Pastor Terrie Beede delivered session 20 of the "Studies in Theology" series at Calvary Chapel Milwaukee, titled "The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Part 3: The Holy Spirit in the Believer's Life". The series' anchor text, 1 Timothy 4:16, continues to guide the study, emphasizing a minister's responsibility to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" and "continue in them," which saves both the minister and the hearers by nourishing the congregation in truth. The session aligns with the Calvary Chapel Milwaukee statement of faith, affirming belief "in the person of the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Christ for ministry".
The session began with a review of the previous two parts of the "Doctrine of the Holy Spirit".
• Part 1: The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament described His often obscure appearance, inferring His personality and demonstrating divine attributes such as omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, and sovereignty. His work included being the executive of God, a witness striving with humanity (Genesis 6:3), the spirit of wisdom and instruction (Numbers 11:17, Exodus 31), and a spirit of empowerment for tasks and prophecy. The Old Testament also foretold a future outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
• Part 2: The Holy Spirit in the New Testament explicitly identified Him as an individual person (using masculine pronouns for "pneuma," a grammatically neuter word) and affirmed His full deity with all divine attributes. His work expanded to include being an intercessor/advocate for believers (Romans 8:26), a witness convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-15), guiding believers into truth, and bearing witness of Jesus. He remained the executive of God, the spirit of wisdom, instruction, and prophecy, and a spirit of empowerment for service, explicitly manifesting at Pentecost.
The central focus of Part 3 shifted to the Holy Spirit in the believer's life, specifically His indwelling and the concept of the baptism or filling of the Spirit. The speaker emphasized that this topic can be emotionally charged and divisive, necessitating reliance solely on the Word of God, rather than feelings, experiences, or traditions. Doctrine, it was stressed, should not be built on ambiguous evidence or to fit preconceived ideas.
Jesus' Promises Regarding the Holy Spirit provided foundational understanding:
• In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus taught that believers can ask for the Holy Spirit with assurance that they will receive Him.
• In John 14:16-17, Jesus promised "another Comforter" who "dwelleth with you, and shall be in you," and will abide forever.
• Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8 instructed disciples to "tarry... until ye be endued with power from on high" and that they would "receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you" to be witnesses. These promises highlight three aspects: the Spirit is "with you" (as He was with Jesus), "in you" (the indwelling), and "upon you" (for power and service).
The Indwelling of the Spirit is a core aspect of the believer's life, signifying the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15) by which believers are assured of being God's children. It is also the seal of the Spirit, God's mark of ownership, and the earnest of our purchased possession, a down payment guaranteeing future glory. This contrasts with the Old Testament, where the Spirit came "upon" specific individuals for temporary service, due to humanity's separation from God symbolized by the temple veil, which Christ's atonement tore.
The session then analyzed four major passages in Acts commonly referenced concerning the reception of the Spirit or "baptism in the Holy Spirit":
1. Acts 2 (Pentecost): Disciples, already regarded as saved, experienced visible manifestations like tongues of fire and speaking in tongues, resulting in empowerment for ministry. This was a unique, first-time outpouring of the Spirit on "all flesh," making it difficult to use as a universal model for a "second work of grace".
2. Acts 8:14-17 (Samaritan believers): The Spirit came upon them through the laying on of hands by Peter and John after they believed and were baptized. This was likely a unique occurrence to integrate Samaritans into the church, with a visible sign, though tongues were not explicitly mentioned.
3. Acts 10:34-48 (Cornelius and the Gentiles): The Holy Spirit fell on them simultaneously with their conversion, and they spoke with tongues. This marked another unique occurrence as the Spirit was poured out on Gentiles, overcoming Jewish prejudices.
4. Acts 19:1-6 (Disciples of John the Baptist in Ephesus): Paul found disciples who only knew John's baptism and had not "heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." After hearing about Jesus, they were baptized, and the Spirit came "upon" them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
General Observations from these passages:
• The Holy Spirit was received sometimes simultaneously with belief, and sometimes not.
• In four of the five instances (including Paul's conversion where reception of the Spirit is implied but not described), the giving of the Spirit was marked by immediate, visible, tangible evidence.
• Tongues were explicitly mentioned in only three of these passages.
• Three incidents (Pentecost, Samaritans, Gentiles) were "exceptional, epical, first-time occurrences," crucial for the early church's historical progression.
• "Received the word of God" is synonymous with saving faith, while "received the Holy Spirit" appears to refer to a distinct, recognizable initial act that empowered for witness.
The session also examined seven passages directly using "baptism in the Holy Spirit" in the New Testament. Four were spoken by John the Baptist, two in Acts referred back to Pentecost, and 1 Corinthians 12:13 ("by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body") was highlighted. This passage speaks of universal baptism into the body of Christ at salvation, emphasizing unity and equality among all believers, not creating a "two-tier system".
Other terms for the Spirit's work were explored:
• "Full of" or "filled with the Holy Spirit": Not all believers were continually full, and individuals could be filled multiple times, often at "critical moments" preceding powerful acts of witness.
• "Falling upon" or "Coming upon" & "Receiving the Spirit": These terms were often used synonymously with an initial, distinctly recognizable act, often linked to receiving power for service.
Potential Errors in understanding this doctrine were addressed:
• The idea of the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" as a "second work of grace" can create two classes of Christians, fostering pride and division, which contradicts the Spirit's emphasis on unity (1 Corinthians 12). Spiritual gifts do not necessarily indicate spiritual maturity or fullness.
• The ambiguity of scriptural data on this topic can lead to unresolvable debates. In such situations, believers must renew commitment to scripture, reject personal agendas, and show grace and love to those with differing views.
• Treating "baptism in the Holy Spirit" as a rigid "technical term" for a specific event has led to unresolvable debates; it is more accurately understood as both a one-time immersion into Christ at salvation and an ongoing process of being filled and empowered.
The session concluded by affirming a distinct work of the Spirit that empowers for service, a fullness that believers are commanded to seek and for which they should wait before proceeding in God's work. This fullness is not necessarily manifested by tongues. Most importantly, the infilling of the Holy Spirit is guaranteed to all who ask (Luke 11:13), requiring no formulas, but simply a yielding to God's sovereign will. The Spirit, in His nature of servanthood, always functions to serve the will of the Father and the Son, empowering believers for God's purposes, not their own self-promotion. The methodology throughout emphasizes building doctrine strictly from Scripture, avoiding personal opinions or preconceived ideas, and continually grounding understanding in the written Word.