A Study of the Holy Spirit (3)

Jim Davis

1. The Holy Spirit is a distinct person. He is the third person of divinity. Understanding that the Holy Spirit is a person removes much of the mystery. Notice the personal pronoun references in the following verses.
 

John 14:14-17
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (NIV)

2. Spirit is actively involved in reminding them of all the things Jesus has said, convicting world of sin, guiding apostles into all truth, and showing them things to come.
 

John 14:25-26
"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (NIV)

John 16:7-9
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; (NIV)

John 16:13-15
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. (NIV)

I. The Work of Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

A. Jesus would baptize disciples with Holy Spirit.

1. John the Baptist taught that Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
 

Matthew 3:11-12
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."(NIV)

2. Christ promises that he will work with his disciples after his ascension to heaven.
 

Mark 16:17-20
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (NIV)

a. Christ's help would come through sending the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was sent to confirm the word of the apostles.
 

Luke 24:46-49
He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (NIV)

Acts 1:4-5
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (NIV)

Acts 1:8-9
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (NIV)

B. The disciples are baptized by Holy Spirit as Jesus promised.
 

Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (NIV)

1. Holy Spirit confirms the word of the disciples through the miraculous speaking of languages. There were no mysterious languages but rather known languages.
 

Acts 2:5-11
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" (NIV)

a. We notice that the disciples are in Jerusalem as commanded by Christ in Acts chapter 1, and they are clothed with power from on high.

b. Christ is confirming their word through the miraculous speaking in languages they had never studied. Yet, Jews from every nation were able to hear them in their own languages.

c. The miracle of speaking in other languages served as a sign of God's presence and approval of what the disciples were saying. The believing Jews on Pentecost understood the wonders of God declared by the disciples in an intelligible manner.

2. Holy Spirit gives direction on Pentecost through the gospel spoken by the apostles. The listeners are not commanded to be baptized by Holy Spirit, instead they listen to the words spoke and receive the gift of the Spirit. (Acts 2:39)

a. Peter asks them to listen to the words he was saying.
 

Acts 2:22
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. (NIV)

Acts 2:36-39
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call." (NIV)

b. Peter asks them to be baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ." "In the name of Jesus Christ" simply means by the authority of Christ. Therefore we see that the Spirit is guiding the apostles to preach and teach the things they taught by the authority of Christ.

c. We see the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit. We see the Spirit convicting sinners as he guides the disciples in revealing the gospel.

3. Spirit also convicted apostles of what God wanted them to do. Holy Spirit convicted Peter that God had granted repentance to Jew and Gentile alike.
 

Acts 10:44-48
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. (NIV)

Acts 11:15-18
"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." (NIV)

5. The Holy Spirit's job in every case was to convict those listening of God's will. In Acts chapter 1, those listening to the apostles were convicted of God's will. In Acts chapter 10, the apostles were covinced of God's will spoken through the mouth of the Gentiles. Yet, in each case all followed those things taught by the disciples to be saved. It was never something better felt than told. The Gentiles were not saved by Holy Spirit baptism, they were commanded to be baptized.

C. Christ confirmed the word of the apostles throughout the book of Acts through miraculous signs.

a. Healing of cripple at temple gates done by the authority of Christ. Acts 3:6, 12-13

b. The death of Ananias and Sapphira. Acts 5:3

c. The conversion of Samaritans. Acts 8:4-8

d. Spirit guided Philip to Ethiopian eunuch. Acts 8:29

e. Peter raised Tabitha from the dead by the power of Christ.
Acts 9:36-43

f. Paul saved from a venomous snakebite. Acts 28:1-6

4. The gospel was received through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Each time a miracle was done, it was to confirm what had been said or what was about to be said. The conversion process was dependent on people heeding the word spoke by the apostles.

 
1 Thessalonians 1:4-5
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. (NIV)

Hebrews 2:3-4
" . . . how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (NIV)
 

5. Therefore we can believe the Scriptures.

 
Ephesians 3:2-5
Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. (NIV)

2 Timothy 3:16-17
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. (NIV)

Conclusion:

Christ was working through the Holy Spirit to confirm the gospel.

Those who rejected Christ could later believe the words given by the Spirit of God and be saved. But those who reject the words of the Spirit cannot be saved. Their is no other way to be saved.