Questions On Our Relationship With The Holy Spirit

Answer The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit dwells in those who are obedient to God's Word, just as God and Christ dwell within the person who is obedient. However, there is more to your question than that answer provides.

It is important to notice who was promised the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, and to what degree the Holy Spirit would dwell in those people who received the promise.

A. John the Baptist told some in his audience, "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). In Acts 2:1-4, this prophecy was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit fell on the Apostles, just as Jesus also prophesied it would in Acts 1:4-8.

So the Apostles were promised and received the baptism of the holy spirit.

B. Also in Acts 2, another promise concerning the Holy Spirit is made: "Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

Please notice that these people were promised "the gift of the Holy Spirit." I call your attention to this because the text of this passage and others in Acts (which we will examine in a minute) illustrate that the "gift of the Holy Spirit" and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are not the same thing.

In Acts 1, Jesus promised the baptism of the Holy Spirit only to his apostles. When they received it in Acts 2, they were able to perform miracles, such as speaking in tongues (Acts 2:5-12). Peter promised the "gift of the Holy Spirit" to anyone who repents of his/her sins and is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38, quoted above). There is no record of these people performing miracles. That appears to have been something that only the people who were "baptized" with the Holy Spirit could do.

Acts chapter 8 also supports this conclusion because, after Phillip "went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them" (Acts 8:5), they were baptized (8:16), but they did not receive the Holy Spirit (8:17,18). It took the laying on of the Apostles' hands for someone to receive the Holy Spirit as the Apostles had it.

We also learn from this chapter that the people who received the Holy Spirit from the Apostles were unable to pass it on to others; they were limited to performing miracles. (Phillip received the Holy Spirit from the apostles in Acts 6:5-6; yet, he could not pass it on to the Samaritans [Acts 8:14-18]. Peter & John had to come down to give them the Holy Spirit [Acts 8:14-18]. Simon recognized this and offered money for the power to pass it to others [8:18-19].)

So, these passages show that the "gift of the Holy Spirit," which was promised to those who obeyed Peter's commands in Acts 2:38-39, was different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit that the Apostles received.

The only other recorded instance of a group of people having the Holy Spirit fall on them as it did the Apostles is in Acts chapters 10 and 11. Here, Cornelius and the people in his house received the Holy Spirit just as the Apostles had (10:47). In chapter 11, Peter, recounting the story of Cornelius' conversion, says, "If therefore God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" (11:17). Although he refers to this as a "gift," the passages we have already looked at illustrate that it is not the same "gift" spoken of in Acts 2:38. If it were the same "gift" that was promised to those who repent and are baptized into Christ, then the Samaritans in Acts 8 would have received it upon their conversion. As we have already seen, they did not receive the Holy Spirit as the Apostles had, and as Cornelius and his household did.

John 17 teaches that God the father, God the Son (Christ), and God the spirit (Holy Spirit) dwell in those who belong to God and are faithful. For those people, yes, the Holy Spirit does dwell in them always. However, for those who are not obedient to God's will, the Holy Spirit does not dwell in them. Remember what Acts 2:38 says: to receive the "gift of the Holy Spirit," you must show obedience to God's commandments by fulfilling the requirements of the New Testament law as recorded there and elsewhere throughout the New Testament. Contact Michael

Question 2. When you are saved do you get the Holy Spirit then or do you have him from birth?

Answer Thank you for your question regarding the Holy Spirit. Much has been written and a great deal of confusion exists regarding this member of diety. I will try to answer your specific question as directly as possible and not get into any of the associated questions. If you have other related questions, please feel free to contact me again. I appreciate your search of truth.

Many are searching for an internalized feeling that will guide them in decision making either on a spiritual or physical plane or both. First of all consider Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. Jesus says that it is truth that sanctifies and the word of God is truth. The implication to your question is that the Bible is a revelation from God by the inspiration of Holy Spirit. Consider, 2Pe 1:21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit. Peter says that the prophecy of the Old Testament came from God by the inspiration of Holy Spirit. We can be confident that the Old Testament is from God. Consider also, 2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Paul said "all scripture" is inspired of God. So, the New Testament is from God too. My point is that the Holy Spirit has inspired men to reveal what God wants us to know. In fact, the Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the revelation of God's dealings with his people and his plan for man's redemption. This implies a responsibility on our part to study and learn how we can be approved by God and spend eternity with him. 2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The desire for a spiritual guide other than the Bible, is a desire for something God has not revealed. I am not discounting God's providence in our lives, or the power of prayer. However, the Bible does not teach that the Holy Spirit will guide apart from the revelation of the Bible. Let me give you an example of what the Holy Spirit has given. In conversion the Holy Spirit has taught that one must believe (Hebrew 11:6), repent (Acts 2:38), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16). When your spirit acknowledges that such has been fulfilled through the avenue of perfect obedience (complete submission), the Holy Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you, the penitent, obedient, baptized believer is a child of God. I have included the scriptures mentioned above for your study. Hopefully, I have answered your question adequately. There is a lot more that could be said. Please consider the passages below and study your Bible.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing (unto him); for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and (that) he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.

Act 2:38 And Peter (said) unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. Contact Larry

Question 3. I would like you to explain to me a little more in depth why you don't feel the Spirit speaks directly to us today. If that were the case, It would seem that all the wonders that people do in Jesus' name (ie Preach the word of God, Convert the lost, and pray in depth prayers) would have to be done entirely on our own. To me that would be dangerous. If you would please I would like some clarification on this matter.

Answer Much of the problem in understanding things like this occurs because of a lack of understanding concerning how the Holy Spirit worked in the first century and if He still works in the same way today. I am not sure that I can explain all things concerning His work and how that effects how He relates to us today, but I hope that I can point out a few things that may help in this matter. First, how and why the Holy Spirit communicated in the first century and then today. Then, what does this mean as far as the effectiveness of things we do in Jesus' name and whether we or God should be given the credit for these things.

In the First century, the Holy Spirit worked to see that the Word (expressed in the New Testament) was revealed and confirmed. Revelation of the Word took on two expressions, spoken and written.

Jesus had indicated before His death the Spirit would come and guide that apostle into all truth and help them remember the things that He had spoken to them. Jn. 16:12-13, 14:26. On the Day of Pentecost, 10 days after He ascended to Heaven, the Spirit directly contacted the apostles and guided them i speaking the truth. Acts 2. Not only did He guide them, but He guided others like Paul in their speaking the truth. 1 Cor. 2.

Beyond this, He guided their writing so they would not would produce a record of the truth that others in distant times could read and understand. Jn. 20:30-31, Eph. 3:1-7. They warned that to go beyond what was written or spoken was sin that would cause one to be eternally lost. Gal. 1:6-9, 1 Cor. 4:6, Jude 3-4.

Next, the Spirit confirmed the words that they spoke by providing them with miraculous powers that they could show others they were speaking from God and not just from their own thinking. Heb. 2:1-4, Acts 2:43, Acts 8:5-25.

Now, the question comes down to, does the Spirit act toward us in the same way that He did with them? The answer is, no! We are ones who benefit from the product (Truth) that the Holy Spirit produced, but we do not participate in that process of revealing and confirming truth as they did. We must persuade people to look at the truth and then believe and obey it (God be glorified in all of this), but we are simply servants who depend totally on the work of these men and of the Spirit that has gone before us. Heb. 1:1-2. God speaks to us through His Son who has chosen to speak to us through men guided by the Holy Spirit. When we follow the Word, we are being guided by the Holy Spirit in our teaching, preaching and living. Contact Gary

Question 4. In Acts I read that there was 120 who were baptised in the Holy Spirit. How is it that you can believe that The Holy Spirit is not ment for all? There were miracles in the Old Testament and in the New up until the Apostles died? If God is truely the same yesterday, today and forever...as it says in His Word...then why would He stop doing the miraculous after the book of Acts? That would be a contradiction would it not? would not God himself be lying? Heaven forbid...

Answer In your question above, you have made some claims about God and His word based extremely loosely on 2 or 3 passages.

Let's take your logic to it's conclusion. In the Old Testament, God required animal sacrifices. Every day. In the New Testament, He requires none. Does that mean that He is not "the same yesterday, today, and forever"? Is that a contradiction that proves God is lying?

In the Old Testament, God's chosen people were the Jews. Gentiles were heathens, totally unacceptable to Him. In the New Testament, Jews are no more acceptable than Gentiles: every person who does His will is accepted. Does that mean that He is not "the same yesterday, today, and forever"? Is that a contradiction that proves God is lying?

God has had a plan for man's salvation since before time (Ephesians 3:1-7). According to Paul in this passage, not all parts of His plan were revealed at the same time. The Jews under the OT had a part of the plan, but not all of it. The Christians under the NT got the rest of it. The best part for us is that we have the Bible. According to Paul (1 Cor. 13) and James (1:25), it is "perfect" or complete. Paul states in 1 Cor. 13 that spiritual gifts (the ability to perform miracles) were not "perfect," and that something better would be coming along ("When that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away.")

The portion of the Holy Spirit that was given to men to perform miracles has in fact passed away. It was only intended as a temporary way to prove that the men who performed the miracles were indeed from God. Now we have the Bible, and again, according to Paul in 1 Cor. 13, the completed Bible is better than the ability to perform miracles.

Read Acts 8. It clearly teaches that the only men who could pass on the ability to perform miracles were the apostles. Now that they are dead, how do you propose that men receive the ability to perform miracles today?

We still have a gift of the Holy Spirit, the same one that was promised in Acts 2:38. That gift is very different from the gift of miracles, which was only temporary. Contact Michael

Question 5. What is the work of the Holy Spirit?