Topical Bible: The Gifts of God: Spiritual: The Holy Spirit

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The Holy Spirit, as a gift from God, is a central tenet of Christian theology, representing God's presence and power in the life of believers. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. The role of the Holy Spirit is multifaceted, encompassing guidance, empowerment, and sanctification of believers.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

The promise of the Holy Spirit is rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Before His ascension, Jesus assured His disciples of the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would be their Helper and Comforter. In John 14:16-17 , Jesus states, "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you."

The Outpouring at Pentecost

The fulfillment of this promise is vividly depicted in the Book of Acts. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, marking the birth of the early Church. Acts 2:4 records, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." This event signifies the empowerment of believers to spread the Gospel and perform works in Jesus' name.

The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a transformative gift that begins at the moment of salvation. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this in 1 Corinthians 6:19 : "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own." This indwelling presence assures believers of their adoption as children of God and their inheritance in Christ.

The Gifts and Fruits of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts upon believers for the edification of the Church and the advancement of God's kingdom. These gifts, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Each gift is given according to the Spirit's will and serves a unique purpose within the body of Christ.

In addition to spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit cultivates the fruits of the Spirit in the lives of believers. Galatians 5:22-23 lists these fruits as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." These attributes reflect the character of Christ and are evidence of the Spirit's sanctifying work.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Guidance and Conviction

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in guiding believers into all truth and convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus explains this function in John 16:13 : "However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come." The Spirit's guidance ensures that believers remain aligned with God's will and purpose.

The Assurance and Seal of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit serves as a seal and guarantee of the believer's salvation. Ephesians 1:13-14 affirms, "And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession, to the praise of His glory." This sealing signifies God's ownership and the security of the believer's eternal destiny.

The Holy Spirit, as a divine gift, is integral to the Christian life, providing believers with the power, guidance, and assurance needed to live in accordance with God's will. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are equipped to fulfill their calling and bear witness to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 11:13
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 8:20
But Peter said to him, Your money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit which we Receive Prepare us for ...
... Against Heresies: Book V Chapter VIII."The gifts of the ... honour which has been promised
us by God, where he ... thus dwelling in us, renders us spiritual even now ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter viii the gifts of the.htm

Spiritual Gifts.
... different nature are the extraordinary, purely spiritual charismata, of ... outside of
the Kingdom of God; and the ... But those natural gifts appear in the Church in ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxvii spiritual gifts.htm

The Spiritual Gifts.
... in disclosing the hidden counsel of God, the deeper ... this view be reckoned also among
the gifts of feeling. ... prayer or song, uttered from a spiritual trance, and ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 45 the spiritual gifts.htm

Man the Image of the Creator, and Christ the Head of the Man ...
... prophesied from amongst those specially holy sisters of his ... Now all these signs
(of spiritual gifts) are forthcoming ... apostle, belong severally [5580] to my God. ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter viii man the image of.htm

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament Other than in the Old.
... Third, this spiritual operation works either from without, imparting losable gifts,
or from ... God did not create humanity as a string of isolated souls, but ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxv the holy spirit in.htm

'All Spiritual Blessings'
... they are, unlike material and outward blessings, gifts for the ... to men all the most
precious things of God. They are 'spiritual' because the Holy Spirit is the ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/all spiritual blessings.htm

The Holy Spirit in Relation to Prophecy. ...
... 3) that "the Scriptures are spiritual: some things we can ... cc.99 f.). "Others receive
not the gifts of the Holy ... man bears the fruit of life unto God:" and again ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 1 the holy spirit 2.htm

The Communion of Gifts.
... they and so have we our spiritual treasure as ... temporary separation, to reunite all
the saints of God. ... their individual obligation, to have the gifts in common ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxvii the communion of gifts.htm

The Work of the Holy Spirit
... XXXVII. Spiritual Gifts. XXXVIII. ... VOLUME TWO. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the
Individual. First Chapter. ... After the Scripture. IX. The Image of God in Man. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/

God Will Bestow Salvation Upon the Whole Nature of Man, Consisting ...
... brethren in the Church, who possess prophetic gifts, and who ... of men, and declare
the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms "spiritual," they being ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter vi god will bestow salvation.htm