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The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

1. The word 'Spirit' (πνέΰμά) means wind or air. It is not capitalized in the Greek text. Capitalization depends on the context. The person translating decides if the context is speaking about an attitude, or the third person in the Deity.

2. Some examples of attitude.

a. A haughty spirit goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

b. Honor shall uphold the humble in spirit (Proverbs 29:23).

c. And saves those of a contrite spirit (Psalms 34:18).

d. (Numbers 5:14) The spirit of jealousy came upon him.

e. And there are many, many more.

Some definitions

 a. In the New Testament the Spirit of God comes under two and only two categories as related to deity, not a person's attitude.

b. The 'indwelling' of the Holy Spirit, a gift from God to all Christians.

c. The 'empowering'of the Holy Spirit, associated with miraculous works of Jesus and the Apostles.

e. Both are Biblical words.

1. The 'indwelling'of the Holy Spirit (see Romans 8:9, James 4:5 and many more).

2. The 'empowering' of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:49) the promise of the power at the Day of Pentecost.

3. The indwelling of the Spirit and some of the things we are told that He does.

   
   

a. You received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the day of your redemption (Eph. 1:13, Acts 2:28).

b. He is your 'promise' (Eph. 1:13, Acts 2:38) While often overlooked, a person is promised the gift of the Holy Spirit at baptism. In this statement we find the promise fulfilled. He is your seal (Eph. 1:13). Implies a mark or stamp that this is the property of God. (All Christians have a seal that allows the Angel of death to pass over us at the judgment Rev. 7:3, 7:4). We are told that we receive the Holy Spirit (or seal) at baptism (Acts 2:38).

c.  He is your inheritance (Eph. 1:13). When a person leaves you an inheritance, you receive something that the deceased person (Christ) promised and wants you to have.

      v.

A. The Spirit was promised by Jesus to the then disciples after His death. He is the Helper of John 14:16 ff.

B. Jesus told the disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost and this Helper or promise would come to them. (You should read the book of Luke in conjunction with the book of of Acts, since Acts is part II of the book of Luke.)

C. The Holy Spirit did come with 'power' in Acts 2:1ff, and from that point on it is up to us to distinguish between this empowering of the Spirit and the indwelling of the Spirit.
 D. Now we take a tour through the book of Galatians  and make those designations.

6. A few often misused Passages.

1. Gal. 4:6 --- “God has sent forth the Spirit of His son into your hearts crying abba father.
Not related to us. This is the empowering of the Holy Spirit. See Chapter 3:4,5.

2. Hebrews 6:4ff Those who were enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and so forth, were those who received the empowering of the Holy Sprit. See Chapter 2: 4. That congregation received the gifts of the Holy Spirit that He distributed at His own will.
3. The entire books of I Corinthians and II Corinthians.

 There may be some references to the indwelling of the Spirit in those books but like most of the other New Testament books there was an Apostle in the Congregation with the signs of an Apostle.

II Corinthians 12:12ff. When reading about the Holy Spirit we must read context to determine interpretation.

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