Bible-Articles

The Holy Spirit

THE HOLY SPIRIT

Text:

John 15:26 – 16:14

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

He is the third person in the ever-blessed TRINITY:  GOD the FATHER, SON

AND HOLY SPIRIT. It is important to recognise that the HOLY SPIRIT is a PERSON and not merely a power or influence. Everything said of GOD and CHRIST can be said of the HOLY SPIRIT. We should therefore approach the whole subject with the utmost reverence.

The Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter II Section III states: “In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost… the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.”

THE HOLY SPIRIT ACTIVE FROM ETERNITY

The HOLY SPIRIT being equal with GOD the FATHER and the SON in substance, power and eternity, was therefore in existence from the beginning. Not only that, the HOLY SPIRIT was ACTIVE also in the beginning. He has been ceaselessly active in the creation, in the ordering and preservation of the universe, in providing for all life’s needs, in revelation of the truth, as well as in the regeneration of believers. The HOLY SPIRIT is immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent just like GOD the FATHER and GOD the SON.

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT RECORDS

The Holy Spirit first appeared at the beginning of time. The Bible says in Genesis 1:1-2, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” [Emphasis added] God the Father spoke the Word and the Spirit of God carried out what the Father spoke.

We read of the HOLY SPIRIT coming upon certain chosen men for special tasks

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e.g. the calling of Noah to build the ark for the salvation of his family, the calling of Abraham to be the father of the Jewish nation, the preparation of Joseph to be a ruler and counsel in the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:38-46), and Moses to lead His people out of Egypt.

Then there were the heroes of the faith, spirit-filled men, listed by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews Chapter 11, and of course the Prophets of God: men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Samuel and others, whom God mightily used. We should not omit to mention King David, God’s choice servant who, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote many of the Psalms – a man after God’s own heart, and other “holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21), giving us the books of the Bible.

In the Old Testament times, we see that God the Holy Spirit was present with His chosen people. Although the Old Testament does not provide us with a comprehensive teaching on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as the New Testament does, we know from the above instances that for a person to be saved, he must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The reason is due to progressive revelation. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all believers is taught very clearly in the New Testament and must be applied equally to the Old Testament believers. Therefore both the OT and NT saints have the same indwelling of the Holy Spirit when they believed.

The Bible text which supports this teaching is 1 Corinthians 2:11-16, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” [Emphasis added]

And the other text is Romans 8:8-11, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” [Emphasis added]

From 1 Cor. 2:11-16 (for purpose of understanding spiritual things)  – The natural man understands only natural things. This physical world and all that is in it can be understood by the natural man. But the things of God which are spiritual are understood only by the Spirit of God. Every Christian has received the Spirit of God in him that enables him to understand spiritual things because the Holy Spirit who indwells him helps him to understand spiritual things. Without the Spirit of God in the believer he is not able to understand the things of God. David and the prophets and men like Moses and Noah definitely understood spiritual matters. OT sinners cannot be less depraved than NT sinners! Also the natural man is not able to understand spiritual things. The only truth that remains is that the one who understands spiritual matters must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This must be applied to both OT and NT saints.

From Rom. 8:8-11 (for purpose of security as a seal) – The believer is sealed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If he does not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit then he cannot be saved at all. He cannot be considered as righteous in the sight of God either. Abraham was definitely considered righteous in the sight of God[1] and so were all the genuine believers in the OT including believers as far back as Noah[2].

Another reason is that in order for a person to be filled with the Holy Spirit he has first got to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. An example in the OT of one who was filled with the Holy Spirit:

Exodus 31:1-3, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” [The same event is mentioned a total of three times just to make sure that the reader will not miss the point. See also Exodus 28:3; 35:31].

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

With the coming of our Lord Jesus, a new day dawned. In the Old Testament, God the Father manifested Himself from Genesis to Malachi. In the gospels, the Lord Jesus Christ manifested Himself. In both these instances, the other persons of the Trinity were also very active. Christ appeared as the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament[3] and the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God. In the gospels God the Father was also present and so was the Holy Spirit throughout the earthly life of Christ on earth[4]. After the departure of Christ it was the turn of the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself with God the Father and God the Son playing a minor or back ground role. Hence with the study of the entire Bible the believer will have a thorough understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity.

IN THE LIFE OF OUR LORD

The birth of Jesus by the virgin Mary was through the working of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18).  He was conceived by the Holy Ghost – sinless, holy, undefiled. Luke 1:35, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” [Emphasis added]

At His baptism, the Holy Spirit as a dove descended from Heaven and abode upon Him, anointing Him for His holy ministry (John 1:33). Through the Spirit, He was consecrating Himself for the Father’s mission. Jesus Christ is always filled with the Holy Spirit.

In His ministry, our Lord worked many miracles through the Holy Spirit, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead.

AT PENTECOST

The promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place in Jerusalem (Acts 2). This was a filling of the Holy Spirit. For the first time the two events called baptism with and filling of the Holy Spirit were taught as indispensably linked together. Without the baptism there is no filling. In Acts 1:5 it was called the baptism with the Holy Spirit[5]. But the same event in Acts 2:4 was described by Luke as the filling of the Holy Spirit[6]. The answer to this apparent dilemma is Acts 1:8 which says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” [Emphasis added] The disciples had already been baptised with the Holy Spirit when they were called to follow the LORD (except for Judas Iscariot). In Acts 1:8, they were empowered by God through the filling of the Holy Spirit for the ministry ahead. The filling of the Holy Spirit was a repeatable experience as the same disciples were filled again later on when they had to preach again (cf. Acts 4:8, 31; 5:17; 9:17; etc.) The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a once for all experience which happens at the time of the person’s conversion.

On the disciples, a profound transformation was effected. Division, strife and cowardice were replaced by unity, boldness and forbearance. Simple fisher folk and unlearned men became heroes of the faith and fearless preachers of the Gospel “turning the world upside down” by the power of their preaching. They were ready to die for their faith, as indeed most of them eventually did.

Peter’s Spirit-filled preaching at Pentecost caused the hearers to be “pricked in their heart” and to seek salvation in Christ. “Repent, and be baptised … in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37, 38).

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE BELIEVER’S LIFE

The believer’s life is life in the Spirit. From the first moments of his Christian life – the NEW BIRTH – the Holy Spirit begins to indwell his life. It is the Spirit who gives the New Birth and sustains this NEW LIFE. The believer becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; John 14:16). The Holy Ghost or Comforter indwells the believer and begins HIS WORK OF SANCTIFICATION:  the believer’s nature is refined, purified and made new. We are changed and made more Christ-like as we grow in knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17; Galatians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 3:18). By the Holy Spirit’s power, evil desires are restrained and the fruit of the Spirit appears (Galatians 5:16-22).

By the Spirit’s work all true believers are drawn together in the unity of the faith, in fellowship and in worship (Philippians 2:1). The Holy Spirit is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, and He guides us into all truth (John 16:13).

The words of our Lord are so precious here that we shall quote them for our remembrance: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; … he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”  (John 14:16,26).

The Holy Spirit helps us to war against “the flesh,” our old sinful nature. There are now two laws in the believer’s life. It is the law of sin and the law of righteousness. Romans 7:21-25, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” This tension within will exist until the believer breathes his last breath.

The Spirit of God enables us to mortify or put to death the flesh (Romans 8:13) and its sinful deeds. He helps us to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:5-8). The believer now has the power not to sin.

The believer’s whole Christian life must be led by the Holy Spirit, without whose constant abiding we would fall. We must not grieve the Holy Spirit by our disobedience. We must listen to His promptings (Ephesians 4:30). We must constantly yield ourselves as instruments of righteousness unto God (Romans 6:13, 16, 19).

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN RELATION TO THE UNBELIEVING WORLD

“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”  (John 16:8).

While the unbelieving world may reject the Saviour and spurn the Gospel, nevertheless it cannot escape the restraining power of God the Holy Spirit. He reproves the world through the holy lives of the believers so that unbelievers are thereby restrained and convicted, even in their state of unbelief. They will conduct themselves differently in the presence of godly believers. Believers are able to do this with the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS the unbeliever of his sins. He will also be convicted of believing in Christ; of righteousness by convincing him of Christ’s triumph over sin; of His great work on the cross for the sins of the sinner; how God now declares sinners righteous through Christ’s blood; of judgement by showing the certainty of the coming judgement and the utter futility of not submitting to the righteous JUDGE.

How does the Holy Spirit do all these?  Principally, it is through the witness of Christians who are “in the world” but not “of the world”, and the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will use the Word of God to bring conviction in the heart of the sinner and draw him to Christ. By Christians’ lives and actions, and by their witness to the Gospel Truth, the unbelieving world is reproved and convicted.

THIS IS THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK.

WHAT IS THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?

 

It is currently fashionable in some Christian groups and churches to teach that Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a post-conversion experience which all believers are urged to strive for after they have been saved, if they have not already experienced it. The term “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is not a biblical term. The Spirit of God does not do the baptising. Christ is the One who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit.

The teaching of Scripture, however, is quite clear that Holy Spirit Baptism is an initiatory experience i.e. it takes place at the moment of conversion or the New Birth, and not something which comes later as a second experience.

BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT is a NEW TESTAMENT expression. As explained above the NT clearly teaches us what was already occurring in the OT. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming as he was preaching by the River Jordan, he declared:  “I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:8). The One who does the baptising is Jesus Christ and NOT the Holy Spirit.

The BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT was therefore to be expected in our Lord’s ministry. We see this stated in His interview with Nicodemus. Jesus said to him “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God … Ye must be born again” (John 3:5-7).

The NEW BIRTH is clearly seen to consist of two distinct steps:

  1. born of water, signifying the washing of sin by the Word of God, and
  2. born of the Spirit, signifying the work of God’s Spirit in using the preached Word of God to bring about REGENERATION i.e. making the believer a new person.

This work of the Spirit in giving a person the New Birth is the same as

GIFT OF THE SPIRIT (Acts 2:38)

BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT (Matt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:33)

 

We conclude that the NEW BIRTH comes about through the BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT, without which a person cannot be born again. When this takes place the Holy Spirit indwells the believer.

We further conclude that there is no scriptural basis for asserting that believers must seek the BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT as a post-conversion experience. This is an unbiblical teaching.

One of the greatest biblical demonstrations of the BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT was at Pentecost when 3,000 heard the Gospel, believed and were baptised. These penitent sinners received the gift of the Spirit in a mighty outpouring on that day.

HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM A UNIVERSAL BLESSING

God’s Word teaches that ALL believers receive the BAPTISM WITH the HOLY SPIRIT. We are “born of the Spirit”. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is our birth-right.

“Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

The GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is not confined to a select group of Christians but is a universal gift given to all genuine believers.

THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT: A COUNTERFEIT SPIRIT

There is currently a world-wide movement in the name of “Holy Spirit Renewal” or the “Charismatic Movement” or the “Third Wave Movement” involving professing Christians, Protestants and Roman Catholics.

Everywhere, the movement is hailed as a unifying force working towards the ultimate reunion of all Christendom and peace in the world. The universal cry is “One in Christ”.

From our understanding of Holy Scripture and our observation of the activities of the Charismatic Movement, we have serious reservations on the motivation and direction of this movement. Far from being unkind or unduly critical, we have applied Scriptural grounds to dissociate ourselves from the movement and to warn our members from any entanglement or involvement in its activities. The reasons for our stand are these:

  1. The grounds for unity are unscriptural

While all true believers naturally find a common bond of fellowship in the Lord Jesus Christ, the coming together of believers with unbelievers cannot be a true scriptural unity.

In the Charismatic Movement their common association as “oneness in Christ” is not based upon Scriptural Truths but sentimentalism. True “oneness in Christ” is based upon the same doctrine and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Word clearly teaches in the Spirit – “one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God” (Ephesians 4:4-6). Many who participate in Charismatic meetings, shouting “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord” and babbling in tongues, have these externals as the basis of their unity. What the Charismatics have created is a man-made and flesh-centered unity that is unscriptural. It is carnal and of the world. It is a façade without substance.

The Bible warns us of such an end time phenomena in Matthew 24:24, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

  1. The “tongues speaking” causes confusion

The unintelligible babbling of “tongues” by groups of unsaved persons cannot be a sign of Holy Spirit renewal. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

The noisy, confused shouting and hand-clapping phenomena which characterises Charismatic meetings does not bear the stamp of an authentic movement of God the Holy Spirit. Tongues speaking in the Bible ALWAYS refers to proper intelligible languages. Today’s counterfeit tongue is a tool of Satan designed to deceive the undiscerning into joining the end time oneworld church of the antichrist.

  1. Re-union of local churches the work of Satan

While on the surface, and to the unsaved or uninstructed, the coming together of the Churches (Protestant and Roman Catholic, or of different Protestant Denominations) is a desirable thing,  nevertheless God’s  Word has clear teaching against such a man-made organic union at this time. Prophetic Scripture foretells the formation of the false church of Satan, described in Revelation 17 as the harlot, the great whore and Babylon the Great.

We have observed and are constantly warned against the coming of the endtime one-world church of Satan. All believers must keep clear of this evil counterfeit body which our Lord shall utterly destroy with fire at His coming (Revelation 18). Today, this one-world church is rapidly taking shape with the increasing dialogue and co-operation between the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church.

THIS CHURCH UNION IS BEING ACTIVELY PROMOTED BY THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT.

Can the Holy Spirit be in a  movement which is working against God?

There are other unscriptural manifestations within the Charismatic Movement, e.g. the unbalanced emphasis on the Holy Spirit, the alleged “faith healing’, the so-called “renewal”. We recognize that it has done some good and in many respects, it appears to be a genuine work of God’s Spirit. Herein lies the snare. Even Satan will come in the form of an angel of light to deceive the unwary.[7]  Our Lord has warned against false Christs and false prophets who shall, if it were possible, deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24).

We conclude: The Charismatic Movement is a COUNTERFEIT. It is not of the Holy Spirit. Believers must have nothing to do with it.

 

 

 

Lesson 9: The Holy Spirit

BIBLE KNOWLEDGE QUIZ 9: THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

Fill in the blanks:

  1. The Holy Spirit is the __ __ __ __ __  Person of the Truine Godhead.
  2. The Holy Spirit has been __ __ __ __ __ __  from the beginning, in the work of creation and preservation of the universe, and other works of God.
  3. In the OLD TESTAMENT times, the Holy Spirit was given__ __ __ __ __ __ to all God’s people just like in the New Testament.
  4. When Christ came, He promised the

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  of the Holy Spirit.

  1. The Holy Spirit has always been freely given to all who

__ __ __ __ __ __ __  JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour.

Underline the correct answers:

  1. At Pentecost, there was
    • a Charismatic renewal (b) a filling of the Holy Spirit (c) mass hysteria.
  2. The Holy Spirit indwells
    • every true believer (b) all church members (c) certain church leaders only.
  3. The Holy Spirit purifies and refines the believer who
    • never reads God’s Word (b) yields himself to God’s Word(c) rebels against God.
  4. The Charismatic Movement is
    • a false movement (b) the work of the Holy Spirit (c) God’s gift.
  5. All believers should
    • join the Charismatic Movement
    • promote union with Roman Catholics
    • keep clear of all unscriptural movements and teachings.

[1] Genesis 15:4-6, “And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

[2] Genesis 7:1, “And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”

[3] Genesis 16:9-11, “And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.”

[4] Mark 1:10-11, “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

[5]  Acts 1:5, “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

[6] A cts 2:4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

[7] 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”