Blackstone Church of Christ

SHORT COURSE ON THE HOLY SPIRIT

Walter Davis
04/05/20 - Sun AM

1. WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS (HIS NATURE).
2. He Is Deity - God – “But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? "While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:3-4).
3. Possesses attributes of deity (eternal – “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14) omnipotent – (Psalm 139:7-10)
4. Anything which lessens His deity is false!

1. He Is A Divine Person - Not Impersonal Force.
2. His works show this - (He speaks, "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;” (Acts 1:16) teaches, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26) knowledge, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” (1Corinthians 2:11) has a will, “but one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1Corinthians 12:11).
3. Pronouns in NT reveal this - “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” (John 16:13).
4. Doctrines which render the Holy Spirit as a mere forcewithout personality deny the truth!

1. WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS DONE.
2. He Inspired the OT Prophets of God – “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.” (1Peter 1:10-11); “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2Peter 1:21).

1. He Immersed the Apostles with Himself (His Power ? Holy Spirit baptism).
2. A promiseto apostles, fulfilled by Jesus - cf. "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11); (Acts 1:2-5; 2:1-4).
3. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) - Give apostles power to be witnesses:
4. Revelation – “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” (John 16:13) “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” (1Corinthians 2:10).
5. Inspiration – “These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1Corinthians 2:13).
6. Confirmation – “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1Corinthians 2:4-5) “ how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2:3-4).
7. Claims of H.S. baptism today must be for these same purposes, or it is not Holy Spirit baptism!!

1. He Fell Upon Cornelius & House to Testify That Gentiles Can Be Saved – (Acts 15:7-9) (11:15; 10:44-47).
2. Not to produce faith - v. 7.
3. Not to purify their hearts (save them) - v. 9.
4. Not to enable understanding of Peter's words (the gospel).
5. v. 8 - Bore them witness("acknowledged them" - NKJV)- To remove final doubts about preaching the gospel to Gentiles - Acts 11:3, 15-18 (Joel 2:28--Acts 2:17).

1. He Gave Miraculous Gifts to Apostles to Confirmand Spreadthe Gospel (Mark 16:17-20).
2. Acts 8:14-18 - By the laying on of an apostle’s hands.
3. Remember what Paul wrote as we saw a moment ago “but one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1Corinthians 12:11) - Miraculous gifts distributed according to His will.
4. With revelation complete and confirmed, and the means of imparting gifts impossible Miraculous gifts have ceased. The Holy Spirit dwells in us today through the word of God just as God dwells in us and Christ dwells in us. If Gods word is in us so is Christ and the Holy Spirit.