The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

John 15:26

Knowing and Living in the Work of the Holy Spirit

We give little time and attention to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes called the Cinderella of the Trinity - we’ve taken the Father and Son to the theological ball, but fail to study the Spirit.

Reaction against abuses of Pentecostal/Charismatic

A Misunderstanding of who the Holy Spirit is, and what He does

The purpose of this message

To know who the Holy Spirit is. If you don’t know the Spirit, you don’t know God To know what the Holy Spirit does. When we consider all that the Spirit does for us, we are filled with assurance in this life, praising and glorifying God.

On the Holy Spirit

The Third Person of the Trinity

What “Spirit” Means

Ruah/Pneuma

Ruah - Breath - hovering over the waters of creation

Pneuma- Wind - power and life-giving breath of God Not simply power or an impersonal force

Augustine - the Spirit is the essence of the love between the Father and Son, given to us.

Hodge - “The Spirit is the executive of the Godhead. Whatever God does, He does it by the Spirit.”

A Person

Personal - “He” - not it

He possesses the qualities of personhood:

A Mind - 1 Cor. 2:11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

A Will - Acts 16:7 the Spirit of Jesus did not allow Paul and Timothy to go where they wanted, but led them to Macedonia instead… and 1 Cor 12:11 - The Spirit apportions gifts as he wills.

In A Society - Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— He functions as an individual person.

The Holy Spirit speaks - Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches… He can be sinned against (Matt 12:31 - blaspheme against the Spirit), lied to (Acts 5 - Ananias and Sapphira), outraged (Her 10:29 - those who deliberately continue in sin trample the blood of Christ underfoot and outrage the Spirit).

He encourages (Acts 9:31 - the Spirit builds up the church), strengthens (Eph 3:16 - we are strengthened by the Spirit), teaches (John 14:26 - the Spirit will teach you all things).

A Divine Person

What is said of God can be said of the Holy Spirit

Q&A 4 - Infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Sent by Christ, Proceeding from the Father

John’s text, the Spirit is sent by the Son, proceeding from the Father

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit

It is actually better that he depart and send his spirit - John 16:7-11

It is more advantageous that Jesus depart - because only then could he pay for our sins.

Only then could He give His Spirit - so that we can be united to him, and receive the gift of life

Ezek. 36:26–27 - God promises to give to all who that are ordained unto eternal life His Holy Spirit, making them willing and able to believe.

God gives us his Spirit and we are strengthened by him, and able to live in Him for God’s glory

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Spirit of Revelation

Eph 1:17 - may [God] give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him

The Work of the Spirit is to make the mind of God known

2 Tim 3:16 All of Scripture is inspired by God as the rule of faith and life - breathed out - from the Spirit.

2 Pet 1:21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit leads us to Christ

John 15:26 He will bear witness testify about me…

Perhaps this is why it’s hard for us to focus on the Spirit, as the Holy Spirit would continue to direct our attention to Christ.

The Book of Acts - we call it Acts of the Apostles, and focus on the work of Peter, John, and Paul, when the book is really about the ongoing, life-giving work of the Holy Spirit advancing the gospel of Christ through the world.

Spirit of Life

Rom 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Gives life to those who are dead in sin

Alistair Begg, “What is the work of the Spirit of God? It is to accomplish what cannot be accomplished in any other way by any other person. Eph 2 - when you were dead in your trespasses and sins, you were made alive in Christ.” How can dead people come to life? It takes a miracle. This is the gospel. Not that well-meaning people can get a little religion. The Gospel comes to the rebel against God. God commands us in the scriptures to repent and believe. It would take a miracle for that to happen. And that is the miracle of regeneration.

The Holy Spirit enables those who are in Christ to will and to work for God, setting us free to do what God has given.

Acts 8 - Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch - Philip was carried away by the Spirit of God… Spirit of Holiness

God’s Spirit makes us to grow in holiness

Sanctification, making us more and more like Christ

Bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:26) which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Advocate, Comforter, Helper -

Jesus gives the promise of the Holy Spirit in the upper room, just before He is arrested and crucified. The Spirit is given to comfort, encourage, and advocate:

Comfort - to strengthen - equip you with everything good that you may do his will

Encourage - to come along side - paraklete. Rom 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he… will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Advocate - the world would accuse, the Spirit is our advocate, our assurance

Application

Know the Spirit and discern the Spirit

Don’t just know about the Spirit, but know and love the Holy Spirit

Discern the work of the Spirit in your life…

Does this promote humility, repentance on my part, and cause me to seek salvation in Christ?

If the Holy Spirit is always pointing to Christ, should those who are in the Spirit seek their own glory, or the glory of Christ?

Does this lead me into a deeper understanding, reverence, and love for God in Jesus Christ, or does it exalt me, keep me doing what I want to do and have always done?

Does this teaching make me more like Christ or more like the world?

Know how your salvation rests upon the work of the Spirit

Have you been persuaded of your desperate need for salvation?

Have you come to understand the grace of God in Jesus Christ, saving you from sin and wrath?

Are you growing in grace?

This is the work of the Spirit in you.

Seek after the Spirit for growth in the Lord

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit - but walk in the Spirit

Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in reading the word

Pray that the Holy Spirit would draw you closer to God in Worship

Praise In the Spirit -

All theology ought to lead to doxology - what we think about God should always lead us to praise God.

Praise Him for His Holy Spirit