Lesson Eleven
The Holy Spirit and the Believer
The Holy Spirit, out of the persons of the Godhead, is the most neglected of the Three. Part of the reason for this is that He is less mentioned than the others. In the New Testament especially, His ministry to believers is to draw our attention to the Son, as the Son leads us to the Father. The Son shows us the Father (John 1 14), but it is through the Holy Spirit that He does this. That is why Christ assures us that the Spirit will “take of” the Son and give it to us. Christ, by His death on the Cross, has won for us all the privileges and blessings that come with adoption and regeneration. But it is the Spirit who has applied - and is even now applying - those ongoing blessings to us.
I. The Ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Saints:
A. Testimony: He testifies of the truthfulness of God’s Word and underscores the urgency for repentance.
1. Obedience - Acts 5:32.
2. Adoption - Rom. 8:16.
3. Sanctification - Gal. 5:16- 18; Rom. 8:14.
4. Power of God - 1 Cor. 2:3- 5.
B. Illumination: He assists us (Christians) to understand the Bible, and to apply it correctly. John 16:12- 15 * ; 1 Cor. 2:9- 16; 2 Pet. 1:21.
C. Baptism: He endows believers with gifts for ministry. Joel 2:28- 29 (comp. with Acts 2:1- 11); John 7:37- 39; 1 Cor. 12 (entire chapter); 1 Cor 14: 26- 33.
D. Comfort: Paraclete. “One called alongside to help”. Jesus is our Comforter in His role as of Advocate before the Father” (Sproul). The Holy Spirit is the other Comforter sent after the ascension. John 14:16- 18; Acts 19:1- 7; Rom. 8:26- 27; Gal. 4:6.
E. Sanctification: He enables us in the lifelong process of putting on Christ. Phil. 3:10; 2:12- 13; John 15:26; 2 Cor. 3:17- 18; 1 Pet. 1:15- 16.
II. The Holy Spirit and Grace
A. Grace has several related meanings. It can mean...
1. An attribute of God,
2. The objective Provision which Christ made for our salvation (John 1:14, 17; Tit. 2:11)
3. The application by the Spirit of Christ’s work of redemption to us
4. “A comprehensive name for all the gifts of the grace of God, [and] the blessings of salvation”. An active power that works out our salvation as we obediently cooperate with Him.
This lesson mostly has to do with the third and fourth definitions. Note: In this sense, there is little difference between the Holy Spirit and Grace (Heb. 10:29); the two are so closely related. Compare Acts 6:5 and 8. In the same way that Christ is called the “Word” and the “Truth”, etc., the Holy Spirit is sometimes closely associated with Grace.
B. Grace Acronym:
1. God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense
2. God Righteously Applying Christ’s Excellence. (Rom. 3:26; John 16:15)
Question: Is our salvation completed or a work in progress? Answer: Yes (to both). As far as Christ at Calvary is concerned,it is completed. But as concerning the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and Christ in Heaven ministering for us as the High Priest, it is still ongoing. That is why Christ (though He said “It is finished”) is called “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:1).
III. The Necessity of the Holy Spirit for the Saints:
A. Wisdom and Knowledge (Eph. 1:17)
Knowledge without the Spirit of Christ is the religion of works-righteousness (Rom. 10:2- 3).
B. Worship, Prayer and Praise: (John 4:23- 24; 1 Cor. 14:15).
Attempted worship without the Spirit is mere formalism, vanity (Mark 7:7) and even wickedness (Prov. 15:8, 29).
C. Sanctification: “If you through the Spirit mortify...” (Rom. 8:13).
Attempted sanctification or mortification without the Spirit is mere asceticism. It not only has no value (Col. 2:21- 23), but it leaves one open to hardness and even demonic influences (Matt. 12:43- 45).
IV. Applications:
A. Study the Biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit *
B. Don’t presume on Him: John 3:8
C. Don’t quench or grieve the Spirit. (Eph. 4:30, 1 Thess. 5:19).
D. Guard your heart with all diligence. (Prov. 4:23, Eph. 4:18).
Due Next Week:
Review for test.
Digging Deeper:
* It is surprising to some that several eminent Christian writers were able to devote entire volumes to the character and ministry of the Holy Spirit:
“The Holy Spirit, His Gifts and Power” - John Owen
“The Work of the Holy Spirit” - Abraham Kuyper
“De Spiritu Sancto” (“Of the Holy Spirit”) - Basil
“Method of Grace: How the Spirit Works” - John Flavel
It is indicative of our times that, if anyone writes of the Holy Spirit at all, it is often highly subjective and far removed from the Biblical foundation. Examples here are Benny Hinn’s “Good Morning Holy Spirit” and Jack Deere’s “Surprised by the Power of the Spirit”.
1 Cor. 3:21.