The Holy Spirit and Salvation. Session 1. Rev. Robert Edmiston

Transcription

1 The Holy Spirit and Salvation Session 1 The Trinity with Emphasis on the Holy Spirit Rev. Robert Edmiston

2 1 Introduction: The focus of this session is the Trinity, especially the Spirit. Within the Trinity, God exists in three persons, but there is just one God. It is a reality that is difficult, if not impossible, to get our minds around. Going back to the 2 nd century, there were explanations of the Trinity. One became known as modalism and was developed by Sabellius in the 3 rd century. The contention of this idea was that Father, Son, and Spirit were different names for the same person. The Jewish faith is Unitarian. I. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament A. Jews and the Messiah 1. The Jews did look forward to the Messiah. 2. The Messiah is described as Mighty God. 3. The Messiah is the One who would sit on David s throne (Is. 9:6, 7). 4. The child described by Isaiah would be called Immanuel (Is. 7:14). B. Allusions to the Spirit of God 1. The Spirit is alluded to in the creation account. a) The Spirit was hovering over the water (Gen. 1:2). b) All three persons were involved in the creation of man: Let us is the language of Genesis 1:26; God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). c) In Job, Elihu says, If he withdrew his spirit and breath all mankind would perish (Job 34:14, 15). d) Speaking of the flood, Genesis says, Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died (Gen. 7:22). 2. The Spirit uses individuals for special purposes. a) When Gideon went into battle, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon (Judg. 6:34). b) When Israel cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz The Spirit of the Lord came on him (Judg. 3:9, 10). c) There is a strange account in Judges 11. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah and gave him victory over the Ammonites, but his vow to the Lord cost his daughter her life. (11:29-39). 3. The Spirit is referenced in relation to the monarchy, especially in the way it was established.

3 2 II. a) God called Samuel and he was recognized as a prophet of the Lord (I Sam. 3:4-21). b) Samuel anointed Saul, which itself is a symbolic reference to the Spirit, and Saul was told, The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person (I Sam. 10:6). c) Saul was recognized as king, but his actions caused God to reject him as king (I Sam. 15). The Scripture says that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him (I Sam. 16:14). d) God sent Samuel to Jesse where David would be anointed king (I Sam. 16). When David was anointed the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power (I Sam. 16:13). e) David in his repentance after the affair with Bathsheba prayed, Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me (Ps. 51:11). 4. The Spirit is the origin of the revelations received by true prophets. a) God revealed himself to most of the prophets in visions and dreams. Note: Moses was the exception (Num. 12:1-8). b) Saul prophesied with the procession of prophets when the Spirit of God came upon him in power (I Sam. 10:10). c) Moses said that God would raise up a prophet like himself (Deut. 18:15-20). (1) The Jews looked for the prophet. (2) Some thought that Jesus was that prophet, and indeed He was. (3) Jesus not only spoke for God, He is God, the embodiment of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit in the New Testament A. The coming of Jesus and the work of the Spirit 1. The way to God had not been opened in the fashion it has since the coming of Jesus and the accomplishment of His work. a) The tabernacle/temple worship is a vivid illustration of this. b) This is not to imply that those in the OT era did not experience intimacy with God. c) The prophets had that experience. (1) David had that experience. We see it just reading his Psalms of repentance.

4 3 (2) Enoch s relationship with God was such that he was no more, because God took him away (Gen. 5:24). d) There is something in the believer s experience with God since Christ completed His work that sets the NT saint apart from the OT child of God, and the crux of that is the ready access to God available because of Christ. 2. With the coming of Christ, the Spirit of God takes far greater prominence than we find in the OT. a) Mary became pregnant with Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). b) Simeon recognized the baby as the Christ through the work of the Spirit (Luke 2:25). c) The Holy Spirit descended as a dove at Jesus baptism (Luke 3:22). d) It was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the desert where He was tempted (Luke 4:1). e) It was in the power of the Spirit that Jesus returned to Nazareth where He announced His ministry. Quoting Isaiah, Jesus said, The Spirit of the Lord is on me (Luke 4:18). f) Jesus fulfilled His ministry in the power of the Spirit (Heb. 9:14). B. Jesus and His relation to the Holy Spirit 1. With respect to Jesus divinity, the oneness of the Trinity was intact. 2. With reference to Jesus humanity, He needed the power of the Spirit. 3. Paul indicates that Jesus resurrection was accomplished through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:4). C. Jesus and His promise of the Holy Spirit 1. On Jesus last evening with His disciples before His death, He promised that 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 (Jn. 14:26). 2. Jesus said that when the Spirit 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; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned (Jn. 16:8-11). 3. Jesus prefaced this by saying: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you (Jn. 16:7). 4. When Jesus is taken to glory, the Spirit comes in power on the Day of Pentecost; this is the establishment of a new era.

5 4 III. a) Jesus has fulfilled the demands of the law and made a once for all atonement for sin. b) Thus, the Holy Spirit will baptize those in Christ (Acts 1:5). c) When that happens, we are to testify to the Kingdom not just a piece of real estate in the Middle East, but a kingdom that will encompass the world. D. Pentecost and the Holy Spirit 1. The Spirit is poured out, and symbolically, those in Jerusalem got a taste of what it will be like on the day that all things are restored. a) There were God- fearing Jews from every nation under heaven gathered for the celebration of Pentecost (Acts 2:5). (1) Believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. (2) This was accompanied by a mighty, rushing wind and tongues of fire (symbolism of the Spirit). (3) They then began to speak. (4) Those present understood in their native languages. b) People were divided when God confused the languages at Babel (Gen. 11). (1) That is restored, if just for a moment, at Pentecost. (2) People were scattered, but Pentecost pictured a great re- gathering. 2. Peter preached the resurrection in the power of the Spirit, and his invitation was 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 (Acts 2:38). (Grudem has a section on The Baptism of the Holy Spirit which could be helpful since the majority of Protestant Christians today are Pentecostal. In addition, there are a large number of Roman Catholics with similar beliefs.) The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament Versus the New Testament A. Theology held by many Bible- believing Christians 1. There is a theology which says that the Spirit of God came and went in the lives of believers in the OT, but He resides in the believers in the NT. a) This theology coincides with the idea that there are two people groups who belong to God Jews and Christians. (1) The former will inherit the land. (2) The other will inherit the new heaven and the new earth. b) It is true that the Spirit left people in the OT, e.g., Saul was tormented by an evil spirit.

6 5 2. The Spirit might do the same thing in this age. a) Hebrews 6 speaks of those sharing in the Holy Spirit; experiencing the power of the age to come; tasting the good word of God; and yet falling away. b) The passage suggests that it will be impossible for them to be brought to repentance. c) In the same section, there is what seems to be a reference to the Parable of the Sower. B. The Scriptures and the role of the Spirit 1. The Scriptures indicate that the Spirit not only gives life but takes up residence inside those who believe. 2. The Spirit is a down payment on that which is to come (Eph. 1:13, 14). IV. The Holy Spirit and the Law A. Israel s history leading up to Christ 1. The Spirit tended to be suppressed. 2. The law was substituted for the work of the Spirit. B. The Spirit in our era 1. Among some in our era, the Spirit is substituted for the law, yet it is the Spirit who gave the law the Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). 2. The work of the Spirit will not run contrary to the demands of the law. V. Romans 8 and the Work of the Holy Spirit in the Believer A. The Spirit gives life (v. 2). B. The Spirit helps us lead a holy life (vv. 5-8). C. The Spirit lives in those who belong to God (v. 9). D. The Spirit raised Jesus from the dead (v. 11). E. Those led by the Spirit are children of God (v. 14). F. The Spirit makes us children of God. He is our daddy (v. 15). G. The Spirit assures us that we belong to God (vv. 16, 17). H. There may be suffering but there will be glory (vv ). I. The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. He prays for us (v. 26). J. The Spirit leads us into the will of God (v. 27). K. The Spirit works all things for the good of those who love him (v. 28). L. The Spirit applies redemption (vv. 29, 30). M. When redemption is applied, nothing can separate us from the love of God (vv ). VI. Grace Common to All A. The blessings of grace 1. Grace allows some to prosper.

7 6 2. Grace promotes the values of the Kingdom in some who are not even part of the Kingdom. 3. Grace keeps many from being as bad as they could be. 4. Grace provides a fertile field for the reception of the gospel. 5. Grace in the person of the Holy Spirit might come upon an unbeliever for a specific purpose to accomplish some end in the plan of God. B. The Holy Spirit and the continued work of Christ 1. The Holy Spirit continues the work of Christ, growing and deepening citizens of the Kingdom, while adding to the church daily. 2. The Holy Spirit restrains evil and promotes good in many who are not yet members of the household of faith.