FILL ME WITH THY SPIRIT
by
Daniel S. Warner, 1893
Fill me with thy Spirit, Lord,
Fully save my longing soul;
Thro' the precious cleansing blood
Purify and make me whole.
Fill me with thy holy light,
I would have a single eye;
Make me perfect in thy sight,
'Tis thy will to sanctify.
Fill me with thy perfect love,
Naught of self would I retain;
Losing all thy love to prove,
Lord, I count a happy gain.
Fill me with thy mighty pow'r,
Father, Son and Spirit, come;
In my soul the unction pour,
Make me ever all thine own.
Fill me with thy presence now,
Lord, thyself in me reveal;
At thy feet I humbly bow
To receive the holy seal.
Come, O Spirit, seal me thine,
Come, thy fullness now bestow;
Let thy glory in me shine,
Make me whiter than the snow.
Page 185
Church of God Hymnal
THIS BOOK records one pilgrim's progress in quest of the Holy Spirit. Rather than a journal, it is a study of God's revelation of the Spirit throughout Scripture. In reality, it is an attempt to share with others what the writer has discovered about life in the Spirit.
For years I wrestled with the theological term, sanctification. While having heard sermons preached and testimonies given, it was difficult always to find models of the experience over sin and self. Questions began to arise and doubts obscured my spiritual understanding. Then came the glorious truth about the Holy Spirit dwelling within the lives of believers, sanctifying and equipping them to serve God victoriously. I also witnessed that kind of life being lived by persons who had been confronted by great conflict. They experienced all the struggles that everyone else faced—sometimes even more—and yet remained surrendered to God's perfect will. This type of faith was attractive to me and as a young Christian, I claimed the sanctifying experience of the Holy Spirit in the summer of 1946. No, it was not like anyone else's experience, nor were there any great events that took place—only the reality that God had fulfilled his promise and that the Holy Spirit reigned within my heart.
However, great confusion exists today in regards to our theology of the Holy Spirit. The ominous silence about the Holy Spirit in many pulpits is frightening when one remembers the words of the late Charles Ewing Brown, former editor of Gospel Trumpet (now Vital Christianity). In his book, The Meaning of Sanctification, he wrote: “The doctrine of entire sanctification is an heroic doctrine. It requires a spiritual church and ministry for its acceptance, promotion, development, and successful growth. It always tends to die out in a worldly church, but it will kindle a flame of fire in every community where it is accepted, witnessed to, and lived out in experience” (p. XVI).
We may measure where we are spiritually by that statement. Our silence on this vital subject could be an indictment against the incipient decay of worldliness that seeks to make inroads into the church. On the other hand, the statement could challenge us to rethink our theology on the Holy Spirit and thus kindle a flame that would produce revival across the movement.
Our message of the Holy Spirit has not changed. It is valid for this hour in God's Church. We are a holiness people in the highest and most noble meaning of that term. Therefore, let us leave to future generations not merely institutions; let us leave a lasting legacy of the Spirit of Truth.
Arlo F. Newell
Anderson, Indiana
June 1978
Chapter 1
Meet God's Representative
BREATHE ON ME, BREATH OF GOD
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what thou dost love,
And do what thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with thee I will one will
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Till I am wholly thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with thee the perfect life
Of thine eternity. Amen.
Edwin Hatch
Hymnal of the Church of God
Page 137
And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
—Genesis 1:2
GOD'S Holy Spirit is moving among us today! We see him evidenced in those things that have always been characteristic of God's activity in human history. In the Old Testament his work is the creative movement of Genesis, the life-giving breath of Ezekiel, the power of deliverance in Exodus, the judgment wind of Hosea—but always a power controlled of God. Within the New Testament his work is seen as the promise of the Father in Luke, the baptismal dove of Matthew, the Comforter of John, the Wind of God in Acts, the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, the gifts of the Spirit in Corinthians, and the invitation of Revelation as God invites all to “come.” Just as surely as he was actively involved in human history in the past, he is active in the renewal of God's people today. Para-church groups empowered by the Holy Spirit reach the world with Good News. Mission strategy stirs the soul, sending out laborers into the vineyard. Revival among the people of God, welds us together in Christian unity and ministry to human need. God has truly turned loose upon the world the power revealed in the person of the Holy Spirit.
But as is so often the case, many have not really met him personally. We know about his works for we have seen how the Spirit's power can revive the church. His gifts (charismata, I Cor. 12) are being demonstrated daily among God's people. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) is enjoyed as we experience it relationally as believers in Christ. And yet, it is comparable to knowing about an individuals power of leadership, knowing of his talents and abilities, even knowing something of his relationship with others, but never meeting the person. So it is with the Holy Spirit. Too much of our information has come to us secondhand. Speaking to his generation, the late Samuel Chadwick wrote: “The church still has a theology of the Holy Ghost, but it has no living consciousness of his presence and power.” [1. Samuel Chadwick, The Way to Pentecost (Berne, Indiana: Light and Hope Publisher, 1937), p. 9.] In our present hour of history, William Barclay has written in his book, The Promise of the Spirit, “For the most part it remains true that our thinking about the Spirit is vaguer and more undefined than our thinking about any other part of our Christian faith.” [2. William Barclay, The Promise of the Spirit (Epworth Press, 1960), Forward.] Because of this, let us seek to discover who the Holy Spirit really is.
To introduce us to the Holy Spirit, God has given a progressive revelation of this truth. He always begins where we are and leads us to a more complete understanding of his nature. Beginning with the Hebrew people, God presented the Spirit in a manner which they would understand. The Hebrew mind sought first to “know God.” To Israel, life was wrapped up in the action of God, a God who had acted in their history, invading the world with his presence. Thus the doctrine or teaching of the Holy Spirit grew out of the life situation of the people of God. The Old Testament becomes a prologue to the more complete revelation of the Holy Spirit as set forth in the New Testament.
As the Breath of God
While the term Holy Spirit appears only three times in the Old Testament, the related terms translated as “spirit” and “Spirit of God” are in abundance. Early usage carries the connotation of the “breath of life,” that supernatural power and energy which is given only by God. Israel was vitally concerned about the action of God performed by the Spirit. Therefore, when God's action was recognized in deliverance or in prophetic utterance, it was natural to speak of the Spirit's bringing it to pass.
The life-giving power of the Spirit is manifested in passages such as Genesis 1:2, where we are told the “Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.” In the acts of creating and giving life, the “breath” or “wind” of God was active. (See also Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30; Ezekiel 37:5–6.) Of great significance is the understanding that the Spirit entered into and controlled the prophets as “forthtellers” of God. Micah is only one of many who expressed this type of “spirit-possessed” life. “But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord,” he wrote (3:8).
Spirit-filled people were different! They were controlled by a power beyond themselves, accomplishing more than they could have achieved in human ability alone. The Spirit provided them with strength, wisdom, patience, and inspiration. The Spirit gave life, provided power, and gave victory to God's servants.
In the Ministry of Christ
Too often in studies of the Holy Spirit we have placed his ministry in a postpentecostal chronology. However, with this brief insight into the Old Testament concepts one can easily see why the writers of the Gospels could have spoken of the Spirit's action in the total plan of redemption. They saw the Holy Spirit as a Person ministering for God in the world. Rather than an impersonal force, he is a person with all the qualities of life. It is even possible to discourage him through disobedience and rejection (1 Thess. 5:19). His nature is divine and he seeks to exalt the Christ (John 15:26), thus glorifying the Father (John 17:1). To speak of the Holy Spirit as an “it” or to refer to a particular “power” is to err in rightly understanding the Spirit representing God in the world. God has revealed himself in a Person, the Holy Spirit, expressed in the personality of his Son, Jesus Christ.
All of the synoptic Gospel writers bear witness to the involvement of God's Representative in the ministry of Jesus. The whole presentation is linked with Old Testament prophecy such as Isaiah 42:1. “Behold my servant … I have put my Spirit upon him.” Following Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit testified to God's approval (Matt. 3:16–17) and then led the Christ into the wilderness temptations, giving him strength to triumph over evil through the Word. Again, Christ's active ministry is prefaced by his declaration “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me …” (Luke 4:18). Through the Spirit, Christ received direction and was equipped for his servant role in the world. The basic ideas are carried over from the Hebrew tradition—life, power, and God's witness through a person possessed by the Spirit.
As the Counselor
Before leaving the Gospels, one must note that the writer of the Gospel of John moves beyond Matthew, Mark and Luke in his account of the Spirit's action. Here, too, the “Spirit” is related to the “new birth” (3:5–6), thus bringing life. But John presents also the promise of the fullness of the Spirit which would abundantly satisfy all humanity (7:37–39). To John, the Spirit is the paraclete (14:16; 15:26; 16:7), one who stands by your side to enable you to face life and eternity. A Comforter, yes. A Counselor, yes. But much more than these words can convey to our human minds.
The Holy Spirit not only comforts, but bears the burden with you. He not only counsels, but walks beside you to give direction, provides strength to carry the burden, and then pleads your case before the Father. In John 14, the Spirit is referred to as the gift (v. 16) given to those who love Christ and keep his commandments. This part of our study is vital to a right understanding of God's Representative. We do not earn the Spirit; he is given to those who supremely love God and keep his commandments.
The Counselor is the “Spirit of truth” (14:17) and he will “teach you all things, and bring … to your remembrance” (14:26) all that Jesus said. As the “Spirit of truth,” he will also bear witness to Christ (15:26), and he will guide us “into all truth” (16:13). The implications of this dimension of the Spirit's ministry are unlimited. Because of his presence and leadership there need be no stagnant saints nor spiritual stalemates in the church. There are depths of truth that only he can reveal to the searching hearts of Christian disciples.
Desiring to know God and to receive the promised gift of the Father, the apostles obediently waited (Acts 1:4), presenting themselves before the Lord to be used of him as witnesses. Already they were God's people, seeking to be obedient, to do his will. It was upon such persons that the Holy Spirit fell.
As the Wind of God
When God is rightly represented, all human personalities are overshadowed by his power and presence. So it was on the Day of Pentecost. How does one describe such a divine demonstration of God's manifestation? Human words, even Greek, seem insufficient. Therefore, Luke turns to symbolic language to tell of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4).
One must guard against reading into this text more than is really stated, but three things are quite clear. This outpouring of the Spirit is symbolized by (1) the sound like the “rushing mighty wind,” (2) “tongues like as of fire,” and (3) “speaking in other tongues.” From the opening verses of Genesis the “wind of God” has moved and now comes to separate the chaff from the grain. The “wind” also brings the freshness of rain and the promise of abundant harvest. Luke recognizes within this experience the “fire” of purification, purging those things that would hinder the progress of the young church. Pentecost both teaches and demonstrates the purifying aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit, God's representative in experiential holiness.
That part of the event at Pentecost which has caused considerable concern through the ages (note Paul's concern in 1 Corinthians 14) is the “speaking in other tongues.” Let it suffice to say that it symbolized the gift of communication. God enabled these Spirit-filled persons to share with others this fulfillment of prophecy (Joel 2:28–32), giving validity to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. If God was to be rightly revealed in Christ and represented through the Presence of the Holy Spirit, all people must be able to understand the message. For that very reason, the universality of the gospel is demonstrated in this means.
As surely as the “wind of God” moved upon the face of the deep, demonstrating God's power in creation, he now breathes upon these believers and “life” is breathed into the young church, the new Israel, the people of God. The newness of this life is evident in the fact that this experience produces a new community of faith, a fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the church of God. In the power of the Spirit they would now go forth with a holy boldness to witness to God's love and his plan of redemption.
The passion of the Pauline writings is summed up in one phrase, “the Spirit-filled life.” It becomes the pulsebeat of the writer as references to it occur about one hundred and twenty times in his epistles. For that reason alone we direct our attention in this chapter to only two areas of concern, the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
As the Enabler from God
As God's representative, the Holy Spirit seeks to reveal the very nature of God in attitudes and relationships. Therefore, Paul informs us that the life controlled by the flesh will produce the sins of the flesh (Gal. 5:19–20), but a Spirit-filled life produces a nature akin to God. The fruit of the Spirit is not produced through human effort but through the life yielded to God. Thus a person experiences “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (5:22–23). A more complete study of these divine characteristics will be given in succeeding chapters.
God's Representative not only enables us to share in his nature but also equips us to participate in his ministry (Eph. 4:7–14). Therefore, the gifts of the Spirit as listed in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4 are not exhaustive; but they do become representative of God's plan to enable the members of the Body to serve him effectively. Each believer has an important role to fill and “grace” is given to each of us, “according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Eph. 4:7). Paul saw in the gifts that which went beyond the human talent and ability. Certainly one's God-given abilities are not to be ignored; but the gifts of the Spirit were not dependent upon these alone. Most important are the words found in 1 Corinthians 12:31, “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.” Paul herein admonishes us to seek that “perfect love” which will enhance every other gift. Prophecy, tongues, knowledge will all pass away, but the gift of “perfect love” will abide. This love, the very nature of God, for “God is love,” is “shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy [Spirit] Ghost” (Rom. 5:5).
A word of caution is helpful as we reflect upon this brief introduction to God's Representative, the Holy Spirit. In an hour of history wherein great emphasis is placed upon the “experience” level of learning, we would be wise to measure the value of such experience by the authority of God's Word. In seeking for a particular experience, many have failed to find the authentic and the real. While desiring a special gift, they have failed to receive God's Gift in the person of the Holy Spirit. The late Samuel Chadwick, in his Christian classic, The Way to Pentecost, gives his testimony of seeking to know the Holy Spirit in these words:
The blessing I sought was power. The blessing God had for me began farther in and deeper down. Power was conditioned. The Truth that sanctifies begins with cleansing of heart and motive, a life surrendered to the Divine Will, and a personality possessed by and filled with the Holy Spirit, and I very nearly missed the way. [3. Samuel Chadwick, op. cit., p. 123.]
God has placed his Representative in the world that you might know him. Together we have begun our quest; let us not stop short of a deep personal relationship with God, which must always eventuate in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We dare not miss the way! “Let us go on unto perfection!” (Heb. 6:1).
For Further Study
1. Why is there such a renewed interest in the theology of the Holy Spirit?
2. Of what significance is the study of the personality of the Holy Spirit?
3. In what manner did the Spirit come upon persons in Old Testament times?
4. Look up and consider these Old Testament passages about the Spirit of God: Ezekiel 36:25–27, Malachi 3:1–3, and Joel 2:28–29.
5. What New Testament words are used to reveal the nature of the Holy Spirit?
6. Why do some people refer to the Book of Acts as the Acts of the Holy Spirit?
Chapter 2
God's Revelation of the Real
REVELATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
Spirit Divine, attend our prayer,
And make our hearts thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious power:
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Come as the light: to us reveal
Our sinfulness and woe;
And lead us in those paths of life
Where all the righteous go.
Come as the fire, and purge our hearts,
Like sacrificial flame:
Let our whole soul an offering be
To our Redeemer's name.
Come as the wind, with rushing sound,
With pentecostal grace;
And make the great salvation known
Wide as the human race.
Spirit Divine, attend our prayer,
And make our hearts thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious power:
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Andrew Reed
Hymnal of the Methodist
Episcopal Church—1878
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
—John 3:8
REVELATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
Spirit Divine, attend our prayer,
And make our hearts thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious power:
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Come as the light: to us reveal
Our sinfulness and woe;
And lead us in those paths of life
Where all the righteous go.
Come as the fire, and purge our hearts,
Like sacrificial flame:
Let our whole soul an offering be
To our Redeemer's name.
Come as the wind, with rushing sound,
With pentecostal grace;
And make the great salvation known
Wide as the human race.
Spirit Divine, attend our prayer,
And make our hearts thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious power:
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Andrew Reed
Hymnal of the Methodist
Episcopal Church—1878
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
—John 3:8
THE BIBLE is God's revelation of himself through the written word. It validates his Representative in the world as a personality with all of his divine attributes. How marvelous that the writers of both Testaments bear witness to the Spirit's distinctive presence, power, and purpose in God's plan of redemption. And yet, how tragic that humanity has not been able to recognize the real from the unreal in regards to this great truth. This only accentuates the fact that there are some things that are beyond human comprehension.
Charles Carter, in his book, The Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit, comments, “That man's finite mind, or human limitations, can never fully comprehend the infinity or limitlessness of divinity is obvious. To comprehend God fully would necessitate that man himself possess the limitless wisdom of God, in which unthinkable event he would no longer be man, but God.” [1. Charles W. Carter, The Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1974), p. 27.]
Because of this, the inspired writers have chosen symbols to help us understand the reality of the Holy Spirit. Within the Bible one finds truth conveyed through metaphors, similes, types, parables and allegories, though each one helps us to know the reality of God through revelation. Many of these expressions help us to understand better the nature of the Holy Spirit whom we seek to know in his fullness. In this chapter let us consider briefly only three of them—reality revealed through the Wind, the Fire, and the Seal of the Spirit.
The Wind of God
Even theologians, with their knowledge of God, do not always comprehend the reality of the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus was such a scholar in quest of reality. He knew well the religious ritualism of his faith but he sought the reality of personal experience. His insatiable desire to experience reality moved him to seek Jesus at night. Articulating his desire to the Master Teacher, he heard Jesus respond by speaking of the necessity of being “born again” (John 3:3). In amazement, Nicodemus sought to comprehend the depth of meaning in this statement. “How is it possible for one who is old to be born again?” he asked. Then Jesus, using an illustration understood by all, said: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit” (3:8).
This illustration became the means of revealing the reality of the Holy Spirit. It was as though Jesus said: “The Spirit of God is just like that—invisible yet unmistakable, impalpable yet full of power, able to do wonderful things for you if only you will stand in its path and turn your face to it and open your life to its influence.” [2. James S. Stewart, The Wind of the Spirit (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1968), p. 10.]
All of the tradition of Nicodemus' religious background began to take on significance. The “breath” or “wind” of God (ruach in the Hebrew) seemed to spring to life in his heart as he began to comprehend what this rabbi was saying. The Holy Spirit is like the Wind of God—that which cannot be stereotyped by spiritual sophistication, trapped by traditionalism, nor boxed in by our narrow beliefs. God's Representative has been released in the world to minister as he wills.
The Fire of God
“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them” (Acts 2:3). These words from the inauguration of the early church convey to us God's expectation for the purity of his people. As a witness to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he made it both congregational and personal. There was only one “fire,” but it sat upon each of them. And while we are all members of the body of Christ, there is the reality of an experience in the Holy Spirit for every believer. These had already experienced the Spirit in regeneration; now God revealed the reality of the Holy Spirit through purification—the cleansing of their inward nature.
Fire had long been recognized as a symbol of God's power to remove all foreign elements from one's life. Malachi had spoken of the “refiner's fire” that purified the gold (3:3), and now the reality of that experience came into fulfillment through the Spirit. While being converts to Christ, there remained within the hearts of these Believers attitudes and desires that needed to be cleansed. Jealousy, competition, and selfishness kept them from being greatly used of God. As a boy I recall the prayer meeting crowd singing:
Let the fire fall on me,
Let the fire fall on me,
The fire of Pentecost, consuming sin and dross,
Let the holy fire from heaven fall on me. [3. Hymnal of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana: Warner Press, Inc., 1953), p. 214.]
The coming of the Holy Spirit into the life of the believer cleanses the heart of those elements that would be contrary to the nature of Christ. As a “consuming fire” he enters your life; his fullness permeates your very being, sanctifying you entirely (1 Thess. 5:23). While not making it impossible to sin, the Holy Spirit within your life makes it possible to live victoriously over sin.
Nothing is more real than the illumination that comes through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. As a “pillar of fire” God had given guidance to the children of Israel as he led them through the desert wilderness. And while we are “pilgrims and strangers” in this time world, the illuminating presence of the Holy Spirit will lead us on the highway of holiness. While education may equip us to know the Word of God intellectually, it does not enable us to understand the Word experientially. Paul wrote, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). God, through the Holy Spirit, enables all persons who earnestly seek him to know this experience. Jesus said, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Some have referred to this generation as one of “spiritual illiteracy.” While having abundant opportunities to know the truth, we live in spiritual darkness, desperately needing the illuminating presence of the Holy Spirit.
For every believer, obedience to Christ requires that we “walk in the light as he is in the light” (1 John 1:7). To do this would mean that He, the Holy Spirit, would give us understanding about these things: the authority of his Word, deliverance from sin, stewardship of possessions, true Christian unity, divine physical healing, the end of time, and the resurrection from the dead. We are not dependent upon human interpretation but upon divine revelation through the Holy Spirit as he illuminates our understanding of the Word of God. Years ago it was my privilege to hear the late Ralph Cushman, Bishop in the Methodist Church. God's Word still speaks to the human heart through Cushman's writings because he walked in the illuminating presence of the Holy Spirit. In revivals and camp meetings I have shared these lines from his little book, I Have a Stewardship. The words are the prayer of my life for the church:
Set us afire, Lord,
Stir us, we pray!
While the world perishes
We go our way,
Purposeless, passionless,
Day after day,
Set us afire, Lord,
Stir us, we pray!
[4. Ralph S. Cushman, I Have A Stewardship (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1939), p. 30.]
God is able to purify your heart and illuminate your mind as you discover the reality of the Holy Spirit in your life.
The Seal of the Spirit
With an enlarged understanding through the Wind and Fire, we seek some validation regarding the Holy Spirit.
What evidence do we have regarding the reality of this experience? God's promise to his children and his plan for all to be redeemed will be helpful in satisfying this quest.
In Ephesians, Paul writes of “new life” in Christ. Reference is made to God's plan for all people, “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (1:4). This, he notes, is through an experience made possible through the blood of Christ and validated by the “seal” of the Holy Spirit. Verses 13–14 read:
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Being children of God (Rom. 8:16–18), we have entered into the blessings of the Christian life in this world while living in anticipation of the life to come. For Paul, this seal of the Holy Spirit helped him to have an eternal perspective, seeing beyond this life and enabling him to claim the promises God has given to all of his children. Notice Paul's use of the word all as relating to the reality of the “seal” of the Spirit. In Romans 8:9, Paul places priority on surrender to the Spirit. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” But this very experience of being “in Christ” helps us to look at “all things” from a totally different view. That assurance gave confidence to this intrepid missionary, making him a kind of practical optimist. Even in times of adversity, the seal of the Spirit enabled him to say: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, italics added)
In our humanity we rebel against that by questioning the tragedies and heartaches of life—the tragic death of a loved one, the handicap of an innocent child, or the suffering of a faithful saint of God in old age. How does one face these unanswerable questions of the hour? Paul was able to see beyond them because the “seal” of the Holy Spirit enabled him to claim the promises of God regarding the future. He actually believed that, while here, we see through a glass dimly—there, in God's tomorrow, we will see face-to-face. The Holy Spirit gave him that assurance. Once again Paul uses the words in the closing verses of this eighth chapter of Romans: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (8:37, italics added). In his humanness, Paul was subject to all of these things—tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. But he had God's promise that love would overcome. His source of victory is no secret, for the “seal” of the Holy Spirit still bears witness to the truth of the Word, that God's people through faith shall ultimately triumph over death, sin, and the world.
The third reference to the Pauline words all things is found in 1 Corinthians 3:21–23: “For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.”
Within the heart of this saint, God had given the witness—the “seal” of the Holy Spirit. He really believed that God had given to us “all things.” True, some are yet to be experienced and received. But they will come to pass. The meek will inherit the earth! The pure in heart shall see God! This mortal shall put on immortality—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye—and we shall be caught up to be with the Lord. (See 1 Cor. 15:52–54, 1 Thess. 4:17). Not in some seven-year period of rapture, but “so shall we ever be with the Lord” (italics added). The Holy Spirit bears witness as the seal and earnest of God's Word.
Yes, more real than the tangible things of life are the things of faith. Paul states that that which is real is not that which is seen but that which is not seen. Those things that we clutch so tightly can be lost so easily. But the things of the Spirit—faith, hope, and love—are lasting. While being revealed throughout the Bible by symbols, nothing is more real than the experience of the Holy Spirit. Bernard Ramm, speaking of this quest for reality, wrote:
The biblical answer is that the hardest reality is spirit, that the realest of realities is spirit, that the most enduring of realities is spirit, and that the most powerful of realities is spirit. Here then is the modern paradox. That which modern man thinks is the most ethereal and insubstantial of all that he can think of—spirit—is from the Christian standpoint the greatest of all realities. For were it not for the Word of God and the Spirit of God this great universe in its microscopic and macroscopic dimensions would not only have no reality at all, but it would not exist at all. If we want to get down to bedrock of hard reality, we have to get down to the Spirit of God. [5. Bernard L. Ramm, Rapping About the Spirit (Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1974), p. 20.]
Allow the breath of God to breathe upon you, the fire of God to cleanse you, and the seal of the Spirit to assure you of this reality.
For Further Study
1. This chapter has listed only three symbols or emblems of the Holy Spirit. Find scriptural basis for other symbols applicable to this revelation.
2. In what way does God lead us by the light of the Holy Spirit?
3. If the wind of God brings freshness and newness to our lives, is it possible for Spirit-filled persons to become spiritually stale or unproductive? Consider the reasons why.
4. In what aspects of our spiritual lives do the words cleanse or purify apply to this experience in the Holy Spirit?
5. Is there a difference in Scripture between the meaning of “seal” of the Spirit and the “earnest” of the Spirit?
6. Does the seal of the Spirit imply eternal security? What scripture would you use to correct such misinterpretation?
Chapter 3
The Wholeness of Holiness
HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD
“Called unto holiness,” Church of our God,
Purchase of Jesus, redeemed by His blood;
Called from the world and its idols to flee,
Called from the bondage of sin to be free.
“Called unto holiness,” children of light,
Walking with Jesus in garments of white;
Raiment unsullied, nor tarnished with sin;
God's Holy Spirit abiding within.
“Called unto holiness,” praise His dear name!
This blessed secret to faith now made plain:
Not our own righteousness but Christ within,
Living, and reigning, and saving from sin.
“Called unto holiness,” Bride of the Lamb,
Waiting the Bridegroom's returning again!
Lift up your heads, for the time draweth near
When in His beauty the King shall appear.
“Holiness unto the Lord” is our watchword and song,
“Holiness unto the Lord” as we're marching along.
Sing it, shout it, loud and long.
“Holiness unto the Lord” now and forever!
Mrs. C. H. Morris
Praise and Worship
The Nazarene Hymnal
Page 199
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
—1 Thess. 5:23
THE REALITY of our faith reveals to us the holiness of God. More than a descriptive adjective, telling what he is like, holiness reveals the very nature of his being. It speaks of his transcendency over all creation, of his awesome glory, and his impeccable character. Angelic beings praised him, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3). And through the inspired writers God revealed his desire that we, too, share in this holiness. The Old Testament writer of Leviticus declared: “For I am the Lord your God: Ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (11:44).
This same truth was proclaimed to the early Church in the Epistle of First Peter: “As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all conversation: Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1:15–16). Rather than being an impossible dream for the child of God, the experience of holiness needs to be viewed as God's plan for his people and made possible through the Person of the Holy Spirit.
His Holiness Reveals Our Brokenness
Basic to our understanding of holiness is the concept of wholeness and completeness. God does not do things by halves! He does not leave his revelation or his redemption unfinished. And nothing is more contradictory to Christian theology than disunity, disharmony, and discord among those professing to know Christ. While knowing this theologically we have experienced great difficulty in expressing it practically. The community of faith is plagued with broken relationships, fragmented families and spiritual schisms. Everett L. Cattell, in his book The Spirit of Holiness, has written: “One of the most serious criticisms made against “holiness sects” is their predisposition to strife and division.” [1. E. L. Cattell, The Spirit of Holiness (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1977), p. 70.] Whether in “holiness sects” or in major religious denominations, it is a contradiction to biblical theology to see the people of God divided. Division is a sin! It is like a demonic disease, crippling the effectiveness of the church's witness. Disease has been simply defined as “dis-ease.” When there is no unity, no peace, no wholeness of integrated Christian faith, then there is need for holiness. The blood of Christ brings peace for the guilt-ridden soul. The mind of Christ brings peace to the troubled intellect. The virtue of Christ brings healing to the afflicted body. Holiness is the way to wholeness in every area of your being as a person.
If you are struggling with inner turmoil, the inability to accept yourself and to relate properly to others, this chapter is for you. God is not merely a spiritual “guru,” ministering through meditation and mental gymnastics. He is the God of reality, ministering to your total personality. Forgiveness of sins is foundational, but God has also planned for the total redemption of your life. Referred to as a “holistic” approach to theology, it simply means that God is concerned about every aspect of your life. He desires, not merely to prepare you for heaven, but to help you live victoriously over sin in this present life.
A God of Completeness
The perfect plan of salvation from sin was formulated, Peter states, “before the foundation of the world …” (1 Pet. 1:20). Perfection implies “wholeness”! Nothing is missing! When God viewed his creation he measured it for its unity, harmony, symmetry, and beauty, and said, “It is good” (See Gen. 1:31).
Salvation history reveals that God fulfilled all of his promises in this same manner. He kept his covenant with Abraham. He did raise up a people for his name, and he did send the promised Messiah. Paul wrote, “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law” (Gal. 4:4–5). All of this was foretold by the prophets, and made possible the complete redemption of humanity. The account of Christ on Calvary speaks of the holiness of God His cry of fulfillment, “It is finished!” denotes the fact that the “whole” plan of redemption had been completed. The Greek word used in this account is teleos, meaning a completed act. Christ did not stop short of the fulfillment of God's perfect will. Holiness centers in completeness. Christ was and is the perfect sacrifice, none other need ever be made. Every believer in Christ has entered into the “everlasting covenant,” and the extent of the work of redemption is limitless.
The Hebrew writer states: “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (7:25).
Understanding of the word uttermost applies not to how long he saves, but to the depth or degree to which he is able to save. The extent of saving grace goes beyond the initial forgiveness of sin to the sanctifying of our very nature by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Many persons, having been “born again,” find themselves struggling with divided desires, undisciplined appetites, and strained interpersonal relationships., While having found forgiveness of sin, they have not been able to find the peace of God that is available through the Holy Spirit. Questions arise, like, “Must I continue this war within?” “Is there no peace in Christ other than this knowledge of forgiveness?” “Does he only save me ‘in’ my sin?” or “Can I be set ‘free from’ my sin?” While not a panacea for spiritual ills, holiness provides an answer to these questions, for all of them deal with the “wholeness” that can be ours.
Sanctification of the Whole Person
Paul, having experienced this struggle in his own soul, wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica. Without question, he affirmed that this unifying experience of holiness was God's will for every believer (1 Thess. 4:3). God has called us not only to conversion but to the wholeness of holiness (4:7). Being so concerned for these Christians whom he loves, Paul prays: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:23). The use of the word wholly is indicative of the completeness of this work of grace. Having experienced new life in Christ through being “born again” by the Holy Spirit, the believer finds within a hunger for holiness. Redemption has restored in the creature the image of the Creator. Now the desire is to do his will, becoming more and more like him in true holiness. This quest for more of God's likeness brings each person to a deeper experience of divine grace.
Dr. Paul S. Rees, beloved world Christian, has said that “Too often we have become connoisseurs of terms, rather than consumers of truth.” He is correct in that too often we place the emphasis on terminology rather than theology. Truth is truth, whether we call it “sanctification,” “second-blessing holiness,” or in the words of John Wesley, “perfect love.” Of this we may be sure, there is a crisis experience in the Holy Spirit beyond initial conversion which makes possible the wholeness of the child of God. This experience deals with the “whole man including his intellect, emotion, will, and his body as far as it is under the control of his will in voluntary actions. The holy man is the whole man, integrated, harmonized within by his supreme, inclusive purpose to realize in himself and others the moral image of God revealed in Christ, God incarnate. [2. Wilbur T. Dayton, “Holiness Truth in Romans,” Further Insights into Holiness (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1963), p. 89.]
Please Be Patient God Is Not Finished with Me Yet
The first-century church experienced this complete filling of the Holy Spirit. While being made possible by the blood of Christ (Heb. 13:12), this “sanctification” (setting apart) was the result of divine human interaction, involving the human will to consent and God's power to sanctify. Dr. Ralph Earl says, “The common usage of the two terms leads us to affirm that a human consecration is the prerequisite for a divine sanctification.” [3. Ralph Earl, “Consecration and Crucifixion,” Insights into Holiness (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1966), p. 79.] Consecration is more than an emotional, response to religious ecstasy. It is the instantaneous, willful, decisive act of surrender on the part of God's child—forevermore yielding every avenue of one's being to the control of the Holy Spirit. Such a commitment does not end with one glorious moment, but is a continuing, growing experience of obedience to God's will. While claimed instantaneously by faith, it is to be lived out progressively. While beginning with a crisis, it is also a process in spiritual development. In the act of sanctification nothing essentially human is removed. Rather, it is the cleansing of the inner self as we consecrate all to God. Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, in her excellent book, Foundations of Wesleyan-Armenian Theology, speaks of the evidence of this infilling as follows:
A heart wholly loving God—a unified personality—is the badge. No part of the human psyche can be left out. The regenerating and cleansing effects of the grace of God go at least as deep now as the “heart,” out of which “come the issues of life.”
The New Testament teaches that it is the self itself that is cleansed from double-mindedness (James 1:8) and sin (1 John 1:9). [4. Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, Foundations of Wesleyan-Armenian Theology (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), pp. 113–114.]
All of our human emotions are left fully intact, but cleansed and sensitized by the Holy Spirit. Too long we have failed to openly acknowledge that a “saint” becomes angry, loves deeply, and may have a real sense of spiritual pride. But this human nature once stained by sin has been forgiven by his grace, consecrated to his will, and cleansed by his Spirit. Holiness is the way to wholeness!
For Further Study
1. What is the basis for believing in scriptural holiness?
2. Define holiness as it relates to the nature of God. Then, as it relates to human holiness.
3. What is the relationship between the biblical terms, holiness and sanctification ?
4. Discuss the teaching of “entire” sanctification. Is Paul's use of the word wholly (1 Thess. 5:23) comforting or confusing? Why?
5. What is the significance of the common expression, a “second work of grace”? Consider how such an expression developed in our understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
6. Explain the involvement of the Holy Spirit in the experiences of salvation and sanctification.
7. Is Christian perfection taught in the New Testament? Consider Matthew 5:48, Ephesians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Hebrews 13:21.
Chapter 4
The Prelude to Pentecost
SPIRIT HOLY
Spirit holy in me dwelling,
Ever work as thou shalt choose;
All my ransomed powers and talents
For thy purpose thou shalt use.
O how sweet is thy abiding!
O how tender is thy love
Thou dost shed abroad within me
From the Fatherheart above!
Thou hast cleansed me for thy temple,
Garnished with thy graces rare;
All my soul thou art enriching
By thy fullness dwelling there.
In me now reveal thy glory,
Let thy might be ever shown;
Keep me from the world's defilement,
Sacred for thyself alone.
Spirit holy, Spirit holy,
All my being now possess;
Lead me, rule me, work within me,
Through my life thy will express.
C. W. Naylor
Hymnal of the Church of God
Page 135
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
—Luke 1:35
SITTING quietly in a large auditorium, I listened attentively to the prelude of the symphony. The opening strains of the music were only indicative of the major presentation to follow. But, even in the prelude, all of the instruments were in tune and under the direction of the conductor, producing harmony as the musical score moved toward the major theme.
So it is as one reads the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, witnessing the ministry of the Holy Spirit. While there are only a few references to his involvement in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ, they are vitally important. These references prepare us for all that is to follow. Each instance reveals that the divine Conductor is directing persons who are in tune with him, yielded to his control and surrendered to his perfect will. Like a progressive revelation, each movement of the music leads us toward the spiritual harmony of Pentecost.
Preparation
According to God's divine plan all of history moved towards the coming of Christ, the Savior of the world. Preparation had been made! Prophecy had been proclaimed, history had been accomplished, individuals selected for the fulfillment of Scripture. In perfect harmony each participant responded as directed. Zacharias the priest and Elizabeth his wife were “both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). Such surrendered persons were to share in the preparation for the coming of the Christ. Speaking to Zacharias, the angel of the Lord informed him of the coming of John the baptizer, as one “filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb” (Luke 1:15, italics added). Then upon the birth of this forerunner of Christ, “Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied” (Luke 1:67, italics added). The obedience of both Zacharias and Elizabeth (Luke 1:41–45) is indicative of the surrender always required of those who would be used of the Holy Spirit.
Complete trust, obedience, and acceptance of God's will are prerequisites to the presence of the Holy Spirit in human life. Such surrender by his parents no doubt enabled John to see that, beyond water baptism for the outward person, there was a needed cleansing of the inner person. In each of the Gospels his words prepare us for the perfection of Pentecost: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire” (Matt. 3:11; cf. Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16–17, italics added).
Incarnation
The miracle of the incarnation is still a challenge to the minds of theologians. With our reservoir of wisdom regarding genetics and human reproduction, it is beyond some to accept the biblical account of the virgin birth. One's belief in the power and person of the Holy Spirit is tested at this point. Does the Holy Spirit perform miracles? Is he able to go beyond the human in bringing God's will to pass?
To Mary, there was no questioning once God had given the explanation of his plan. Living in anticipation of her marriage to Joseph, having never known a man intimately, she was astounded when informed that she would bear a child. In response to this, the angel of the Lord said: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35; see also Matt. 1:18, italics added).
Once again the fears of Mary and Joseph were allayed because of their attitude toward the will of God. Joseph, seeking to treat his bride-to-be in the proper manner and to avoid embarrassment, was reassured by the angels that the miracle of the incarnation was wrought by the Holy Ghost (Matt. 1:20–21). How wonderful that even today the Holy Spirit indwells the lives of people surrendered to God's will! The incarnation speaks of God's desire to clothe himself in humanity, thus revealing himself and his love to the world. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit abiding in the lives of persons like yourself, God has a new incarnation.
Authentication
God's plan, anticipated and incarnate, now needed to be validated to show the fulfillment of prophecy. As the prelude moves toward the major theme of the music, so the Holy Spirit authenticates all that has come to pass.
John baptizing near the Jordan river, is confronted by Christ, who presents himself to be baptized. Recognizing the “Lamb of God,” John demonstrates the humility of a surrendered life, asking to be baptized of Jesus. Yet Jesus encourages John to proceed. He does baptize the Christ and the Holy Spirit authenticates this act. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: And lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ ” (Matt. 3:16–17, italics added). Some writers have noted that in this act all three persons of the Trinity are active: Christ in presentation, the Holy Spirit as the dove in affirmation, and the voice of God in confirmation. Having received this divine approval at such a public gathering, Jesus is then “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matt. 4:1; also Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1). If his ministry was to be helpful to sinful humanity, it was necessary that he be “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Thus, where the battles of the soul are waged (many times over very legitimate appetites like those of hunger for food), Jesus was led by the Spirit. We should remember that life in the Spirit is not always one of ease, free of temptation. Rather, such commitment on the part of the Christian may precipitate the greater struggle of the soul—a struggle through which we may come victoriously when we rely, as did Christ, on the Word of God as our strength.
With public approval through baptism, and personal affirmation through victory in the wilderness, Jesus now prepares for his ministry to people. To do so required more than innate abilities equipping him to relate to people, or the ability to speak well from the prophets. Something above and beyond all of this had to be present. Luke 4:18 speaks of the prophecy of Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn” (Isa. 61:1–2).
God's Holy Spirit still authenticates the life and ministry of all who would serve him. To attempt to minister without the approval of the Holy Spirit is to speak without authority. It is to testify without the experience, and to speak of fullness when inwardly we are empty. He alone authenticates our ministry. “No man, not even the Son of God, can do God's work without God's spirit.” [1. William Barclay, The Promise of the Spirit (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Westminster Press, 1974), p. 23.] No gift or ability equips us for service in the body of Christ other than the Holy Spirit. All who would serve as laborers in the vineyard of the Lord—educators, musicians, administrators, preachers, missionaries, and all other servants must be filled with the Holy Spirit and approved by him.
Continuation
Entering into his ministry, approved and anointed by the Holy Spirit, Jesus established a pattern for the people of God. Here in the formative stages of the Church, Jesus was putting into practice those things that would guide us across the centuries. That which lasts is not that which we have devised and developed in our own doing; rather, the lasting ministry is that which is given by the Holy Spirit. Will what we are doing continue after we are gone? How long will this message of truth continue?
Each writer in the synoptic Gospels picks up the same inspiration for testing the lasting quality of this truth. Mark 13:11 is an example of the continuing inspiration that comes through surrender to the Spirit of God: “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: But whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: For it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” (Also see Matt. 10:20; Luke 12:12.)
Fully aware that persecution would come upon those who would live godly in this world, Jesus gave the assurance of God's continuing guidance and presence. The same Spirit that fulfilled prophecy, that brought Christ into the world and validated his ministry—this blessed Holy Spirit will be with you to accomplish God's purpose in your life! Trust him, allow him to possess and fill you. He will not fail! With this prelude, your spiritual life can become a symphony under the direction of God.
For Further Study
1. What common characteristics are to be found in the persons chosen by God to be used of the Holy Spirit? Examples: Elizabeth, Mary, John, the baptizer.
2. Discover other scriptural passages regarding the doctrine of the incarnation. List the passages and seek to relate them to the verses mentioned in this chapter.
3. What are the qualities of spiritual life that give authenticity to one's ministry? Are such qualities humanly developed or divinely endowed?
4. Is it possible for one to be filled with the Holy Spirit and fail to progress? Give reasoning for your response.
5. Are there dangers in making all the ministry of the Holy Spirit post-Pentecost? If so, please list the inherent dangers to such teaching.
6. Does the obedient Christian possess full power when filled with the Spirit or should a continuation in the Spirit-filled life produce greater strengths?
7. Does the “harmony” of the Pentecostal experience mean that life will have no “sour notes”? If not, then what does the term mean?
[ Continued...See Link Below... ]