The Coming Holy Spirit - Part 1

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you (John 16:7).

If Jesus did not leave this earth and ascend to the Father in heaven, the Holy Spirit would not have been sent to us in all of His fullness. But because Jesus did leave this earth and ascend to the Father in heaven, the Father did send the Holy Spirit to us in His fullness. Because He did come in His fullness on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), He was, and is able to give us eternal life in Jesus Christ (John 7:37-39), live in us as Jesus lived among the disciples (John 14:16-17), teach us all things necessary to believe in Christ and understand God’s Word, will, and ways (John 14:26), and empower, gift, and enable them, and us, in our witness and works in the Kingdom of God (15:26-27).

John MacArthur cites two reasons why the Holy Spirit did not come until after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. (1) The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to reveal the Person and work of Jesus Christ. That was not fully possible until after Jesus had finished His work of salvation on the cross and His ascension to full glory in heaven. (John 7:37-39) On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 

(2) The Holy Spirit was sent to the church to substantiate and defend Jesus’ faithfulness in completing the Father’s plan of redemption in His death and resurrection. (Galatians 3:13-14) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. The Apostle Peter affirmed these truths in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22-32), and declared, Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear (Acts 2:33).

Consider this, had the Holy Spirit not been sent to us, how could we possibly know and understand the love of God for us, the truth of God’s Word, the reality of our sinfulness, the need for salvation, that Jesus is the Lord and Savior able to save us from all sin, that there is a hell to lose and a heaven to gain, etc. You say these things are all written in the Scriptures, and you are right. But who authored the Scriptures? (2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. ‘Inspiration of God’ (theopneustos) - God breathed, breath of God. ‘Holy Spirit (pneuma hagion). The breath of God (pneustos) is the Spirit of God (pneuma). The Holy Spirit inspired the authors to write the words of Scripture and interprets the Scriptures He inspired to our understanding. Amen.

Pastor Martin