The Holy Spirit

1. The Holy Spirit: Third Person of the Trinity and God's Empowering Presence

"The Holy Spirit is a person, with all the attributes of personality. But not only is He a person; He is divine as well."

Divine personhood. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, but the third Person of the Trinity, equal in essence with the Father and Son. He possesses all the attributes of deity, including:

• Eternality
• Omnipresence
• Omniscience
• Omnipotence

Relational nature. As a divine Person, the Holy Spirit relates to believers in personal ways:

• He teaches, guides, and comforts
• He can be grieved, resisted, and blasphemed
• He indwells believers, making God's presence a reality in their lives

The Holy Spirit's role is to glorify Christ and empower believers to live the Christian life. He is the source of spiritual transformation, gifting, and fruit-bearing in the life of every Christian.

2. Baptism with the Spirit: A One-Time Event at Conversion

"I do not doubt the sincerity of this preacher. However, in my own study of the Scriptures through the years I have become convinced that there is only one baptism with the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, and that takes place at the moment of conversion."

Initiation into Christ's body. Spirit baptism is the act by which a believer is incorporated into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation. It is not a second experience subsequent to conversion, but part of the initial work of salvation.

Key aspects of Spirit baptism:

• Occurs simultaneously with regeneration and justification
• Places the believer "in Christ" and unites them to His body, the Church
• Is received by all believers, not just some
• Does not necessarily involve any particular manifestation or feeling

While some traditions teach a "second blessing" or subsequent Spirit baptism, the biblical evidence points to a single baptism that occurs at conversion for all believers. This understanding preserves the unity of the body of Christ and emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ's work in salvation.

3. Filling of the Spirit: Continuous Yielding to God's Control

"Be filled with the Spirit" actually has the idea of continuously being filled in the original Greek language that Paul used. We are not filled once for all, like a bucket. Instead, we are to be filled constantly."

Ongoing empowerment. While Spirit baptism is a one-time event, the filling of the Spirit is a continuous experience in the Christian life. It involves yielding control of one's life to the Spirit's influence and power.

Characteristics of Spirit-filling:

• Command to all believers (Ephesians 5:18)
• Repeated experience, not a one-time event
• Results in Christ-like character and empowered service
• Requires active cooperation through obedience and surrender

To be filled with the Spirit, believers must:

1. Confess and repent of known sin
2. Yield control of their lives to God
3. Walk in obedience to God's Word
4. Depend on the Spirit's power moment by moment

The filling of the Spirit produces joy, peace, and spiritual fruitfulness in the believer's life.

4. Gifts of the Spirit: Diverse Abilities for Building the Church

"The Bible teaches that every redeemed person is given at least one gift by the Holy Spirit: 'Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. . . . But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.'"

Divine empowerment for service. Spiritual gifts are supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit to every believer for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. They are not natural talents, but divinely-given capacities for ministry.

Key principles of spiritual gifts:

• Every believer has at least one gift
• Gifts are diverse and complementary
• They are to be used for the common good, not self-promotion
• The Holy Spirit distributes gifts according to His will

Common spiritual gifts include:

• Teaching
• Prophecy
• Evangelism
• Leadership
• Mercy
• Giving
• Helps

Believers should seek to discover and develop their spiritual gifts, using them in humble service to strengthen the Church and glorify God.

5. Fruit of the Spirit: Character Traits Developed Through Spiritual Growth

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

Christ-like character. The fruit of the Spirit refers to the character qualities that the Holy Spirit produces in the life of a believer. Unlike gifts, which are diverse, all believers are called to manifest all aspects of spiritual fruit.

Three clusters of spiritual fruit:

1. God-ward: Love, joy, peace
2. Others-ward: Patience, kindness, goodness
3. Self-ward: Faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

Developing spiritual fruit requires:

• Abiding in Christ (John 15:1-8)
• Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)
• Cooperating with God's pruning process (John 15:2)

As believers grow in spiritual maturity, these character qualities become increasingly evident, transforming them into the image of Christ and bringing glory to God.

6. The Spirit's Role in Salvation: Conviction, Regeneration, and Assurance

"When a person comes to Christ, the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit has been at work in a number of ways. Some of these we may not fully understand, and yet this does not alter the fact that the Holy Spirit is deeply involved in our salvation."

Divine initiative in salvation. The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in every aspect of a person's salvation, from initial conviction to final glorification.

The Spirit's work in salvation includes:

1. Conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11)
2. Regeneration or new birth (John 3:5-8)
3. Indwelling the believer (1 Corinthians 6:19)
4. Sealing for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14)
5. Assurance of salvation (Romans 8:16)

The Spirit's involvement underscores the supernatural nature of salvation and the believer's complete dependence on God's grace. It also provides comfort and security, knowing that God Himself has initiated and will complete the work of salvation in the believer's life.

7. Walking in the Spirit: Overcoming the Flesh and Living in Victory

"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

Empowered obedience. Walking in the Spirit refers to the moment-by-moment dependence on the Holy Spirit's power to live the Christian life. It is the key to overcoming sinful desires and experiencing spiritual victory.

Practical steps for walking in the Spirit:

1. Recognize the ongoing struggle between flesh and Spirit
2. Choose to yield to the Spirit's control
3. Meditate on God's Word
4. Pray continually
5. Obey promptly when convicted of sin

Benefits of walking in the Spirit:

• Freedom from the power of sin
• Increasing manifestation of spiritual fruit
• Effectiveness in ministry and witness
• Deepening intimacy with God

As believers learn to consistently walk in the Spirit, they experience the abundant life Christ promised and bring glory to God through their transformed lives.

8. The Spirit and the Word: Illumination and Inspiration of Scripture

"The same Holy Spirit who was the author of the Scriptures through the use of human personalities also works in each of us to convince us the Bible is the Word of God to be trusted in all its parts."

Divine revelation and understanding. The Holy Spirit's role in relation to Scripture is twofold: inspiration and illumination. He both inspired the writing of Scripture and helps believers understand its meaning and application.

The Spirit's work in Scripture:

• Inspiration: Guiding human authors to write God's Word (2 Peter 1:21)
• Preservation: Ensuring the accurate transmission of Scripture
• Illumination: Opening believers' minds to understand spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

Practical implications:

1. Approach Scripture with dependence on the Spirit's guidance
2. Pray for spiritual understanding when reading the Bible
3. Recognize that proper interpretation requires both careful study and spiritual discernment
4. Trust in the reliability and authority of God's Word

The Spirit's involvement in both the giving and understanding of Scripture underscores its divine origin and power to transform lives.

9. Sins Against the Holy Spirit: Grieving, Quenching, and Blasphemy

"Of all the sins men commit against the Holy Spirit, none is worse than that of blaspheming Him. The reason for this is clear: it is the one sin for which there is no forgiveness."

Resisting divine grace. While the Holy Spirit works to draw people to Christ and empower believers, it is possible to resist and sin against Him. Understanding these sins helps believers maintain a healthy relationship with the Spirit.

Types of sins against the Holy Spirit:

1. Grieving the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30): Saddening Him through sinful behavior
2. Quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19): Suppressing His work and influence
3. Blasphemy against the Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32): Willful, persistent rejection of Christ

Consequences of these sins:

• Loss of joy and peace
• Diminished spiritual effectiveness
• Potential hardening of the heart

To avoid sinning against the Spirit, believers should cultivate sensitivity to His leading, promptly confess and repent of sin, and maintain a humble, teachable attitude.

10. The Spirit's Work in the World: Restraining Evil and Drawing People to Christ

"The Scripture makes it clear that this planet would already be a literal hell on earth were it not for the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world."

Divine influence in society. The Holy Spirit's work extends beyond the Church to the world at large, where He restrains evil and draws people to Christ.

The Spirit's work in the world includes:

1. Convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11)
2. Restraining the full expression of evil (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7)
3. Enabling general revelation through creation and conscience (Romans 1:20; 2:14-15)
4. Empowering believers to be salt and light in society (Matthew 5:13-16)

As the end times approach, the Spirit's restraining influence may be withdrawn, leading to increased wickedness. However, He will continue to work in powerful ways to bring people to Christ and empower the Church for its mission.

Believers should be grateful for the Spirit's work in the world and cooperate with Him in reaching others with the gospel.

Last updated: December 14, 2024