The Holy Spirit: His Person, His Coming, His Operations
Henry Edward Hayhoe
Table of Contents
Preface
This brief outline on the subject of the Holy Spirit is not the presentation of anything new, but the writer has felt the need of putting before the beloved saints of God the Scriptural teachings on this very important subject. His desire is that it may lead to a careful meditation thereon, through the Scriptures that are referred to constantly throughout. Those who desire a ministry that will give a larger exposition of the subject are referred to the writings of J. N. Darby, Wm. Kelly, and Dr. W. T. P. Wolston.
May the Lord abundantly bless His own Word to all who may read this outline.
- H. E. H.
The Holy Spirit—His Person—His Coming—His Operations
Careful attention to Scripture will show that every work of God has been, and always will be, in Trinity. It is always God the Father, in counsel; Christ the Son, the One who carries out those counsels; and the Spirit, the power by which they are carried out.
The Holy Spirit is eternal. (Heb. 9:14.) He is a Person, not just an influence, for the Lord Jesus says in John 14:16, "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter."
He reproves the world of sin, and warns of coming judgment in John 16:8-11.
He guides into all truth; He glorifies Christ, and takes of the things of Christ, and shows them unto us. (John 16:13,14.)
He, the Holy Spirit, speaks in John 16:13, Acts 13:2, 1 Tim. 4:1, Rev. 14:13.
He distributes as He wills. (1 Cor. 12:11.) He helps our infirmities and makes intercession for the saints. (Rom. 8:26.)
He possesses the thoughts of God, so we have the mind of the Spirit, according to the will of God. (Rom. 8:27.)
He is the Spirit of truth—the very words of Scripture being the utterances of the Spirit. (John 16:13, 1 Cor. 2:13.)
What especially characterizes this present dispensations (which began on the day of Pentecost, and ends with the coming of Christ as the Bridegroom for the bride), is the presence of the Holy Spirit of God on earth as a divine Person. He dwells in the professing house of Christendom. (Acts 2:2, 1 Cor. 3:16,17. Eph. 2:22.)
He also dwells in every believer. (1 Cor. 6:19.) He is the witness to us of all that Christ is, and of what He has done for the glory of God. It is by the Spirit, too, that we are brought into the good of our present place of acceptance in Christ and of the coming glory with Him. He may be grieved by our conduct, but He will never leave us. (Eph. 4:30, John 14:16.)
Every work of God is, and always has been, by the Spirit. In the old Testament, the Spirit of God was the power in creation. (Gen. 1:2, Psa. 104:30.)
The Spirit of God came upon the Old Testament saints, but He did not indwell them. (2 Chron. 15:1.) This was sometimes true of those who were not of the household of faith, as Balaam and Saul, in the Old Testament, (Num. 24:2, 1 Sam. 10:10), and of Caiaphas, in the New Testament. (John 11:51.)‘
Eternal life, now received by faith, is enjoyed by the power of an ungrieved Spirit. (John 7:37-39.)
Intelligence in the things of God is the fruit of walking in the blessedness of an ungrieved Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:15.)
The Spirit of God will always occupy the mind, and fill the heart with Christ, never self, saving only to judge self. This keeps us humble and happy. Humble because we are so little like Him, and happy because He loves us so much, BORN OF THE SPIRIT
Every one of the household of faith has always been given life by the Spirit. (Ezek. 11:19 and 36:26, 27, John 3:5 and 6:63.)
Now every believer has, "life abundantly." (John 10:10.) This is life in Christ risen (John 20:22), so that we possess a life over which sin has no dominion, (Rom. 6:14), over which death has no claims, (1 Cor. 3:22), and over which Satan has no power. (1 John 5:18.) This will be manifested at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as in 1 Thess. 4:15-17.
Old Testament saints possessed life by the Spirit, but not what Scripture speaks of as, "life abundantly". The coming and abiding presence of the Spirit has given us the knowledge of sonship, which means conscious relationship, so that we are able to say, "Abba Father". (Gal. 4:6.) Now possessing that life, we have community of thought in oneness of life, through having life in the Son who has revealed the Father. The Spirit testifies of Him and of His work, so that the joyful knowledge of relationship is ours through faith.
We are born of God, (1 John 5:1,) partakers of the divine nature, (2 Peter 1:4, Eph. 4:24), and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19.)
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The baptism of the Holy Spirit took place on the day of Pentecost when the whole company of those in the upper room received the Holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit "filled all the house", (Acts 2:2.), and also filled each one in the house. (verse 4.) "Cloven tongues"
would refer to the purpose of God to make both Jew and Gentile one in Christ, while the fact of their being "as of fire", (figurative of judgment), would tell us that "holiness becometh Thine house, 0 Lord, forever". (Psa. 93:5.) This was made evident in the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5.) Something similar to this baptism of the Spirit, took place when the Gentiles were publicly received in Acts 10:44, and 11:15. This is what is referred to in 1 Cor. 12:13, when Paul was given the revelation of the truth of the Church as the body of Christ.
The Church having been formed, the baptism of the Spirit is not repeated today. Now believers are "added", as each receives the Holy Spirit individually, consequent upon his or her faith in Christ and His work. (Eph. 1:13.)
It is well to note here that the Spirit is not communicated today by the laying on of hands. Moreover, even in the early church, the Spirit was not always received in this way, (see Acts 10:44), but God used this means on special occasions to preserve the Church from national groups independent of each other. It was the fulfilling of John 11:52. This we see when the Samaritans were brought in. (Acts 8:17.) Also when Saul of Tarsus was brought in, that he might own the truth that believers in Christ are "one with Him" and identify himself with them. (Acts 9:4, also verse 28.) We see it again when a few Gentiles who knew only John's baptism were brought in. (Acts 19:16.) "There is one body and one Spirit". Precious truth! (Eph. 4:4.)
The Anointing of the Spirit
The anointing of the Spirit is for service. (Luke 4:18.) The priest in Israel was anointed for service. (Ex. 29.) Anointing was to set apart to, and for, the Lord, whether it be persons, or (as in the worship of Israel) those things used in worship. Now, we who are saved are anointed by the Spirit. (2 Cor. 1:21, 1 John 2:27.)
The Sealing of the Spirit
The sealing of the Spirit is to mark out those who believe as belonging to Christ. (2 Cor. 1:22.) Thus it is said: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His," (Rom. 8:9) for a man is not yet manifestly declared as belonging to Christ until sealed by the Spirit, though a work of God by the Spirit may have begun in His soul. In such a case, God will complete the work He has begun. (Philip-plans 1:6.) Every believer, once sealed, is sealed unto the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30.)
Earnest of the Spirit
The earnest of the Spirit means that the indwelling Spirit is the pledge that we will assuredly be in that coming glory, into the good of which He now seeks to bring us. (2 Cor. 1:22, and 5:5, Eph. 1:14.)
Filled With the Spirit
We are exhorted to be "filled with the Spirit," (Eph. 5:18) for when thus filled we yield to the energy of the Spirit who desires to occupy our minds and fill our hearts with Christ, in the glory of who He is, and in the fullness of His work. His perfect work has glorified God, and made it possible for grace to come out in all the fullness of the purposes of God. To yield thus, we must mortify the deeds of the body, that we may live in the power of the Spirit, and when thus filled, we live unto Christ. (Rom. 8:13.) This is not an act done once for all, but the practical application of the truth daily. (Luke 9:23, 2 Cor. 4:10.)
A Spirit-filled man will not be occupied with himself, nor even with the Spirit, but with Christ, the One of whom the Spirit speaks. (John 16:13,14.) Stephen is a beautiful example of this. (Acts 7:55.)
The Gift of the Spirit
Some of the gifts of the Spirit were for "signs", and as such they were to confirm the Word to those who were unbelievers. (Acts 14:13, 1 Cor. 14:22.) They were not to be used, even when possessed, except for edification. When it was speaking in tongues, a man was to be silent unless some one could interpret what he said, so as to edify the assembly. (1 Cor. 14:27,28.)
As to the gift of tongues in the above Scripture, there is no promise of its continuance, nor of any other of the "sign gifts". (1 Cor. 12:28-31.) Continuance is promised in those gifts that expressed Christ's love to the Church. (Eph. 4:11-16.)
The gift of tongues was to signify the unity of all believers of all nations which God formed by the coming of the Spirit. (Acts 2:4-11, 1 Cor. 12:13.) Since the Church of God has failed so signally in the outward manifestation of this unity, this, along with all the other sign gifts, is gone today. Those who profess to have these gifts may be tested in the light of Scripture. The gift of tongues in Scripture was not unintelligible tongues, but tongues well known and spoken in the world. (Acts 2:8.) When there was healing done, no one went away disappointed. All were healed. (Acts 5:16.) It is well to test those who claim to have the gift of tongues and of healing today, by these Scriptures. (1 Cor. 4:19,20.)
Moreover "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets". The Spirit of God does not force a man to speak at any time, or in any manner, and when one does minister, his ministry is to be the subject of spiritual judgment by his brethren. Moreover, those who speak, are to speak one at a time, otherwise there is confusion. (1 Cor. 14:27-33.)
The gifts of the Spirit are not just "sanctified ability" but the positive communication of that which was not formerly possessed, though put in a vessel prepared of God for its use.
The gifts spoken of in 1 Cor. 12 were the various manifestations of the Spirit, set there by God, administered by the Lord, and their operations were by the Spirit. Their use was to be for edification.
(1 Cor. 14.)
When the Church of God became a "great house", then the word in 1. John 4 is this: "Try the spirits whether they are of God". Two things would characterize true ministry by the Spirit: first, there would be the confession of the true Deity and Manhood of Jesus Christ; secondly, there would be subjection to the apostles' doctrine as given in the Word. This is very important. (1 John 4:2 and 6.)
Appendix
Every believer is indwelt by the Spirit, and knows it by the love of God being shed abroad in his heart. (Eph. 1:13, 1 Cor. 6:19, Rom. 5:5.)
Every Christian blessing is a gift. We do not get these blessings by our own efforts or prayers. We receive them when faith receives Christ, and believes the gospel of His grace. (Eph. 1:3.) Those who believed the gospel on the day of Pentecost, received also the gift of the Spirit. (Acts 2:38.)
Our enjoyment of that which we have received, depends upon our walk. (Rom. 15:13, Eph. 4:30, 1 Cor. 2:15.) Let us walk carefully, prayerfully, subject to the Word, and judging all that would hinder the blessed Spirit of God taking of the things of Christ and showing them to us.
It is important to remember that the Scriptures are inspired by the Spirit of God, (2 Peter 1:21), and that the Spirit will never lead any one into a path contrary to the Word.
What moved Thee to impart
Thy Spirit from above,
Therewith to fill our heart
With heavenly peace and love?
'Twas love, unbounded love to us,
Moved Thee to Give Thy Spirit Thus.
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