The Hly Spirit The Wrk f the Hly Spirit Intrductin/Review The Spirit in the OT The Spirit s regenerating wrk tk place in the OT, althugh this term is never used. Instead it is spken f as heart-circumcisin (Deut 30:6). The Spirit was with and did wrk within Gd s peple, but this is different than the indwelling that was fretld and fulfilled in the NT (Exek 36:27). The Spirit s indwelling presence did nt take place until after Jesus resurrectin (Jn 7:39). If regeneratin enables ld cvenant saints t believe, hw were they maintained in faith if they were nt indwelt? The Old Testament s answer t that questin is the cvenant-sustaining presence f Gd with the natin as He dwelled in the tabernacle and later the temple. 1 The newness [f the New Cvenant] des nt cnsist in the Spirit s regenerating ministry f enabling peple t hear Gd s wrd and believe. What is new is the indwelling ministry f the Spirit and the spiritualized view f the temple. N lnger is wrship restricted t ne physical lcatin (Deut 12:5; Matt 18:20). N lnger must believers pilgrimage t Jerusalem three times a year (Deut 16:16). Christians have n altars f sacrifice in specific places (Gen 12:8; 13:4; 26:25). The NT des nt designate certain lcatins as hly places (Gen 28:17-22). Old cvenant believers lnged fr Jerusalem (Ps 137:5-6), and specifically the temple (Ps 122:1). New cvenant believers lng fr n hly place n earth; they wrship wherever Gd puts them (Acts 14:24-25) and lng fr Jesus return and His heavenly city (2 Tim 4:8; Heb 11:16; Rev 22:17,20). 2 1 Hamiltn, Gd s Indwelling Presence, 163. 2 Hamiltn, Gd s Indwelling Presence, 165.
The Baptism f the Spirit Pentecstal thelgy usually has a 2-fld entry int the Spirit s blessing. 1. Regeneratin by the Spirit (cnversin-initiatin) 2. Baptism with the Spirit This is substantiated by the experience f the disciples and the cnversins in Acts. Disciples were regenerate (Matt 16:15-20; Jn 15:1-11), but received the Spirit at Pentecst and then spke in tngues (Acts 2:1-4). The Samaritans believed and were baptized (Acts 8:12), then received the Spirit when Peter and Jhn laid hands n them (8:17). The Ephesians hear, believe, are baptized (Acts 19:5), then the Spirit cmes upn them when Paul laid his hands n them (19:6). The Pentecstal cnclusin is that believers are t expect this tw-fld wrk f the Spirit. Instead the biblical accunt shws the unflding f the ne event f Spirit utpuring at Pentecst. Jesus prmised that the Spirit wuld be pured ut in Jerusalem at Pentecst (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5). (Lk. 24:49 ESV) 49 And behld, I am sending the prmise f my Father upn yu. But stay in the city [Jerusalem] until yu are clthed with pwer frm n high." (Acts 1:4-5 ESV) 4 And while staying with them he rdered them nt t depart frm Jerusalem, but t wait fr the prmise f the Father, which, he said, "yu heard frm me; 5 fr Jhn baptized with water, but yu will be baptized with the Hly Spirit nt many days frm nw." The cming f the Spirit wuld enable them t cntinue their witness t Christ s saving wrk (Acts 1:8). (Acts 1:8 ESV) 8 But yu will receive pwer when the Hly Spirit has cme upn yu, and yu will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and t the end f the earth." This passage mentins three stages, which are fulfilled in the bk f Acts. Jerusalem Pentecst (Acts 2) Judea & Samaria (Acts 8) The ends f the earth (Gentiles in Acts 10-11, Ephesus in Acts 19) This tw-stage utpuring f the Spirit is nt part f the regular rder f salvatin (rd salutis), but instead it is a part f the unflding f redemptive histry (histria salutis). The New Testament affirms that all believers have been baptized int Christ by the Spirit (1 Cr 12;13; Eph 4:4-6). (1 Cr. 12:13 ESV) 13 Fr in ne Spirit we were all baptized int ne bdy-- Jews r Greeks, slaves r free-- and all were made t drink f ne Spirit. (Eph. 4:4-6 ESV) 4 There is ne bdy and ne Spirit-- just as yu were called t the ne hpe that belngs t yur call-- 5 ne Lrd, ne faith, ne baptism, 6 ne Gd and Father f all, wh is ver all and thrugh all and in all. The seven NT references t baptism with the Spirit are in the indicative, nt imperative r exhrtatin (Matt 3:11; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16; Jn 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 1 Cr 12:13). S, there is a reasn that the stry has a separatin between regeneratin and baptism f the Spirit, and the rest f the NT affirms that it was an exceptinal, epch-shifting situatin. 2
Be Filled with the Spirit While the receptin f the Spirit is universal, nce-fr-all gift, the filling f the Spirit is a gift that needs t be cntinually pursued. (Eph. 5:18-21 ESV) 18 And d nt get drunk with wine, fr that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing ne anther in psalms and hymns and spiritual sngs, singing and making meldy t the Lrd with yur heart, 20 giving thanks always and fr everything t Gd the Father in the name f ur Lrd Jesus Christ, 21 submitting t ne anther ut f reverence fr Christ. Therefre, when we speak f the baptism f the Spirit we are referring t a nce-fr-all gift; when we speak f the fullness f the Spirit we are acknwledging that this gift needs t be cntinuusly and increasingly apprpriated. 3 Nwhere are believers called t be baptized with the Spirit, but they are called t be filled mre and mre with the Spirit that is, under the influence f his intxicating grace (Eph 5:8; 18-21). 4 What is this filling? This filling is unpacked by the 5 adverbial participles which fllw: speaking, singing, making meldy, giving thanks, and submitting. Paul s parallel passage is als insightful it is thrugh the indwelling f the wrd f Christ that these similar actins. (Cl. 3:16 ESV) 16 Let the wrd f Christ dwell in yu richly, teaching and admnishing ne anther in all wisdm, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual sngs, with thankfulness in yur hearts t Gd. Sealed by the Spirit A seal in Paul s day cnfirmed the authenticity and shwed apprval. 5 The seal f Jesus - (Jn. 6:27 ESV) (Eph. 1:13-14 ESV) 13 In him yu als, when yu heard the wrd f truth, the gspel f yur salvatin, and believed in him, were sealed with the prmised Hly Spirit, 14 wh is the guarantee f ur inheritance until we acquire pssessin f it, t the praise f his glry. (Eph. 4:30 ESV) 30 And d nt grieve the Hly Spirit f Gd, by whm yu were sealed fr the day f redemptin. (2 Cr. 1:22 ESV) 22 and wh has als put his seal n us and given us his Spirit in ur hearts as a guarantee. 3 Sttt, Baptism and Fullness, 51, qtd in Hrtn, Rediscvering the Hly Spirit, 196. 4 Hrtn, Rediscvering the Hly Spirit, 196. 5 Fergusn, The Hly Spirit, 177ff. 3
The Spirit as Guarantee The Spirit is call an arrabn an earnest, seal, pledge, dwn payment, r guarantee. (2 Cr. 1:20-22 ESV) 20 Fr all the prmises f Gd find their Yes in him. That is why it is thrugh him that we utter ur Amen t Gd fr his glry. 21 And it is Gd wh establishes us with yu in Christ, and has aninted us, 22 and wh has als put his seal n us and given us his Spirit in ur hearts as a guarantee. (2 Cr. 5:4-5 ESV) 4 Fr while we are still in this tent, we gran, being burdened-- nt that we wuld be unclthed, but that we wuld be further clthed, s that what is mrtal may be swallwed up by life. 5 He wh has prepared us fr this very thing is Gd, wh has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (Eph. 1:13-14 ESV) 13 In him yu als, when yu heard the wrd f truth, the gspel f yur salvatin, and believed in him, were sealed with the prmised Hly Spirit, 14 wh is the guarantee f ur inheritance until we acquire pssessin f it, t the praise f his glry. The Spirit guarantees that we will receive the fullness f Gd s prmises t us in Christ. At Pentecst, hwever, a new creatin dawns with the Spirit nce again transfrming chas int csms. Frm the rubble he will build nt a restred temple f stne but a living sanctuary cnsisting f living stnes. And nw, striving with everlasting tenacity even against ur quenching f his righteus lve, he will never abandn his temple. With respect t his aninting as king, David culd say after his adultery and murder, Take nt yur Hly Spirit frm me (Ps 51:11 ESV). But with respect t regeneratin the Lrd pledges t his saints, I will never leave yu nr frsake yu (Heb 13:5 ESV). 6 6 Hrtn, Rediscvering the Hly Spirit, 225. 4
The Firstfruits f the Spirit In Rmans 8, Paul speaks f the Spirit as the firstfuits. (Rm. 8:23 ESV) 23 And nt nly the creatin, but we urselves, wh have the firstfruits f the Spirit, gran inwardly as we wait eagerly fr adptin as sns, the redemptin f ur bdies. The Spirit is evidencing in us even nw the true harvest f the fullness f heavenly fruit, as we experience lve, jy, peace frm heaven even nw. (1 Thess. 1:6 ESV) 6 And yu became imitatrs f us and f the Lrd, fr yu received the wrd in much afflictin, with the jy f the Hly Spirit, (1 Pet. 1:8-9 ESV) 8 Thugh yu have nt seen him, yu lve him. Thugh yu d nt nw see him, yu believe in him and rejice with jy that is inexpressible and filled with glry, 9 btaining the utcme f yur faith, the salvatin f yur suls. (Rm. 14:17 ESV) 17 Fr the kingdm f Gd is nt a matter f eating and drinking but f righteusness and peace and jy in the Hly Spirit. The fruit f lve (Rm. 5:5 ESV) 5 and hpe des nt put us t shame, because Gd's lve has been pured int ur hearts thrugh the Hly Spirit wh has been given t us. Lve is an attribute f the ne divine essence: Gd is lve (1 Jhn 4:8), and each persn f the Trinity expresses that lve accrding t his persnal attributes. The Father s lved the wrld that he gave his Sn (Jhn 3:16). As fr the Sn, he himself said, Greater lve has n ne than this: t lay dwn his life fr ne s friends (Jhn 15:13). Yet the Hly Spirit binds us here and nw t the Father in lve thrugh the mediatin f the Sn, as we see in the farewell discurse and Jesus s prayer with which it clses. The Hly Spirit is nt the lve f Gd, which wuld hardly distinguish him frm the ther persns wh bear this essential attribute. Rather, we discver the uniqueness f the Spirit nce again in the way that he lves. The Father extends his lve tward us, and the Sn shws his lve fr us. But Gd s lve has been pured int ur hearts thrugh the Hly Spirit wh has been given t us (Rm 5:5 ESV). Apart frm the wrk f the Hly Spirit, the lve f Gd fr us remains utside f us. It is the Hly Spirit wh gives us faith, and it is faith that bears the fruit f lve, and it is lve that bears the fruit f gd wrks. 7 7 Hrtn, Rediscvering the Hly Spirit, 223. 5
The Spirit f Snship We have received the Spirit f adptin as sns. (Rm. 8:14-15 ESV) 14 Fr all wh are led by the Spirit f Gd are sns f Gd. 15 Fr yu did nt receive the spirit f slavery t fall back int fear, but yu have received the Spirit f adptin as sns, by whm we cry, "Abba! Father!" Jesus prayed as a sn. (Mk. 14:36 ESV) 36 And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are pssible fr yu. Remve this cup frm me. Yet nt what I will, but what yu will." Cry is ften used t speak f vcalizatin in crisis (Ps 3:4; Mk 5:5; Mk 9:26; Mk 10:47-48; Matt 27:50). The Spirit f adptin enables us t cry ut as children f Gd (8:15). In 8:15, it is by the Spirit that we cry, Abba! Father! In Gal 4:6 the Spirit is crying, Abba! Father! It is ne cry, and yet it has 2 surces: the cnsciusness f the believer and the ministry f the Spirit. 8 What Paul is saying, hwever, is that even in the darkest hur these is a c-perative and affirmative testimny given by the Spirit. It is fund in the very fact that, althugh he may be brken and bruised, tssed abut with fears and dubts, the child f Gd nevertheless in his need cries ut, Father! as instinctively as a child wh has fallen and been hurt calls ut in similar language, Daddy, help me! Assurance f snship is nt reserved fr the highly sanctified Christian; it is the birthright f even the weakest and mst ppressed believer. This is its glry. 9 It is a cry that is lnging fr the cnsummatin f ur adptin, the redemptin f ur bdies (23). We have seen hw the Spirit s ministry is assciated particularly with bringing the wrd f the Father, in the Sn, t cmpletin full effect. Where the Spirit is, there is nt nly liberty but fruitfulness a garden blssms in the wasteland. The Hly Spirit came upn the watery depths in creatin, dividing the waters frm dry land, and then he made the implanted seed fruitful. He gave breath spirit t man in creatin. He saves Nah and his family bth frm and thrugh the waters, nce again separating the waters frm dry land t make a fruitful place fr cvenantal cmmunin with Yahweh. A dve returns with a leafy twig as the seal that judgment has passed, the family is saved, and a new creatin is appearing. As the dwn payment n ur final redemptin, the Spirit gives us the already f ur participatin in Christ as the new creatin, and it is the Spirit within us wh gives us the aching hpe fr the nt yet that awaits us in ur unin with Christ (Rm 8:18-28; see 2 Cr 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:14). The mre we receive frm the Spirit f the realities f the age t cme, the mre restless we becme, having already received a fretaste f the future. 10 8 Fergusn, The Hly Spirit, 185. 9 Fergusn, The Hly Spirit, 184-5. 10 Hrtn, Rediscvering the Hly Spirit, 222. 6