Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/75

Contributor - John Opmeer

Title - Who Is The Holy Spirit

Topic - Holy Spirit

The apostle Paul once asked a group of Christians in Ephesus,

"Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" And the answer was, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." (Acts 19 : 2)

That answer no Christian can give today. The Holy Spirit is referred to in churches more often today than for a long time. So, nowadays the answer to the apostle's question could no longer be, "No, we haven't even heard about the Holy Spirit". But it could very well be, "I don't really know; I guess so!"

There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is still the least known member of the Trinity among Christians. Catharine Marshall, in her book "Beyond Ourselves", writes that at one time in her life she said, "If I have to believe it, I suppose I will. But He's nothing to me; I've had no contact with Him." Now she was a minister's wife, in church every Sunday. Did she speak for any of you?

Suppose we change the question somewhat. Instead of asking, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit?" with the answer, "I guess so", we'll ask, "Who is the Holy Spirit, and do you know Him?"

The first part of the question has to do with knowledge, the second with experience. I don't know how you would answer this question. But I do know that there is a disturbing ignorance in the church about the Holy Spirit. An ignorance of what the Bible really teaches and worse, an ignorance when it comes to personal experience of the Holy Spirit. This ignorance is disturbing, because it cannot but result in a greatly impoverished Christian life. I write this article in the hope that in some small way it may contribute to your knowledge and to your experience of the Holy Spirit.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

For our answer, we do not turn to the testimony of people, but to the Bible. What does the Bible say?

In the second verse of the Bible, we are already introduced to the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1 : 2 we read, "And the Spirit of God was, moving over the surface of the waters." We read much about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, especially in connection with prophecy. But the Old Testament gives only an introduction to the subject. Our real understanding of the Holy Spirit comes from the New Testament.

Perhaps you wonder: why did it take so long for God to reveal Himself more fully as Holy Spirit? The answer is found in John 7 : 3 9, "The Holy Spirit was not yet given, for Jesus was not yet glorified."

The Holy Spirit could not be revealed in His fulness until the New Testament dispensation.

First, Jesus Christ had to come, and complete His work. Without reconciliation, and without reconciled men and women on earth, the Holy Spirit could not permanently dwell on earth.

But not only did Jesus have to come first; He also had to go away, before the Holy Spirit could come. We read the clear teaching of Jesus in John 16 : 7, "it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."

Not an "IT"

Up to this point, it would be possible to think of the Holy Spirit as a force, an influence, the influence of Jesus on earth. But that's not the teaching of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a live Being, like God the Father and Jesus Christ. That is not easy to understand, for several reasons:

1. We tend to associate personality with body. The Holy Spirit has no form, is unseen, and that makes Him impersonal to US.

2. Spirit is not a personal word, like 'Father' and 'Son'.

3. The symbols that are used for the Holy Spirit, such as wind, fire, oil, all suggest a force rather than a Person.

For all these reasons, we must make a special effort to think of the Holy Spirit as 'He' rather than 'It'. But that effort is gloriously rewarded!

First, when we think about it, personality is not limited to body. We ourselves, according to God's Word, will have a personality after we die. We continue to think, to feel, and to have a will, even though we have to be without a body until the day of resurrection!

This may help us to understand how the New Testament speaks about the Holy Spirit. Jesus called Him "another Comforter" (John 14 :16). The word for 'another' used here by Jesus, means: another of the same kind. So, Jesus told the disciples: He will be like Me. Well whoever is like Jesus is certainly a person, not an 'it'!

That word 'Comforter', by the way, is no longer as accurate a translation of the word Jesus used as when John Wycliffe used it for the first time. For him it meant: the one giving strength. Now it seems to refer only to people who need comfort. Even that is not wrong, but it is too one sided.

The Holy Spirit does far more than bring comfort to people who are upset. The word Jesus chose to speak of the Holy Spirit means: the one who stands at your side and helps you. It was used in Greece to refer to the counsel for the defense, in court action. The Holy Spirit is the God-given, God-natured Helper, our divine Companion.

Imagine the situation the disciples were in. What a shock when Jesus told them: I go away! But the shock was even greater when Jesus continued: "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you,, (John 20 :21). For three years they had seen their Master do unbelievable things. They had come to admire Him, worship Him ' depend on Him. And now He told them : I'm going away now, but you must continue My work: you're on your own now!

Suppose you are in a Billy Graham crusade, the first night of a series. After the meeting, Billy Graham approaches you and says: "Sorry, I have to go away; you take over the rest of the meetings." Imagine your shock, your panic! Well, that's the way the disciples felt when Jesus broke the news to them.

But, actually, Jesus never said that last part: You're on your own. Rather, He told them: Don't worry, you'll get all the help you need. I'll send you the Holy Spirit. He will help you, teach you, remind you, guide you, yes, even live within your very bodies!

Not the Father, or the Son

Who, then, is the Holy Spirit? He is that Person in the Being of God, who has come to dwell in the church to make it the church, and in our bodies, to make us believers.

It is important to understand that the Holy Spirit is not just another word for God the Father, or for Jesus Christ. God the Father is in heaven. Jesus Christ, in His ascended body, is seated at the right hand of the Father, He will come back to this earth at the appointed time. But the Holy Spirit is on earth.

We believe, then, that the Holy Spirit is a living Being distinguished from God the Father and Jesus Christ. Distinguished from, but one with them. The Holy Spirit never goes His own way. He always glorifies Jesus. He relates us to God through Jesus alone. He reaches us through Jesus Christ only.

Never believe a person when he says that we can know God just by His Spirit, without having to believe in Jesus Christ. Never believe a person who claims that the Spirit tells him things which go beyond the Bible, or contradict the revealed will of God, It may be a spirit alright, but not the Holy Spirit.

Imagine a stained-glass window in the church, picturing a person. As the light of the sun passes through the window, the same light that outside is invisible now projects the image of that person on the wall, in colour. So the Holy Spirit reaches us, coloured as it were by the nature through which He is given to us, the nature of Jesus!

Do you know ... ?

But to know about the Holy Spirit is not the same as to know Him. I may know a lot about King David, or Prime Minister Trudeau, but I do not know them personally.

Jesus said, "the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit, because it neither sees Him nor Knows Him; but you, my disciples, know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."

Unbelievers CANNOT know the God who is with us, yes and also in us! Only Christians can know the Holy Spirit. There is only one condition for knowing the Holy Spirit for yourselves: confessing Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. If we truly do, then the Holy Spirit lives in us, even if we fail to recognize His presence!

First, then, we must be sure that the Holy Spirit lives within our bodies. Then, we must give Him the opportunity to manifest Himself.

Let's use an illustration from science. We now know that in a fistful of dirt, there is unbelievable potential power. We never knew this, until we started learning about atoms, and splitting them. Not until you realize that that power is there could you do anything to have it released. Once you realize the potential, you are in a position to let that power manifest itself.

So it is with the Holy Spirit. Until we find out that He is dwelling within us, He can never be released within our lives. But once we do, we can begin to desire that He will be released within us.

"But you know Him," Jesus said. Do YOU? Do you know Him, obey Him, love Him?

The way is open.

If the Holy Spirit were just a power, we might want to have more of that power. But now that we know that He is a Person, our only desire should be: How can He - my divine companion more fully possess me, so that He may manifest Himself in and through me unhindered by my lack of faith and obedience, but fully as He desires? That desire, God satisfies! Hallelujah!

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