THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
JOHN 14:26
JOHN 14:26
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
JOHN 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
JOHN 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
Introduction:
We will be studying the doctrine of the Holy Spirit for a few weeks in order to understand this great doctrine. There are many misconceptions regarding the Holy Spirit as well as many false teachings. I hope that this study will give us a clearer picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in this world as well as in our personal lives and that of the church as well.
I. THE NATURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
A. The Holy Spirit is a person. He has personal existence and He has a personality. He is NOT JUST an influence.
1. The names and works attributed to Him reveal personality.
2. Masculine personal pronouns given to Him, John 14:16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17-Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 16:13-15, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14-He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15-All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
3. His association with other persons of the Godhead prove His personality, Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
4. Personal characteristics ascribed to Him:
a. Intelligence, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11-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.”
b. Love, Romans 15:30, “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”
c. Grief, Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
5. Personal acts ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
a. He speaks, Revelation 2:7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
b. He makes intercession, Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
c. He teaches, John 14:26, But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
d. He calls and commissions men, Acts 13:2, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
B. The Deity of the Holy Spirit.
1. He is called God, Acts 5:3-4, “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”
2. The attributes of God are attributed to Him:
a. Eternal, Hebrews 9:14, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
b. Omnipotence, 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.”
3. He performed Divine works, Genesis 1:1-3, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2-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. 3-And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
4. Names of the Holy Spirit that show His relation to God.
a. The Spirit of God, 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
b. The Spirit of the Living God, 2 Corinthians 3:3, “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
5. Names of the Holy Spirit that show His relation to the Son of God.
a. The Spirit of Christ, Romans 8:9, “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.”
b. The Spirit of His Son, Galatians 4:6, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
II. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
A. He Was Active in the Creation, Genesis 1:1-3, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2-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. 3-And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
B. His Work in Relation to the Unbelieving, Unregenerate World.
1. He strives with them, Genesis 6:3, “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”
2. He restrains the Evil One, 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”
3. He reproves the world of sin, John 16:8-11, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9-Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10-Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11-Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
4. He bears witness to the gospel of Christ, John 14:26-27, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27-Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Acts 5:30-32, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31-Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32-And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”
5. He is the agent in the New Birth, John 3:5-6, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6-That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
C. His Work in Relationship to Jesus Christ.
1. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, 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.”
2. Anointed by the Holy Spirit, Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
3. Led by the Holy Spirit, Matthew 4:1, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
4. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Luke 4:1, “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,”
5. Power of the Spirit on His ministry, Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19-To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
6. Offered Himself through the Spirit, Hebrews 9:14, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
7. Resurrected by the power of the Spirit, Romans 8:11, “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.”
D. His Work in Relation to the Scriptures.
1. He is the author of the Scriptures, 2 Peter 1:20-21, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21-For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
2. He is the Interpreter of the Scriptures, Ephesians 1:17, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”
E. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Saved.
1. He seals the believer, Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14-Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
2. He endues with power for witnessing, Luke 24:49, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Acts 1:8, “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.”
3. He guides into all truth, John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
4. He teaches the believer, John 16:13 (above); John 14:26 (above). The above references refer to the inspiration of the Scriptures. However, we know that the Holy Spirit guides and teaches us through the written Word, 1 Corinthians 2:9-11, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10-But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11-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.” 2 Peter 3:18, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
5. He witnesses to the believer and with the believer.
a. In witnessing to the believer He assures the believe that he is saved, Romans 8:14, 16, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God… 16-The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
b. Everyone who has trusted Christ as Savior has the Holy Spirit, Acts 5:32, “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”
6. The Spirit is active in the santification of the believer.
a. The Believer has been set apart for the Lord, 1 Peter 1:2, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
b. Part of the setting apart is justification, 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
1) You are washed, that is, saved by faith.
2) You are sanctified, set apart for service to the Lord.
3) You are justified from you sins which gives a clear conscience before the Lord, Romans 3:24, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
7. The Spirit helps and comforts the believer,
a. The Lord teaches us how to pray and for what we ought to pray, Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27-And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
b. The Holy Spirit give us comfort in the absence of the Lord Jesus, John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”
1) We are never alone without help, Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
2) Therefore, we are comforted by His promise.