BY DR. JOHN SULLIVAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-TREASURER
FLORIDA BAPTIST CONVENTION

The sovereign Holy Spirit inseparably relates to Christ

The Holman Bible Dictionary defines the Holy Spirit as “the mysterious third Person of the Trinity through whom God acts, reveals His will, empowers individuals and discloses His personal presence in the Old and New Testament.”

This week, we will further define the Holy Spirit as: a personal spirit of God; a sovereign being; and inseparably related to Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the personal spirit of God.

He not only comes upon Hannah in the temple to give special gifts of instruction, but also upon Gideon to prepare him for battle. He gives mighty strength to Samson and a mission to Paul and Barnabas. He is the person of God coming personally upon people to give them personal abilities. When Paul at Troaz decided to go, the Spirit said, “No!” The Holy Spirit directs personally.

The Holy Spirit is one who searches, knows, speaks, testifies, reveals, convinces, communicates, strives, guides and inspires. In Romans 8:27 the Holy Spirit is said “to have a mind.” 1 Corinthians 12:11 notes his will. And Ephesians 4:30 exhorts “not to grieve the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 8:26-27 defines the intercession of the Holy Spirit in our prayers. When we come before God in agony, we only sob, cry or groan, but the Holy Spirit knows our very thoughts. He interprets them to the Father. No influence or idea can do this, only a person can interpret feeling.

The Holy Spirit is a sovereign being.

John 3:8 notes: “Let no man try to tame that untrackable mind.” For another resource read Spirit of God by James Stewart.

The Holy Spirit is inseparably related to Christ.

He never works apart from Jesus Christ. See John 16:8-11. When Christ tells of the coming of the Holy Spirit in John 16, everything about the Spirit’s ministry is related to Jesus Christ.

One of the ways to evaluate any Christian movement is to find the place it gives to the Lord Jesus Christ. Any movement which claims to be of the Holy Spirit will put Christ as the center piece. If the movement magnifies the Holy Spirit to the detriment of Jesus Christ, it is not of the Spirit.

English author Sidlow Baxter said, “Science glorifies knowledge; philosophy glorifies reason; history glorifies great men. But the Holy Spirit comes to glorify ‘Jesus only.’”

The divine spirit is very prominent in the Bible. He is indispensable to the Christian life. The normal life since Pentecost has been to be filled with the Spirit. Vital experience is produced by the Spirit. He has power to change lives.

The Spirit as a person is best seen in the personal lives of converted people. He produces holy living. He gives guidance.

The Holy Spirit is now the spiritual presence of Jesus in our lives.

The Spirit works in nature, in salvation, in service and in the church (fellowship).

His work for us is seen in salvation. His work through us is seen in service. His work in us is seen as sanctification.

As the accounts in the Book of Acts are studied, there are four words clustered together: promise, gift, give and receive. At least one of these four words, and usually more, is present every time the gift of the Holy Spirit is described.

Three words will give better understanding of the Holy Spirit: production, intention and examination. The first word is production--a process is involved in producing fruit. It’s not instant. The fruit is produced in us, not by us. The purpose of the fruit is to reproduce the identity of the tree.

The Holy Spirit has its place in the early Kerugma (doctrinal preaching) of the church. The story of the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost is concerned with: the living God; forgiveness of sin; special gifts; and equipping believers. This characterizes the general ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout scripture. The presence of the Holy Spirit often brings a supernatural power. However, most often it brings holy life.

Some groups teach that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a distinct work of the Holy Spirit beyond and separate from but in addition to salvation. This is really the linchpin doctrine of Pentecostalism. This teaching advocates that a person can be saved and go to Heaven without the baptism of the Spirit; but if you have it, you can move to a higher level of Christian living and service.

This teaching also claims a person can serve the Lord without the baptism of the Spirit, but can reach only a certain level of spiritual ministry. With the baptism comes the full expression of service. They also believe that Spirit baptism is an experience that a person must seek.

Baptist doctrine, however, teaches that the Holy Spirit indwells in the believer at time of the salvation experience. Baptism places us into the body of Christ. The filling of the Holy Spirit gives us power for Christian living and service.
Conversion and church membership are dependent upon the Holy Spirit. The church is a distinctive unique society because it shares a common life, a new love and a unity of spirit that is served by a characteristic ministry.

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