SESSION 5: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

Hello, and welcome back to Knowing What You Believe. This is session number five, and today we're going to be talking about the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Now, some of the things we're going to be talking about here in this session are going to be review, because we covered a little bit about the person of the Holy Spirit and His deity in our session on the nature of God. However, we're going to get a little deeper into our understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer. So let me start here today by putting an outline up on the screen so that you can see where we're going to be heading today. The Holy Spirit is a person, followed by the Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit gives us new birth. The Holy Spirit empowers believers. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus, and the Holy Spirit comes alongside. Let's start with that first section, shall we? The Holy Spirit is a person. Once again, some of the verses that we're going to be looking at here we dealt with in an earlier passage, but this is an important thing to review because there are people, even Christians, who struggle with the idea of the Holy Spirit as a person. You know, groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses outright deny His personhood altogether, and according to their teaching, the Holy Spirit is a force, a dynamic power that God uses to accomplish His purpose and His will. But as we're going to see in the scriptures, the Holy Spirit is given attributes. In other words, it speaks of the Holy Spirit using personal attributes. For example, in Acts chapter 5, we learn that the Holy Spirit can be lied to. In Ephesians 4.30, we find out that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. In Acts 15.28, we learn that the Holy Spirit leads believers in their decision-making. In John 16.8, we learn that the Holy Spirit brings conviction and an understanding of sin. And in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, we learn that the Holy Spirit searches things, especially the deep things of God. This is just a sampling of the verses in the Bible that speak of the Holy Spirit using personal attributes. But is the Holy Spirit also God? That's the next question that we're going to consider. For this, we're going to go back to a passage that we made reference to just a moment ago where Peter in Acts chapter 5 is confronting Ananias. I'm sure you remember the passage because Ananias and his wife lied about a piece of property that they purchased and how much they were actually giving to the church related to how much they got for the property. And here's what Peter said to Ananias. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? Now listen to this last part. You have not lied to man, but to God. So you can see there in the very beginning of that passage, Peter makes reference to the fact that Ananias had lied to the Holy Spirit and then says, listen, you didn't just lie to man, you lied to God. He connects that statement of lying to the Holy Spirit and then declares the Holy Spirit Himself to be God. Another evidence of the Holy Spirit's deity is the way He is repeatedly associated with the Father and the Son. Let me show you some examples. One is the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Go therefore, Jesus said, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And we've mentioned many times that that statement, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, means in the authority of. Jesus is saying, go in the authority of the Father. Go in the authority of the Son, and go in the authority of the Holy Spirit. You'll notice that Jesus not only mentions all three Persons of the Godhead, but He speaks of them in a co-equal way. Also, Peter's introduction in his first letter is quite interesting, because he also speaks of the three Persons of the Godhead, including the Holy Spirit, in a co-equal fashion. The passage goes like this, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect, exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ, and for sprinkling with His blood. Did you catch that? Did you see how Peter connected all three Persons of the Godhead to the role and work of ongoing salvation in the life of a believer? They are mentioned in a completely co-equal way. The next thing we're going to look at concerning the work of the Holy Spirit is, the Holy Spirit gives us new birth. And of course, this is emphasized in our Lord's conversation with Nicodemus, where He said these things. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. This is such an important passage where Jesus emphasizes the different kinds of birth that we go through. He says flesh gives birth to flesh, and of course, that's just another way of saying people give birth to other people. But He says in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, a person must be born of the Spirit. And of course, that means it's a work of the Spirit by which we are regenerated. Born again, if you will. And so we see that this work of the Spirit is absolutely essential for someone to be a Christian. Without it, they may call themselves a Christian, but they are a Christian in name only. They must be born again, and this work is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Now, Jesus hinted at this new birth when He was talking to His disciples. He told them to expect this new birth to take place. Here's how He did it, I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you, and look at this, this is important, and will be in you. I really want you to take notice of that statement, and will be in you. Jesus is telling the disciples that right now, in this time prior to the coming of the Spirit to indwell, the Holy Spirit was with them all. That's an important preposition. But then He uses another preposition to describe when the Holy Spirit comes in to save, and He says, and the Holy Spirit will be in you. Very important. So here's the natural question, when did the Holy Spirit come in so that the disciples would be born again? Well that took place on Resurrection Evening. Check out this passage. From John chapter 20, on the evening of that day, and that day refers to Resurrection Day, the day that Jesus came out of the tomb, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them, and said to them, Peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit." Isn't this a wonderful passage? This is the first time in human history when the Holy Spirit came in to dwell in human vessels. Prior to this, in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit did not come into people. The Holy Spirit was with people in the Old Testament, and the Holy Spirit even came upon people in unique situations where they prophesied and for service, but this is the first time that the Holy Spirit came in. Now that we are saved, the Holy Spirit does other works, and we're going to talk about those in the next sections. Next, the Holy Spirit empowers. Now we're talking about the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, and when we use that word empowering, we're talking about the Holy Spirit giving ability, spiritual ability that we wouldn't have otherwise, and there is a different preposition that's used when we're talking about empowering. It's recorded in Acts chapter 1. I'll show it to you here. But while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, You heard from me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. What I really want you to see in this passage that we've read in Acts chapter 1, that Jesus is talking now about a different work of the Holy Spirit, different from coming in and regenerating, which, by the way, only happens once in the life of a believer. When we put our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes in. But I want you to notice that here in Acts chapter 1, Jesus is talking about a different work of the Spirit whereby we are baptized. In fact, Jesus is the one who uses the phrase baptized with the Holy Spirit, and that means immersed into the Holy Spirit. Notice, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. Now, there's that different preposition. Remember that Jesus used the preposition in when he's talking about salvation, that work of the Spirit whereby we are born again. This is a different preposition and a different word in the Greek language as well. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power. And again, he's talking about spiritual empowerment to do spiritual works. We see this as a completely different work of the Holy Spirit. And then Jesus tells the disciples what that power is ultimately for when he says, and you will be my witnesses. Spiritual power to witness and to be a witness for Jesus Christ. It is a work to strengthen and empower us. And it is from this empowering work of the Holy Spirit that the gifts of the Holy Spirit begin to flow. We're going to take the next two works of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer together because they are revealed for us in the very same passage. The first one from John chapter 16, it says, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. And this is the next work of the Spirit that we're taking a look at here today. And that is the work of the Spirit to guide us. He guides us into all truth. And what's interesting about that Greek phrase, all truth, it means into all of the truth. All that is the truth will be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit. Well, what exactly does that mean? What that means is that the Holy Spirit is coming to reveal Jesus because he is the truth. He will glorify me for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. Therefore, I say that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. So you see in this one passage, we see these next really two works of the Holy Spirit. He comes to lead us into all truth and he comes to reveal Jesus. It is the heart of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus. He wants to talk about Jesus. He wants to talk about who Jesus is. He wants to talk about what Jesus has. And you know what's interesting about this is that when the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us, he is also at the same time revealing the Father. And the reason we say that is because Jesus said in this passage from John 16 that all that the Father has is mine. And we also read this in Hebrews chapter 1, that Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. So if the Holy Spirit is coming to reveal Jesus, who is the exact imprint of the radiance of the glory of God, then he is also going to be revealing the Father at the same time. Finally, we come to the last work. The Holy Spirit comes alongside. This is one of the most wonderful aspects and works of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. You know, on four different occasions, Jesus used a rather interesting term to describe the Holy Spirit. And while Bible translators have chosen different words over the years to render this Greek term, you need to know that it is the Greek word parakletos, or paraclete, and it means one who comes alongside, or if you will, one who is an advocate or an advisor. It's the same word that we've discovered in many ancient Greek documents that speaks of a legal advocate, a paraclete, if you will, an attorney, someone who speaks in your defense and gives you legal counsel. Well, this is a wonderful work of the Spirit in the lives of believers. And one of the occurrences where Jesus uses this term is, again, in John chapter 14. It says, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth. Now, this is the ESV's rendering of that word parakletos. They use the word helper, and frankly, it's the same word that you'll find in the New King James Bible and also the New American Standard Bible. The New NIV renders this verse this way. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. That's a pretty good rendering, and it's a slight improvement over the earlier 1984 revision of the NIV that said, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever. You know, counselor isn't a bad way to render paraklete, but today, modern audiences often think of a counselor like they would a psychologist or someone who's going to give you some kind of therapeutic services, and that really doesn't hit the mark of what the Holy Spirit does in our life. So the New NIV's phrase, another advocate, is actually quite good. But whatever word or phrase your English Bibles use to render that Greek word paraklete, you need to know that it is so much more than whatever words might be. there, it really carries a broad area of meaning. The Holy Spirit is our advisor. He is our encourager. He is our exhorter. He is our comforter. He is our counselor. He is our intercessor. This word covers all of these things. You know, there's so much more that we could say to you about the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christians. This session has not been intended to be completely exhaustive, because the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is so profound and so far-reaching. But what you can know is that the Bible is telling you that He is the one who stands beside you, and He will always stand beside you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. You can count on Him. In our next session, we will be looking into the Bible about water baptism—what it is and what it isn't. Until then, God bless you.