Pillars of the Faith
Pillar 3, the Holy Spirit
Tod Kennedy, January 21, 2001

The Holy Spirit’s relation to believers emphasizes that he indwells us, that he is the glory of God in us, that he empowers us, and that he produces the Christian life in us—the character of Christ in us and spiritual fruit through us.

I. Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Outline

1.  The Holy Spirit is a person, 1 Corinthians 2.10-15

2.  The Holy Spirit is God, Acts 5.1-4.

3.  Illustration which teach about the Holy Spirit, John 7.37-39

4.  General Works the Holy Spirit does for all mankind, Genesis 6.3; 2 Thessalonians 2.6-7

5.  The Holy Spirit empowered the man,  Jesus Christ, Luke 4.1, 14-21

6.  The Holy Spirit is active in each dispensation, Genesis 6.3

7.  The Church age work of the Holy Spirit, John 14.16-17

8.  Abuses of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

II. Holy Spirit’s Church Age Ministry Emphases

1.  The Holy Spirit’s main ministries to believers during the church age, while Christ is absent, centers around  providing the source for God’s eternal and abundant life.

2.  He reveals God's plan (John 16.13; 1 Corinthians 2.9-13), to enable believers to do God's plan (Romans 7.6; 8.1-11; Galatians 5.16-26), and to glorify Christ (John 16.14).

3.  The Holy Spirit gives believers the ability to live the Christian life.  He  helps believers serve God, teaches and reminds of God’s word, witnesses to Christ, and glorifies Christ through believers, (John 7.37-39; 14.16-17, 26; 15.26; 16.5-15; Romans 7.6; 8.1-11; Galatians 5.16-6.1).

4.  Spirit is used 24 times in 18 verses in John (NASB and NA Greek), 17 refer to the Holy Spirit and 7 refer to the human spirit or non-physical.

John 7:37-39

37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 14:16-17,26

16 “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.

26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

John 15:26

26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me,

John 16:5-15

5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me;11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.14 “He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.15 “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.

Appendix

VII The Church age work of the Holy Spirit, John 16.8-15

1.  The Holy Spirit's ministry to non-believers is one of restraint and convincing about the gospel so that the unbeliever may believe the gospel.

A.  He restrains evil from reaching extreme lawlessness (Genesis 6.3; 2 Thessalonians 2.6-7).  The Holy Spirit prevents man from becoming as lawless and evil as is possible while at the same time prevents Satanic lawlessness from overwhelming mankind until the tribulation period.

B. The Holy Spirit will expose the unbeliever to the gospel, then convict and convince him of its truth and his need of faith in Christ. This results in comprehension and the potential for faith in Christ (John 16.8-11). He will convince about three things.

i.  sin: man is sinful and guilty.  People are at the time not believing in Jesus Christ, therefore they are still under sin and guilt. Faith in Christ will erase this.

ii.  about righteousness: the person and work of Jesus Christ was and always is absolute perfection. He is the standard of righteousness and the source for the righteousness needed by man to replace sin and guilt.  The absolute righteousness of Jesus Christ was demonstrated and vindicated by His successful ascension to the Father. Man is compared to Jesus Christ, the absolute standard. Man does not have this righteousness.

iii.  about judgment: man is under divine judgment due to sin  and lack of absolute righteousness. Satan, the first sinner, the leader and head of sinful creation has been judged. This set the precedent. Those that stay with Satan in unbelief will undergo judgment themselves.

iv.  These three topics clarify the gospel. Sin clarifies the need. Righteousness clarifies the standard and the source of the solution. Judgment clarifies the alternative if sin and guilt are not replaced with righteousness through faith in Christ.

v.  Therefore each believer needs to give the clear grace gospel. The Holy Spirit convicts and convinces the unbeliever within the framework of John 16.8-11. Man does not bring about conviction, the Holy Spirit does.

2.  The Holy Spirit’s main ministries to believers during the church age, while Christ is absent, are providing the source for God’s eternal and abundant life, helping believers serve God, teaching and reminding God’s word, witness to Christ, glorifying Christ through believers, and (John 7.37-39; 14.16-17, 26; 15.26; 16.5-15)

3.  The ministry of the Holy Spirit during the church age can then be categorized into three phases: pre-salvation, salvation, and post-salvation ministries.

A. Pre-salvation ministry is restraint and conviction.

B. Salvation ministry includes five works that he does.  They are regeneration, indwelling, baptizing, sealing, and giving a spiritual gift (RIBSS).

i.  Regeneration (Titus 3.5).

ii. Indwells (1 Corinthians 6.19),

iii. Baptizes (1 Corinthians 12.13),

iv. Seals (Ephesians 1.13),

v.  Gives a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12.11). There were temporary spiritual gifts which were restricted to the first century during the foundation of the church (Hebrews 2.3-4 states the principle) and permanent spiritual gifts which are present throughout the entire church age (1 Peter 4.10 states the principle). See the doctrine of spiritual gifts.

C. Post-salvation ministries include

i.   Assures of salvation (Romans 8.16; Gal 4.6).

ii.  Encourages and comforts (John 14.16).

iii.  Fills believer when allowed (Ephesians 5.18).

iv.  Glorifies Christ (John 16.14).

v.   Guides (Romans 8.14).

vi.  Indwells during entire Christian life (John 14.17).

vii.  Prays for believers (Romans 8.26-27).

viii. Produces the fruit of the Spirit (John 15.1-6; Galatians 5.22-23).

ix.  Teaches Bible doctrine (John 14.26).

x.   Controls the sin nature—gives the ability to live without giving in to the old sin nature (Galatians 5.16-17).