17; 11:24). Possession touches assurance; infilling, service.
e) The Holy Spirit Empowers the Believer for Life and Service.
Rom. 8:2—"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (also vv. 9-11). There are two natures in the believer: the flesh and the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). But while the believer is still in the flesh, he does not live after the flesh (Rom. 8:12, 13). The Holy Spirit enables the believer to get constant and continual victory over sin. A single act of sin a believer may commit; to live in a state of sin is impossible for him, for the Spirit which is within him gives him victory, so that sin does not reign over him. If sinless perfection is not a Scriptural doctrine, sinful imperfection is certainly less Scriptural. The eighth chapter of Romans exhibits a victorious life for the believer; a life so different from that depicted in the seventh chapter. And the difference lies in the fact that the Holy Spirit is hardly, if at all, mentioned in the seventh chapter, while in the eighth He is mentioned over twelve times. The Spirit in the heart is the secret of victory over sin.
Then note how the Holy Spirit produces the blessed fruit of the Christian life (Gal. 5:22, 23). What a beautiful cluster of graces! How different from the awful catalogue of the works of the flesh (vv. 19-21). Look at this cluster of fruit. There are three groups: the first, in relation to God—love, joy, peace; the second, in relation to our fellowman—longsuffering, gentleness, goodness; the third, for our individual Christian life—faith, meekness, self-control.
f) The Holy Spirit is the Guide of the Be liever's Life.
He guides him as to the details of his daily life, Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16, 25-"Walk in the Spirit." There is no detail of the believer's life that may not be under the control and direction of the Spirit. "The steps (and, as one has well said,'the stops') of a good man are ordered by the Lord."
The Holy Spirit guides the believer as to the field in which he should labor. How definitely this truth is taught in the Acts 8:27-29; 16:6, 7; 13:2-4. What a prominent part the Spirit played in selecting the fields of labor for the apostles! Every step in the missionary activity of the early church seemed to be under the direct guidance of the Spirit.
g) The Holy Spirit Anoints the Believer.
This anointing stands for three things:
First, for knowledge and teaching. 1 John 2:27—"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth . . . ye shall abide in him." Also 2:20. It is not enough to learn the truth from human teachers, we must listen to the teaching of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 2:9-14 teaches us that there are some great truths that are spiritually discerned; they cannot be understood saving by the Spirit-filled man, for they are "spiritually discerned." See also John 14:26; 16:13.
Second, for service. How dependent Christ was upon the Holy Spirit for power in which to perform the duties of life is clear from such passages as Luke 4:18—"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach," etc. Also Acts 10:38—"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good." Ezekiel teaches a lesson by his vivid picture of the activity of God portrayed in the wheels within wheels. The moving power within those wheels was the Spirit of God. So in all our activity for God we must have the Spirit of power.
Third, for consecration. Three classes of persons in the Old Testament were anointed: the prophet, the priest, and the king.
The result of anointing was consecration—"Thy vows are upon me, O God"; knowledge of God and His will—"Ye know all things"; influence—fragrance from the ointment. Just as the incense at Mecca clings to the pilgrim when he passes through the streets, so it is with him who has the anointing of the Spirit. All his garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia. He has about him the sweet odor and scent of the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.
3. THE RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE SCRIPTURES.
a) He is the Author of the Scriptures.
Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Pet. 1:20, 21. The Scriptures came by the inbreathing of God, 2 Tim. 3:16. "Hear what the Spirit saith to the churches," Eev. 2 and 3. It was the Spirit who was to guide the apostles into all the truth, and show them things to come (John 16:13).
b) The Spirit is also the Interpreter of the Scriptures.
1 Cor. 2:9-14. He is "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation," Eph. 1:17. "He shall receive of mine and show it unto you," John 16:14, 15. (See under the Inspiration of the Bible.)
4. THE RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO JESUS CHRIST.
How dependent Jesus Christ was, in His state of humiliation, on the Holy Spirit! If He needed to depend solely upon the Spirit can we afford to do less?
a) He was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Spirit, Luke 1:35.
b) He was led by the Spirit, Matt. 4:1.
c) He was Anointed by the Spirit for Service, Acts 10:38.
d) He was Crucified in the Power of the Spirit, Heb. 9:14.
e) He was Raised by the Power of the Spirit, Rom. 1:4; 8:11.
f) He gave Commandment to His Disciples and Church Through the Spirit, Acts 1:2.
g) He is the Bestower of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:33.
—Great Doctrines of the Bible, The
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