Main Text: Matthew 1:18 | John 14:26
“Who is…” as opposed to “What is…” because the Holy Spirit is not a “thing” or force—like fire or energy. Rather, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, equal in nature, power, and glory with the Father and the Son, and is to be worshiped together with them. The Holy Spirit is sent from the Father and the Son to apply Christ’s saving work to all who trust in him. He is the Spirit of the Living God who does personal and relational things like speaking, thinking, feeling, and acting. He teaches – John 14:26 | John 15:26-27 | John 16:5-14, speaks – Acts 13:2, gives spiritual gifts – 1 Corinthians 12:11, and intercedes for us Romans 8:26 | 1 Corinthians 2:11-12. He can also be lied to – Acts 5:3-4 and grieved – Ephesians 4:30.
The Holy Spirit applies salvation by giving life, granting faith, uniting us to Christ, sanctifying, preserving, and glorifying all followers of Christ. There is no dimension of the Christian life that can be experienced without the Spirit; He applies to our lives all the benefits Christ has purchased. One way to summarise the role of the Holy Spirit in the gift of salvation is to say that … What the Father has planned, and the Son has accomplished, we experience by the work of the Spirit. The inward dimensions of the Holy Spirit’s work are as follows:
· He convicts us of sin – John 16:8 |Titus 3:5. God loves us enough to show us how sinful we are; this convicting of sin is specifically the work of the Spirit.
· He calls us to God – 1 Corinthians 1:9 | Acts 16:14 | 2 Thessalonians 2:14. God calls us to salvation through an outward and an inner call. The outward call is the gospel call: the inward call is the work of the Spirit by which God calls people out of darkness and to Himself:
· He gives life – John 6:63 | 2 Corinthians 3:6. God himself is life and it is by the Spirit that any human who is dead to sin comes to experience that life; unless God makes us alive, we remain dead in sin.
· He unites us with Christ – 1 Corinthians 12:13. Union with Christ is one of the amazing workings that the Holy Spirit brings to our lives.
· He confirms our adoption – Romans 8:15. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks to our own spirits to affirm that we have been adopted into God’s family.
· He seals us in God – Ephesians 1:13. The most expensive purchase ever is what God made to redeem us from sin – the life of his own Son.
· The Holy Spirit dwells in us – John 14:16-17. Jesus promised that He would always be with us, and He is, by the Spirit.
· The Holy Spirit affirms our status – Romans 5:18. It is easy to forget who you are.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit
– The Holy Spirit teaches us – John 14:26.
– The Holy Spirit leads and guides us – Romans 8:14 | Galatians 5:16,25.
– The Holy Spirit empowers us for witness – Acts 1:8
– The Holy Spirit gives gifts – Romans 12:4-6 I 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.
– The Holy Spirit gives the fruit for successful Christian living – Galatians 5:16-23 | Romans 8:1-3.
– The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus – John 16.14
– Access to the Father – Ephesians 2:18.
In conclusion, the Holy Spirit is sent from the Father and the Son to apply Christ’s saving work to all who trust in Him. The Holy Spirit applies salvation by giving life, granting faith, uniting us to Christ, sanctifying, preserving, and glorifying all followers of Jesus Christ.
Discussion
1. What do names like Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ, or the Comforter reveal about His identity?
2. How does the Spirit convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment? John 16:8-11
3. How does the Spirit make believers holy and produce the fruit of the Spirit? Galatians 5:22-23
Prayer
