The Same Holy Spirit Who Worked in Christ's Birth Now Works in Rebirth

Baptism of St Paul - Capela Paletina

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Lu 1:35)

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (He 2:14–15)


And so to undo this chain of sin and death, the Almighty Son of God, that fills all things and contains all things, altogether equal to the Father and co-eternal in one essence from Him and with Him, took on Him man’s nature, and the Creator and Lord of all things deigned to be a mortal: choosing for His mother one whom He had made, one who, without loss of her maiden honor, supplied so much of bodily substance, that without the pollution of human seed the New Man might be possessed of purity and truth. In Christ, therefore, born of the Virgin’s womb, the nature does not differ from ours, because His nativity is wonderful. For He Who is true God, is also true man: and there is no lie in either nature. “The Word became flesh” by exaltation of the flesh, not by failure of the Godhead: which so tempered its power and goodness as to exalt our nature by taking it, and not to lose His own by imparting it. In this nativity of Christ, according to the prophecy of David, “truth sprang out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven” (Ps 85:12). In this nativity also, Isaiah’s saying is fulfilled, “let the earth produce and bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together” (Is 45:8). For the earth of human flesh, which in the first transgressor, was cursed, in this Offspring of the Blessed Virgin only produced a seed that was blessed and free from the fault of its stock. And each one is a partaker of this spiritual origin in regeneration; and to every one when he is reborn, the water of baptism is like the Virgin’s womb; for the same Holy Spirit fills the font, Who filled the Virgin, that the sin, which that sacred conception overthrew, may be taken away by this mystical washing.

Gregory the Great, Sermon on the Feast of the Nativity 24.3

Baptism Is an Act of God

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:4–6)

The rite of baptism, when it finally occurs, is not a mere seal set on the initiate as a sign of the successful performance of a series of penitential acts for purification, as Basil summarized the baptism of Moses, nor is it an external washing for forgiveness of sins as with John the Baptist, but it is rather a divine act involving Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.*

John the Baptist, than whom there is no greater among them that are born of woman [cf. Matt. 11:11], likewise bears witness in the words: He must increase, but I must decrease [John 3:30]; and again: I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance, but he baptizes you in the Holy Spirit and fire [Matt. 3:11], and so in many other places. The Holy Spirit is as far superior to water as he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit obviously is to him who baptizes in water. And this is true also of the baptism itself. [Basil, Concerning Baptism 1.2.4]

Baptism is an act of God the Holy Spirit in the believer.

Timothy P. McConnell, Illumination in Basil of Caesarea’s Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

* McConnell is trying to harmonize the biblical divine work being accomplished at baptism with personal belief displayed through Basil’s requirement of catechism and moral transformation prior to baptism.

By Feeling or Hearing?

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5–8)

Here is the conclusion of the whole matter. “If,” says He, “you know not how to explain the motion nor the path of this wind which you perceive by hearing and touch, why are you over-anxious about the working of the Divine Spirit, when you understand not that of the wind, though you hear its voice?” The expression, “blows where it wishes,” is also used to establish the power of the Comforter; for if none can hold the wind, but it moves where it wishes, much less will the laws of nature, or limits of bodily generation, or anything of the like kind, be able to restrain the operations of the Spirit.

That the expression, “you hear its voice,” is used respecting the wind, is clear from this circumstance; He would not, when conversing with an unbeliever and one unacquainted with the operation of the Spirit, have said, “You hear its voice.” As then the wind is not visible, although it utters a sound, so neither is the birth of that which is spiritual visible to our bodily eyes; yet the wind is a body, although a very subtle one; for whatever is the object of sense is body. If then you do not complain because you cannot see this body, and do not on this account disbelieve, why do you, when you hear of “the Spirit,” hesitate and demand such exact accounts, although you act not so in the case of a body?

John Chrysostom, Homily on John 26.2

Jesus uses the picture of wind to teach about the Holy Spirit. (In Greek, there is one word that is translated either “wind” or “spirit”.) You cannot see the wind. You see what the wind does to the leaves or the dust and your newly washed car. You can also feel the wind. But Jesus doesn’t mention feeling or seeing. Instead, He says, “You hear its sound.” You know the wind is blowing because you hear it. Jesus, remember, is teaching about the Holy Spirit. How do you know where the Holy Spirit is? How do we know if the Holy Spirit is at work? You hear His sound. The Holy Spirit is heard, not felt. The Holy Spirit doesn’t tickle us; He talks to us.

The presence of the Holy Spirit and the evidence of His work is not detected by feeling, but by hearing. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (see Ephesians 6:17). The Bible never commands us to feel the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to listen to the Word. The Scriptures are inspired by the Spirit, not our feelings (see 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19–21).

Bryan Wolfmueller, Has American Christianity Failed?, p. 122–3

The Holy Spirit Speaks and Guides, But How?

Last year, our pastor undertook a profitable study of Acts that extended over several months.  During the study, I noticed recurring statements concerning the Holy Spirit’s work in and through the work of the gospel.  Using Bible software, I was surprised to discover 54 explicit references to the Spirit’s person and work from the first chapter (Ac 1:5) to the last (Ac 28:25).  While the Holy Spirit is God and therefore immutable, how are we to relate this activity to our day?

Planned Obsolescence

With all the divine activity in the book of Acts, one can understand the emphasis some wings of Christendom place on active, phenomenological manifestations in our time.  Jesus empowered His disciples with the ability to perform miracles (Mt 10:8), even being surprised that they were unable to perform an exorcism later in their ministry (Mt 17:16, 19).  Before ascending, He promised they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them (Ac 1:8; cf. Mk 16:17–18).  In addition, evidence of continuing manifestations were recorded in Corinth (1Co 12:4–10; 14:26–33).

While these manifestations were still occurring, an examination of the New Testament chronology shows a decrease in their use.  While miracles accompanied the apostles from the Day of Pentecost through Paul’s third missionary journey (Ac 19:11–12), the remainder is largely bereft of such save for visitations to Paul by the Lord (Ac 23:11) and an angel (Ac 27:23–24), plus the snakebite on Malta (Ac 28:1–6).  From the flow of the narrative, miraculous signs and leadings were typical as the apostles went to new people groups, but after the gospel was declared and churches established, the manifestations reduced in number.

The process of being witnesses “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” is a natural growth much as we would see in any individual.  We can see this on a small scale in Paul’s first letter to Corinth, where he outlined to that splintered group of believers how individual members worked together in a body (chap. 12) then later gave practical tips for their gatherings (chap. 14).  Between these two chapters, the apostle gives what is often called the “Love Chapter” (chap. 13).  While this section speaks much of love, the emphasis is too often reduced to romance and sentimentality.  Paul attempted to describe how the believers were to move from their divisions and pride to a mature, unified body, wherein the love of Christ was to be the outstanding characteristic of this maturation process.  Gifts of tongues, prophecy, and knowledge, which were vital to the establishing and early growth, was to give way to a mature love.

Paul uses two comparative examples to solidify the point.  The first, childhood vs. adulthood, is clear.  We adults understand the changes in maturity level, responsibility, and relationship that come with aging.  The second, obscured understanding vs. clear, is less certain because the phrase “face to face” evokes thoughts of our final meeting with Christ:

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  (1Jo 3:2)

However, a correlation to John’s epistle would be incorrect.  In the Scriptures, a face to face meeting is one in which the participants interact in order to understand one another.  In the context of 1 Corinthians 13, then, Paul’s use is simply another rhetorical device to describe the movement from immaturity to maturity.

Are We Missing the Point?
If spiritual maturity is of greater significance than manifestations, are we misunderstanding the Holy Spirit’s ministry?  Have some believers so built up a doctrine centered on personal revelation and manifestation that they apply their theology to Acts rather than allow the text to speak itself?  There are many points of denominational disagreement based on their theological understanding of different biblical texts, and Bible scholars are not immune to placing their presuppositions in the biblical narrative.  More than once, I have read a commentary that explained the text with something like, “This is what the passage says, but that is not what it means,” followed by an explanation based on his or her doctrinal bias.

Christians of different backgrounds can agree on what is intended when speaking of the Holy Spirit anointing, baptism, filling, indwelling, empowering, etc., though understanding of the expected manifestations will differ.  The difficulty comes in understanding and applying the Spirit’s speaking and guiding (or leading).

Speaking

Ac 1:16, 20

Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, … “May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it;” and “Let another take his office.”

Ac 28:25

And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet…”

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Ac 8:29

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

Ac 10:19

And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.”

Ac 11:12

And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction.  These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

Ac 21:11

And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

The first two verses are set apart to demonstrate that the Spirit spoke in the Scriptures, but notice that in both cases the identified speaker is someone else: the first passage has David’s expressions to God, and the second appears to be a theophany of Jesus to Isaiah.  Neither is attributed to the Holy Spirit, yet He is speaking.  We can deduce that the Spirit uses the Word of God to speak, this seems to be borne out in the remaining passages.  Philip had first received instruction from an angel to be at the appropriate spot in the road.  Peter first received a vision from the Lord before the visitors came.  Agabus was an active prophet in Judea (Ac 11:28) who affirmed and clarified what Paul expected.  We can see, then, that the normal course of communication for the Holy Spirit is through revelation spoken by the prophets as confessed in the Nicene Creed.

Guiding

Ac 16:6–10

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.  And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.  So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Ac 19:21

Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Ac 21:4

And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days.  And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

These three episodes in Paul’s clearly demonstrate the guiding work of the Holy Spirit, but there is no explicit method described.  Those advocating an active mystical or supernatural movement will say the believers received a prompting or “inner voice” to determine their courses of action: what Paul and the disciples said or did was in accord with divine counsel and working outside that would be considered sinful.

The first passage, with the verbiage having been forbidden … did not allow them … a vision appeared, is the most consistent with direct intervention by the Holy Spirit.  This would be consistent with the active involvement accorded to Him, however, there is no indication what the negative commands entailed nor to whom they were delivered.  Since only the effect is mentioned, there remains the possibility that Luke, not currently with the team, rejoining at Troas where Paul received the Macedonian call, was summarizing how the Spirit orchestrated the team’s journey through that region, instead emphasizing the subsequent gospel expansion westward.  Whichever case might be accurate, an active, direct leading from the Holy Spirit would not have been considered typical decades, much less centuries, later.

The second passage is debated, because translators are mixed as to whether πνευμα is speaking of the Holy Spirit or an individual’s spirit: both are acceptable.  Whichever translation is used, the force of the sentence is not changed.  Luke is describing Paul’s God-instilled determination fueled by three principle reasons: desiring for his brethren after the flesh to believe in their Messiah (Ro 10:1), longing to encourage and be encouraged by the Roman church (Ro 1:9–13), and planning for the furtherance of the gospel westward to Spain (Ro 15:24, 28).

In the final passage, a difficulty remains.  When the disciples advise through the Spirit, their counsel is in direct contradiction to Paul’s testimony that he was constrained by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem (Ac 20:22).  Are either the disciples or Paul sinning in their claims, or is the Holy Spirit contradicting Himself?  Left with only these two options, we would be forced to choose the former as true, however, the most logical conclusion is that neither party were making a decision based on a direct revelation from the Holy Spirit but were operating and making decisions consistent with what had been revealed through Scripture weighed against desire to minister and expectations of future difficulty based on past experiences.  Much like the decision wherein Paul and Barnabas parted ways over the inclusion of John Mark (Ac 15:36-41), there were strong differences of opinion over future ministry, but neither party sinned or erred.

Combined

Ac 13:1-2, 4

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” … So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Ac 15:28–29

For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.  If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.  Farewell.

Ac 20:22–23

And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Three occasions in Paul’s ministry the Holy Spirit was actively speaking and guiding to make His intentions known.  Notice in this triplet a shift in the Spirit’s operation as time progressed.  In Antioch, the prophets and teachers were involved in their spiritual service (λειτουργια, leitourgia) when the Holy Spirit made Himself known.  Ministering to or serving the Lord was the regular tabernacle and temple activity of the three divisions of Levites based on the direction God had revealed in the Scriptures.  The prophets and teachers in Antioch were going about the same type of activity in the regular meetings of the assembly.  This concerted work, plus, the reception of the same message, indicates that no individualism was involved: the Holy Spirit set apart two by speaking to all five.

After prayer and fasting in preparation for commissioning, Barnabas and Paul were sent out as directed.  One may wonder if there was a divine reasoning for traveling east instead of a different direction.  The most logical possibility is that the two men wanted to use the easily accessible transportation routes to spread the message quickly through the empire.  While good, safe roads are not technically a spiritual reason for furthering the gospel, not all aspects of a ministry are divinely dictated.  We were and are presented options that are not any more or less proper before God, but one may be more advantageous depending on circumstances.

At the council in Jerusalem, those assembled had determined to pass along to the new believers what seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, supplying a short list of suggestions.  In trying to determine how the Spirit made known that these things were good, we need search no further than earlier in the council proceedings (Ac 15:12–21).  Looking back at James’ remarks, we see him referring to a prophecy in Amos 9:11–12, stating the Lord’s intent to include Gentiles in the restoration followed by practical instructions from the Mosaic Law so as not to offend the Jews.  Even though the Spirit did not give direct or mystical input in this discussion, the brethren understood that He was speaking through the Scriptures, and they could accord His hand and approval on their instructions to the new believers.

The final passage has already been partially examined in contrast to other disciples warning Paul against his planned trip to Jerusalem.  Paul, while encouraging and warning the elders of Ephesus during a stop in Miletus, makes known to them that his trip was in accord with his own desire and God’s intention.  The only question we have is in how the Holy Spirit testified of imprisonment and afflictions.  Did He communicate directly to Paul of the approaching difficulties?  Was Paul surmising based on past and current experiences?  Or did his conclusion comprise both?  All are possible, though we might legitimately favor the first.  Since the apostolic work was not yet complete, the reassuring presence and leading of the Spirit would be necessary for the ensuing travails: they were unique to Paul alone.

Conclusion
First, while the Holy Spirit was active in providing supernatural signs and gifts while the apostles were active in spreading the gospel of Christ, there is sufficient evidence that this was not to be a regular, continuing phenomenon within the local assembly.  While God is sovereign in all His dealings, there are clear indicators that the Holy Spirit would not be supplying gifts, leading, and communications in the way given as the message went from Judea into Samaria and Gentile areas (cf. Ac 1:8).  The Church was intended to mature so that some spiritual manifestations would no longer be needed, being replaced by a thoroughgoing love for one another as the ultimate sign (Jn 13:34–35).

Second, we can see that individual communication directly from the Holy Spirit was the exception, rather than the rule, with the Scriptures being the source of certainty.  Believers of the earliest church understood that God spoke through the fathers and prophets until His Son came as the final Word.  The delivery of the Word continued after the Ascension through the ministration of the apostles and prophets as led by the Spirit in accord with past revelation, demonstrating that the entire Godhead was at work in revelation from beginning to end.  Personal communication or prompting by the Spirit occurred infrequently to select individuals.  More often, the Spirit would make known the message to a group for mutual confirmation.

For centuries there has been a desire in the Church for a personal, one-on-one relationship with God.  This has caused His people to move from the sure footing of Scripture and instead look inward to current inclinations, perceptions, and emotions in an endeavor to instill fervency in His people.  While the intentions might be laudable, the practices have left fleeting and mixed results.  An alleged personal word or prompting from the Lord delivered apart from what Scripture clearly states must be considered suspect or invalid regardless of how pertinent the message may be to the ears.  We are not called to heed cleverly devised tales or our inner leading, but rely on God’s Word.  It is there that the Holy Spirit still speaks and guides as it is faithfully taught in the presence of witnesses.

Day of Pentecost: What Are We to Learn?

Anthony van Dyk, Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4)

The dramatic entrance of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost caused quite a stir: sound like rushing wind, tongues as of fire, people speaking in other languages.  This was an exciting time, so much so that church bodies for centuries afterward continued to consider these manifestations to be normative for the Christian life: if it was good for the believers at Pentecost, it is good for us now.  Is this really the main takeaway of the great event, or are we missing something?  Should we dwell on the signs, or is there more to the story?

When reviewing the events at Pentecost, we concentrate on the aforementioned manifestations while ignoring or misunderstanding a key part of Luke’s account:

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”  But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”  (Acts 2:12-13)

What induced these reactions?  Was it the ability to speak different languages or the preparatory actions signaling the Spirit’s arrival or a combination?  Some might posit that the multiple supernatural phenomena, and while this is plausible, if we read carefully, it does not give a sufficient explanation.  Rather we must look at the listeners’ testimony just preceding: “We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”  What was communicated in the tongues-speaking that caused the former group to pause and question, while the latter responded with derision?

Pentecost (or Feast of Weeks) was a day set apart for a holy convocation dedicated to worship (Lev 23:15-21), part of which involved a public reading of God’s word:

Some of the important sections are read in full, as follows: the days of Creation (Gen. i. 1-ii. 3); the Exodus and the song at the Red Sea (Ex. xiv. 1-xv. 27); the giving of the Decalogue on Mount Sinai (ib. xviii. 1-xx. 26, xxiv. 1-18, xxxiv. 27-35; Deut. v. 1-vi. 9); the historical review and part of "Shema'" (ib. x. 12-xi. 25).  The same method is used with the excerpts from the Prophets: the important ch. i. of Ezekiel (the "Merkabah") is read in full.  The Minor Prophets are considered as one book: the excerpts are from Hos. i.1-3, Hab. ii. 20-iii. 19, and Mal. iii. 22-24 (A. V. iv. 4-6).  Ruth is read in full; and of the Psalms, Ps. i., xix., lxviii., cxix., cl.

PENTECOST, Jewish Encyclopedia

The reader will note that many of these passages deal with His mighty works.  If this was a common occurrence, we can deduce that the two groups of listeners reacted so strongly as a result of new input: the long-honored and remembered mighty events under the old covenant now found their culmination in a crucified and risen Messiah.  This conclusion finds corroboration in a similar encounter by Paul on the Areopagus.  There, the apostle spoke of Jesus’ office as judge at the final resurrection.  The response from the Greeks was familiar:

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked.  But others said, “We will hear you again about this.”  (Acts 17:32)

We see, then, that both Jews and Gentiles responded similarly.  Spectacular signs did not convict and divide the audiences, but the work of Christ having been proclaimed as discovered when Peter proclaimed: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).  Then too was Paul’s wont: “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2).  When Christ is proclaimed as the One crucified, buried, and risen for our sin, a choice is forced upon the listeners.

Returning to the issue of the Spirit-given manifestations, what use did they serve, and are they pertinent for today?  Certainly, signs have had their place in gathering attention to the person and work of the Lord Jesus: they could attest to the truth but not deliver it.  The same may be said for today.  Exceptional manifestations and spiritual gifts do not deliver the saving work of Christ, therefore, while spiritual gifts are useful for the body life of believers, they are not to remove the focus of Christ in gathering together.  The same can be said of the meeting content and practice.  While free, in some aspects, to worship as they will, care needs to be taken to do only those things that edify the body and glorify the Lord.  Paul made this clear when he told the church in Corinth: “But all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Cor 14:40).

Looking, then, at the spectrum of church practice, at one end we find those holding to some form of historic liturgy which repeatedly brings Scripture to the congregant throughout the time of gathering, however, performed in ritual in rote fashion with little care whether or not The Holy Spirit will lead the attempt, thus making mockery of what our Lord has so richly provided, even as Malachi demonstrated in his prophecy against Judah.  At the other end we find what appears to be an attempt to allow a freedom for the Spirit to act, but instead finding church attenders motivated (manipulated?) by spiritual overseers seeking to assist the working of the Word and Spirit by introducing or allowing features appealing to the audience but communicating nothing of sin and the need for salvation.

In both cases we find a lack of regard for the assembly of believers, demonstrating that Western Christians have lost sight of the reason the Holy Spirit was given—to whom and to what He attests.  This should not be, since we have clear instruction, both before and after the crucifixion and resurrection, of the Holy Spirit’s work.

In the Upper Room discourse, Jesus told His disciples:

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 that I have said to you.  (John 14:26)

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.  (John 15:26)

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  (John 16:12-15)

After His resurrection, Jesus came and said:

Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.  (John 20:22-23)

Then before His ascension He left instruction:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.  (Acts 1:8)

To summarize, the Spirit’s mission is to help the disciple (as one called aside; also translated counselor, comforter, advocate), witness of Jesus, communicate Jesus’ teaching, and glorify Him.  While these activities are certainly found in our individual lives from day to day, they will all be particularly found in the worship meeting wherein Christ is to be exalted in all facets.  We must understand that the purpose of worship is neither a free-for-all of expression nor entertainment for the audience, but rather the intentional immersion of the believer in God’s Word through purposeful repetition—via consistency in practice, sound hymnody, and adherence to the whole counsel of God—with the intent that the Holy Spirit will bring these things to remembrance at time of need.

What, then, is to be the great lesson of Pentecost?  It is not the miraculous signs, however exciting and flashy they might be, but the effective message of the gospel that went forth and continues to go forth through the consistent disciple-making process of baptizing and teaching all that Jesus commanded us.  Rather than seek for measures that allure, let us boldly tell of a crucified and risen Savior.  The first disciples were considered drunk for speaking such a foolish thing.  Let us be so foolish to follow suit.

Where Does God Reveal Himself?

Have you noticed that there is no end of nonsensical teaching coming from men and women who should know better?  I speak of seminary-trained individuals who have been instructed in all things biblical, yet jettison sound exegesis in order to promote their whims and passions.

This item came from the fertile field of Blackaby Ministries International (BMI).  (By fertile, I mean overgrown with weeds.)  In the devotion for May 14th:

“So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” (Luke 17:10 NKJV)

The servant carries out the master’s will. The servant doesn’t tell the master what to do. The servant does not choose which tasks to perform for the master, nor does the servant suggest days or times when it would be convenient to serve the master. The servant’s function is to follow instructions. The master, on the other hand, gives directions. The master does not tell the servant to develop a vision that will guide the master. The master is the one with the vision; the servant’s task is to help fulfill the master’s purposes.

I agree with the comments to this point.  The attitude of the servant is foremost in the verse selected.  The servant always puts the master’s will first.  In the next paragraph, matters begin to go offtrack:

We are the servants; God is the Master. We tend to try to reverse this! God’s revelation of Himself, His purposes, and His ways depends directly upon our obedience.

No.  God has revealed Himself in spite of our obedience.  He condescended and enabled to allow sinful men to transmit His holy and eternal Word.  Had He not done so, Scripture would not have been given or written down.  Continuing the paragraph:

He may not reveal today His intentions for the next five years, but He will tell us what our next step should be. As we respond to God’s revelation, He will accomplish what He desires, and He will be the One who receives the glory.

Here we see the underlying assumption of the devotion: God continues to reveal Himself and His will through our experiences.  This assumption is problematic since there is neither direct instruction nor from the Lord nor apostolic practice indicating that He works in this manner.  Many will appeal to the Holy Spirit’s leading in the following passages:

• Acts 8:29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
• Acts 10:19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
• Acts 11:12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
• Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
• Acts 16:6-7 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
• Acts 20:22-23 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
• Acts 21:4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
• Acts 21:11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

The above interactions are too often deemed mystical in nature and typical for every Christian.  Such is not the case.  As to normalcy, notice that the instances were to direct the course of an apostle or was accomplishing an apostolic task.  In the latter case, Philip was not sent to proclaim the gospel to an African people, but instead was sent to an individual who would carry the gospel to his people.

Concerning mysticism, there is no reason to believe that strictly supernatural means were used by the Holy Spirit to accomplish the task.  In the selection of Matthias, an appeal was made to the Lord for His direction when the lot was cast, trusting the Lord for making a selection, relying on the truth of Proverbs 16:33:

• Acts 1:24-26 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Nor does an occasion of the Spirit speaking indicate that only the third Person of the Trinity was communicating the words. Late in his ministry, the apostle Paul :

• Acts 28:25-27 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
  “‘Go to this people, and say,
  “You will indeed hear but never understand,
      and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
  For this people's heart has grown dull,
      and with their ears they can barely hear,
      and their eyes they have closed;
  lest they should see with their eyes
      and hear with their ears
  and understand with their heart
      and turn, and I would heal them.’”

Notice that the quoted passage is ascribed to the Holy Spirit, but in Isaiah 6:9-10 to YHWH. Is this a mistake by Paul in speaking or Luke in writing? No, rather the Holy Spirit’s work in the delivery of Scripture is in the inspiration regardless of where and when that occurs. During Isaiah’s vision, the entirety of the Godhead was involved in delivering the message. We can then conclude that the Spirit’s speech, as recorded in the book of Acts, was the revelation of God and intended to be Scripture. If so, the communication was intended for canonical use and would not be ongoing phenomena.

The BMI devotion continues with:

Our fulfillment comes from serving our master.

The world will encourage you to strive for positions of authority and power. God wants you to take the role of a servant. As God’s servant you should have no other agenda than to be obedient to whatever He tells you. God does not need you to dream great dreams for your life, your family, your business, or your church. He simply asks for obedience. He has plans that would dwarf yours in comparison (Eph. 3:20).

Our fulfillment comes in Christ.  While we have good works prepared for us to perform and walk in, we do so not in order to be fulfilled, but because we have been fulfilled.  Christ has qualified us to share in the inheritance (Col 1:12) and has made us complete in Christ and empowered us to fulfill the law of Christ (Ro 13:10; Ga 5:13-14; 6:2).

There are some who wish to take our eyes of the Bible wherein God has revealed both Himself and His will.  It is from there that our Lord has chosen to make Himself known, and that is the most certain place to understand His designs.  If we walk in such a way as to place talismans and diving rods in order to discern the move of the Spirit, we miss the freedom we have to live life in obedience to Christ in the fullness of what He has so freely and abundantly given.

Divining the Divine

How do I ascertain God’s leading on a matter?  What am I to do?  Christians ask this question of the Lord quite often hoping for clarity in the midst of ambiguity.  The needs are varied, and generally there are two or more possible plans of action.  Individuals concentrate on things like relationships, education, and employment.  Two individuals, a man and woman, combine to form a family, which is more inclined to consider housing, transportation, and offspring.  Gather these families and individuals together into local assemblies and the issues are buildings, gospel proclamation, discipleship, and mission work.

Some have a habit of doing nothing until forced by circumstances to make a choice and concluding the forced option is the most correct.  The opposite error concerns those who enact as many possible choices at once, assuming that the one that continues on is correct.  Both courses of action are fueled by a fear of making the wrong choice and be operating outside God’s will or his “best,” yet both are invalid as they are means of divination: the former method is passive in its approach, while the latter is active.  Both attempt to discern something that has never been promised in Scripture by means that are condemned.

There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer  or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lᴏʀᴅ.  And because of these abominations the Lᴏʀᴅ your God is driving them out before you.  You shall be blameless before the Lᴏʀᴅ your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners.  But as for you, the Lᴏʀᴅ your God has not allowed you to do this. (De 18:10-14)

Of course, no Christian would think that he or she is practicing a form of sorcery by these actions.  After all, the Holy Spirit is allegedly guiding their decision or indecision.  This simply demonstrates an ignorance of the Holy Spirit’s work.  What does Jesus of the Spirit?

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.  (John 15:26)

and

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  (John 16:13)

Notice He never says that the Spirit will lead into the perfect will of the Father.  Rather the Spirit points to Christ and the truth found in Scripture.  With that in mind look at a passage from Paul’s second missionary journey.  He and Silas began the second missionary journey by revisiting churches in Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, during which Timothy was asked to join in the spread of the Gospel (Acts 16:1-5).  All was going well, then something changed:

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.  And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.  So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.  (Acts 16:6-10)

From Iconium, the group traveled to Pisidian Antioch from where Paul desired to head due west toward Ephesus, but he was forbidden by the Holy Spirit.  Then he attempted to go north toward Byzantium, but the “Spirit of Jesus” stopped that plan, leaving only one path, which lead to the port city of Troas from where he would sail to Europe.

From the description Paul had wanted to stay in familiar territory and evangelize Asia Minor, and the plan was solid: the gospel needed to go forth.  What God did instead was confine his choices to force the path toward Europe.  Was Paul somehow out of God’s will for not going to Troas first?  Certainly not.  There was no mandate from the Lord in that direction.  Paul was operating in Christian freedom based on what he had received from the Lord.

“But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”  (Acts 9:6)

And he said to me, “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”  (Acts 22:21)

All of this coming on the heels of Jesus’ general commission:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.  (Acts 1:8)

Rather than ringing his hands over what he should do after being filled with the Holy Spirit at his baptism (Acts 9:17), Paul went about

[proclaiming] Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”  [And he] increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.  (Acts 9:20, 22)

There was no hesitation for some mystical, spiritual leading: he went straight to work, operating within the confines of the revealed Word of God, not the unrevealed, and received commendation for the gospel as it went forth.

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.  (Gal 2:7-9)

How did the Holy Spirit lead Paul and Silas away from their intended destinations to where the Lord intended?  We have no idea.  The ultimate test, then, of whether we are operating in the will of God is by reading His word.  What has He commanded?  What are the warnings or limitations placed on His elect?  Between these questions is a broad area in which you and I are free to operate and conduct ourselves.

We are not called to fret about tomorrow trying to read the tea leaves of God’s design and then worrying that you should have purchased Bigelow brand instead of Lipton to gain the secret knowledge.  Instead of concerning ourselves with the uncertainty of what has not been revealed, in Christ we can daily move with assurance in what has been revealed, knowing that His providential hand guides it all for our good.  Just keep doing the good works He has given you to do.

The Holy Spirit Builds Using God's Word, not Feelings

But this is the meaning and substance of this addition: I believe that there is upon earth a little holy group and congregation of pure saints, under one head, even Christ,* called together by the Holy Spirit in one faith, one mind, and understanding, with manifold gifts, yet agreeing in love, without sects or schisms.†  I am also a part and member of the same, a sharer and joint owner of all the goods it possesses,‡ brought to it and incorporated into it by the Holy Spirit by having heard and continuing to hear the Word of God,§ which is the beginning of entering it.  For formerly, before we had attained to this, we were altogether of the devil, knowing nothing of God and of Christ.‖  Thus, until the last day, the Holy Spirit abides with the holy congregation or Christendom,¶ through which He brings us to Christ and teaches and preaches the Word to us.Δ  By the Word He works and promotes sanctification, causing the congregation daily to grow and become strong in the faith and its fruits, which He produces.◊

Martin Luther, Large Catechism: Apostle's Creed, 51-53

*   Ephesians 1:22
†   Ephesians 4:5-8, 11
‡   Romans 8:17
§   Galatians 3:1-2
‖    Romans 3:10-12
¶   John 14:17
Δ  John 14:26
◊  Galatians 5:16-24

The Victor Returns with Honor

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”  (Psalm 110:1)

All these things are brought about in us by Christ, the Lord who, before He returned to heaven, made this promise to His disciples: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.*  Thus it must be believed that Christ has ascended to the Father when we see that the Helper has descended upon the apostles.  It must be believed, I tell you, that He sits at the right hand of God, as David says of the Savior, because we see the Holy Spirit, as the Lord promised, exulting in the disciples.  Consequently, the prophetic psalm says: The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand.†  According to our custom, the right of sitting is offered to one who, like a victor returning from having accomplished a great deed, deserves to be seated for the sake of honor.  And so the man Jesus Christ, who overcame the devil by His suffering and unlocked the underworld by His resurrection, returning to heaven like a victor after having accomplished a great deed, hears from God the Father: Sit at my right hand.  And it is not to be wondered at that sitting on the same seat is offered to the Son by the Father, since by nature He is of one substance with the Father.  But perhaps someone is puzzled that the Son is said to be on the right.  For although there are no degrees of dignity where the fullness of divinity is concerned, nonetheless the Son is on the right, not because He is preferred to the Father, but so that He not be believed to be inferior.  And the Son is on the right because, according to the Gospel, the sheep will be gathered on the right but the goats on the left.  It is necessary, therefore, that the first lamb occupy the place of the sheep and that the unsullied leader come before the unsullied flock that will follow Him, as John says in the Apocalypse: It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.  It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.‡  Therefore the prophet David says: The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand.  That is to say, the Lord who is Father offers the lofty seat of His throne to the Lord God Christ, who is His Son, and for the sake of honor He places Him at His right hand on an eternal seat.

Maximus of Turin, Sermon 40, 2

*  John 14:16-17
†  Psalm 110:1
‡  Revelation 14:4

Can't Help But Boast

For the Spirit of the Lord fills the world,* and “where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence?”†  And, in the words of the Prophet, “For I am with you, says the Lord … and my spirit remains among you.”‡  But what nature is it proper to assign to Him who is omnipresent, and exists together with God?  The nature which is all-embracing, or one which is confined to particular places, like that which our argument shows the nature of angels to be?  No one would say so.  Shall we not then highly exalt Him who is in His nature divine, in His greatness infinite, in His operations powerful, in the blessings He confers, good?  Shall we not give Him glory?  And I understand glory to mean nothing else than the enumeration of the wonders which are His own.  It follows then that either we are forbidden by our antagonists even to mention the good things which flow to us from Him, or on the other hand that the mere recapitulation of His attributes is the fullest possible attribution of glory.  For not even in the case of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Only begotten Son, are we capable of giving Them glory otherwise than by recounting, to the extent of our powers, all the wonders that belong to Them.

Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit, 23.54

*  Wisdom 1:7
†  Psalm 39:7
‡  Haggai 2:4-5

Abba, Father Now; Continuous Hymn of Triumph at the End

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)

But we do now receive a certain portion of His Spirit, tending towards perfection, and preparing us for incorruption, being little by little accustomed to receive and bear God; which also the apostle terms “an earnest,” that is, a part of the honor which has been promised us by God, where he says in the Epistle to the Ephesians, “In which ye also, having heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, believing in which we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance.”  This earnest, therefore, thus dwelling in us, renders us spiritual even now, and the mortal is swallowed up by immortality.  “For you,” he declares, “are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.”  This, however does not take place by a casting away of the flesh, but by the impartation of the Spirit.  For those to whom he was writing were not without flesh, but they were those who had received the Spirit of God, “by which we cry, Abba, Father.”  If therefore, at the present time, having the earnest, we do cry, “Abba, Father,” what shall it be when, on rising again, we behold Him face to face; when all the members shall burst out into a continuous hymn of triumph, glorifying Him who raised them from the dead, and gave the gift of eternal life?  For if the earnest, gathering man into itself, does even now cause him to cry, “Abba, Father,” what shall the complete grace of the Spirit effect, which shall be given to men by God?  It will render us like unto Him, and accomplish the will of the Father; for it shall make man after the image and likeness of God.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5.8.1-2

Confessing the Holy Spirit's Sanctifying Work

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian* Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen.

This article (as I have said) I cannot relate better than to Sanctification, that through the same the Holy Spirit, with His office, is declared and depicted, namely, that He makes holy. Therefore we must take our stand upon the word Holy Spirit, because it is so precise and comprehensive that we cannot find another.  For there are, besides, many kinds of spirits mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, as, the spirit of man, heavenly spirits, and evil spirits. But the Spirit of God alone is called Holy Spirit, that is, He who has sanctified and still sanctifies us.  For as the Father is called Creator, the Son Redeemer, so the Holy Spirit, from His work, must be called Sanctifier, or One that makes holy.  But how is such sanctifying done?  Answer: Just as the Son obtains dominion, whereby He wins us, through His birth, death, resurrection, etc., so also the Holy Spirit effects our sanctification by the following parts, namely, by the communion of saints or the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting; that is, He first leads us into His holy congregation, and places us in the bosom of the Church, whereby He preaches to us and brings us to Christ.

For neither you nor I could ever know anything of Christ, or believe on Him, and obtain Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel.  The work is done and accomplished; for Christ has acquired and gained the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, etc.  But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew of it, then it would be in vain and lost.  That this treasure, therefore, might not lie buried, but be appropriated and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed, in which He gives the Holy Spirit to bring this treasure home and appropriate it to us.  Therefore sanctifying is nothing else than bringing us to Christ to receive this good, to which we could not attain of ourselves.

Martin Luther, Large Catechism: Apostle's Creed, 35-39

* The well-known form of this creed uses Catholic here in the sense of universality, not allegiance to the bishop of Rome.  Luther altered the wording to avoid confusion and reflect what the creed intended.

Rejoicing in Deliverance

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

[Paul] calls it a body of death, as being born subject to death—that is, mortal, for the soul is immortal.  Christ alone, he says, has freed us from this bitter bondage by putting an end to death, and promising us immortality, and that life which is without either labor or pain and apart from warfare or sin.  The full enjoyment we shall receive in the existence to come, while in the present we are blessed with the grace of the thrice-holy Spirit, and thereby not only do we set ourselves against the passions but by the possession of such an Helper are enabled to triumph over them.

Theodoret of Cyrus, "The Letter to the Romans" on Romans 7:24-25

Death to the Law and New Life in the Spirit

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead.  It would have been indeed in strict consistency with the example adduced to have said, "the law is dead," that is, has ceased, but in consideration of the spiritual weakness of the Jews, for they greatly exalted the law, and from a desire not to afford an opportunity of finding fault with it to the heretics who denounced the Old Testament, he avoids saying that the law has ceased, but declares that we have died to the law by baptism which saves us, and then rising again have been united to Him who has Himself risen from the dead, that is Christ.  And as he had called the faith which is in the Lord a marriage and union, in keeping with this image he shows the fruit also arising from marriage, in order that we may bear fruit for God.  What then is this fruit-bearing?  That our members become the instruments of righteousness.  And most aptly does he show that the law itself leads us to be joined to Christ, for it did not forbid a woman to be married to a second husband after the death of the first.  And then he goes on to point out the difference.

For while we were living in the flesh, that is, according to the law (for the legal ordinances concerning the flesh, as of foods and drinks, of leprosy, and such like, are what he here calls the flesh), our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members.  He says not "in" the law but by the law.  For the law, which is good, does not itself bring about sin, but sin uses [it] for evil.  Neither indeed do our members themselves bring about sin, but the inclination of the soul to the worse has brought its operations to effect by our members.  And what then springs from this?  To bear fruit for death.
 
In these words he has taught us that before the coming of [the covenant of] grace, while we were living according to the law, the attacks of sin to which we were subjected were the most powerful, in that the law showed indeed what ought to be done, but offered no help to do it.  But now we are released from the law.  He still continues in the same cautious mode of expression, and says not, "the law is made to cease," but we are released from the law, that is, it is inoperative as regards ourselves, we are no longer under its polity.  And how are we released from it?  Having died to that which held us captive.  For when we were subjects of the law we came to baptism, and dying with Christ, and with Him rising again, we were united to our Lawgiver, and no longer need the polity of the law, for we have received the very grace itself of the Spirit, as what follows proves, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

Theodoret of Cyrus, "The Letter to the Romans" on Romans 5:4-7

Holy Spirit: Equal in Power and Counsel

Today the church remembers Ambrose.

For the Spirit Himself is Power, as you read: “The Spirit of Counsel and might” (Isa. 11:2).  And as the Son is the Angel of great counsel, so, too, is the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Counsel, that you may know that the Counsel of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is One. Counsel, not concerning any doubtful matters, but concerning those foreknown and determined. … And that we may know more completely that the Spirit is Power, we ought to know that He was promised when the Lord said: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28).  He, then, Who was promised to us is Himself Power, as in the Gospel the same Son of God declared when He said: “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.  But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

Ambrose, On the Holy Spirit, II.20-22

Strength to Persevere

Will Weedon's Patristic Quote of the Day is from On the Holy Spirit by Basil the Great and attests to the Holy Spirit's work in perseverance as demonstrated by the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  What a blessed source of strength!

I do not know what translation he shared, but the same section is found in NPNF2, volume 8 given here.

I was taught too by the children at Babylon,^† that, when there is no one to support the cause of true religion, we ought alone and all unaided to do our duty.  They from out of the midst of the flame lifted up their voices in hymns and praise to God, reeking not of the host that set the truth at naught, but sufficient, three only that they were, with one another.  Wherefore we too are undismayed at the cloud of our enemies, and, resting our hope on the aid of the Spirit, have, with all boldness, proclaimed the truth.

^† Daniel 3

Glory!: The Holy Spirit's Work

This nine-minute video from Worldview Everlasting examines in a stimulating manner how the Holy Spirit works to glorify Christ.  The text is John 16:12-15.