Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

Technical terminology for the study of the Holy Spirit

pneumatology

Pneuma

Greek word- wind, breath, or spirit

Difficulty in studying the Holy Spirit

No systematic treatment of the Holy Spirit in one passage
-lack of concrete imagery
role complexity
-controversy

The closest thing we get to a discourse on the Holy Spirit

John 14-16

The role of the Holy Spirit

-carries out the will of the Father and the Son
-at the same time, the Spirit is fully God

Key reason for the multiplicity of denominations

Differences in ideas of the function of the Holy Spirit

Biblical support of the deity of the Holy Spirit (Gospel/general)

-Jesus’ baptism
-Great Commission
-equated with God

Times when the Holy Spirit was equated with God

-lying to God/lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4)
-temple of God/Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-20)

Paraclete

variously translated as helper, counselor, advocate

The first paraclete

Jesus (1 Jn 2:1)

T/F: The Holy Spirit is another Paraclete of the same kind as Jesus.

True (Jn 14:6)

The Holy Spirit possesses the ____________ of God and performs the __________ of God.

-attributes, works

Examples of the Holy Spirit’s possession of the attributes of God

-omniscience (1 Cor 2:10-11, Jn 16:13)
-power (Lk 1:35, Rom 15:19)

Examples of the Holy Spirit performing the work of God

-creation (Gen 1:2)
-regeneration (Jn 3:5-8, Titus 3:5)
-inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Pet 1:21)

The Holy Spirit is a person, not a _________

impersonal force

Evidence of the Holy Spirit as a person

-use of the masculine pronoun (pneuma-neuter term)
-Jesus and the Holy Spirit glorify another part of the Trinity (Jn 16:14, 17:4)

Specific work of the Holy Spirit

-conviction of sin (unbelievers and believers)
-regeneration
-indwelling
-sanctification
-sealing
-uniting
-gifting
-prayer
-guidance
-empowering

Indication of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

The permanence of His presence within us

Sanctification is not an

instantaneous change

The Holy Spirit’s work of sealing the believer

He is the pledge/down payment of our inheritance

The Holy Spirit unites…

all believers through the corporate indwelling of the Spirit in the church, we work better together

Purpose of the Holy Spirit’s gifting

Edification, encouragement, and the good work of ministry

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are primarily meant for use within the context of the

local church

The Holy Spirit’s work of prayer

helps us pray effectively even when we don’t know what to pray

The Holy Spirit’s work of guidance

he has a guiding and teaching influence on our lives

The Holy Spirit’s work of empowering

He gives us the strength to do things that, on our own, we would be incapable of doing

Key Passages of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Romans 12
1 Corinthians 12
Ephesians 4:11 (offices/roles in the church)

Gifts known as “sign” gifts

healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguish between spirits, tongues/interpretation of tongues

3 positions on sign gifts

1. Cessationist-all miraculous sign gifts ceased after the apostles

2. Continualist-all miraculous sign gifts continue to this day

3. Cautious Continualist-all can still happen, usually rare and in specific contexts

In the cautious continualist position, when do sign gifts usually occur?

In places with little to no access to the Gospel, it opens the door to continual ministry in those contexts