02.07. THE HOLY SPIRIT - 01 - The Work of Inspiration

THE HOLY SPIRIT – 01 – The Work of Inspiration Reading. Acts 1:4-9 and Acts 2:1-4.

Introductory.

BEFORE we enquire into the work of the Holy Spirit, a brief preliminary study should be made of Him whose work we wish to notice. In our English Bibles we have the names "Spirit" and "Ghost" used indiscriminately as the translation of the same word. Since the word "Ghost" has now other and inharmonious meaning and associations, we prefer to use invariably the word "Spirit." (See margin of R.V., Matthew 1:18.) We have various titles of the Spirit in the Bible. He is "the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3:11, etc.), because he is pure and purifying, "the Spirit," simply (Matthew 4:1); the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), the Spirit of the Son of God (Galatians 4:6), being sent forth by Christ; the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9); the Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20), the Spirit of the Lord (Luke 4:18); the good Spirit (Nehemiah 9:20); the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29), He alone having revealed the grace of God in Christ Jesus, the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), the Spirit of life (Romans 8:2); the Comforter (or better "the Paraclete," Advocate, i.e., the invoked Helper of the soul, John 16:7). It must be noted at the outset that we have to deal with the work of a Person and a Divine Person, not merely with a holy influence or disposition of God and Christ. That personality may be predicated of the Holy Spirit is clear from many passages of Scripture. Some have been somewhat misled through a misuse of the truth that the word for Spirit (pneuma) is neuter, and means "breath," and so cannot of itself indicate personality. But a careful reading of Christ’s great address in John, John 14:1-31, John 15:1-27, John 16:1-33, shows that Jesus speaks of the Spirit as a Person. There, e.g., we find masculine pronouns used, though pneuma is neuter (see John 15:26; John 16:7-8). Again, consciousness and personal action are attributed to the Spirit. He can teach (1 Corinthians 2:13), speak (Acts 10:19-20), help (Romans 8:26); comfort (Acts 9:31); intercede (Romans 8:26), knows the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). We can, grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). It would not make sense to apply the words of Matthew 12:31-32 to an influence. The Spirit is Divine. He is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10), omnipresent (Psalms 139:7) Creator (Psalms 104:30), Eternal (Hebrews 9:14). Peter said Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit, and continued, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God (Acts 5:4) In 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 we read, "The Lord is the Spirit." In Isaiah 6:9-10 we have a verse which is quoted by Paul in Acts 28:25-27, with the introduction, "Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet " In Isaiah 6:8-9, we learn that it was "the voice of the Lord" which the prophet heard. Since the Holy Spirit is sent by the Son (John 16:7) we must in some way reverently believe in a subordination of the work of the Spirit to that of the Son, just as in the case of the Son’s work with reference to the Father. The Son was divine, yet he could say, "The Father is greater than I" (John 14:28). We believe in one God, but in harmony with Scripture we must declare that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are Divine Persons. Matthew 28:19 settles the question of the divinity of the Holy Spirit--"baptising them into the name ["not names"] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." In connection with the extraordinary manifestations of the Spirit’s power, we have first to notice The Work of Inspiration.

"Inspiration" comes from a verb meaning, "to breathe into." We speak of the men who were used by God to write the books of the Bible as inspired rather than of their works as inspired, though in an accommodated sense we can speak of the writings as themselves inspired. We have already in the first lesson, in stating the Bible’s claim to be God’s Word, said some things which could appear under the heading of "inspiration." Here we shall notice some Scriptural statements as to the Spirit’s work in this direction. Many men are said to have been speaking the words of the Spirit, from whom we have no books. For instance, Zacharias was filled with the Spirit and prophesied (Luke 1:67-79). So Stephen (Acts 7:55), Agabus (Acts 21:11). See also Numbers 24:2; Judges 3:10; 2 Chronicles 15:1, etc. The apostles of Jesus Christ were promised this inspiration. Jesus told them: "When they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you" (Matthew 10:19-20; cf. Mark 13:11; Luke 21:12-15). Later, this promise of the Spirit’s guidance was extended beyond help in answering the charges of adversaries: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he the Spirit of truth is come, he shall guide you into all the truth" (see John 16:12-15; John 14:15-18). Now, we have ten books of the New Testament written by the apostles to whom these promises were spoken; so we have Scriptural authority for the inspiration of the writers of these. In the case of the Apostle Paul, converted after the other apostles had been commissioned, to whom we owe thirteen or fourteen of the books of the New Testament, we have the witness of the Apostle Peter that Paul wrote "according to the wisdom given to him" (2 Peter 3:15). In addition we have some most instructive words from Paul himself, which require special notice and throw clear light on what inspiration means. Read carefully 1 Corinthians 2:4-16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Ephesians 3:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 2:13. We can quote but these "Unto us God revealed them through the Spirit"; "Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth." In the New Testament, too, we have a number of most significant statements regarding the inspiration of the Old Testament books. Peter, for example, says, in reference to the prophets of old, "No prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21; cf. 1 Peter 1:8-10). This is in harmony with what Paul said of the Old Testament Scriptures as a whole: "Thou hast known the sacred writings, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture inspired of God is profitable for teaching," etc. (2 Timothy 3:15-16). Theories as to inspiration abound but we are not warranted in asking men to accept our theories. We are much more concerned with getting people to believe the claims which the writers of the Bible themselves make than to agree to our views of how the Spirit of God inspired these men. These writers received special revelations of things before unknown to them; they were guided in their ideas and choice of words; and they wrote in all things according to the will of God. Nothing less than this can possibly satisfy the requirements of the case. Personally I should say that inspiration - implies "the personal presence in the inspired of the Holy Spirit; the communication to his mind of ideas, selecting the words in which these ideas, shall be spoken and written." Nothing less than this last can be claimed in the case of Matthew 10:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 2:13. This inspiration of the Bible writers did not do away with the distinctive style of each writer. The Holy Spirit did and could use and work through men of different temperament and style. The fact that we have the sayings of Satan and wicked men recorded in the Bible is sometimes urged as an objection. "Are these inspired?" we are asked. Clearly not; but it is no objection. We simply say that the writers of the books which contain the narrative were inspired. The record is a true one. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to give a faithful account of even the evil deeds of men and the beguiling words of Satan, for our instruction and warning. Inspiration is not affirmed of men who copied or translated our Scriptures. We only claim that the authors were inspired in their work. Have we inspiration to-day as the apostles had? We have no evidence of such a thing. We believe that when the last apostle to whom Jesus gave the promise of the Spirit’s help in utterance and recollection died, this work of inspiration ceased. Many to-day claim to speak the Spirit’s words, but, alas, they often contradict the word which the Spirit spoke nineteen centuries ago. We prefer to believe that they err in their claim rather than allow for a moment that God’s Holy Spirit can contradict Himself. We would also naturally ask that the alleged inspired man of to-day should be able to work miracles in proof of his claim as were the inspired apostles. We know of none possessing this power. We are sure, too, that in the Scriptures we have enough given for the man of God to be "complete, furnished completely unto every good work."