the work of the holy spirit on the apostles

Among these people we find those of great native gifts, capable of worthy achievement; but in their lives no evidence of the operation of the Divine. May this series bless and inspire you. This is the reason we confess, as the Third Article teaches us, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, or come to Him.” This is not a flattering confession. 1 Cor. It may have come with the thunders of Sinai, but the heart of it was always the message of mercy. 2:14). vii.6, 25, "But I speak this by permission, not of commandment ... yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord," Paul admits that he was not sure in this case that he had the word of the Lord. This work depicts the moment when the Holy Spirit, represented as a dove, descended in the form of tongues of fire and rested on the Virgin and the Apostles during Pentecost. This moment has traditionally been called the birthday of the Church. Indeed, it is a mark of the Divine wisdom of this Book that the same truth is expressed with absolute accuracy in such widely variant forms of expression. In all ages, from the time our first parents banished themselves from God’s garden, God has been having this call proclaimed. They ministered chiefly to the chosen people, but the message was not confined to them. But faith is not a natural or inherent gift or possession of man. Take the parallels of Luke and Acts and discern the work of the Holy Spirit through the apostles and the relationship of Jesus Christ's work. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things….” (John 14:26). But Paul never taught anywhere that the Lord would return in his lifetime. And this leading has special reference here to the Christian life. The fact that the Bible does contain truth that man never had discovered we know not merely because it is so stated in the Scriptures, but we know it also as a matter of fact. Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit. Some will not make it. And man has now no power of begetting it again. Do we use the Word through which He operates, and thus give Him a chance to answer our prayers? The Gospel call, though always accompanied by the Holy Spirit with all His converting power, is not irresistible. The necessity of this work, and the steps in its progress are the points under which our thoughts will be grouped. Very often the solution of an apparent difficulty is found in studying the exact words used. The first step in the process of bringing the spiritually dead to life and the aliens to membership in God’s kingdom is the proclamation of God’s desire that it should be done, and that He has made all provisions by which it may be done. The result of this life of ever growing faith and knowledge will be a life brought more and more into conformity to the pattern Christ has set before us in word and example. Wherever God’s Word is preached forces are set into operation, forces of attraction or repulsion. Pentecost, oil on canvas by El Greco, c. 1600; in the Prado, Madrid. Nothing could be plainer than Paul's statement "in words which the Spirit teacheth." In the Bible we have the record of what he taught as an Apostle. 12:3. Before He ascends to the Father, Jesus breathes on His Apostles and imparts to them the Holy Spirit. The teaching that the “ Spirit of the Lord God coming upon ” those who preach the gospel is the same as the “ Baptism of the Spirit ” the Apostles experienced during their ministry. There is also the account of the Holy Spirit forbidding Paul to go to Asia to preach the gospel. Are all teachers? With the passage of time, others were added to their number by the Holy Apostles, who, with the accompaniment and assistance of the Seventy, were preaching the Gospel of Christ in various lands. The priests and prophets of Israel were constantly delivering the message the heart of which was always God’s call. 5. Just a little patient study of God’s holy Word, just a little observation with grace enlightened eyes, will suffice to make this point clear. And with the Holy Spirit’s teaching there comes the power to accept what is taught. 2. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord; but by the Holy Ghost. The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. But some one may ask, "If the Holy Spirit is the author of the words of Scripture, how do we account for variations in style and diction? And some of these heathen people called their god, the Great Spirit. ii.13, A. R. V., "Which things also we speak not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth combining spiritual things with spiritual words." The Holy Spirit: How He Works – Question 16 The Bible lists three instances in which the Holy Spirit spoke to the apostles. The Acts of the Apostles has sometimes been called the "Book of the Holy Spirit" or the "Acts of the Holy Spirit". Answer: The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles ten days after the Ascension of our Lord; and the day on which He came down upon the Apostles is called Whitsunday, or Pentecost. Jesus Himself tells us that it was largely His mission, on going back to heaven, to send the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, to lead us into all truth; that is, of course, all truth needful for our salvation. At His Ascension, Jesus told the apostles not to start on their mission of making disciples of all nations until they received “power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). 6. And in one way or another, it was always percolating out to the farthest confines of the races of men. For example, there can be little doubt that Paul had many mistaken notions about many things but when he taught as an Apostle in the Spirit's power, he was infallible -- or rather the Spirit, who taught through him was infallible and the consequent teaching was infallible -- as infallible as God Himself. Mar 22, 2019. And a faint and faltering vision of the good things offered him. SUBJECT: Godhead TITLE: The Work of the Holy Ghost in the Primitive Church PROPOSITION: In this lesson we will study the role of the Holy Spirit in the early church. Jesus Christ Himself is the one perfect manifestation in history of the complete work of the Holy Spirit in man. Today, then, we will continue this line of thought. Luke was one of the followers of the apostles and was closed to Paul. The Divine origin of nature shines forth more clearly in the use of a microscope as we see the perfection of form and adaptation of means to end of the minutest particles of matter. The work of the Holy Spirit is an absolute necessity in the plan of salvation. These words make it plain that a Person in the prophets, and independent of the prophets, and that Person the Holy Spirit, revealed truth which was independent of their own thinking, which they did not altogether understand themselves, and regarding which it was necessary that they make diligent search and study. There is an episode where He spoke to the church at Antioch to separate Saul and Barnabas for the ministry. It is quite probable that Paul expected that he would be alive to the coming of the Lord, but if he did so expect, he did not so teach. Our guide is the Small Catechism, as expounded by Traditional Pastor Robert Golladay. When He said, “I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst,” it was the strongest kind of an invitation to men to come and find in Him all their souls needed. We read in Eph. “Gracious Spirit! The work of the Spirit in the world may surprise you. Is there an implication in this statement to the effect that Christ’s work for our salvation is in any way lacking? In this verse, the Holy Spirit is equated to the power of the Most High. Some in the church see the Spirit as the dispenser of spectacular gifts. Everywhere throughout the Gospel reverberates the cry, “repent and believe the Gospel.” Everywhere, in one or another form, stands written the promise: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Even among the really sober minded, who have caught visions of the light of heavenly truth, who have heartily chosen the better part, how great the still inherent weakness, how frequent the failures. The presence of the Holy Spirit leads to holy forgetfulness. How do we explain for instance that Paul always used Pauline language and John Johannean language, etc.?" Clearly then, the prophet was simply an instrument in the hands of another, as the Spirit of God carried him along, so he spoke. There are many who tell us to-day that we should test the statements of Scripture by the conclusions of human reasoning or by the "Christian consciousness." Do we pray for His coming? Here Paul declares that the word which he spoke, taught by the Spirit of God, was the very word of God. We further believe that the Holy Spirit, as is the case with the other members of the family of the Deity, has a particular work to perform, especially with respect to the carrying out of the plan whereby the children of men are to be saved. When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. 3. This is the unmistakable teaching of God’s Word. Quite probably at this period of his ministry he entertained the hope that he might remain alive and consequently lived in an attitude of expectancy, but the attitude of expectancy is the true attitude in all ages for each believer. This is the unmistakable teaching of God’s Word. And this work He does in the person of the Holy Spirit. How Did the Holy Spirit Speak to the Apostles? The phrases "I believe in the holy catholic church" and "I believe in the communion of saints" in the Apostles Creed profess what Christians believe about the Holy Spirit and his work in the Church. No one, without the help of the Holy Spirit, can say that Jesus is the Christ; but with his help all can say it, and He wants to help every one to say it. If this laying hold of Christ is real it will suffice to save, for it is not the strength of the grasp, but the object grasped, which saves. A change of a word, or letter, or a tense, or case, or number, in many instances would land us into contradiction or untruth, but taking the words exactly as written, difficulties disappear and truth shines forth. The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles. xxxi.1-11). As a result, there is soon a separation of elements. It considers his personhood, noting that the Holy Spirit is a true person and not simply a divine force. No prophet's utterance was of the prophet's own will, but he spoke from God, and the prophet was carried along in his utterance by the Holy Spirit. Jane Williams. “But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. There are those who think that in 1 Cor. The Seventy Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ are those Whom our Saviour chose in addition to the Twelve and sent forth unto the work of preaching. It united the Church (Acts 4:32) b. The Church of God has been commissioned to continue the work. Men always have the power of resistance. Take those reared in Christian homes, brought up in the atmosphere of the holy Church, taught from earliest years the things which belong to their peace; how many continue to play with fire? This lesson talks about the Holy Spirit's divinity, his full membership in the Godhead. 3:28). 7. The accuracy, precision and inerrancy of the exact words used is amazing. Text taken from John 14:26. By God's grace, each week LutheranLibrary.org will present a new message on the basics of the Evangelical Christian Faith. We read in Mark vii.13, "Making the word of God of none effect, through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such like things do ye." It was His word that was upon the prophet's tongue. In the many Bibles that I have read and worn out, I have marked with a red pen countless references to the Holy Spirit in both the Old and New Testaments. This is the only way to growth in grace. Do all interpret?" To give us the eyes to see, the heart to appreciate, and the hand of faith to grasp the riches in Christ Jesus, this is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit as “Helper” did the work of revelation, making known to … the 50th day after the feast of Passover – was one of the three major Old Testament feasts. That which was all-sufficient for the poor malefactor will be efficacious for every one. When Jesus came He was Himself the clearest call God had ever given the children of men to come to Him. Volume 90% Nothing less will do. Another Person than themselves was thinking and speaking and they were seeking to comprehend what He said. The Holy Spirit is quite wise enough and has quite facility enough in the use of language in revealing truth to and through any given individual, to use words, phrases and forms of expression and idioms in that person's vocabulary and forms of thought, and to make use of that person's peculiar individuality. And to this end He sends forth His call. We read in 1 Cor. Never has there been, never will there be another. xxiii.2, R. V., "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue." x.15, 16, "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. This is the reason Jesus says: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God (St. John 3:3, 5). The only hand which can take the gift is faith. The work the Holy Spirit as Helper would do for the apostles makes this clear. The natural man is blind, deaf and dumb to spiritual things, and this includes faith. In this sense we speak of the absolute necessity of the Spirit’s work to our salvation. The Bible contains truth that men had never discovered before the Bible stated it. But this call is never wholly in vain. xii.4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each severally even as He will.... And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues. Make it your guide and stay. "These nine days of prayer, reported in Acts 1:14 and 2:3-4, were the first Novena on which all later Novenas have been based. What good does it do us while we are ignorant of its existence? A community of God’s children is established. To the superficial student, the doctrine of verbal inspiration may appear questionable or even absurd; any regenerated and Spirit-taught man, who ponders the words of the Scripture day after day and year after year, will become convinced that the wisdom of God is in the very words, as well as in the thought which the words endeavour to convey. Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers to renew, sanctify, and make us holy. Without this work no one can be saved. xxv.9, 40) and that therefore it was itself a prophecy and an exposition of the truth of God. Thus, the work of the Holy Spirit as the Helper or Comforter has been completed. The doctrine is becoming very common and very popular in our day that the work of the Holy Spirit in preachers and teachers and in ordinary believers, illuminating them and guiding them into the truth and opening their minds to understand the Word of God is the same in kind and differs only in degree from the work of the Holy Spirit in prophets and apostles. At first he sees spiritual things much after the fashion of the blind man who, after Christ’s first application, saw men as trees walking. As a man, that is except as the Spirit taught him and used him, the prophet might be as fallible as other men are but when the Spirit was upon him and he was taken up and borne along by the Holy Spirit, he was infallible in his teachings; for his teachings in that case were not his own, but the teachings of the Holy Spirit. that in extent, or efficacy, it needs to be supplemented? It is written by Luke as a sequel to the gospel of Luke, picking up exactly where Luke left off. iii.3-5, R. V., "By revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto His holy Apostles and prophets in the Spirit." And was a subject of inquiry to their own mind as to its meaning. He has at least a vague impression of the awfulness of his sinful condition. In what way can we speak of an absolute necessity of the Spirit’s work? It overlooks the fact so clearly stated and carefully elucidated that while there is "the same Spirit" there are "diversities of gifts" "diversities of administrations" "diversities of workings" (1 Cor. Salvation full and free has been prepared by Christ, is found in Him, and received with Him. When thus borne along by the Holy Spirit it was God who was speaking and not the prophet. In distinctively spiritual things we have no will to chose that which is good. This is a work that was promised by Jesus. Are we vitally interested in them? We read again in Acts xxviii.25, R. V., "And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken the word, 'Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers saying, etc.' We will take as our subject. Some are always won for God’s Kingdom. It considers his personhood, noting that the Holy Spirit is a true person and not simply a divine force. The spread of the gospel is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit. The folly of all this is evident when we bear in mind that the revelation of God transcends human reasoning, and that any consciousness that is not the product of the study and absorption of Bible truth is not really a Christian consciousness. The revelation made to the prophets was independent of their own thinking. As we will see later in this lesson, only God can have the power of the Most High. The Holy Spirit plays a key role in the Acts of the Apostles, leading to the use of the titles "Book of the Holy Spirit" or the "Acts of the Holy Spirit" for that book of the New Testament. In what way can we speak of an absolute necessity of the Spirit’s work? No doubt there are incalculable treasures of gold hidden in the recesses of the earth. 2:1). Today on Groundwork, let's discuss the meaning packed into these two simple lines and exactly what we're professing belief in when we recite them. But that there is only one way of coming into possession of Christ, and all that He has wrought for our salvation, is also clearly revealed. An apparent difficulty is found in Him, and His work for our salvation not of! That Paul always used Pauline language and john Johannean language, etc.? heathen called... Which Being is properly called the Holy Spirit there is also the account of the graces... The prophet was simply the mouth by which the Spirit as the Holy spoke... 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