Pastor Terrie Beede presented session 20 of the "Studies in Theology" series at Calvary Chapel Milwaukee, focusing on "The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Part 2: The Holy Spirit in the New Testament". The series is continually anchored by 1 Timothy 4:16, which admonishes ministers like Timothy to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee". This passage emphasizes the minister's responsibility to adhere personally to sound doctrine and to faithfully teach it to the congregation, ensuring both their own faithful service and the spiritual nourishment of their hearers.
This session followed previous studies, including an introduction to theology, the existence of God, a multi-part discussion on the Trinity, the doctrine of Scripture, the attributes of God, God the Father, and God the Son (culminating in the atonement). The study of the Holy Spirit aligns with the Calvary Chapel Milwaukee statement of faith, which affirms 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 Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Part 1," which explored the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was not always explicitly identified as an individual person but was often referred to as "my spirit" or "the spirit of God," with passages inferring His personality. He was shown to possess the same divine attributes as the Father and the Son, including omnipresence (fully present everywhere), omniscience (knowing all things), omnipotence (absolute power), and sovereignty (absolute freedom and control). His work in the Old Testament was characterized by His role as 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 specific tasks and prophecy (1 Samuel 10:7-13). The Old Testament also foretold a future outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh.
The main focus of "Part 2" shifted to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, examining His person, deity, and work:
The Person of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is explicitly identified as an individual person. While the Greek word for "spirit" (pneuma) is grammatically neuter, all pronouns referring to the Holy Spirit are masculine (e.g., "he"), emphasizing that He is not merely a force or a thing, but the third person of the Godhead. Jesus' words in John 14:16-17 and John 16:7-15 clearly refer to the Holy Spirit as "another Comforter" (meaning "another of the same kind") and use masculine pronouns, demonstrating His personal nature. A "person" is defined as a rational, thinking, sentient, independent being with a will, reflecting God's nature, not a human being.
The Deity of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament
The Holy Spirit is God, possessing the full attributes of the Godhead in the New Testament, just as in the Old.
• Omnipresence: Assumed throughout the New Testament, as the Spirit's knowledge of events across time and space indicates His presence everywhere (e.g., Peter's knowledge of Ananias and Sapphira's deception).
• Omniscience: The Spirit "searches all things, yea, the deep things of God," demonstrating His complete knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10-12).
• Omnipotence: The Holy Spirit has power to heal and judge, showing His absolute power.
• Sovereignty: The Spirit distributes gifts "as he wills," not according to man's desires (1 Corinthians 12:11). He designates individuals for work (Acts 13:2), demonstrating His authority and control.
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament
The Holy Spirit's work is multifaceted, continuing His Old Testament roles and expanding into new dimensions:
• Executive of God: He continues to be the agent who carries out the will of the Father and the Son on Earth. He ensures that God's word and will are brought into being.
• Intercessor/Advocate (representing man to God): The Spirit intercedes for believers with "groanings which cannot be uttered," praying to the Father on their behalf (Romans 8:26). This provides great comfort to believers.
• Witness (representing God to man):
◦ Convicts the world: The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin (because they don't believe in Jesus), of righteousness (because Jesus returned to the Father), and of judgment (because the prince of this world is judged) (John 16:7-15). He reveals an innate understanding of right and wrong in all people.
◦ Guides believers: He guides believers into all truth and glorifies God (John 16:13, 105, 106].
◦ Bears witness of Jesus: He testifies that Jesus is unique, God's only Son.
◦ Assures believers: The Spirit bears witness with believers' spirits that they are children of God (Romans 8:16), assuring them of their sonship despite their struggles.
• Spirit of Wisdom and Instruction: He teaches all things and brings them to remembrance (John 14:26), guiding believers into truth. The Spirit's anointing means believers do not need special keys or human intermediaries to understand God's word.
• Spirit of Prophecy: He enables both foretelling (predicting future events, e.g., Agabus in Acts 11:28) and forthtelling (speaking forth God's word, as in preaching).
• Spirit of Empowerment: In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit empowers believers for service, particularly for being witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
• Manifestation: The Holy Spirit manifests explicitly as the third person of the Godhead, notably at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), where He was "poured out on all flesh". He also continues to designate and empower specific individuals for service, as seen with Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13:2.
The session concluded by highlighting that the nature of the Holy Spirit's work is one of service to the will of the Father and the Son. He is a "perfect gentleman," never exercising His own will for His own purposes. This emphasizes a call for believers to be humble vessels, recognizing that any power given is for God's purposes, not their own. The methodology throughout the series emphasizes building doctrine strictly from Scripture, avoiding personal opinions or preconceived ideas, and continually grounding understanding in the written Word.