The Holy Spirit - The Creator and Sustainer

Intro

My Favorite Illustrations The Bible and Science

Although the Bible contains no proven scientific error, it is not a science textbook. The Bible is a book of religion. Science is concerned with what; the Bible is concerned with Who.

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Creation, Complexity Of

Dr. Carl Sagan, a famous astronomer and author who professes to have no belief in God or the Bible, has nevertheless recognized the complexity of the design of creation. In his book The Dragons of Eden (New York: Ballantine, 1978) he describes the complexity of a chromosome:

A single human chromosome contains twenty billion bits of information. How much information is twenty billion bits? What would be its equivalent, if it were written down in an ordinary printed book in modern human language? Twenty billion bits are the equivalent of about three billion letters. If there are approximately six letters in an average word, the information content of a human chromosome corresponds to about five hundred million words. If there are about three hundred words on an ordinary page of printed type, this corresponds to about two million pages. If a typical book contains five hundred such pages, the information content of a single human chromosome corresponds to some four thousand volumes. It is clear, then, that the chromosome contains an enormous library of information. It is equally clear that so rich a library is required to specify as exquisitely constructed and intricately functioning an object as a human being.263

N.1 - Cooperation and Creation

There are clouds of doubts and confusing theories concerning creation today. But if we will let the Holy Spirit blow them away, we will see that chapter 1 is a glorious revelation of God. He is the God who speaks, who acts, who makes judgments concerning His creation (it was all very good), who makes provision for His creation, who continues to act on its behalf.

Read Psalms 33:4–6 and Psalm 104:30, Job 33:4. Which statements are true?

(a) In the book of Psalms, God’s Spirit is never actually named in connection with creation.

(b) Both Job and Psalms refer to the Spirit as the breath of God in connection with creation (true)

(c) The Hebrew word for spirit is sometimes rightly translated “breath.” (true)

N.2 - The Hovering Spirit

Some writers find parallels here between the Spirit’s work in creation and the Spirit’s inspiration and help given to the skilled craftsmen who beautified the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 31:2–3 and Exodus 35:30–35, 1 Chronicles 28:11– 12). David even had the pattern of the temple by the Spirit.

The Bible does not explain what the Holy Spirit’s work was in Genesis 1:2. But which of these conclusions may we draw?

(a) The Spirit’s work was probably preparatory for the six creation days that followed. (true)

(b) The Spirit’s work was to bring order out of chaos.

(c) Since the word moved or hovered is a participle in the Hebrew indicating continuous action, it may be that the Bible intends for us to take it as continuing on into the six creation days. (true)

(d) Since the verb is active, we can understand the Spirit was dynamic and was more than a spectator in creation. (true)

N.3 - The Creation of Man

3A. The Breath of life

In Genesis 2:7 the word life is plural because it comes from a full-flowing source, the breath of God, the Spirit of God. The Spirit, of course, did in creation impart both spiritual and physical life. This is seen by the fellowship Adam and Eve enjoyed with God in the cool of the day. It is shown, also, by the kind of death that took place when Adam sinned. Death means separation. Adam didn’t die physically right away, but he died spiritually. That fellowship was broken.

In view of the passages which speak of the Holy Spirit as the breath of God in creation, how should we interpret the breath of God? How does Elihu understand it in Job 33:4?

Answer: As the Holy Spirit. Elihu understood it in the same way.

3B. Man’s own spirit

Some cults today teach people to say, “I am God. I am Jesus Christ.” They do not intend this to be blasphemous. Some say these things believing God is everything and everything is God. That is, they really make God identical with His creation. Actually, if we are honest, we know we are not God.

Read Deuteronomy 2:30, and answer these questions.

(a)What can God do to one’s spirit?

Answer: God can harden one’s spirit so it will be confirmed or made obstinate in its opposition to Him.

(b) What does that tell you about the theory that a person’s spirit is a bit of God in him or her?

Answer: How could God’s Spirit ever be hardened against God? God does not go contrary to His own nature.

3C. The desperate need for a new life

Actually, the results of the Fall were both severe and serious, not only in the realm of the spirit, but in all of human life and activity. God did not abandon people in the sense of taking away their spirit or destroying His image in them. But humanity is dead spiritually and is therefore unable to please God or carry out His purposes.

What is necessary? See Hebrews 11:6, John 3:3, John 6:63, 2 Corinthians 3:6, and Ephesians 2:8.

Answer: A new birth, a new creation, a salvation by grace through faith—all accomplished by the Spirit who gives life.

N.4 - The Spirit Renewing and Sustaining

4A. The Holy Spirit is active after fall

In this work the Spirit cooperates with the Son, in whom “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). God has established certain physical and moral principles for life in His world. If we want everything to “hold together” for us in good relationships and our own well-being, we must follow these principles. His Spirit is in the world to show us the way of life, judging our actions, correcting us, renewing and sustaining those who accept His help.

Do you know of any cases in modern times where the work of the Holy Spirit has had a restraining effect on evil?

If you have seen or heard about some situation where the evil around has felt the effect of the gospel, tellabout it. If you can think of nothing, turn to Acts 19:1, 23–27, and tell what happened at Ephesus.

Answer: In Ephesus people turned away from their magic arts (witchcraft) and idolatry in great numbers. The idol makers stirred up a riot against the evangelists.

4B. A new beginning needed

Part of the lesson of the Flood seems to be that God destroyed sin and evil from the earth and gave humankind a new beginning, but this did not solve the problem. By the time of the tower of Babel, humankind was back in the same sinful, rebellious condition. In fact, Ham, Noah’s son (and apparently Canaan), showed the same immoral attitudes that were common before the Flood. God therefore stopped dealing with the human race as a whole and began to deal with one man, a man of faith (Abraham), giving him a promise that would be fulfilled in Christ. Later, God gave the Law as an outward sphere within which people should conduct their lives. (See Romans 10:5–6, Leviticus 18:5, and Nehemiah 9:29.) But the Law only made it evident that people could not please God by their own efforts or good works.

Read Matthew 13:24–30. Why doesn’t God want us to use destructive methods to punish or to get rid of rebellious, sinful humankind?

Answer: We can’t know who God is ready to destroy and which ones He may lead to repentance. We would also hurt good people along with the bad. Such methods have never done any permanent good.

Questions

1: False

2: False

3: True

4: True

5: False

6: False

7: True

8: True

9: A