Systematic Theology: Lesson 15 - The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

 

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Pneumatology - Lesson 15

Systematic Theology draws together all of the pertinent information about the subjects that are addressed in the Bible. Having studied what the Bible has to say about itself (Bibliology), the existence and works of God (Theology Proper), and the person and works Jesus (Christology); we now turn our attention to the study of the person and works of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology).

The neglect of this study always leads to the detriment of the church. On the other hand, a proper attention to a study of the Holy Spirit—as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures—has always yielded abundant blessing.

Important as is our subject, and prominent as is the place given to it in the Holy Writ, it seems that it has always met with a considerable amount of neglect and perversion. Thomas Goodwin commenced his massive work on The Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Salvation (1660) by affirming, “There is a general omission in the saints of God, in their not giving the Holy Spirit that glory that is due to His Person and for His great work of salvation in us, insomuch that we have in our hearts almost forgotten this Third Person.” If that could be said in the midst of the balmy days of the Puritans, what language would be required to set forth the awful spiritual ignorance and impotency of this benighted 20^th century![1]

The first part of this lesson will introduce the personhood and deity of the Spirit. This is a doctrine that is constantly under attack, especially by the cults. The second part of this lesson will examine some of the works of the Holy Spirit. We need to pay close attention to all that the Scripture says in this regard, because there are many false doctrines about the Spirit that are circulating through the churches in our day.[2]

 

 

I.            THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

a.   Traits of Personality[3]

                                      i.    Intellect

1.   1 Cor 2:10-11 – He searches and knows the deep things of God.

2.   Isa 11:2 – He is called the “Spirit of Knowledge.”

3.   Rom 8:27 – He makes intercession

4.   John 14:17 – He is called the “Spirit of Truth.”

                                    ii.    Emotion

1.   Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30 – He can be grieved

2.   Rom 15:30 – Love comes from the Spirit

3.   1 Thess 1:6 - He experiences joy

4.   Heb 10:29 – He can be insulted

                                   iii.    Will

1.   1 Cor 12:11 – He sovereignly wills who should receive the spiritual gifts.

2.   Acts 16:6-7 – He did not will for Paul to go into Asia and Bithynia.

3.   Acts 13:2 – He commanded Barnabas and Saul to be set apart for the work to which He had called them.

                                   iv.    Action

1.   Gen 1:2 – hovering over the waters

2.   John 14:26; 16:13; Luke 12:12 – teaching

3.   John 15:26 – testifying, proceeding

4.   Rom 8:26 – interceding

5.   John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7 – comforts, encourages (παρακλετος [paracletos] is ‘one who comes alongside’)

6.   John 16:8 – convicts, reproves

7.   Acts 2:18, 32 – poured out[4]

8.   1 Cor 2:10 – searches

9.   2 Sam 23:2; Ezek 11:5; Acts 8:29; 10:19; 13:2 – He speaks

                                     v.    Personal Object

1.   Acts 8:29-30; 10:19-21; 13:2-3 – He is obeyed

2.   Isa 63:10 – He is rebelled against and grieved

3.   Acts 5:3 – He is lied to

4.   Acts 7:51 – He is resisted

5.   Eph 4:30 – He is grieved

6.   Matt 12:31 – He is blasphemed

7.   Heb 10:29 – He is insulted

b.   The Masculine Pronoun

                                      i.    The basic rule of Greek nouns: a noun has one of three genders. It can be masculine, feminine, or neuter. The article must take the same gender as the noun. Thus, το πνευμα (to pneuma), ‘the Spirit.’

                                    ii.    The basic rule of Greek pronouns: the pronoun must take the same gender as the noun it is representing. Thus, το πνευμα (to pneuma) should take a neuter pronoun.

                                   iii.    This is NOT what happens with the Holy Spirit.

1.   John 15:26 – “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, HE will testify of Me.” ‘He’ (εκεινος [ekeinos]) is a masculine demonstrative pronoun.

2.   John 16:7-8 – “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, HE will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” ‘He’ (εκεινος [ekeinos]) is a masculine demonstrative pronoun. John 16:13-14 also uses this masculine demonstrative pronoun two more times.

3.   Eph 1:13-14 – In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, WHO is the guarantee of our inheritance… ‘Who’ (ος [hos]) is a masculine relative pronoun.

c.   Deity

                                      i.    The Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:11; 6:11)

                                    ii.    The Spirit of your Father (Matt 10:20)

                                   iii.    The Spirit of the Living God (2 Cor 3:3)

                                   iv.    The Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9; 1 Pet 1:11)

                                     v.    The Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7)

                                   vi.    The Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:19)

                                 vii.    The Spirit of His Son (Gal 4:6)

                                viii.    The Spirit of the Lord (Acts 5:9; 8:39)

                                   ix.    The Spirit of Adoption (Rom 8:15)

                                     x.    ANOTHER Comforter (John 14:16)

1.   There are two Greek words that mean ‘another.’ Αλλος (allos) means ‘another of the same kind.’ Ετερος (heteros) means ‘another of a different kind.’ Jesus says that the Holy Spirit is another (αλλος [allos]) Comforter or Helper. He is of the same kind as Jesus.

                                   xi.    The Divine Attributes

1.   Holy (Psa 51:11; Luke 11:13; Rom 1:4; 5:5; Eph 4:30)

2.   Eternal (Heb 9:14)

3.   Glory (1 Pet 4:14)

4.   Life (Rom 8:2)

5.   Truth (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6)

6.   Grace (Heb 10:29)

7.   Wisdom (Exod 28:3; Isa 11:2; Eph 1:17)

8.   Knowledge (Isa 11:2; 1 Cor 2:10-11; John 14:26; 16:12-13)

9.   Understanding (Isa 11:2)

10.  Omnipotence (Luke 1:35, 37; Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 12:11)

11.  Omnipresence (Psa 139:7)

                                 xii.    The Divine Actions

1.   Creation (Gen 1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4; Psa 33:6; 104:30)

2.   Preservation (Job 32:8; 34:14-15)

3.   Regeneration (2 Sam 23:2-3; John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor 2:12-13; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21)

4.   Sanctification (2 Thess 2:13)[5]

5.   Resurrection (Rom 8:10-11)

6.   Encouraging (John 14:16)

7.   Divine Intercession (Rom 8:26)

                                xiii.    The Divine Name[6]

1.   Called Yahweh

a.   Isa 6:9-10 with Acts 28:25-27

b.   Jer 31:31-34 with Heb 10:15-17

c.    Exod 17:7; Psa 95:7-11 with Heb 3:7-11

2.   Called God

a.   2 Sam 23:2-3

b.   Matt 12:31-32

c.    Acts 5:3-4, 9

3.   Called Lord

a.   2 Cor 3:18

4.   Equal with the Father and the Son

a.   Isa 48:12-16

b.   Matt 28:19-20

c.    2 Cor 13:14

5.   Divine Procession (Spiration)

a.   John 15:26

b.   John 20:20

c.    Psa 104:30

d.   1 Cor 2:11-12

e.    Gal 4:6

f.     Rom 8:9

g.    John 16:7

“By all these testimonies we have fully confirmed what was designed to be proved by them, namely, that the Holy Spirit is not a quality, as some speak, residing in the Divine nature; not a mere emanation of virtue and power from God; not the acting of the power of God in and unto our sanctification, but a holy, intelligent subsistent, or Person.”[7]

 

II.          THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“We may define the work of the Holy Spirit as follows: The work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the active presence of God in the world, and especially in the church. This definition indicates that the Holy Spirit is the member of the Trinity whom the Scripture most often represents as being present to do God’s work in the world. Although this is true to some extent throughout the Bible, it is particularly true in the new covenant age. In the Old Testament, the presence of God was many times manifested in the glory of God and in theophanies, and in the gospels Jesus himself manifested the presence of God among men. But after Jesus ascended into heaven, and continuing through the entire church age, the Holy Spirit is now the primary manifestation of the presence of the Trinity among us.”[8]

a.   Creation (Gen 1:2; Psa 33:6; Psa 104:29-30; Isa 40:12-14; Job 26:13; Job 33:4)

b.   Revelation (2 Sam 23:2; Jer 31:31-34 (with Heb 10:15-17); Ezek 2:2; 8:3; 11:1, 24; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Heb 3:7, 9:6-8; 1 Pet 1:10-12; 2 Pet 1:20-21)

c.   Inspiration (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21)

d.   Indwelling/Filling

                                      i.    Old Testament – Gen 41:38; Exod 28:3; 31:3; 35:30-35; Num 11:17, 25; 27:18; Judg 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Sam 10:9-10; 16:13; Dan 4:8; 5:11-14; 6:3

1.   Apparently given without respect to prior spiritual condition (Num 24:1-2; Judg 16:1; 1 Sam 10:9-10; 19:20-24)

2.   It was a gifting for service (Exod 31:3-5; 35:30-35)

3.   It could be temporary (1 Sam 16:13-15; Psa 51:11)

                                    ii.    New Testament – Luke 11:13; John 7:38-39; 14:16-17; Acts 1:11; Rom 5:5; 8:9; 1 Cor 2:12; 6:19-20; 12:13; 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; Gal 5:16; Eph 1:14; 4:30; Jude 19

1.   Fuller and universal among believers (Rom 8:9; Eph 1:13)

2.   Permanent (John 14:16)

3.   The Spirit is the ‘earnest’ or ‘downpayment’ (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:14)[9]

4.   “In” and no longer just “With” (John 14:17)

e.   Restraining of Sin (Gen 6:3; Isa 63:9-10; Psa 51:10-11; 143:10; Neh 9:20; Isa 32:15-17; Ezek 36:22-32, esp v. 27; Zech 12:10; 2 Thess 2:6-7)

f.    Enablement of Service

                                      i.    To Rule (Gen 41:38-40 [Joseph]; Num 11:16-17 [Moses and the Elders]; Num 27:18 [Joshua]; Judg 3:10 [Othniel]; 6:33-35 [Gideon]; 11:29 [Jephthah]; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14 [Samson]; 1 Sam 10:6, 9-10 [Saul]; 16:13-15 [David]; Isa 11:1-10; 42:1-4; 61:1-6 [Messiah])

                                    ii.    To Prophesy (1 Sam 10:10 [Saul]; Mic 3:8)

                                   iii.    To Exert Superhuman Physical Strength (Judg 13:25; 14:5, 6, 19; 15:14-15 [Samson])

                                   iv.    To Perform Skillful Work (Exod 31:2-11; 35:30-36:1 [Bezalel and Aholiab])

g.   In the Life of Christ on Earth (Isa 11:2-3; 61:1-2 [with Luke 4:17-21]; Matt 1:18, 20, 21; 3:16; 10:19-20; 12:18-21, 28; Luke 1:15; 4:1; 14-15, 17-21; 10:21; John 3:34; 6:27; 16:13-14; Acts 10:38; Rom 1:4; 8:11; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:10-12; 3:18)

h.   Regeneration (John 3:5-6; 2 Cor 3:6; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3)

i.    Sanctification (Rom 8:5-9; 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; 2 Cor 3:18; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2)

j.    Fills the Believer[10] (Acts 2:4; 4:8 [Peter]; 4:31; 6:3 [the deacons]; 7:55 [Stephen]; 9:17 [Paul]; 13:9 [Paul]; 11:24 [Barnabas]; 13:52 [Antiochan Disciples]; Gal 5:16-20; Eph 5:18)

k.   Gives Assurance (Rom 8:16; Gal 4:6; 1 John 3:24; 4:13)

l.    Gives Guidance (Rom 8:14)

m. Gives Common Grace (Job 34:14-15; Psa 104:29-30; Acts 17:24-25, 28)[11]

n.   Gives Saving Grace (1 Cor 2:14; 6:11; 2 Cor 3:6, 18; Tit 3:5)[12]

o.   Gives Gifts to Believers (Rom 12:4-8; 1 Cor 12:1-11; 14:1-5)

 

It is my hope that this brief introduction to the work of the Holy Spirit sparks a life-long endeavor to know the power of the Holy Spirit deeply, truly, and experientially. May our Lord give us to be constantly filled with His Spirit, so that we will bear much fruit to His glory.

 

 

IN CONCLUSION, the Bible identifies the Holy Spirit as a distinct person of the Trinity who actively works in the world and the believer. Since there is much contention about spiritual gifts (especially the miraculous) in our day, the next lesson will focus on the gifts that the Holy Spirit gave/gives to the church.

 

“May it please the Eternal Spirit to add His blessings to the above, apply the same to our hearts, and make His adorable Person more real and precious to each of us. Amen.”[13]

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[1] A. W. Pink, The Holy Spirit, 8.

[2] “Many people have labeled the twentieth century as the century of the Holy Spirit. The rise and spread of Pentecostalism with its major emphasis on the ministries of the Spirit and the blossoming of dispensationalism’s emphasis on works of the Spirit are distinctive to this age. [Also] the century’s concern for the evangelization of the world highlighted a need to know the power of the Spirit to accomplish this. Though this attention on the work of the Spirit has been a good thing, it has not always been scripturally guided; thus there exists an even greater need today for careful attention to the biblical teaching on this subject.” Ryrie, Basic Theology, 343.

[3] “Denial that the Spirit is a Person often takes the form of substituting the concept that He is a personification of, say, power—much like claiming that Satan is a personification of evil. This denial of His personality has occurred throughout church history, first by the Monarchians, the Arians, the Socinians and today by Unitarians, liberals, and some neoorthodox theologians.” Ryrie, Ibid. See lesson 12 for more information about some of these groups.

[4] “How could such terms [poured out and shed abroad] be used of a Person? Very easily: that language is figurative…The figure is easily interpreted: as water ‘poured out’ descends, so the Spirit has come from Heaven to earth; as a ‘pouring’ rain is a heavy one, so the Spirit is freely given in the plentitude of His gifts.” Pink, Ibid, 12.

[5] “The Third Person of the Holy Trinity agreed to sanctify the objects of the Father’s eternal choice, and of the Son’s redemptive satisfaction. The Spirit’s work of sanctification was just as needful, yea, as indispensable for the church’s salvation, as was the obedience and blood-shedding of Christ.” Pink, Ibid, 24.

[6] “Each name or title that God has appropriated unto Himself is that whereby He reveals Himself unto us, and whereby He would have us know and own Him. Therefore whatever any name of God expresses Him to be, that He is, for He will not deceive us by giving Himself a wrong or false name. On this account He requires us to trust in His Name, because He will assuredly be found unto us all that His Name imports.” Pink, Ibid, 19.

[7] John Owen, The Holy Spirit, 44.

[8] Grudem, Systematic Theology, 635. Emphasis in original.

[9] “Because the Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity through whom God particularly manifests his presence in the new covenant age, it is appropriate that Paul should call the Holy Spirit the ‘first fruits’ (Rom 8:23) and the “guarantee” (or ‘down payment,’ 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5) of the full manifestation of God’s presence that we will know in the new heavens and the new earth (cf. Rev 21:3-4).” Grudem, Ibid, 635.

 

[10] Being filled with the Spirit is different than being indwelt by the Spirit, although the indwelling gives rise to the filling. The filling of the Holy Spirit can be defined as “the ministry of the Holy Spirit in which He predominately, and through and in accordance with the Word of God, has the controlling influence over the believer in every facet of his/her being and activity” Mook, TH 606 Theology II (TMS), Unpublished Class Notes, 452. He has a note after this definition: “This controlling influence is not robot-like or puppet-like control. Even a drunken person exercises his/her will. The controlling influence is also not total eradication of sin, but a dominating influence to resist sin and serve the Lord.”

[11] “By His general [grace] He originates, maintains, strengthens, and guides all life, organic, intellectual, and moral. He does this in different ways and in harmony with the objects concerned.” Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 358.

[12] “In the redemptive sphere He also originates the new life, fructifies it, guides it in its development, and leads it to its destiny.” Berkhof, Ibid.

[13] Pink, Ibid, 14.