THE HOLY SPIRIT'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE BELIEVER

Friend L. Wells

A. Who is the Holy Spirit?

1. He is God (Acts 5:3-4)
2. He is the Third Person of the Trinity (2 Corinthians 13:13-14, Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; 1 Cor 12:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 3:18, etc.)

B. Why did He come?

1. To glorify Christ (John 16:14)
2. To enable us to know Christ (John 3:1-8)
3. To lead us into truth (John 16:13)
4. To bear fruit in us (Galatians 5:22-23)
5. To give us power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8)

C. The work of the Spirit at salvation

1. He regenerates. It is through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that a person is born again (Jn 3:3-8), for it is the Spirit who gives life (Jn 6:63). Paul calls this the "renewing by the Holy Spirit". (Titus 3:5)

2. He indwells.(Romans 8:9, I Cor. 3:16; 6:19; II Tim.1:14)

Persons indwelt- EVERY believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at all times.

a.  Anyone without the Spirit is unsaved. (Romans 8:9, Jude 19)

b.  The Spirit is received as a GIFT, not as a reward for personal righteousness. (Jn. 7:37-39; Rom. 5:5; I Cor. 2:12)

Permanency of the indwelling- After Pentecost, and the introduction of the gift of the Holy Spirit to some special groups in the book of Acts, every true believer is permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit. (Jn. 14:16; Eph. 1:13,14)

3. He baptizes. (I Corinthians 12: 13)

a. Meaning: The "baptism of the Holy Spirit" is the work of the Spirit which identifies every believer since Pentecost with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3,4; Col. 2:12) and places them into the "body of Christ" (I Cor.12:13). The "baptism of the Spirit" occurs once in the life of every believer at the moment they place their faith in Christ.

b. Characteristics of Spirit baptism: All believers since the introduction of the Holy Spirit into the world (recorded in the book of Acts) are "baptized by the Spirit".  (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:4-6; Rom. 6:1-4)

The baptism of the Spirit occurs only once. (I Cor.12:13)

The baptism of the Spirit occurs at the time of conversion.(I Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9)

c. Contrast between the baptism and the filling of the Spirit

Baptism: Occurs only once at the moment of conversion. Believers are never commanded to be baptized by (or in) the Holy Spirit.

Filling: Can occur later in the life of believers. It can happen repeatedly. We are commanded to "be filled with the Spirit". (Eph. 5:18. cf. Acts 7:55)

d. Contrast between Spirit baptism and water baptism: Spirit baptism happens to every believer at the moment they place their faith in Christ. It is an internal spiritual change which a person must undergo to be saved.

Water baptism is an outward symbol of the internal spiritual change which occurred through Spirit baptism. Although water baptism is a step of obedience to God, it is not a requirement for salvation that one be baptized with water. If a person has placed his trust in Christ for salvation but has not been baptized with water, he is still saved. (Acts 16:31,33; I Cor, 1:17)

4. He seals. God seals the believer with the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 1:13,14;4:30; II Cor. 1:22). Sealing speaks of several things: security, ownership and a guarantee. These works occur simultaneously at the moment of salvation.

D. The continuing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer

1. He fills. (Eph. 5:18)

2. He guides.(Jn. 16:13)

3. He empowers. (Acts 1:8)

4. He teaches. (Jn. 16:15)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bright,Wm. The Holy Spirit. Here's Life Publishers, 1980.

2. Stott,John R.W. Baptism and Fullness. Inter Varsity Press, 1975.

3. Thiessen, Henry C., Lectures in Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986.