The Holy spirit The holy spirit is, like the Father and the Son, both personal and individual. Though all three members of the Trinity are equal and share the same divine essence (ISA 6:8-9; JER 31:31-34; 1CO 12:11; 2CO 13:14), the works of each differ. The holy spirit was intimately involved in the work of Jesus Christ on earth. 1. The Holy Spirit was the agent of Christs conception (MAT 1:18). 2. The Holy Spirit sustaining ministry to the incarnate Christ was prophesied in the Old Testament (ISA 11:2-3, ISA 42:1-4; MAT 12:18-21). 3. The Holy Spirit was given without measure to Christ (JOH 3:34). 4. The Holy Spirit had a special relationship to Christ during Christs earthly public ministry (MAT 3:16-17, MAT 4:1; MAR 1:12). 5. The Holy Spirit provided the power of Christs earthly ministry (MAT 12:28; LUK 4:14-15). 6. At the cross, the Holy Spirit withdrew from Christ. During the last three hours on the cross, the holy spirit did not sustain Jesus, who was—in that time—experiencing spiritual death (MAT 27:46; MAR 15:34; PSA 22:1). 7. The Holy Spirit was actively involved in Christs resurrection (ROM 1:4, ROM 8:11; 1PE 3:18). 8. The Holy Spirit provided the power for the resurrection ministry of Christ (ACT 1:2). 9. As the Holy Spirit empowered Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, so He empowers the Body of Christ—the Church—today through the filling of individual Christians (1CO 12:7-13; EPH 5:17-18). The Work of the spirit at Salvation 1. The Baptism of the spirit. “For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body…” (1CO 12:13a). It is this work that unites us to Jesus Christ forever. We become a member of His body. At the same time, we are members of His church, and intimately connected to every other believer. It is this union that forms the basis for “endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (EPH 4:3). As Paul makes clear in the following verses (vv. 4-6), our unity has its basis in what we all share positionally as believers. 2. Regeneration by the spirit. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit.” (TIT 3:5). The “washing away of our sins” (JOH 13:10; 1CO 6:11; EPH 5:26.) occurs at the moment of regeneration, which means to be “born again” (JOH 3:3, 7). At this moment, a “new creature” (2CO 5:17) is created, and the believer becomes a “new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness” (EPH 4:24). 3. Indwelling of the spirit. “Now if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (ROM 8:9b). With this statement Paul makes it clear that every child of God is indwelt by His spirit This is in fulfillment of Jesus promise, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-the spirit of truth … for He dwells with you and will be in you” (JOH 14:16-17). The personal indwelling of the holy spirit within the believer constantly assures us of the promise of our Lord, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (MAT 28:20b), and also that, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (HEB 13:5b). 4. Sealing by the spirit . “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise.” (EPH 1:13). Remember that it was in the context of sin in the believer’s life, and the grieving of the , that we are given the promise, “By whom (The ) you were sealed for the day of redemption” (EPH 4:30). We could have no greater promise of our security in Jesus Christ! The word “sealed” comes from the ancient use of the signet ring, which was a guarantee of something being delivered without fail to its final destination. See how Paul uses this idea in regard to the offering for the saints in Jerusalem in ROM 15:28. We can be sure we will arrive safely at our final destination in Heaven! 5. Gifting by the spirit . “But the manifestation of the spirit [i.e., “gifts” of v.4] is given to each one for the profit of all” (1CO 12:7). Every believer is given a spiritual gift at the moment of salvation. This gift is given according to the perfect will of God for the believer (vv. 11, 18). Our spiritual gift helps to define the plan of God for our lives. In answer to the often-asked question, “What does God want me to do?” we can say “Develop your ual gift by growing to maturity, so you can serve His body.” As Paul says elsewhere, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (EPH 4:7). This goal of our gift is “For the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (EPH 4:12b). These works of the holy spirit are performed in the believer as he or she responds to the truth of God’s Word. Now take a look at how the Word goes to work in the believer. While the Holy Spirit has always sustained all life (JOB 27:3, JOB 33:4), He has worked differently in the lives of individual men and women in different ages. The holy spirit is directly mentioned in Scripture only five times in the period before Abraham, but His ministry of revealing God to men is evident in the amount of divine truth understood by men like Job and Noah. In the time between Abraham and Christ—the Age of Israel—the holy spirit came upon certain men, usually for the purpose of revealing truth, or preparing or empowering for service (GEN 41:38; EXO 28:3, EXO 31:3, EXO 35:31; NUM 11:18-25, NUM 27:18; JDG 3:10, JDG 6:34, JDG 11:29, JDG 13:25, JDG 14:6, JDG 15:14; 1SA 10:9-10, 1SA 16:13; DAN 4:8, DAN 5:11-14, DAN 6:3; ZEC 4:3, ZEC 4:12-14). Believers could obtain the holy spirit by asking (2KI 2:9-10; LUK 11:13), but they could also have Him taken from them (PSA 51:11). In the Church Age, the holy spirit permanently indwells every believer (JOH 7:37-39, JOH 14:16-17; 1CO 3:16, 1CO 6:19-20; ROM 8:9; GAL 3:2, GAL 4:6). 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 11:16:31 +0000
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