THE SPIRIT IN THE PAULINE

LETTERS

Spirit of Sonship in believers

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Romans 8:14-17

The reception of the Spirit by the believers is a proof that

they had received the “adoption as sons” and by the same Spirit we call out to God

Abba, Father.

The reason why God sent the Spirit of His Son to us because we are sons. Paul means that the Spirit within a believer testifies that he is indeed a son causing him to address God as Father.

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son,

born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the

law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into

your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an

heir of God through Christ.

Galatians 4:4-7

According to Gordon Fee:

1. A statement about time (v. 4a) 2. A Soteriological-Christological

statement (vv. 4b-5)3. A pneumatological statement (v. 6)4. A summarizing word (v. 7)

Soteriological aspect of Paul’s teaching on

the Spirit

9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God

lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of

Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Romans 8:9

The Spirit and the proclamation of the

Gospel

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom

teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things

with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of

the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are

spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14

4 And my speech and my preaching were not with

persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5

that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the

power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5

The Spirit and Faith

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you

so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Galatians 3:2-3

The Spirit is thus both the cause and

effect of faith.

The Spirit and conversion

For the Apostle Paul, the crucial role of the Spirit in conversion

involves what God has done in the life of a believer and also in describing what has happened in his life.

11 And that is what some of you were. But you were

washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by

the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

Considering all the metaphors, one will

conclude that the work of the Spirit in an

individual is too multi-faceted that all are

needed to completely explain what has been

done.

Charismatic utterances and

acts

Paul claims that he and other believers performed signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit. For Paul, the Holy Spirit is the dispenser of spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church.

1. Prophecy2. Teaching3. Exhorting4. Giving5. Leadership6. Mercy

Classification of Gifts in Romans 12

Classification of Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12

Gifts of Revelation Gifts of Power Gifts of Inspiration

1. Word of Wisdom

2. Word of Knowledge

3. Discerning of spirit

1. Gift of Faith2. Working of

Miracles3. Gifts of

Healing

1. Prophecy2. Speaking in

tongues3. Interpretation

of tongues

1. Apostle2. Prophet3. Evangelist4. Pastor5. Teacher

Classification of Gifts in Ephesians 4:11

According to Erickson:

1. The gifts are bestowed on the body (the church). They are for the edification of the whole body, not merely for the enjoyment or enrichment of the individual members possessing them (1 Co. 12:7; 14:5, 12).

2. No one person has all the gifts (1 Co. 12:14-21), nor is any one of the gifts bestowed on all persons (12:28-30). Consequently, the individual members of the church need each other.

3. Although not equally conspicuous, all gifts are important (1 Co. 12:22-26).

4. The Holy Spirit apportions the various gifts to whom and as he wills (1 Co. 12:11).

The body of Christ was in a way divided into two opinions:

1. Pentecostals and Charismatics- Believes in the gifts today

2. Evangelical and mainline denominations- Gifts ceased

Gordon Fee said:“in the present we should pursue

love, because that alone is both for now and forever (13:13); but that also means that in the already we

should eagerly desire manifestations of the Spirit so as to

build up the community.”

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!