Holy Spirit, What is the role of

What Is The Role of The Holy Spirit Today?

Introduction: The Holy Spirit is often misunderstood. People talk about being moved by the Holy Spirit, receiving special revelation from the Spirit of God, being able to perform miracles, speak in tongues, and knowing they are saved by the Holy Spirit. This is one of those topics that we must admit some things. First, all that we know about the Holy Spirit is revealed to us in the Bible. What one feels or think they feel is not relevant. Unfortunately some use the Holy Spirit as an excuse to not do what the Bible says. We want to focus on our question and try to limit our study to what is the role (function, part) of the Holy Spirit today?

I) Early New Testament Passages Referring to The Holy Spirit

A) John said Jesus would baptize the disciples with the Holy Spirit, Matthew 3.11.

1. This baptism is a promise and was limited to the Apostles.

2. Mentioned again in Acts 1.4-5

B) Jesus spoke of the kingdom being established, Mark 9.1

1. Fast forward to Acts 1.8 where we see the Holy Spirit coming with power and the kingdom coming with power were the same event.

2. When the Holy Spirit came it would come with power, the kingdom would be established.

a. The role of the Holy Spirit it our salvation was not realized during the life of Jesus

C) Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit

1. Jesus would depart and then the Holy Spirit would come, John 16.7

2. We know that the Holy Spirit did not come upon the Apostles until after the ascension of Jesus. Acts 1.9

II) The Role of the Holy Spirit Defined

A) John 14.26.

1. Teach you all things, their knowledge was incomplete. There was more for them to learn.

a. Later on Peter says all things pertaining to life and godliness had been delivered, 2 Peter 1.3

b. For a period of about 40 to 70 years the Holy Spirit was teaching the Apostles.

2. Bring all things to their remembrance, they had to be reminded of what had been said and what had happened. Luke 1 1-4

a. Example: John 2.19-22.

b. The accuracy of the Bible is partly because the Apostles remembered exactly what had happened.

B) John 15.26

1. The Helper- one that aided the Apostles. Paul in his missionary journey was led by the Holy Spirit.

2. The Spirit of truth, just as God’s very nature is truth so is the Holy Spirit’s.

3. Testify of Me, keep in mind the purpose of John’s writings is to testify, prove that Jesus is the Son of God. The Holy Spirit would collaborate that with His testimony. Acts 1.8

C) John 16.8

1. To convict is to prove guilty of, or to strongly convince.

2. On the Day of Pentecost Peter stood up and spoke. By the end the crowd had been convicted of their sin and wanted to know what they must do. Acts 2.37

III) But How Did the Holy Spirit Do Those Things?

A) Not by:

1. Simply falling on the audience at Jerusalem. He fell on the Apostles but no one else.

2. Not by giving them a feeling. The feelings we read of came after they heard the word of God.

B) By revealing the word of God.

1. We are talking about inspiration- the means by which God communicated to the prophets of Old, 2 Peter 1.20-21; and the Apostles. Peter stood up and spoke, Acts 2.14.

2. The word of God was not discovered or worked at until the Apostles got it right, it was revealed by direct inspiration.

a. The miracles were to confirm the word but people were not saved by a miracle.

3. The word of God was written for out learning and reading, Ephesians 5.17; 3.1-6.

4. We have the product of the Holy Spirit, 2 Timothy 3.16-17

5. The Holy Spirit revealed the word of God which is able to convict the soul and convert the obedient.

a. The Holy Spirit guided Philip to meet the Ethiopian Eunuch but Philip beginning at Isaiah 53 preached Jesus to the Eunuch. The Eunuch was not overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. At no time did the Spirit of God directly contact or interacted with the Eunuch.

5. The word of God was the instrument the crowd was convicted of their sins in Acts 2.

a. Romans 1.16 man is saved through the Gospel of Christ.

b. The word of God is the instrument of the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 6.17

Conclusion: The Gospel of Christ is a combination of God’s plan of salvation for mankind, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross in carrying out the plan of salvation, and the Holy Spirit’s revealing what man must do to be saved. Just as man can not be saved without God’s plan and Jesus’ sacrifice, so he can not be saved without the work of the Holy Spirit. That work is through and in the word of God.

D.T. @ Westside Church of Christ 06.24.07

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