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the circumcision' (the Jew) (Rom. 15:8) and limited His ministry to the people of Israel (Matt. 15:24). He now
`speaks from heaven' (Heb. 12:25) through the human channel (1 Cor. 14:37) He has appointed for the Body of
Christ (Col. 1:24-27), the apostle Paul and the context already quoted in Colossians 3 makes it quite clear what it is
that the Holy Spirit fills the believer with, namely the spirit of praise and thanksgiving, not tongues, excitable
feelings and emotions and the various experiences that Pentecostalists have deduced from these verses. The
Scriptural place of Pentecostal gifts is fully discussed in the author's The Early & Pastoral Epistles of Paul pages
141-177.
We should take care to distinguish in the Scriptures between the Giver (the Holy Spirit) and His various gifts
which can be rendered `spirit' with a small `s'. A verse that cries out for this distinction is 1 Thessalonians 5:19,
`quench not the spirit'. Most versions render the last word with a capital `S' and make it mean the Holy Spirit. But
a moment's thought should make us realize that it is impossible for limited finite beings to quench or bring to
nought the Infinite. If we render spirit with a small `s' and make it refer to any gift of the Holy Spirit, then we have
truth. 1 Thessalonians was written during the Acts period when the various evidential gifts of the Holy Spirit were
much in evidence. But no one was compelled to use them, `the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets'
(1 Cor. 14:32). They could be neglected or misused, hence the admonition not to `quench' them (1 Thess. 5:19).
The next verse confirms this: `despise not prophesyings', which was also one of these gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11).
We hope it has become clear to the reader and student of the Word of God, that not only is it of paramount
importance to get Scriptural conception of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is necessary to get
likewise a Scriptural conception of the Holy Spirit, especially what His work entails in this dispensation of grace.
Owing to failure to `rightly divide' the Word there are many faulty ideas abroad today in Christian circles
concerning these persons of the Godhead and this leads to wrong doctrine and practice which does not further the
truth of God, but rather the darkness and deception of the evil one. Let us test all things and only hold fast to that
which is truth for today, and then seek to make it known `in season and out of season' (2 Tim. 4:2).
Let us now sum up what we have discovered from the Word of God in relation to the Holy Spirit.
(1)
The Spirit is the divine Author of the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:19-21).
It is for this reason that the holy Scriptures are designated the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). This is the only
offensive weapon permitted to the believer and the only weapon that overcomes the devil and the powers of
darkness. We have a wonderful example of its use by the Lord Jesus Christ when tempted by Satan for forty days in
the wilderness. Three times He foiled the devil, not by the power of His deity, but by the power of the written Word
of God (Matt. 4:1-11). This is certainly an example to all His followers, and we should remember that practice is
essential for the effective use of all weapons. A scanty knowledge of the Word is useless in this spiritual warfare
and the devil is certainly not afraid of Christians who keep the Book shut. It is of the utmost importance to have the
word of Christ dwelling in us richly in all wisdom (Col. 3:16) and this can only be realized when there is constant
application to the Word and absorption of the same until it becomes part and parcel of our minds and beings. We
are assured that it was the Holy Spirit who spoke through human channels (Mark 12:36; Acts 1:16). This is why the
Bible is the Word of God and not the word of man.
(2)
The Holy Spirit is the quickener or giver of all spiritual life (John 3:3,5-8).
This is where Christian life really begins and it cannot be realized by education alone or intellectual capacity.
Theological courses may be helpful in giving information about the Bible, but none of them by themselves can give
life eternal to a spiritually dead sinner, however religious he may appear to be. This is God's work alone,
accomplished by the Spirit of God Who leads the quickened sinner to appropriate by simple faith the unending life
which is found only in Christ (2 Tim. 1:1; 1 John 5:11,12).
(3)
The Holy Spirit's Seal (Eph. 1:13).
This is a figurative way of emphasizing the complete security of each member of the Body of Christ. No
believer can accomplish this eternal security by his own power or actions. God the Holy Spirit sets His seal upon
the salvation of the believer at the moment of believing. This shows that the whole work of salvation is God's and
not man's. The Holy Spirit puts His stamp upon it making it secure for eternity. This work of the Spirit does not