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The Holy Spirit & The Christian’s Baptism. The Personality & Deity of The Holy Spirit…. He is a personal being we can get to know and build a relationship with to better understand Him and His work. He is God, and therefore worthy of our highest respect and praise.
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The Personality & Deity of The Holy Spirit… • He is a personal being we can get to know and build a relationship with to better understand Him and His work. • He is God, and therefore worthy of our highest respect and praise. • He is a distinct individual, to be appreciated for who He is, the choices He makes, and what He accomplishes.
The Holy Spirit & The Life of Jesus • We Are Still Reaping The Benefits of the Holy Spirit’s Work With Jesus & The Apostles. • We Learn That The Holy Spirit’s Help Is Perfect For The Needs of The People & The Project. • We Get Excited About The Blessings The Holy Spirit Has In-Store For Us! • John 7:38-39
2 Promises For All Christians • Promises & Commands • Commands are obeyed. Promises are fulfilled. • Conditional promises are fulfilled for all who meet the conditions. • We are promised “the Spirit” • “…those who believed in Him were to receive…” • John 7:37-39, Acts 5:32, Acts 16:31 • We are promised “the gift of the Holy Spirit” • “…and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” (Acts 2:38-39) • Therefore, both conditions are met and both promises are fulfilled when we are baptized. But what is the gift of the Holy Spirit?
What Is The Gift of the Holy Spirit? • The Grammar Creates A Common Question: • Is it a gift FROM the Holy Spirit? • Is the Holy Spirit, Himself the gift? • Many Christians understand that Acts 2:38 is speaking about salvation as God’s gift which the Holy Spirit has revealed. • “…will be saved.” Acts 2:21 • “Be saved from this…” Acts 2:40 • “…being saved.” Acts 2:47 • However, the context refers to both Salvation & the Holy Spirit Himself being given…
What Is The Gift of the Holy Spirit? • The Holy Spirit Himself Is Also Given In Acts 2: • Joel’s prophecy addresses both Salvation & the Holy Spirit (2:17-21) • Joel’s prophecy includes the Spirit being given to men and women, old and young. (2:17-18) • The day’s events were possible because Jesus has poured forth the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:33) • The Most Respected Greek Scholars… • Arndt & Gingrich, Thayer, Vine, Lenski, Kistemaker all agree with the gift being the Holy Spirit Himself! • Is it reasonable that when we were saved, God also gave us the Holy Spirit? Titus 3:4-7 shouts YES!
What is the Gift of the Holy Spirit? “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) • Thus Paul Can Say: • We have only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5) • The Holy Spirit dwells within us (1 Corinthians 6:19)
The Gift of the Holy Spirit • I believe the “gift of the Holy Spirit” includes both our salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit. • Simply, I believe God chose grammar that carries both meanings because He intends both meanings. • 1 Corinthians 7:9 “…better to marry than to burn” • The Dual-Meaning of The Spirit & Salvation Is Consistent With: • The context of Acts 2 • The Greek and English grammar • The promise of Jesus to give us the Holy Spirit • The description of salvation in Titus 3:4-7 • The one baptism for all Christians
The Holy Spirit & The Christian’s Baptism Summary • The “gift of the Holy Spirit” is an on-going blessing for all Christians which we receive when we believe and are baptized. • The “gift of the Holy Spirit” includes both our salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit. • There are many blessings associated with Christians receiving the “gift” of the Holy Spirit. These blessings may not be as visible as the miraculous “gifts” given in the 1st Century but they are just as real and just as fitting for our needs today!