Scripture Reading: John 16:5-7

The Holy Spirit (An Overview) - Part 1

Go to Part 2

Intro.

1. Short study (overview) of the Holy Spirit to identify key parts of the subject. (Holy Spirit found 264 times in the New Testament.)

2. Reason: Tremendous amount of confusion and division over the Holy Spirit: Baptism, gift, gifts, anointing, person or force, new birth, His work today, etc., Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor. 14:33.

3. Hope this overview provides easy, concise and helpful answers that you can use in further study and teaching.

I. WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS (HIS NATURE).

A. He is Deity (God), One of the Godhead, Acts 5:3-4.

1. Possesses attributes of deity (eternal, Heb. 9:14; omnipotent, Ps. 139:7-10…)

2. Anything that lessens His deity is false.

B. He is a Divine Person, not an Impersonal Force.

1. His works show this - (He speaks, Acts 1:16; teaches, John 14:26; knowledge, 1 Cor. 2:11; has a will, 1 Cor. 12:11).

2. Contextual use of pronouns in NT reveals this, John 16:13-15.

3. Doctrines that turn the Holy Spirit into the impersonal force of God without identity and personality deny the NT truth.

II. WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS DONE.

A. He Inspired the OT Prophets of God (1 Pet. 1:10-11) 2 Pet. 1:21. Not merely human words – Divine source (2 Tim. 3:16).

B. He Immersed the Apostles of Christ with Himself (divine power; HS baptism).

1. A promise to apostles, fulfilled by Jesus, Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:2-5 (2:1-4). (Helper, John 14:16-17; 14:26)

2. He gave the apostles power to be witnesses of Christ, Acts 1:8 (John 15:26-27):

a. Revelation, John 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10.

b. Inspiration, 1 Cor. 2:13.

c. Confirmation, 1 Cor. 2:4-5 (Heb. 2:3-4).

3. Claims of HS baptism today must be for these same purposes, or it is not Holy Spirit baptism.

C. He Fell on Cornelius and House to Testify that Gentiles can also be Saved by the Gospel, Acts 15:7-9 (11:15; 10:44-47).

1. Not to produce faith, 15:7.

2. Not to purify their hearts (save them), 15:9.

3. Not to enable understanding of Peter’s words (the gospel).

4. Bore them witness (“acknowledged them” - NKJV) - To remove final doubts about preaching the gospel to Gentiles, 15:8 (Acts 11:3, 15-18; Joel 2:28--Acts 2:17).

D. He Gave Miraculous Gifts to Christians to Confirm and Spread the Gospel, Heb. 2:3-4; Mark 16:17-20.

1. By the laying on of an apostle’s hands, Acts 8:14-18.

2. Miraculous gifts distributed according to His will, 1 Cor. 12:11.

3. Miraculous gifts ended when the revelation of God’s word was complete and adequately confirmed, and when the means of imparting miraculous gifts no longer existed.

Conclusion

1. The Holy Spirit is God and demands our faith and obedience.

2. Continue studying His work in our lives in Part 2.