the spirit of god. 1. the spirit of truth 2. the spirit of holiness 3. the spirit of life 4. the...

The Spirit of The Spirit of GodGod

The Spirit of The Spirit of GodGod

1.1. The Spirit of TruthThe Spirit of Truth

2.2. The Spirit of HolinessThe Spirit of Holiness

3.3. The Spirit of LifeThe Spirit of Life

4.4. The Spirit of GraceThe Spirit of Grace

5.5. The Fellowship of the Holy SpiritThe Fellowship of the Holy Spirit

THE SPIRIT OF GOD:THE SPIRIT OF GOD:•The power of Almighty GodThe power of Almighty God•From Genesis to RevelationFrom Genesis to Revelation•Rich and varied languageRich and varied language

Aims

• Why has the subject proved to be so difficult?

• How is the Spirit described and manifested in scripture?

• What is the significance of the term ‘Holy’ Spirit?

• How can we speak with confidence about God’s Spirit today?

To deepen our DEVOTION to the FATHER and the

SON

Examples of uses of the word ‘spirit’

• the Spirit of God

• evil spirits and phantoms

• The life-giving principle

• the seat of action or feeling

• temperament and disposition

• the spirit or true meaning of something

• distilled alcoholic liquor

Context

Metaphor:

Hebrew rûach

Greek pneuma wind /

Latin spiritus breath

North European geist (ghost)

rûach in Ezekiel 37:

• The Spirit of the LORD

• The breath of life

• the wind

• the four points of the compass

God in action

the angel of the Lord

the glory of God

the name of the Lord

arm

hand

finger

Matthew 12.27-28:

‘... If I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 11.19-20:

Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Jesus antwortete: Wahrlich,

wahrlich ich sage dir: Es sei denn

daß jemand geboren werde

aus Wasser und Geist, so kann er

nicht in das Reich Gottes kommen. Was vom Fleisch

geboren wird, das ist Fleisch; und was vom Geist

geboren wird, das ist Geist.

John 3.5-6

John 3.6

Current editions of KJV:That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit

1611 KJV:... That which is born of the spirit is spirit

NIV:... but the Spirit

* gives birth to spirit.

*Or but spirit

Be still and know that I am God

I am the Lord that healeth thee

In thee, O Lord, I put my trustPraise the Lord 11

• The Authority of Scripture

• The ‘Personality’ of the Holy Spirit

• Holy Spirit Gifts

• The Authority of Scripture

• The ‘Personality’ of the Holy Spirit

• Holy Spirit Gifts

‘... The testimony of God came by the Holy Spirit, by which God testified in his prophets and, in these last days, spoke through his Son. Hence the effects of the word believed are attributed to the Spirit; and because the word sets men to breathing in God’s moral atmosphere, it is termed “spirit and life”’

JOHN THOMAS, Elpis Israel (1848)

The Spirit Word

Angelic Providence

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul Psalm 19.7

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path Psalm 119.105

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy3.16-17

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law Psalm 119.18

The Authority of Scripture

The ‘Personality’ of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit Gifts

‘One universal irradiant Spirit, by which the Father fills all and knows all; and when He wills, performs all.’

JOHN THOMAS: Epitome of the One Faith (mid-1860s)

• universal – nothing exists or functions without it

• irradiant – the source of spiritual light

• under God’s control – not ours

• the means by which the Father works

The Authority of Scripture

The ‘Personality’ of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit Gifts

“… the gift of the Holy Spirit on the one hand and the gifts of the Holy Spirit … are inseparable.”

“… miraculous Spirit gifts are no longer with is, but we are not left comfortless because we have the whole of God’s spirit-inspired holy word ‘that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

“The Christadelphians have always believed that the plain teaching of scripture is that believers do not receive the Holy Spirit today.”

References to “Holy Spirit” in the Old TestamentPsalm 51.11Isaiah 63.10 and 11

References to “Holy Spirit” in the New Testament13 x in Luke’s Gospel41 x in Acts12 x in other Gospels16x in Paul’s Letters 8 x in other Letters 0 x in Revelation90 x

60% of total in NT

References to “Holy Spirit” in NT Letters

5 x in Romans and Hebrews

3 x in 1 Thessalonians

2 x in 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians

1 x in 2 Timothy, Titus, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude

Not at all in Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, Philemon, James, 1, 2 or 3 John

c.f. 120 references to “Spirit” without prefix

Holy Spirit

holy Spirit

The Spirit of The Spirit of GodGod