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The God Who Is
Chapter 10
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Who He Is
The Holy Spirit of God is the third person of the Tri-une God. We have noted earlier that He is a Person, and therefore we must not denigrate Him as if He were only an influence. He is a Divine Person because He is part of the Godhead. As a Person "He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:7).
Some Misconceptions Concerning The Holy Spirit
That He Is Only An Influence
One of the major misconceptions concerning the Holy Spirit is that He is only an influence. This is chiefly taught by liberal theologians whose rationalism will not allow them to accept the supernatural.
That He Is To Be Magnified
A second major misconception is that the Holy Spirit is to be magnified. Many churches have fallen into this error because of the fleshly desire for sensationalism. But in the words of the apostle Paul, "What saith the Scripture?" (Romans 4:3a).
Jesus said, "But when the Comforter (i.e. the Holy Spirit) is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me" (John 15:26). Again, in John chapter 16 in verses 13 and 14, Jesus said, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
Jesus here declares that the Holy Spirit testifies of Him, and glorifies Him. "He shall not speak of himself." Therefore all who emphasize the Holy Spirit are in error. It is Christ who is to be magnified; not the Father, and not the Holy Spirit.
On account of His profound condescension in His humiliation, the Son of God has been "highly exalted" and given a name which is above every name, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (See: Philippians 2:9-11). The Holy Spirit does not magnify Himself: He testifies of Christ.
Concerning The Baptism of The Holy Spirit
In Romans chapter 8, note verse 8: "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." A person who is living in the filthiness of his flesh or who is pursuing mammon, i.e. riches, lives for himself; and such a person cannot please God. He could not please God yesterday; he cannot please God today; and he will never be able to please God so long as he is living according to the flesh. Note verse 9. "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." If God has put His Spirit in a man, that man does not live according to the flesh. He may stumble and sin because "there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20), but if it is his habit to do so, he is in the flesh and cannot please God. He may give sacrificially in the offering, and sing in the choir, but he is an abomination before God. "But, ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you."
Note the next sentence: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Charismatics have infiltrated mainline denominational churches, and have brought with them their brand of Pentecostalism which teaches people to seek the Holy Spirit instead of to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Charismatics have brought their doctrine with them how that Christ is not a sufficient Saviour; and that we need a baptism of the Holy Spirit, or what Pentecostals used to call "a second work of grace." This is the third misconception concerning the Holy Spirit. Such doctrine is an insult that flies in the face of the Redeemer who "of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Corinthians 1:30). He is all-sufficient. The salvation God gives is complete. We have no need to look for something additional.
Note it well: "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Every believer is baptized with the Holy Spirit. To look for a second work of grace is to deny that Christ saves completely; it is to deny that Christ is our sufficiency. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit dwelling within; and "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."