Subject: What does Scripture say about the Spirit |
Bible Note: Hi Joren, When I started studying the Trinity many years ago, I decided against reading any books about the Holy Spirit but to read the Bible alone. I cannot tell you about the roles of the Holy Spirit for I think of all three as One. What I think I discovered however was that although the Holy Spirit was a Person there was also a filling of the holy spirit. You yourself wrote, "You could have the Spirit, but not be filled with it. To be filled with the spirit was to be under the Spirit's control". I believe that your statement is quite right. We as believers have the Spirit within us, but we are not filled with His words, His commandments, His love, whatever. But we should be for it sounds like a commandment in Ephesians 5:18, "...but be filled with the spirit," giving thanks for all things and being subject to one another. If it is a commandment then who does the filling? That is up to us I would think just as it is up to the drunk to be filled with wine. That is why I chose "spirit" in that passage. Scripture tells us to test the spirits and that what I have done in my personal study in capitalizing Deity. I did read one book on the occurances of the Holy Spirit in the Bible which was an impetus for me but after that I haven't read any. It is in knowing your Bible and the spirit that is therein that will give you the ability to be that good witness. What I have attempted to do in my study is to be consistent. In one of your paragraphs you spoke of the filling of the Spirit and also the filling of the spirit. I have not done that in my study. But I agree with you that "To be filled with the spirit was to be under the Spirit's control" in that we should desire to do His will in our lives as we understand it from the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit is "One called alongside to help" and is another Comforter just as Jesus was; just as God the Father is. Both Jesus and the Helper proceeded from the Father, both did not speak on His own initiative, and both did not glorify Himself but were glorified by the Father. I do not see roles of the Holy Spirit. I see a change of places. |