CHAPTER 5: THE STUDY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (PNEUMATOLOGY)

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A large number of people misunderstand the nature if the Holy Spirit, regarding Him mostly as a sort of ethereal influence rather than as a real, living Personality. Let us begin our study of the Person of the Holy Spirit by considering the attributes or characteristics of personality in general.

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1. THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A person realizes that he can speak, act, express himself. In Acts 10:19, 20, the Holy Spirit speaks. He says, " have sent.¡¨In Acts 13:2 He says, "have called.¡¨ In Revelation 2 and 3 seven times we read of what, "The Spirit said unto the churches.¡¨

A person has a will of his own. So has the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11). He strives with men (Genesis 6:3). He guides the sons of God (Romans 8:14). A person has feelings. The Holy Spirit may be vexed (Isaiah 63:10), grieved (Ephesians 4:30), or outrages (Hebrews 10:29). The Holy Spirit has a mind (Romans 8:27). He searches the deep things of God and He knows the mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:10, 11).

A mere influence has no will, mind, or feelings, nor can it speak of itself. False cults claimed that the Holy Spirit is mere influence or feelings.

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2. THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit has the attributes of God. The word, "Holy Spirit¡¨(Luke 11:13) teach us that He is Spirit and He is Holy, two of the divine attributes. He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). He is sovereign, linked in an equal way with God the Father and God the Son. Thus we are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Paul pronounced a blessing on the Corinthian believers from the triune God (2 Corinthians 13:14).

  1. He is omnipotent. The Holy Spirit is associated with God in creation. Christ performed miracles by the Spirit of God and regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit.

  2. He is omniscient. He knows the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10).

  3. He is omnipresent. In Psalm 139:7-10 we see that it is impossible to escape from the Spirit of God.

  4. He is righteous. He reproves the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11).

  5. He is gracious. He is called the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29). His love is brought out in Romans 15:30.

All we know about God is revealed through the Spirit. He is called the "spirit of truth¡¨(John 14:17). He does reveal Himself through Scripture but His main work is to glorify Christ (John 16:13, 14).

As to self-consistency, the Spirit never changes. The expression "Seven Spirits of God¡¨(Revelation 3:1) refers to the fullness and omnipresence of the Spirit. Neither this passage nor the one in Isaiah 11:2 teaches that there are many divine spirits or that the Holy Spirit might act inconsistently with Himself.

The Holy Spirit is called God. In Acts 5:3, 4, Peter states that Ananias, in lying to the Holy Spirit, actually lied to God.

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3. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

There is His work in creation. This is the Holy Spirit's work in relation to the universe. While all things were created by the Son, the Holy Spirit is referred to in regard to the creation of man (Job 33:4) and animals (Psalm 104:30). The Holy Spirit participated in "clearing the heavens¡¨(Job 26:13) and in the restoration of the earth (Genesis 1:2).

There is His work in inspiration and illumination. Inspiration is particularly by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). See also 2 Samuel 23:2; Acts 1:16; 28:25; John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Timothy 4:1.

There is His work in the incarnation. This is the Holy Spirit's work in relation to Christ. The Holy Spirit is even called the "Spirit of Christ¡¨in Romans 8:9. It is seen in studying the experience of Christ on earth:

  1. The Virigin Mary conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35).

  2. The Spirit anointed Christ after the baptism by coming on Him and abiding on Him. It showed that Christ was approved by God (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22). There was no limit to the Spirit's activity through Christ (John 3:34).

  3. After His baptism Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1).

  4. Christ healed the sick and preached the Gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14, 18; Matthew 12:28).

  5. Christ had authority to take His life again after laying it down. This command He received from His Father (John 10:18). In Acts 2:24 God raised up Christ from the dead. In 1 Peter 3:18 He was made alive by the Spirit.

  6. The Spirit inspires the bride to yearn for Christ's return (Revelation 22:17).

There is His work of conviction. He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8-11). Since God has given to men the right of free choice, He will never go back on this of force man against his will. Some men resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51) or outrage the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29).

There is His work of regeneration. This is the Spirit's work in relation to a man who repents. By a wonderful act of the Spirit, the life of God is imparted to everyone who receives Christ, who believes on His name (John 1:12, 13; 3:5, 6).

There is His work of sanctification. This is the Spirit's work in relation to the believer. When a person is born again, he is sanctified or set apart for God. This happens only once. To accomplish this work the Holy Spirit indwells each believer permanently (1 John 2:27), produces fruit in the life (Galatians 5:22) and desires to fill each one (Ephesians 5:18).

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came upon certain individuals in a temporary way for special work (Exodus 28:3; Numbers 27:18; 1 Samuel 16:13). He could also work on and through an ungodly man, such as Balaam (Numbers 24:2). He departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14) and even the inspired psalmist in time of sin prayed that the Holy Spirit migh not taken away from him (Psalm 51:11). The Lord Jesus described the difference between the Old and New Testament dispensations by saying of the Holy Spirit, "be dwelleth with you, and shall be in you¡¨(John 14:17).

We should remember that when we learn the doctrine of the Holy Spirit we become responsible to experience likewise His power in our lives.

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4. BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR FURTHER STUDY

  1. Ryrie, Charles - The Holy Spirit (Chicago: Moody Press).
  2. Tatham, C. Ernest - The Holy Spirit at Work (Emmaus Bible College).
  3. Walvoord, John - The Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing).
  4. Tozer, A.W. - The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Harper and Row).
  5. R.E. Harlow - Basic Bible Doctrines (Emmaus Bible College).
  6. William Baker - Understanding God (Moody Bible Institute).
  7. Henry C. Thiessen - Lectures in Systematic Theology.
  8. J.I. Packer - Knowing God.

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