The Holy Spirit
Probably the most common mistake a layman makes in referring to the Holy Spirit is to say “It.” The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and as such should always be spoken of as “He” or “Him.”
Because there is a deep mystery with reference to the triune God it is natural to ask: “How can God be three distinct persons and yet one God?” This side of eternity this question can never be completely answered. The finite mind is capable of grasping only aspects of spiritual truths which some day shall be plain.
Only as we study the Bible do we learn something of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. One of the simplest examples of his work is found in the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. Our Lord’s public ministry extended over a period of only three years. During that time he taught, preached and healed. His activities were all within a very limited geographical area and the work for which he came was centered primarily in the Cross of Calvary and his resurrection from the dead. It was only after these climatic events that the Gospel message was complete.
When Christ ascended to heaven the great redemptive act was complete, but the world did know the good news. From that point the Holy Spirit took over, working in and through men who had open minds and willing hearts and these men became flaming evangels to proclaim and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whereas our Lord’s work on this earth was geographically circumscribed, the work of the Holy Spirit is world-wide, taking of the things of Christ and making them clear to those anywhere who will hear and accept.
The fact of the Trinity is affirmed by our Lord in his command to go and make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
The necessity of his presence is also affirmed by our Lord in these words: “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.… And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
It is the Holy Spirit who testifies to the hearts of men, telling them of Christ and his redemptive work. Christ said: “When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”
Aside from the presence and power of the Holy Spirit the Gospel message is ineffective; in fact, it is utter foolishness to the unregenerate mind. Paul tells us: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The Holy Spirit takes the things of God and makes them plain to our hearts and minds.
In a very real sense the Holy Spirit gives us life—spiritual life. In his conversation with Nicodemus our Lord stated the absolute necessity of the new birth if man is to see the Kingdom of God. He made it plain that this is a spiritual birth and that it is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart.
It is through the presence of the Holy Spirit that we come to understand the Bible. We are told that the Scriptures are the work of men guided by the Holy Spirit. We read: “No prophecy in Scripture is to be interpreted by one’s own mind, for no prophecy has ever yet originated in man’s will, but men who were led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20, 21).
For that reason we all are wise if we ask the Holy Spirit to make the Bible plain to us as we read. At the same time we should ask him to give us the wills to obey that which he reveals as his will for us.
Another work of the Holy Spirit is to help us to pray. How often we have yearned for guidance in prayer! The Holy Spirit does just that. In Romans 8:26 we find: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Facing prayer with eyes focused on the immediate, we find that it is the Holy Spirit who changes our outlook to the ultimate and helps us to see time in the light of eternity and our present problems in the light of God’s overall plan.
The Holy Spirit is the sole source of power for the Christian. The early disciples had lived with our Lord for three years. They had heard him talk, seen his miracles, experienced the impact of his marvellous personality. They had seen him die, and later had seen him alive—touched him and eaten with him and talked with him and then seen him ascend into heaven out of their sight. If people were ever trained and ready to go out to witness as Christians these men would seem to have been the ones. But our Lord knew that the knowledge they had must be energized by divine power, and he commanded them to wait in Jerusalem: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me.…”
And that is what happened. They waited and the Holy Spirit came, and ignorant and unlearned fishermen went out and turned the world upside down.
The tragedy of our time is powerless Christians, in the pulpit and in the pew—men and women who have an intellectual knowledge of Christ, who know the techniques of church programs and work, who are willing to give of time and money, but who are totally without the power of the Spirit of the living God. Trying to do the work of the Spirit in the arm of flesh is one of man’s supreme follies. And, it has set back the work of God’s Kingdom in every generation.
We all would be wise to take the Scriptures and make an intensive study of every reference to the Holy Spirit. Before long a glorious pattern of divine wisdom would begin to unfold and we ourselves would stand naked in the light of his pure Spirit.
How can we have his work in our lives, his power in our work, his wisdom in our perplexities? Our Lord gives us the answer:
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
To become effective Christians we must recognize the vital place and work of the Holy Spirit. We recognize our heavenly Father and turn to him in prayer and adoration. We trust in Christ as the Son of God and as our Savior and Lord. But how few of us recognize the Holy Spirit as the enlightening, teaching and energizing One who prepares our hearts, takes the things of Christ and makes them real to us, and who lives in us to make our faith real and effective!
A Spirit-filled Christian should be the rule, not the exception.
L. NELSON BELL
