The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

± What does the Spirit do?

± What does the Spirit mean to me?

±Some important things:

±The Holy Spirit is not an “it”

±The Holy Spirit is not “the Force”

±The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force

±The Holy Spirit is the 3rd member of the Trinity.

±The Christian life is life in Christ through the Spirit—Everett Fergusson’s The Church of Christ: An Ecclesiology for Today functions around these lines.

±Introduction

±God’s work is given by the Father, won by Christ, and actualized by the Spirit

±“The Spirit is not a resource that we can use, but is no less than the sovereign God who claims us for himself along with the Father and the Son” Michael Horton, The Christian Faith, 557.

±“From the very beginning of creation we have an indication that the Holy Spirit’s work is to complete and sustain what God the Father has planned and what God the Son has begun” (Grudem, Systematic Theology, 635).

±“The Spirit is the effectual agent behind every word spoken by the Father in the Son” Michael Horton, The Christian Faith, 551). “To the Spirit particularly is attributed the dignity of transforming created space into covenantal place: a home for communion between Creator and creatures (Ibid., 552).

±“The presence of the Spirit always signals the arrival of God’s kingdom in judgment and salvation” Michael Horton, The Christian Faith, 553.

±“The Spirit is an extrovert, always going forth on missions with his Word, creating an extroverted community who can at last look up to God in faith and out to the world in love, witness, and service.” Michael Horton, The Christian Faith, 558.

±Specifics

±Work of the Spirit

±Active in creation and new creation—; , ; .

±Seal of Divine guarantee—; ;

±Gives life—; ; ; ;

±The incarnation and resurrection—, ;

±Modern Miracles?

°The miraculous “measure” of the Spirit in the NT came only by the baptism of the Spirit (, ) or by the laying of apostles’ hands ().

±The baptism of the Spirit only happened twice and there is only one baptism now (). Therefore, we should not look for miracles through the baptism of the Spirit.

±There are no apostles today. No one can meet the qualifications (). Therefore, apostles can not lay their hands on anyone today.

°Since there is no way for miraculous gifts to be given since the apostolic period, there can be no miracles after the last associate of the apostles died.

±How does the Spirit work on/in us?

±We pray for God to work providentially.

±“I know not how the Spirit moves convicting men of sin”

±We can know that the Spirit works through the Word.

°The Scriptures are the sword of the Spirit--

°The Spirit brought about the Scriptures—; ;

°We are “led by the Spirit” () as we submit to God’s Word.

±Empower

±Empower (not directly enable)—; ; Jud. 3:10

±Enlighten (not directly inform)—

±How?

°Miraculous?

°Through the Word?

°Indirectly?

±“In general, we can say that the Holy Spirit speaks through the gospel message as it is effectively proclaimed to people’s hearts” (Grudem, 638).

±Intercession

±—The Spirit makes intercession with sighs too deep for words

±, “access in one Spirit to the Father”

±Unity from the Spirit’s Presence

±;—maintain the unity of the Spirit

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