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Required readings for new Christians on the basics of Evangelical Christianity

For better or worse I would always find myself in association with the Evangelical wing of Protestant Christianity, and although I have a lot to disagree with my fellow Evangelicals I find this tradition still as a viable option as it is the most basic expression of faith in Christ as articulated in the Bible.

There are a lot to be said about Evangelicalism and perhaps this would be a great topic in the coming days, but now I would like to write about books –as in Christian books that are not written by Rick Warren, Chuck Swindoll, John Maxwell and Max Lucado.

To start I would like to say that I am and will always be thankful to God that I have been a part of a church that puts such a high value on reading and fundamental doctrines. Here are some books that I would recommend to any church worker who’s teaching basic theology in their local church.

NT Wright on the relationship of Empire and the Gospel

Again here's another brilliant insight from my favorite contemporary theologian

Trustworthiness of the Scriptures

"You have Scripture for a master instead of me; from there you can learn whatever you would know."

-John Chrysostom

Introduction

In all things we always have a basis for what we believe in. Whenever we’re engaged in an intense discussion over anything we would always invoke the basis or authority of our argument, we often say: ‘on whose authority?’ or ‘the basis of what?’ or do you have a reference upon which you would like to rest your case on?’ In other words, there’s always a burden of proof on our part about the things we believe. The same could be said when it comes to our belief in orthodox Christianity, we need to have a basis upon which our faith rests, for our belief is not a mere illogical transfer of our trust on someone or something but on God’s self revelation through the Bible.

Literally, Bible means “book”, which is referred to by the historic Christian church as the written Word of God. The first words of the book show that God is the leading character of this divine autobiography: ”In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1). Its pages show us God taking the initiative, giving us information about Himself, showing His purposes for us – His creation. ^¹

The Bible is God’s chosen instrument, God unfolds for us His true character upon which He tells us where we came from, what our ultimate destiny is, and the purpose of our lives. He gives practical instruction, heartfelt encouragements, warnings and divine wisdom. All from our Creator. Here God’s unrivaled power and integrity are also unveiled.^²

In this study we will ascertain why the Bible is trustworthy of our faith and hope, because it is God’s written communication to us.

I. Scripture

From the Greek term graphe, which literally means: “that which is written.” In other words, the sacred writings. When we rely on the Bible, we rely on that which has been written, which is very significant because it means that God didn’t simply think His message. He didn’t simply speak His message or reveal it in the clouds or through dreams to men and women in biblical times. No, He saw to it that His Word was actually written down. He put it in the language of the people so that people in all generations could read and grasp its significance. He “graphed” His Word. We’re grateful we have a book that contains the very mind of God – the Scriptures – in written form. ^³

John 17:14-17 – “Thy Word is truth”.

Which basically means that our belief has basis in the veracity, and reliability of Scripture. This is not human counsel; it is truth – divine counsel. We are sanctified by truth in God’s Word.

We talk about the Word of God as truth. We are right to do so. But we have to acknowledge when we speak along those lines that the world of our day no longer strictly believes in truth. But here we have truth embodied in Scriptures…

Here the efficacy of the Word of God comes in: the fact that God really uses the Word to accomplish His purposes, whether men and women believe in the Word of truth or not. ^⁴

Romans 3:2 – “the very words of God” in Scripture is entrusted to the Apostles which is related to the previous passage because the context of that passage relates to Jesus’ praying for His disciples who will carry out the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 – these words are at work in us who believe, again we see that as John pointed it out we are: ‘sanctified in truth.’

Apostle Paul speaks of Scripture as “the very words of God.” Which means that early on in the Christian church believers equate Scriptures as God’s very words.

What the Bible characters liked Scriptures to

Ezekiel 3:3 – Honey to my mouth

Job 23:12 – spiritual food for the hungry ‘daily bread’

Colossians 3:16 – must dwell in us richly

Psalm 119:105, 160 – a lamp unto my feet (v.105) perfect and trustworthy (v.160)

Jeremiah 15:16 – the joy and delight of one’s heart

Jeremiah 20:9 – a fire that burns in one’s heart

Psalm 19:7,9-10 - more precious than gold

Hebrews 4:12 – sharper than a two-edged sword

II. Inspiration

"Scripture is not only man's word, but also, and equally God's word, spoken through man's lips or written with man's pen."^⁵

2 Peter 2:20-21 – “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”

The Bible originated in the mind of God, not in the mind of man. It was given to man by inspiration. The Bible is not inspired as we say the writings of Shakespeare were inspired or the music of Bach was inspired. The biblical sense of inspiration means: “God so superintended the writers of Scriptures that they wrote what He wanted them to write, disclosing the exact truth He wanted conveyed. ^⁶

2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is God-breathed.”

The term inspiration comes from Latin and English translations of the Greek word theopneustos, which literally means "God-breathed".

Inspiration establishes that the Bible is a divine product. In other words, Scripture is divinely inspired in that God actively worked through the process and had his hand in the outcome of what Scripture would say. Inspired Scripture is simply written revelation. ^⁷

"Among those things which are said openly in Scripture are to be found all those teachings which involve faith, the mores of living, and that hope and charity which we have discussed." ^⁸

III. Inerrancy and infallibility

Inerrancy is the view that when all the facts become known, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrines or ethics or to the social, physical, or life sciences.^⁹

Some scholars see infallibility as a less restrictive term than "inerrancy" in discussing the reliability of the Bible. The infallibility of the Bible means that it does not err or is incapable of error in all things that is of spiritual, religious or redemptive themes. Which makes what is testified of the Scripture about doctrines like the Personhood and nature of God and the salvific value of Jesus’ work on the Cross, certain and complete.

Matthew 5:18 - "not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen" - renders that all that is written as a truth that will ultimately be fulfilled

John 10:34-36 Jesus testified that Scripture couldn’t be broken in v. 34 quoting Psalm 82:6

Acts 1:16 - Testimony of a fulfilled prophecy in Scripture

Galatians 3:16 – Scriptures testify to the realization of God’s covenant with Abraham in Christ.

2 Peter 1:19-21 (ESV) - And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16b

IV. Historicity and Preservation of Scriptures

Through the centuries Scribes worked with such precision and reverence that they wiped their pens clean each time before writing the name of God. We now have thousands of miraculously preserved copies, differing from each other only in minute ways. One scholar likened the differences to English spellings of honor and honour, both considered correct.

God sovereignly guarded and protected the copies of the original text.^¹⁰

The Old Testament

1. The abundance of manuscripts

As early as the 1700s Benjamin Kennicott published 615 OT manuscripts, and a few years later Giovani de Rossi published 731 manuscripts. Furthermore, beginning around 1890 around ten thousand manuscripts were discovered in Cairo Geniza. In addition to these manuscripts, more were discovered in the caves by the Dead Sea at Qumran in 1947, also known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. The largest collection of manuscripts in the world, the Second Firkowitch Collection in Leningrad, contains 1,582 items of Bible and Masora or Masoretic texts (manuscripts from the 6th-9th century AD) text, plus twelve hundred Hebrew fragments.^¹¹

Most of the OT manuscripts in our possession are dated between A.D. 800-1100. However, due to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating as far back as the third century B.C., the accuracy of these later manuscripts has been attested.

2. Their accuracy

In evaluating the evidence there is both internal and external evidence. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide the best external evidence and show that the later manuscripts that we possess were in fact preserved through close to 1,000 years. We can be confident that the texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls were used to transmit the text that is found in the later documents. Comparative studies have been made and the results reveal a word-for-word identity in some 95% of the text. Due to the help of the Septuagint (also known as the LXX), we can also crosscheck the accuracy of the transmission of the texts. Through internal evidence we can view the duplicate passages we have in the OT (i.e. Isaiah 36-39 and 2 Kings 18-20; Jeremiah 52 and 2 Kings 25, and others) and realize that they are accurate as well.

3. The reliability of the authors

The authors of the OT present real history, about real people, and in real locations. Much of this has been proven through the finds of biblical archaeology. World-renowned archaeologist William F. Albright states, "There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the Old Testament tradition (Albright, Archaeology and Religion of Israel, p. 176). Nelson Glueck adds that, "As a matter of fact... it may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail statements in the Bible (Glueck, Rivers in the Desert, p. 31). The biblical authors told the truth, and biblical archaeology has confirmed this without error.

The New Testament

Christianity is "built upon the foundation of faith in the historical Jesus who is revealed by the historical New Testament documents. It is of utmost importance that these documents show themselves to be trustworthy and reliable since they are the primary documentary sources substantiating the object of the Christian faith, who is Jesus Christ. Unlike other religious systems, which simply express a code of ethic, morality, and philosophical ideas, the Bible claims to be God's divine revelation for all of mankind and it verifies its claims through historical evidence. As New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce notes, "And this Good News is intimately bound up with the historical order, for it tells how the world's redemptive God entered into history, the Eternal came into time, the Kingdom of heaven invaded the realm of earth, in the great events of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ." Given the extraordinary historical events that the Bible records, it is crucial to determine two things: (1) The reliability of the New Testament documents and (2) The reliability of the New Testament witnesses. If we cannot establish the reliability of these sources, then we have no objective way to evaluate the historical sayings, deeds, and claims of Jesus and his disciples." ^¹²

Conclusion: Sola Scriptura

Scripture alone (from the Reformation slogan Sola Scriptura) is the teaching that Scripture is the Church's only infallible and sufficient rule for deciding issues of faith and practices that involve doctrines. While the Bible does not contain all knowledge, it does contain that which is necessary for salvation. Indeed, if something is not found in Scripture, it is not binding upon the believer. This view does not deny that the Church has the authority to teach God's Word. Furthermore, while tradition is valuable, it but must be tested by the higher authority of the Scriptures. ^¹³

Why is this important? Because in the end we would come to a point when we’ll have to ask ourselves as to what is our final authority in life. For us Christians there is a growing question of relevance especially in the theological truths that we hold-fast to.

There can be no more reliable authority on earth than God’s Word, in the Bible. This timeless, trustworthy source of truth holds the key that unlocks life’s mysteries. It alone provides us with the shelter we need in times of storm.

In a world of relativism, (which is best described in terms of ‘constructed realities’) the Bible talks in terms of right and wrong, good and bad, yes and no, true and false. In a world where we’re encouraged to do it “if it feels good,” the Bible addresses that which is sinful and holy. Scripture never leaves us with a bewildered look on our faces, wondering about the issues of life. It says, “This is the way it is. That’s the way it ought to be. This is the way to walk; do not walk there.” It tells us straight. It provides us the kind of solid foundation that you and I need. ^¹⁴

Pragmatic trends in theology also short-changes us into focusing on the immediate practical benefit of Scripture, which is the popular approach of treating the Bible as a mere guidebook or manual for pious living, which is not bad in principle but is somewhat short sighted especially since Scripture also testifies that Jesus in His earthly ministry did not merely focus on the immediate and practical benefit of His ministry, whenever He sought those whom He healed and told them: “your faith has healed you.”

Matthew 9:20-22; Luke 7:50, 17:19, 18:42

Paul Little once told of the story of his student who once told him: “When I read the Bible, I fall asleep.”

Perhaps he overlooked the fact that it was the God of the universe. Who spoke these words. When this gets into the marrow of our bones, the words fly off the pages to us and are nothing short of life-changing. ^¹⁵

Notes

1 Little, Paul – Know What Your Believe p. 7

2 Ibid

3 Swindoll, Charles – Growing Deep in the Christian Life p. 58

4 Boice, James Montgomery– The Marks of the Church, p. 80

5 Packer, J.I. The Origin of the Bible, p. 31

6 Loc cit

7 http://www.theopedia.com/Inspiration

8 Augustine, On Christian Doctrine trans. by D.W. Roberston, Jr. (New York: Liberal Arts Press, 1958) 11:9.

9 http://www.theopedia.com/Inerrancy

10 Loc cit

11 Geisler, Norman - Systematic Theology, vol. 1, p. 439

12 John Rosser

13 http://www.theopedia.com/Scripture_alone

14 Ibid

15 Ibid

Spiritual Gifts

Introduction

After the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, of all the other gifts given to mankind by God, there is none greater than the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has many functions, roles, and activities. One of His roles is that of gift-giver. First Corinthians 12 describes the spiritual gifts given to believers in order that we may function as the body of Christ on earth. All these gifts, both great and small, are given by the Spirit so that we may be His ambassadors to the world, showing forth His grace and glorifying Him. ^¹

Spiritual gifts are given by God to believers for the purpose of ministry within the church. The English term comes from two Greek words, charismata and pneumatika. The root of charismata is charis, which means “grace” and speaks of something undeserved or unearned. The second word, pneumatika, means “spirituals” or things given by the Spirit of God.^²

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes the church as the body of Christ. All believers are joined into one body, stressing its unity, even as the physical body works as one. In this context, the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts for the good of the whole body: “The manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7). The body of Christ is the place where the Holy Spirit teaches a new Christian to grow, learn and serve.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, “to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit. There are differing gifts but the same Spirit… the same Lord… the same God, works in all men. (Romans 12:4) There are four lists of gifts given in the New Testament, showing some differences and some overlap. Each Christian has at least one gift, others more, but always, gifts are the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.^³

In the New Testament, the first place we would run into the term "spiritual gift" is in Romans 1:11, 12. Writing to the church at Rome, Paul says, "I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine." The translation "impart to you some spiritual gift" is misleading because it sounds like Paul wants to help them have a gift, but the text actually means that he wants to give them the benefit of his gifts. "I long to see you, that I may use my gifts to strengthen you."

The first and most obvious thing we learn from this text is that spiritual gifts are for strengthening others. This, of course, does not mean that the person who has a spiritual gift gets no joy or benefit from it. But it does suggest that gifts are given to be given. They are not given to be hoarded. "I desire to share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you." What does strengthen mean? He's not referring to bodily strength but strength of faith. The same word is used in 1 Thessalonians 3:2, where Paul says,

We sent Timothy, our brother and servant in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you in your faith and to exhort you that no one be moved by these afflictions.

To strengthen someone by a spiritual gift means to help their faith not give way as easily when trouble enters their life. We have spiritual gifts in order to help other people keep the faith and maintain an even keel in life's storms. If there is anybody around you whose faith is being threatened in any way at all, take stock whether you may have a spiritual gift peculiarly suited to strengthen that person. ^⁴

The Nature of Spiritual Gifts

A. Who is the source of spiritual giftedness?

1 Corinthians 12:11
1 Corinthians 12:28

B. Who is the source of spiritual giftedness?

1 Peter 4:10

C. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?

1 Corinthians 12:4-7
1 Corinthians 14:12
1 Peter 4:10-11

Spiritual gifts referred to in Scripture.

1 Corinthians 12:1-14	1 Corinthians 12:27-30	Romans 12:6-8	Ephesians 4:11
Wisdom Knowledge Discerning of spirits (human, angelic, and satanic) Prophecy Speaking in tongues Interpretation of tongues Faith Working of miracles Healing	Apostleship Prophecy Teaching Working of miracles Healing Helps Administration Speaking in tongues	Prophecy Ministry Teaching Exhortation Giving Leading Showing mercy (compassion)	Apostleship Prophecy Evangelism Pastoring Teaching

The Gifts Defined

Gifts of the spirit are clearly distinguished from the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). Jesus predicted the occurrence of false gifts, particularly in the end time (Matthew 24:24, 7:22,23). Hence while spiritual gifts are very important for a Christian, the fruit of the spirit is a better test of the genuineness of a person.

Apostle: One sent by God with a holy mission to fulfill; and the supernatural power and spiritual gifts to fulfill the mission. Known by the fruit of the spirit overflowing. Apostolic ministry involves laying foundation. In the case of Paul and Barnabas, we see this expressed in 'church planting' by preaching the Gospel in new areas. Apostles in scripture worked in teams. An apostolic team shared a 'measure of rule' in churches started through their ministry in regions where they are the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. (II Corinthians 10.)

Prophet: One who speaks, or communicates a message, authoratively, as moved by the Holy Ghost. Known by their good fruit.

Evangelist: Someone who desires that all should come to know the truth that God loves everyone so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for their redemption, or someone who is gifted to proclaim this message.

Pastor: A word that means 'shepherd.' Pastors are gifted to lead, guide, and set an example for other Christians.

Teacher: Someone able to understand the more difficult things of God and explain them in a way that is easy to understand and live by in daily life.

Service: Supernatural ability to do for others whatever needs to be done. Divine ability to carry another burden or task without notice or earthly reward.

Exhortation: the ability to motivate Christians to do the works of Christ.

Giving: being blessed by God with resources or time and being able to give them where and when they are needed with a cheerful heart.

Leadership: God-given insight into when something needs to be done, who can do it, how it can be completed, and how to lead those people to get it accomplished.

Mercy: A heart to care for and encourage those who are not able to care for themselves and whom no one else would care for. Knowing who to help and when to help.

Word of wisdom: A message, concept, or bit of wisdom that God reveals supernaturally to the recipient. It may or may not be shared with others.

Word of knowledge: A message, concept, or bit of knowledge that God reveals supernaturally to the recipient. It may or may not be shared with others.

Tongues: First use is a supernatural ability to speak another language not known by the believer speaking it. Second use is a supernatural ability to speak another language not known by the believer speaking it; to build up the body of Christ when the message is interpreted. It is the language of the Holy Spirit.

Interpretation of tongues: Supernatural ability to make tongues a clear message to all that are present to edify, exhort and comfort the body of Christ.

Prophecy: Supernatural ability to receive a message from God to edify, exhort and comfort the body of Christ or a believer. To speak as moved by the Holy Spirit. Not all prophecies contain predictions about the future.

Working of miracles: The ability to perform supernatural acts by the Spirit of God.

Gifts of healing: Supernatural ability to bring or release healing to a person in their body or soul.

Ability to distinguish between spirits: Supernatural ability to know what is from God and what is not from God. Divine ability to reveal a demonic spirit or influence and bring God's power (Jesus' blood) and God's love (Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection) in its place.

Faith: Knowing what you hope for, having a conviction about things you cannot see, trusting God, believing God’s words (in the Bible), and obeying God. (See Hebrews 11)

How does God distribute spiritual gifts?

Answer: Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12 make it clear that each Christian is given spiritual gifts according to the Lord’s choice. Spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of the edification of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:12). The exact timing of when these gifts are given is not specifically mentioned. Most assume that spiritual gifts are given at the time of spiritual birth (the moment of salvation). However, there are some verses that may indicate that God sometimes gives spiritual gifts later as well. Both 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6 refer to a “gift” that Timothy had received at the time of his ordination “by prophecy.” This likely indicates that one of the elders at Timothy’s ordination spoke under God’s influence of a spiritual gift that Timothy would have as an enablement for his future ministry.

We are also told in 1 Corinthians 12:28-31 and in 1 Corinthians 14:12-13 that it is God (not we) who chooses the gifts. These passages also indicate that not everyone will have a particular gift. Paul tells the Corinthian believers that if they are going to covet or long after spiritual gifts, they should set aside their fascination with the “spectacular” or “showy” gifts, and instead strive after the more edifying gifts, such as prophesying (speaking forth the word of God for the building up of others). Now, why would Paul tell them to strongly desire the “best” gifts if they already had been given all that they would be given, and there was no further opportunity of gaining these “best” gifts? It may lead one to believe that even as Solomon sought wisdom from God in order to be a good ruler over God’s people, so God will grant to us those gifts that we need in order to be of greater benefit to His church.

Having said this, it still remains that these gifts are distributed according to God’s choosing, not our own. If every Corinthian strongly desired a particular gift, such as prophesying, God would not give everyone that gift simply because they strongly desired it. Why? Where would be those who are needed to serve all of the other functions of the body of Christ?

There is one thing that is abundantly clear, God’s command is God’s enablement. If God commands us to do something (such as witness, love the unlovely, disciple the nations, etc.), He will enable us to do it. Some may not be as “gifted” at evangelism as others, but God commands all Christians to witness and disciple (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). We are all called to evangelize whether or not we have the spiritual gift of evangelism. A determined Christian who strives after learning the Word and developing his teaching ability will become a better teacher than one who may have the spiritual gift of teaching, but who neglects the gift.

In summary, are spiritual gifts given to us when we receive Christ, or are they cultivated through our walk with God? The answer is both. Normally, spiritual gifts are given at salvation, but also need to be cultivated through spiritual growth. Can a desire in your heart be pursued and developed into your spiritual gift? Can you seek after certain spiritual gifts? 1 Corinthians 12:31 seems to indicate that this is possible - “earnestly desire the best gifts.” You can seek from God a spiritual gift and be zealous after it by seeking to develop that area. At the same time, if it is not God’s will, you will not receive a certain spiritual gift no matter how strongly you seek after it. God is infinitely wise, and knows with which gifts you will be most productive for His kingdom.

No matter how much we have been gifted with one gift or another, we are all called upon to develop a number of areas mentioned in the lists of spiritual gifts...to be hospitable, to show acts of mercy, to serve one another, to evangelize, etc. As we seek to serve Him out of love, for the purpose of building up others for His glory, He will bring glory to His name, grow His church, and reward us (1 Corinthians 3:5-8; 12:31-14:1). God promises that as we make Him our delight, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4-5). This would surely include preparing us to serve Him in a way that will bring us purpose and satisfaction.^⁵

The difference between a talent and a spiritual gift

There are similarities and differences between talents and spiritual gifts. Both are gifts from God. Both grow in effectiveness with use. Both are intended to be used on behalf of others, not for selfish purposes. 1 Corinthians 12:7 states that spiritual gifts are given to benefit others...not one's self. As the two great commandments deal with loving God and others, it follows that one should use his talents for that purpose. But talents and spiritual gifts differ in whom they are given to and when. A person (regardless of his belief in God or in Christ) is given a natural talent as a result of a combination of genetics (some have natural ability in music, art, or mathematics) and surroundings (growing up in a musical family will aid one in developing a talent for music), or because God desired to endow certain individuals with certain talents (for example, Bazeleel in Exodus 31:1-6). Spiritual gifts are given to believers by the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:3, 6) at the time of their placing their faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. At that time the Holy Spirit gives to the new believer the spiritual gift(s) He desires the believer to have (1 Corinthians 12:11). There are three main lists of spiritual gifts...

Romans 12:3-8 lists the spiritual gifts as follows: prophecy, serving others (in a general sense), teaching, exhorting, generosity, leadership, and showing mercy. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 lists the gifts as: the word of wisdom (ability to communicate spiritual wisdom), the word of knowledge (ability to communicate practical truth), faith (unusual reliance upon God), the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues (ability to speak in a language that one has not studied), and interpretation of tongues. The third list is found in Ephesians 4:10-12, which speaks of God giving to His church apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers. There is also a question as to how many spiritual gifts there are, as no two lists are the same. It is also possible that the Biblical lists are not exhaustive, that there are additional spiritual gifts beyond the ones the Bible mentions.

While often one may develop his talents and later direct his profession or hobby along those lines, spiritual gifts were given by the Holy Spirit for the building up of Christ's church. In that, all Christians are to play an active part in the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. All are called and equipped to be involved in the "work of the ministry" (Ephesians 4:12). All are gifted so that they can contribute to the cause of Christ out of gratitude for all He has done for them. In doing so, they also find fulfillment in life through their labor for Christ. It is the job of the church leaders to help build up the saints so they can be further equipped for the ministry that God has called them to. The intended result of spiritual gifts is that the church as a whole can grow, being strengthened by the combined supply of each and every member of Christ's body.

To summarize the differences between spiritual gifts and talents: (1) A talent is the result of genetics and/or training, while a spiritual gift is the result of the power of the Holy Spirit. (2) A talent can be possessed by anyone, Christian or non-Christian, while spiritual gifts are only possessed by Christians. (3) While both talents and spiritual gifts should be used for God’s glory and to minister to others, spiritual gifts are focused on these tasks, while talents can be used entirely for non-spiritual purposes.

How do I know what my spiritual gift is?

There is no magic formula or spiritual gift test that can tell us exactly what our spiritual gifts are. The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He determines (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). At the same time, God does not want us to be ignorant of how He wants us to serve Him. The problem is that it is very easy for us to get so caught up in spiritual gifts that we only seek to serve God in the area in which we feel we have a spiritual gift. That is not how the spiritual gifts work. God calls us to obediently serve Him. He will equip us with whatever gift or gifts we need to accomplish the task or tasks He has called us to.

Identifying our spiritual giftedness can be accomplished in various ways. Spiritual gift tests or inventories, while not to be fully relied upon, can definitely help us understand where our gifting might be. Confirmation from others also gives light to our spiritual giftedness. Other people who see us serving the Lord can often identify a spiritual gift in use that we might take for granted or not recognize. Prayer is also important. The one person who knows exactly how we are spiritually gifted is the gift-giver Himself – the Holy Spirit. We can ask God to show us how we are gifted, that we might better use our spiritual gifts for His glory.

Yes, God calls some to be teachers and gives them the gift of teaching. God calls some to be servants and blesses them with the gift of helps. However, specifically knowing our spiritual gift does not excuse us from serving God in areas outside our gifting. Is it beneficial to know what spiritual gift(s) God has given us? Of course it is. Is it wrong to focus so much on spiritual gifts that we miss other opportunities to serve God? Yes! If we are dedicated to being used by God, He will equip us with the spiritual gifts we need.

Notes

1 Ryrie, Charles - The Holy Spirit as quoted in http://www.gotquestions.org/Spirit-today.html

2 McArthur, John – Fundamentals of the Faith p. 67

3 Little, Paul – Know What You Believe p. 87

4 Piper, John – Spiritual Gifts - http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1981/288_Spiritual_Gifts/

5 Stanley, Charles – Spirit-Filled Life

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Introduction

In the previous lesson learned about the Holy Spirit who is the 3^rd person in the Godhead, and learned of Deity, personality and revelation in the Scriptures. Now we will learn further about the Holy Spirit and His work in the context of our lives as individual Christians.

The Old Testament foretold His pouring

In the Old Testament The Holy Spirit came on individuals temporarily, generally for a particular task and for a period of time, as it was in the case of Saul, (1 Samuel 16:14) and Samson (Judges 16:20).

Throughout its pages the writers of the Old Testament expressed a longing for help, God’s power, and an ultimate relationship with Him. The psalmists and the prophets poured out their hearts over and over and God responded unerringly. God’s interventions were attributed to the Spirit of the Lord, God’s Spirit, the Spirit of God, or simply, the Spirit. Only three times is the “Holy Spirit” used in the Old Testament (Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 63:10). The New Testament uses “Holy Spirit” over 250 times when referring to God’s Spirit. ^¹

Just as the truth of the Trinity is hinted at in the Old Testament but awaits its fullest expression in the New, so with truth about the Holy Spirit. His personality and deity are evident in the Old Testament, but the full expression of His activity is given only in the New Testament. The New Testament completes this picture.

The Spirit’s work in the Old Testament was foretelling the sublime fulfillment of God’s covenant promised to Israel and poured out on “all people.” ^²

Isaiah 44:3
Ezekiel 36:26-27
Joel 2:28-29

Arrival of the Promised Gift

Following His death and resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples His last instructions: “Wait for the gift my Father promised…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5)^³

Acts 2:4 (Joel 2:28-32)
Acts 2: 36
Acts 15:7-10

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

A. Among non-believers

You may be surprised to know that the Spirit is involved in the unsaved world. He works among the unsaved at all times. As a matter of fact, in one of the letters to the Thessalonians, we read that He is actively involved in restraining sin (2 Thessalonians 2:7) Do you have any idea how much evil would be on this earth if the Spirit of God were suddenly removed? His omnipresence is like a worldwide envelope of righteousness, a bubble of invisible restraint. He holds a great deal of evil in check. But when He is removed, literally all hell will break loose on this globe!^⁴

But the Holy Spirit’s work does not merely stop with restraining all wickedness in the world, John 16:8-13 gives Jesus’ outline of the Spirit work so far as humanity is concerned:

The Holy Spirit convicts of guilt in regard to sin (John 16.8-9). Without the unveiling of the Holy Spirit we would not believe we are really sinning. Why should the sight of a man crucified 2,000 years ago tear at the heart of people centuries later? This is the work of the Holy Spirit or else we would not know of our need of a Savior.
The Holy Spirit is the one who brings conviction of sin to an individual (John 16:8; Acts 2:37). Whenever a person comes to a sense of his own sinfulness, whether by the preached, written, or personally spoken word the Spirit of God has been at work.
The Holy Spirit convicts of righteousness (John 16:11). The meaning of this is only clear when we see the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for the world. The sting of sin and the imperative of righteousness for all of us is found on the cross. The Spirit’s work is to reveal what the holiness of God desires for us The Spirit’s work is to reveal what the holiness of God desires for us. Through Christ’s death He gives to us His righteousness; He makes us sensitive to any antithesis (the direct opposite of something, Webster) of God’s revealed righteousness.^⁵
The Holy Spirit convicts of judgment to come (John 16:12). Only through the work of the Spirit in our lives can we understand the imperative of judgment. In the moral world, the prospect of judgment is certain and brought Jesus Christ to take our judgment upon Himself on the cross. Through the Spirit, we are thus awakened to faith in Jesus. Through the Spirit, we recognize the crucified Jesus as the risen and ascended Lord. Through the Spirit, we say “Yes” to Jesus from the depths of our hearts.^⁶

B. Among Believers

1. Regeneration

One of the most important areas of the Spirit’s work is with respect to God’s plan of salvation, which is unveiled in John 16:7-8, by whom sinners are born into God’s kingdom (John 3:5-8).

The conviction by the Holy Spirit is His work of regeneration, the new birth: “So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). He indwells everyone who is in the church of Jesus Christ by the new birth. It is empathically true that if anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9). Equally true is that every Christian has the Holy Spirit with His counseling, help and conviction, beginning from the time of belief and commitment.^⁷

Regeneration is something that God does through the power of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5-6), the power that enables us to be “born again” or “born from above,” as is Jesus’ discourse with Nicodemus (John 3). Being regenerated does not mean that we are no longer tempted to sin; the tendency to sin lives on. The apostle Paul wrote, “ I do not do what I ant, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). Being regenerated means that we are no longer controlled by sin or are “slaves” to sin. (Romans 6:20-23).^⁸

2. The Sealing of the Holy Spirit

A seal was an ancient device, usually a signet ring or cylinder seal engraved with the owner’s name or with a particular design used to seal goods, demonstrate ownership, attest a document’s authenticity, or impress an early form of a trademark.

The seal indicated ownership and security. It is the guarantee of future blessings. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is God’s promise of our inheritance I the future! ^⁹

The Bible also tells us also that we are baptized with the Holy Spirit upon the moment of our conversion upon which we are also sealed until the arrival of our ultimate redemption in the End of the Age. (Ephesians 1:13-14; 1Corinthians 12:13).

3. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

1. Romans 8:9 - The Bible also tells us that there is a special relationship between the individual Christian and the Holy Spirit which can be summed up in the theological term which is called sanctification, which comes from the word sanctify, which means “to make holy.” It refers to the Holy Spirit’s continuing work that enables believers to grow in purity. As with regeneration, sanctification does not mean that one no longer sins. The battles in the flesh continue, but through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit the Christian grows in obedience to God and in righteousness and in holiness. Thus it is completely impossible for a person to be a Christian and not be indwelled by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

IV. Our response – to be filed with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:30
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Ephesians 5:18

To be filled with the Spirit is to be “under His total domination and control.”

“To be filled with the Spirit involves confession of sin, surrender of will, intellect, body, time, talent, possessions and desires. It requires the death to selfishness and the slaying of self-will.”

“To be filled with God’s Spirit is to be filled with His Word. And as we are filled with God’s Word, it controls our thinking and action.”^¹⁰

When the Holy Spirit does His work of producing His fruit in us, we find that all the fruits in Galatians 5:22-23 are ours as we submit to the mind of Christ, the example of His life, and the internal guidance of the Spirit.

Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and He is a constant guide to the individual Christian: “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). We are instructed to “live by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). His leadership is one of the signs that an individual is really a child of God: He leads us today as He led and guided the early Christians in the Book of Acts. ^¹¹

Application - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Notes:

1 Little, Paul – Know What You Believe p. 84

2 Ibid

3 Ibid

4 Swindoll, Charles – Growing Deep in the Christian Faith p.184

5 Ibid

6 Myers, Benjamin - http://faith-theology.blogspot.com/2006/09/theology-for-beginners-16-spirit.html

7 Ibid

8 Schwarz, John – Handbook of the Christian Faith p. 199

9 McArthur, John – Fundamentals of the Faith p.50

10 McArthur, John

11 Ibid

The Holy Spirit: An Introduction

Introduction

Of the three persons in the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit is doubtless the least known and understood. Yet He is most vitally and intimately involved in our initial conversion and birth into the family of God and in our ongoing development as Christians. Our awareness of His work in our lives as Christians can ripen into a relationship with Him that brings us power, joy and hope.

Of primary importance is the truth: the Holy Spirit is as much a person as God the Father and God the Son. He is not an impersonal “it,” nor an influence, a phantom or an apparition.^¹

The Holy Spirit is God. The Bible identifies Him as one of the three Persons existing as one God that is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. ^²

In Christian theology the study of the Holy Spirit is called pneumatology, from two Greek words, pneuma meaning "wind," "breath," or "spirit" and logos meaning "word," or "logic." Generally this includes such topics as the personality of the Spirit, the deity of the Spirit, and the work of the Spirit as presented in the Bible.^³

The Person and work of the Holy Spirit

“We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. “^⁴

How, therefore, can we come to a right knowledge, as revealed by God, of the Holy Spirit? First, we must accept that the truth of the existence of the third person of the Trinity is at the heart of the most impenetrable divine mystery. Certitude about the existence of the Holy Spirit and His activities can never be found in the realm of speculative or positive theology. ^⁵ It can only be found in God’s self-revelation in the Scriptures.

A. The Holy Spirit

The Old Testament calls it Ruach (Hebrew). The New Testament calls it Pneuma (Greek). We get the word Pneumatic (of, relating to or of using air or wind, Webster) from the New Testament Greek word. The English Bible however doesn’t translate either one as air. Usually, its breath. “God breathed into man the breath of life.” Or its called wind. “Like a mighty wind”. Or it is translated spirit – as in the “spirit of man” or “the Holy Spirit.”

A number of synonyms are used for Spirit – words like helper, advocate, comforter, convicter, restrainer, exhorter, and reprover.^⁶

B. The Holy Spirit is a Person

1. John 14:14-17 depicts Him using pronouns like “He” or “Him” are used to refer to the Holy Spirit rather than “it.”

2. The Holy Spirit exhibits attributes of personality

Intellect. The ability to know and understand reality. (Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Emotion. The ability to experience emotion. (Ephesians 4:30)
Volition. The ability to determine or act decisively. (1 Corinthians 12:7,11; Acts 13:2 ; 15:28-29)

C. The Holy Spirit is God

1. The Holy Spirit exhibited divine attributes

Omniscience – (Isaiah 40:13-14)
Omnipresence – (Psalm 139:7)
Eternality – (Hebrews 9:14)
Truth – (1 John 5:6-8; John 16:13)

2. Statements of His Deity

1 Corinthians 3:17
Acts 5:3-4

D. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

The Holy Spirit – Holy “Ghost,” from the Old English gast, meaning “spirit” – is the Third Person of the Trinity. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was active in creation (Gen.1:2 ; Psalm 104:30; Psalm 33:6; Job 33:4), in the lives of the Judges (Judges 3:10; 14:6), in the lives of the kings (1 Sam. 16:13-14), and in the lives of the prophets (Isaiah 61:1) ^⁷

Furthermore the Holy Spirit also gave wisdom and skill for particular works including those of a non-spiritual nature (Exodus 31:2-5).

The work of the Spirit also inspired the prophets. Which can be noticed whenever a prophet would proclaim “Thus saith the Lord!” (Numbers 11:29; Ezekiel 2:2; Acts 28:25)

E. The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

1. The earthly ministry of Christ

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit was the creative agent in the conception of Jesus (Luke1:35), was present in Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:22), and was active in the lives of the apostles (Acts 2:4). ^⁸

2. The Holy Spirit Bears Witness of Christ

The Holy Spirit attests that Jesus is the Christ (John 15:26). He also discloses or reveals Christ (John 16:14). He will not speak of Himself but of Christ (John 16:13).

The Holy Spirit Working among the Disciples

When Christ left the world, He committed His cause to His disciples. He made them responsible for going and making disciples of all nations. “Ye… shall bear witness,” He told them in the upper room (John 15:27 KJV). “You will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth,” were His parting words to them on Olivet, before He ascended (Acts 1:8). Such was their appointed task. But what sort of witnesses were they likely to prove? They had never been good pupils; they had consistently failed to understand Christ and missed the point of His teaching throughout His earthly ministry; how could they be expected to do better now that He had gone? Was it not virtually certain that, with the best will in the world, they would soon get the truth of the gospel inextricably mixed up with a mass of well-meant misconceptions, and their witness would rapidly be reduced to a twisted, garbled, hopeless muddle?

The answer to this question is no – because Christ sent the Holy Spirit to them, to teach them all truth and so save them from error, to remind them of what they had been taught already and to reveal to them the rest of what their Lord mean them to learn. “The Counselor… will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when the Spirit of truth, comes He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears” (that is He would make known to them all that the Father had instructed Him to tell them: see John 12:49-50; 17:8,14) “ and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (John 16:12-14). In this way “He will testify about me” (to you, my disciples, to whom I send Him); and (equipped and enabled by His testifying work.) “you must also testify (15:26-27)

The promise was that, taught by the Spirit, these original disciples should be enabled to speak as so many mouths of Christ so that, just as the Old Testament prophets had been able to introduce their sermons with the words, “Thus saith the LORD Jehovah,” so the New Testament apostles might with equal truth be able to say if their teaching, oral or written, “Thus saith the Lord Jesus Christ.”^⁹ (2 Peter 1:20-21)

As Chuck Swindoll interestingly points out:

“ Let me pass along something I hope you never forget. If you get involved in a ministry that glorifies itself instead of Christ, the Spirit of God is not in that ministry. If you follow a leader that is getting the glory for that ministry, instead of Christ, the Spirit of God isn’t empowering his leadership. If you’re part of a Christian school or a mission organization or a Christian campaigning ministry in which someone other than Christ is being glorified, it is not being empowered by the Spirit of God. Mark it down: THE SPIRIT GLORIFIES CHRIST.” ^¹⁰

Our proper response

Do we honor the Holy Spirit by recognizing and relying on His work? Or do we slight Him by ignoring it, and thereby dishonor not merely the Spirit but the Lord who sent Him?

In our faith: Do we apply the authority of the Bible, the prophetic Old Testament and the apostolic New Testament, which He inspired? Do we read and hear it with the reverence and receptiveness due to the Word of God? If not, we dishonor the Holy Spirit.

In our life: Do we apply the authority of the Bible and live by the Bible, whatever anyone may say against it, recognizing that God’s Word cannot but be true, and that what God has said He certainly means, and He will stand behind it? If not, we dishonor the Holy Spirit, who gave us the Bible.

In our witness: Do we remember that the Holy Spirit alone, by His witness, can authenticate our witness, and look to Him to do so, and trust Him to do so, and show the reality of our trust, as Paul did, by eschewing the gimmicks of human cleverness? If not, we dishonor the Holy Spirit.

Can we doubt that the present bareness of the church’s life is God’s judgment on us for the way we have dishonored the Holy Spirit? And, in that case, what hope have we of its removal till we learn in our thinking and our praying and our practice to honor the Holy Spirit? “He shall testify…”

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”^¹¹