Holy Spirit
A study of the essence, power, mind and spiritual extension of God— how the Holy Spirit works, transforms the Christian mind, produces spiritual fruit and serves as the earnest of eternal life.
The Holy Spirit is the essence, power, mind, and spiritual extension of God. God begets Christians as His sons through this Spirit. It strengthens a Christian spiritually, converts his mind, and serves as an earnest or guarantee of eternal life.
The Power and Mind of God at Work
The Bible describes the Holy Spirit by several expressions, including the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of truth and the Comforter or Advocate. The lesson presents it as the power, mind and extended means by which God accomplishes His work throughout the universe.
The Holy Spirit is not presented as a separate individual entity within the Godhead. Rather, the Father and Jesus Christ are distinct spirit beings who each maintain their own identity, while both utilize the divine spiritual power described as the Holy Spirit.
Scripture repeatedly shows God accomplishing His purposes through His Spirit. The earth was created through it; David received moral strength through it; craftsmen were given special ability through it; prophets were empowered by it; and God's people are enabled to obey His laws through it.
In the Old Testament, relatively few people are described as having access to God's Spirit in this intimate way. Under the New Covenant, however, the Spirit was made available much more broadly. Peter explains this on Pentecost, and Jesus had already promised His disciples that the Spirit which was with them would later be in them.
The lesson teaches that a person may receive the Holy Spirit after God grants repentance, the person believes in Jesus Christ, is baptized, and receives the laying on of hands. Acts 5:32 is also cited to emphasize obedience to God.
Once received, the Holy Spirit is dynamic rather than passive. It converts the mind, produces godly fruit, strengthens a Christian through trials, empowers the Work of God and gives the believer the mind of Christ.
Full understanding of God's spiritual plan requires the Holy Spirit. The lesson emphasizes that spiritual concepts cannot be completely grasped merely through human reasoning; God's Spirit opens the mind to understand the deep things of God.
Through the Holy Spirit, Christians are begotten as sons of God and become part of the Body of Christ—the Church. The Spirit is described as a seed that grows as the believer continues in obedience, submission, prayer and study.
The presence of God's Spirit is also presented as the defining mark of a true Christian. Romans 8 states that a person without the Spirit of Christ is “none of His” and that those led by the Spirit are the sons of God.
Finally, the Holy Spirit serves as an earnest—God's pledge or assurance of eternal life. As the Christian nurtures and renews this Spirit day by day, it provides the guarantee of future resurrection to spiritual life at Christ's return.
What the Holy Spirit Does
God Works Through His Spirit
Creation, prophecy, leadership, special abilities and obedience are all examples of God accomplishing His purposes through His Spirit.
Transforms the Mind
The Spirit changes the Christian's way of thinking and enables the believer to increasingly view life from a godly perspective.
Produces Godly Character
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance are described as fruit produced by the Spirit.
Reveals Spiritual Truth
God's Spirit opens the mind to understand His plan and spiritual concepts that cannot be fully understood through human intellect alone.
Begets Sons of God
Through the Holy Spirit, Christians become members of the Body of Christ and are begotten as sons of God.
Guarantee of Eternal Life
The Spirit is called an earnest—a pledge or assurance of the eternal spiritual life God promises to His children.
Receiving, Using and Renewing God's Spirit
Lesson Four presents the Holy Spirit as an active power that must be received, used, nurtured and renewed throughout the Christian life.
The process begins with genuine repentance granted by God and belief in Jesus Christ.
Following repentance and belief, the individual is baptized according to the New Testament pattern.
The lesson identifies the laying on of hands after baptism as the ceremony through which God's Spirit is imparted.
Acts 5:32 is used to emphasize that God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him.
Once received, God's Spirit is to be actively used. The lesson teaches that spiritual strength grows as the believer invokes and follows the Spirit's power.
The Spirit is renewed day by day through prayer and diligent study of God's Word.
God's Spirit works within the Christian to produce godly attitudes, actions, understanding and the mind of Christ.
The Spirit dwelling in the Christian is described as the earnest and assurance of future resurrection to spiritual life.
Read These Scriptures in Your Own Bible
Questions
All 40 review questions are shown in full. Complete them before opening the answer key below.
