We will pass without comment the question of Missions of Revival (every servant of

the Lord is responsible to his Master) and will confine ourselves to the question

concerning "being filled with the Spirit".

The words "Holy Ghost" and "Holy Spirit" are translations of the same Greek words

and you can dismiss any idea of difference. We do not use the word "Ghost" to-day as it

was used when the A.V. was translated, and every place where "Holy Ghost" occurs you

may read "Holy Spirit". There is a difference, however, to be observed as between "The

Holy Spirit", the Person, and "Holy Spirit", His gifts, which gifts may be further

differentiated as either (1) supernatural gifts, or (2) the new nature, which is also "holy

spirit". Dr. Bullinger's Work The Giver and His Gifts goes very thoroughly into the

question, showing that in many passages where the Person is understood, the gifts are

intended. The words pneuma hagion = holy spirit. This usage (without articles) occurs

52 times in the N.T. and is always wrongly rendered "The Holy Spirit" (with the definite

article, and capital letters), consequently there is no stronger rendering available when

there are two articles present in the Greek (to pneuma to hagion), which means, "The

Spirit the Holy (Spirit)". In Acts 2: 4 we read:--

Here the Giver and His gifts are strictly distinguished. (Appendix 101 of The

Companion Bible).

Pneuma hagion (the gifts) is an expression absent from Ephesians, Philippians and

Another important feature is that the verb "to fill" is sometimes Active and sometimes

Passive. In the Active followed by the Genitive case it indicates what the person is filled

with, viz., with supernatural gifts, for example. In the Passive followed by the Dative

case, the one who fills is indicated. Now in Acts 13: 9 we have the Passive followed by

the Genitive which indicates what the vessel was filled with. "Then Saul, being filled

with pneumatos hagiou", the gifts of the Spirit.

In Eph. 5: 18 we have the Passive followed by the Dative indicating who was the

filler, not with what the vessel was filled, "Be filled by Spirit".

Under no circumstances omit a reference to Colossians when studying Ephesians.

Observe how we add to our understanding by reading the parallel passages together.