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STUDY VIII

THE CHANNEL OF THE ATONEMENT

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD

The Operation of the Holy Spirit Now and in the Millennium Various Descriptive Names of the Holy Spirit, “Spirit of Love,” “Spirit of Truth,” etc. In Contrast, the Unholy Spirit, “Spirit of Error,” “Spirit of Fear,” etc. Personal Pronouns Applied The Significance of the Word Spirit“God is a Spirit”“The Holy Spirit Was not yet Given” Gifts of the Spirit The Transforming Power of the Holy Spirit The Spirit by Measure and Without Measure“The Spirit of the World,” Antichrist The Battle Between this and the Holy Spirit Spirit Fightings Without and Within the Saints The Spirit that Lusteth to Envy Taught of the Spirit The Parakletos, the Comforter He Shall Guide You into all Truth and into Full Atonement The Spirit’s Supervision None the Less Since the Miraculous Gifts Were Discontinued.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God ...Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” Rom 8:14-16

“And it shall come to pass, afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Joe 2:28

THE GREAT work of the Atonement could not be properly considered, nor clearly understood, if the work of the holy Spirit, in connection therewith, were overlooked or ignored. The holy Spirit has much to do with the presentation of the Atonement making manifest to the believer the divine forgiveness, as well as guiding him into full reconciliation of heart to God. It was under the begetting influence of the holy Spirit, received by our Lord Jesus at his baptism, at the beginning of his ministry, that his consecrated heart was enabled to see clearly and distinctly the Father’s will, the proper course, the narrow way of sacrifice, and to appreciate the exceeding great and precious promises, whose fulfilment lay beyond his humiliation, ignominy and

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death at Calvary. By the holy Spirit, therefore, our Redeemer was enabled to perform his great work, being guided thereby to do that which was pleasing and acceptable before the Father, and which provided the ransom for all humanity. Similarly the holy Spirit is identified with the Church: all who have accepted the merits of the great sin-offering, and who have come unto the Father through the merit of the Son’s sacrifice, and who have presented themselves living sacrifices, in harmony with the high calling to the divine nature held out to such during the Gospel age, have needed and had the holy Spirit’s aid. Only in proportion as any receive the holy Spirit of God are they able to come into proper lines of fellowship with the Father, and with the Son, so as to be able to “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” and to do it. Only by the holy Spirit are we guided beyond the mere letter of the divine testimony, into a true appreciation of “the deep things of God,” and all those things which God hath in reservation for them that love him, which the human eye hath not seen, the human ear hath not heard, neither hath entered into the human heart to understand and appreciate. 1Co 2:9-10

The holy Spirit’s office will be equally important during the Millennial age, in bringing the world of mankind back into harmony with God, under the terms of the New Covenant, through the merits of the dear Redeemer’s sacrifice. Accordingly, through the prophet Joel Joe 2:28-29 ), the Lord has drawn attention to this fact, pointing out that while he will pour his Spirit only upon his servants and handmaidens during this Gospel age, yet “ afterward” his holy Spirit shall be generally poured upon the world of mankind, “all flesh.”* During the Millennial age, then, the

*The order of this blessing is reversed in the prophetic statement; quite probably, in order to obscure the matter until the proper time, and thus to hide some of the length and breadth and height and depth of the divine plan, until the due time for it to be known and appreciated.

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world’s progress will be in full harmony with the holy Spirit; and in proportion as men shall come into full harmony with that holy Spirit will any of them become eligible to the eternal conditions of life and joy and blessing which lie beyond the Millennial age. The fact that the holy Spirit will cooperate with the glorified Church in the blessing of all the families of the earth is also testified by our Lord. After picturing to us the glories of the Millennium and its abundant supply of truth as a mighty river of the water of life, clear as crystal, he says, “And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come! And whosoever will may come, and take of the water of life freely.” Rev 22:17

But this subject of the holy Spirit, its office and operation, has been grievously misunderstood by many of the Lord’s people for centuries: and only in the light of the rising Sun of Righteousness in the light of the parousia of the Son of Man is this subject becoming thoroughly clear and reasonable, as it evidently was to the early Church, and in harmony with all the various Scriptural testimonies pertaining to it. The doctrine of the Trinity, which, as we have seen, began to rise in the second century, and reached a large development in the fourth century, is responsible, in considerable measure, for much of the darkness which blends with the truth on this subject in many Christian minds, much to their disadvantage confusing and mystifying all religious convictions.

There is consistency in the Scripture teaching that the Father and Son are in full harmony and oneness of purpose and operation, as we have just seen. And equally consistent is the Scripture teaching respecting the holy Spirit that it is not another God, but the spirit, influence or power exercised by the one God, our Father, and by his Only Begotten Son in absolute oneness, therefore, with both of these, who also are at one or in full accord. But how different is this unity of the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit from that held and taught under the name of Trinitarian doctrine, which

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in the language of the Catechism (Question 5 and 6) declares There are three persons in the One God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: “these three are one God, the same in substance , equal in power and glory.” This view suited well “the dark ages” which it helped to produce. The period in which mysteries were worshiped instead of unraveled found a most choice one in this theory, which is as unscriptural as it is unreasonable. How could the three be one in person , in substance? And if only “ one in substance” how could they be “ equal ?” Does not every intelligent person know that if God is one in person he cannot be three ? and that if three in person there can be only one sense in which the three could be one , and that not in person but in purpose, in mind, in will, in cooperation? Verily, if it were not for the fact that this trinitarian nonsense was drilled into us from earliest infancy, and the fact that it is soberly taught in Theological Seminaries by gray-haired professors, in many other ways apparently wise, nobody would give it a moment’s serious consideration. How the great Adversary ever succeeded in foisting it upon the Lord’s people to bewilder and mystify them, and render much of the Word of God of none effect, is the real mystery which will probably not be solved until we “know even as we are known,” in glory.

The careful student of the preceding chapters has found abundant testimony from the Scriptures, to the effect that there is but one All-mighty God Jehovah; and that he has highly exalted his First Begotten Son, his Only Begotten Son, to his own nature and to his own throne of the universe; and that next to these in order of rank will be the glorified Church, the Bride, the Lamb’s wife and joint-heir otherwise styled his “brethren.” These shall be made associates of his glory, as in the present age they are required to be associates in his sufferings. The students have noticed also, that all scriptures harmonize and agree in the above testimony; and further, that there are no scriptures whatever which, either directly or indirectly, actually or apparently,

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conflict with these findings. The question then arises, Who, Where, What, is the holy Spirit?

Let us follow in respect to this question the same course of investigation followed in the others. Let us go to the law and to the testimony of God for all our information. Let us not go to man. Let us not accept the doubts and speculations of good people who are dead, or of good people who are living, nor yet our own. Let us remember the Apostle’s declaration that the Word of the Lord is given with the intention“that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.” 2Ti 3:17 ) Let us place our reliance wholly upon the Lord, and seek to know the meaning of what he declares respecting the holy Spirit, bringing every Scripture testimony into harmony; assured that the truth, and it only, will stand such a searching examination. So doing, prayerfully and carefully, our efforts shall be rewarded. To him that knocketh, the door of knowledge shall be opened; to him that seeketh, the knowledge of the holy Spirit shall be revealed. Isa 8:20 ; Mat 7:7-8

The holy Spirit is variously defined in the Scriptures, and to rightly understand the subject these various definitions must be considered together, and be permitted to throw light upon each other. Notice that the holy Spirit is variously styled“The Spirit of God,” “The Spirit of Christ,” “The Spirit of Holiness,” “The Spirit of Truth,” “The Spirit of a Sound Mind,” “The Spirit of Liberty,” “The Spirit of the Father,” “The Holy Spirit of Promise,” “The Spirit of Meekness,” “The Spirit of Understanding,” “The Spirit of Wisdom,” “The Spirit of Glory,” “The Spirit of Counsel,” “The Spirit of Grace,” “The Spirit of Adoption,” “The Spirit of Prophecy.”

These various titles, repeated many times, and used interchangeably, give us the full, proper assurance that they all relate to the same holy Spirit indeed, frequently the word “holy” is added in, combined, as for instance, “The holy Spirit of God,” “The holy Spirit of Promise,” etc. We

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must seek an understanding of the subject which will reject none of these appellations, but harmonize them all. It is impossible to harmonize these various statements with the ordinary idea of a third God ; but it is entirely consistent with every one of them to understand these various expressions as descriptive of the spirit, disposition and power of one God, our Father; and also the spirit, disposition and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he is at one with the Father and also to a certain extent it is the spirit or disposition of all who are truly the Lord’s, angels or men, in proportion as they have come into oneness or harmony, with him.

It may be helpful to some to notice that there is another spirit mentioned frequently throughout the Scriptures, and in opposite terms, namely, “The Spirit of Fear,” “The Spirit of Bondage,” “The Spirit of the World,” “The Spirit of Error,” “The Spirit of Divination,” “The Spirit of Antichrist,” “The Spirit of Slumber.” No one thinks that these various definitions, if unitedly considered, would justify the thought that there are two or more Satans. All naturally and properly enough recognize the meaning of these terms, as signifying in general the wrong spirit the spirit, disposition or power which has its chief exemplification in Satan; the spirit manifesting itself in all who are in harmony with sin and Satan. Very properly also, none think of these as personal spirits. No more should any one consider the various applications of the word “spirit” in a good sense, as signifying different spirit beings, nor as signifying unitedly another God. These terms, considered unitedly, represent various features of the character, the disposition, the Spirit of our God, Jehovah, and proportionately the spirit or disposition of all who have received his Spirit, become partakers of his disposition and come into harmony with the divine mind.

Certain unscriptural ideas, and therefore false ideas, respecting the spirit of man, which will be examined in a succeeding

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chapter, lie close to the foundation of the unscriptural and false view of the holy Spirit, now so generally prevalent. And the wrong thoughts respecting the Spirit of God and the spirit of man have been intensified and deepened by the fact that the translators of our Common Version English Bible have ninety-two times used the phrase “Holy Ghost” without the slightest authority the original Greek word being pneuma spirit. And the word “ghost,” to the uneducated, has a very vague meaning, which, nevertheless, is very positively identified with the thought of personality . It is worthy of note that in the Revised Version of the New Testament twenty-one of these occurrences of the word “Ghost” were changed so as to read “Spirit,” and that the American Revision Committee recorded its protest in respect to the use of the word “Ghost” in the remaining seventy-one occurrences. And yet both the English and American Committees were composed of strict Trinitarians.

There is absolutely no ground whatever for thinking of or speaking of the holy Spirit as another God, distinct in personality from the Father and the Son. Quite to the contrary of this, notice the fact that it was the Father’s Spirit that was communicated to our Lord Jesus, as it is written, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel.” Luk 4:18 ) Turning to the prophecy from which this quotation is made, we read there, in the Hebrew, “The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on me, because Jehovah hath anointed me to proclaim good tidings to the humble.” Isa 61:1 ) And to the same purport we read again, “And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of reverence of Jehovah.” Isa 11:2-3 ) Similarly the same Spirit in Christ is referred to as “The Spirit of Christ,” the mind of Christ“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Phi 2:5

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It is urged by some that our Lord’s reference to the holy Spirit, recorded in Joh 14:26 , proves that the Spirit is a person, because our Common Version reads this passage thus: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” But a glance at the Greek text of this passage shows that the translators were influenced by their prejudices on the subject, for there is no ground for the use of the words “whom” and “he.” The Diaglott renders this verse thus: “But the helper, the holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things and remind you of those things which I said to you.”

The same criticism is applicable to the seventeenth verse of the same chapter, which, in our Common Version, reads: “The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him , but ye know him , for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Here the expression, “Spirit of truth,” is evidently used in contrast with the “spirit of error.” The passage has no reference whatever to a person, but to the influence of the truth, and the effect of the same upon the Lord’s people. The Diaglott translation of this verse reads: “The Spirit of truth, which the world cannot receive, because it beholds it not, nor knows it ; but ye know it ; because it operates with you and will be in you.”

Take another illustration“When he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself ; but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak; and he shall show you things to come. He will glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.” Joh 16:13-14 ) In this passage the Greek word, heautou , is translated “himself,” yet the same word is frequently properly translated “itself.” In our Common Version this word heautou is rendered in the masculine, feminine, common, and neuter genders. For instance, in the above text it is rendered

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in the masculine;* in 1Co 11:5 it is in the feminine gender“dishonoreth her head”; similarly in Rev 2:20 “which calleth herself a prophetess”; and again in 1Co 13:5 “Love seeketh not her own.” In 1Co 11:31 it is rendered in the common gender“would judge ourselves”; likewise in 1Co 16:15 “have addicted themselves”; again, Luk 22:17 “divide it among yourselves”; again, Joh 6:53 “ye have no life in you .” As illustrations of the translation of the word heautou in the neuter form, in our Common Version, note the following:

“Let the morrow take thought for the things of itself .” Mat 6:34

“If a kingdom be divided against itself .” Mar 3:24

“If a house be divided against itself .” Mar 3:25

“As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself .” Joh 15:4

“There is nothing unclean of itself .” Rom 14:14

“The whole body...maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Eph 4:16

“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being by itself .” Jam 2:17

Similarly, the word ekinos , rendered “he” in the passage under consideration might with equal propriety, be rendered “that,” “this,” “those,” “the same,” “she,” “it”; and in our Common Version English Bible it is rendered in all these different forms, and more frequently than as the masculine pronouns, “he,” “his,” “him.” Anyone skeptical on this subject can readily convince himself by consulting a Greek-English Concordance of the New Testament, which shows the various translations of these words. We will give one example of each of these translations of the word ekinos :

“It shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.” Luk 10:12

*The pronoun follows its noun here, Comforter (Gr. masculine , but arbitrarily so, regardless of sex as in the German, which makes stove and table, masculine; fork, feminine; woman, neuter gender).

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“ She , supposing him to be the gardener, saith.” Joh 20:15

“But know this , that if the goodman of the house.” Mat 24:43

“I do not say that ye shall pray for it .” 1Jo 5:16

“On one of those days as he taught.” Luk 20:1

“ The same day was the Sabbath.” Joh 5:9

“The child was cured from that very hour.” Mat 17:18

It is not infrequent, however, to attach to a virtue or quality the gender of the person or thing to which it belongs; thus, for instance, because the heavenly Father is designated as masculine, therefore it would be but proper that his power, his spirit, his every influence and characteristic should be similarly designated in the masculine form. Nor is it rare for things which are neuter of themselves to be designated as masculine or feminine, according as they are strong and active, or passive and delicate. Thus, for instance, the sun is universally referred to as “he,” and the moon as “she.” Hence, if it were not for the general misconception on the subject, and the prevalent thought that the holy Spirit is a person (and not merely the divine spirit, influence or power the spirit of the Father), there could be no criticism made of the use of the masculine pronouns in respect to the holy Spirit; because God is recognized as masculine, as the Author and source of life and blessing. So, then, let us not overlook the fact that the use of the personal pronouns does not prove the holy Spirit of God to be another person from the Father and the Son another God. The holy Spirit or influence is the Father’s spirit or influence, and the Son’s also, for these are one in purpose and influence.

The Meaning of the Word “Spirit”

The question, then properly arises, what senses or meanings attach to the words “holy Spirit” as used in the Scriptures?

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What qualities or qualifications of the divine character or power are represented by the word “spirit?” The answer will best be found by first of all examining the strict meaning of the word “spirit,” and then examining all the different methods of its use throughout the Scriptures.

(1) The word “spirit,” in the Old Testament, is the translation of the Hebrew word ruach , the primary significance or root-meaning of which is wind . The word “spirit” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word pneuma , whose primary significance or root-meaning likewise is wind . But let no one hastily conclude that we are about to attempt to prove that the holy Spirit is a holy wind, for nothing could be farther from our thought. But we desire to present this obscure subject in such a manner as will be helpful both to the learned and the unlearned: hence we begin with the acknowledged root-meaning of these words, that we may ascertain how and why it was used in this connection.

Because the wind is both invisible and powerful , these words, ruach and pneuma , gradually took on much wider meanings, and came to represent any invisible power or influence, good or bad. And since divine power is exercised through channels and by agencies beyond human sight, therefore this word “spirit” came more and more to be applied to all of the Lord’s dealings. Naturally also it came into common use in connection with such human influences as are invisible; for instance, to represent the breath of life, the power by which the man lives, which is invisible , designated the “spirit,” or “breath of life”; also for the power of the mind, which is invisible , called “the spirit of the mind.” Life itself is a power and is invisible, and hence it also was called spirit by the ancients. A few illustrations of these various uses of the Hebrew word ruach and the Greek word pneuma may be helpful.

Ruach in the Old Testament is translated “blast” 4 times, “breath” 28 times, “mind” 6 times, “smell” 8 times, “wind” and “windy” 91 times. In every instance the thought behind

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the word is an invisible power or influence . Samples of these translations of ruach are as follows:

“With the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together.” Exo 15:8

“All flesh wherein is the breath of life.” Gen 6:17 ; Gen 7:15

“In whose hand is the... breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10

“They have all one breath : so that a man hath no pre-eminence.” Ecc 3:19

“Which was a grief of mind unto Isaac.” Gen 26:35

“Jehovah smelleth a sweet savor.” Gen 8:21

“Noses have they but they smell not.” Psa 115:6

“God made a wind to pass over the earth.” Gen 8:1

“Thou didst blow with thy wind .” Exo 15:10

“Stormy wind fulfilling his word.” Psa 148:8

“The trees of the wood are moved with the wind .” Isa 7:2

Pneuma in the New Testament is translated (besides “ghost” and “spirit”) “life,” “spiritual,” and “wind,” as follows:

“To give life to the image of the beast.” Rev 13:15

“Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts.” 1Co 14:12

“The wind bloweth where it listeth and ye hear the sound thereof.” Joh 3:8

And let us not forget that all of these various translations were made by Trinitarians. We do not object to these translations they are quite proper: but we call attention to them as proofs that the words ruach and pneuma , rendered “spirit,” do not signify personality , but do signify invisible power or influence .

“God Is a Spirit”

(2) “God is a Spirit”; that is to say, he is a powerful but invisible being; likewise the angels are called spirits, because they also, in their natural condition, are invisible to

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men, except as revealed by miraculous power. Our Lord Jesus, while he was a man, was not designated a spirit being, but since his exaltation it is written of him, “Now the Lord is that Spirit” he is now a powerful and invisible being. The Church of this Gospel Age is promised change of nature, to the likeness of her Lord, as it is written, “ We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” The Church is spoken of as being spiritual, inasmuch as she is in harmony with the Lord and is declared to be begotten again by the Spirit to a new nature, a spirit nature , with the assurance that that which is begotten of the Spirit will, in the resurrection, be born of the Spirit. This use of the word spirit, it will be perceived, is related to personality spirit beings. 2Co 3:17 ; 1Jo 3:2 ; Joh 3:6

(3) Another use of the word spirit is in the sense of generative power or fecundity, as in Gen 1:2 , “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” that is to say, the power of God, his vehicle of energy, fecundated waters, or rendered them fruitful, prolific. Similarly, “Holy men of old spoke and wrote as they were moved by the holy Spirit,” the holy influence or power of God fecundated their minds, causing them to bring forth thoughts such as God wished to have expressed. 2Pe 1:21 ) Similarly, the skilled workmen whom Moses selected to prepare the paraphernalia of the Tabernacle were brought under the influence of the divine power, to the energizing or quickening of their natural faculties, without affecting them in any moral sense, even as the waters of the great deep were not affected in a moral sense. Thus it is written:

“The Lord hath called by name Bezaleel...and hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, in all manner of workmanship, and to devise curious works; to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass; and in covering of stones, to set them; and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he

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and Aholiab,...them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work, of the engraver and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer.” Exo 35:30-35 ; Exo 28:3 ; Exo 31:3-4

Likewise, we are informed that Jehovah God put upon Moses and the elders of Israel his Spirit , with special power for judging in Israel’s affairs, preserving order, etc. Num 11:17-26 ) After the same manner God’s Spirit was with the kings of Israel, so long as they were loyal to him. Notice, for instance, the case of Saul 1Sa 11:6 ); and that this Spirit of wisdom or judgment pertaining to the government of Israel departed from Saul, and was conferred upon David, whose discreetness thereafter is specially noted. 1Sa 16:13-14 ) Thereafter, instead of the Spirit of wisdom and courage and confidence, as a servant of the Lord, Saul had an evil spirit, more literally a spirit of sadness, of dejection, loss of confidence, in the realization that he was no longer recognized as the Lord’s representative on the throne. And this spirit of dejection, which brooded on calamities, is said to have been from the Lord probably in the sense that it resulted from the Lord’s dealings, in removing from Saul his recognition and sustaining power and direction in the affairs of Israel.

“The Holy Spirit Was not yet Given”

But no manifestation of the Spirit of God, prior to the first advent of our Lord Jesus, was exactly the same as the manifestation and operation of the Lord’s Spirit upon our Lord Jesus, from the time of his baptism until his crucifixion, and upon the Church of Christ from the day of Pentecost until now until the very end of this Gospel Age, and the completion of the Church’s course in the first resurrection. In harmony with this we read, “The holy Spirit was not yet given [except to our Lord Jesus], because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Joh 7:39

The operation of God’s Spirit during this Gospel Age is

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widely different from its operation in previous times; and this difference is expressed in the words “Spirit of adoption,” “Spirit of sonship,” “Spirit of holiness,” “Spirit of truth,” and kindred expressions. As we have already seen, after Adam’s fall none of his posterity were accepted as sons of God prior to the first advent: the very highest title given to the father of the faithful, Abraham, was that of friend: “Abraham was called the friend of God.” But, as the Apostle John explains, when the Logos was made flesh, he presented himself to his own people, Israel, and to as many as received him (then and since) gave he power (privilege, opportunity) to become the sons of God ; and these, he declares, were begotten of God begotten of the Spirit, as “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Joh 1:12-13 ; Joh 3:3-8

The holy Spirit, in this sense of the word, is guaranteed only to the house of sons; and the house of sons was unknown until the Beloved Son was manifested in the flesh and redeemed the world, and granted to those who accept him the opportunity to receive the adoption of sons. Gal 4:5 ; Eph 1:5 ) This adoption, as the Apostle informs us, primarily was the inheritance of Israel, but since there was not a sufficient number in Israel ready to complete the predestinated number to be adopted, therefore, after accepting Israel’s remnant, “God did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name,” to be the sons of God, joint-heirs with Christ, and this was foreknown and foretold through the prophets. Rom 9:4 , Rom 9:29-33 ; Act 15:14

But in what respects does this manifestation of the divine power, influence or Spirit, during this Gospel age, differ from the manifestation of it in previous times? The Apostle Peter answers this question, assuring us that the ancient worthies, although highly honored of God, and moved upon by his holy Spirit, spoke and wrote things which they did not understand. God used them as his servants to write out things not due to be understood by them, but which in due time would be revealed to us, the house of sons, by the operation of the same holy Spirit or holy power of God

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upon those begotten of his Spirit. In the past the Spirit’s operation was chiefly mechanical : to us its operation is chiefly explanatory and sympathetic, expounding the divine plan through apostles and teachers specially “set in the Church” from time to time, the object being to enable the sons “to comprehend with all saints the length and breadth, the height and the depth” of the divine wisdom and goodness, as exemplified in the divine plan and its revelation. Indeed, from the Apostle’s language, it is evident that even the angels (who were sometimes used of the Lord as his channels in communicating with the prophets, the mediums of his holy Spirit) were not permitted to understand the meaning of their communications, any more than were the prophets who wrote out the revelations for our benefit. Note the Apostle’s words:

“Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come unto you : searching what [time] or what manner of time [literal or symbolic] the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the holy Spirit sent down from heaven: which things also the angels desire to look into.” 1Pe 1:10-12 ; 2Pe 1:21

Gifts of the Same Spirit, the Same Lord,

the Same God

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit , as there are differences of administration, but the same Lord ; there are divers operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man [in the Church] to profit withal. For to one is given, by the

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Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 1Co 12:4-11

Here are enumerated some of the gifts given by the holy Spirit to the Church, but we are to distinguish sharply between the holy Spirit itself and these gifts or manifestations granted in the early Church. As they were not to understand that different spirits were operating in the different members of the Church, because of the differences of their gifts, so they were not to understand that it was a different Lord or Master that gave these gifts, but all were to be identified as of the one holy influence shed forth by the one Lord, the representative of the one God over all, Jehovah; and to be explained as “ differences of administration ,” or of operation. Not only so, but the Spirit of God, the holy Spirit, has varied its administration in the Church: so that, whereas “ gifts” of the kind here mentioned were general in the early Church, the day came, as the Apostle explained it would come, when prophecy would fail, tongues would cease, and special inspirations of knowledge would vanish away. 1Co 13:8 ) All of these “ gifts” were evidently necessary at the inauguration of the Church, at the start of the new age, but became unnecessary after the Church had been established and the canon of the inspired writings had been completed. These, the Apostle declares, are sufficient, “that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2Ti 3:17

True, not all of these gifts have vanished away or ceased; nor does the cessation of those which have been discontinued prove that the Lord has less power today than he had eighteen centuries ago; nor do they prove that the

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Lord’s people are less worthy or less favored of the Lord. On the contrary, they indicate a “diversity of manifestation,” and imply that God’s people no longer have need of those cruder methods of instruction and proofs of their acceptance with the Lord. Now, instead of having such gifts miraculously bestowed, the operation of God’s Spirit or power seems to be upon each of his consecrated people partly in proportion to their natural qualifications, and partly in proportion to their zeal for his service. And hence we find that the apostle, in this connection, and in later epistles, incites the Church to seek to develop spiritual gifts, powers, abilities, in and for the service of the Lord and his people and his Truth.

These personally developed gifts are to be esteemed more highly than these miraculously bestowed ; and hence the Apostle says, “I show unto you a more excellent way”; “follow after love and desire [cultivate] spiritual gifts, especially that ye may prophesy [publicly expound].” 1Co 12:31 ; 1Co 14:1 ) The Apostle points out that the speaking with tongues was merely for “a sign,” that the attention of the unbelievers might be drawn to the Church and her methods. 1Co 14:22 ) And this gift, therefore, which was highly esteemed by some of the Corinthians, he points out as being one of the least spiritual adapted less to the development of the spiritual Church, and chiefly useful in connection with the unregenerate world. This gift, and others of a somewhat similar class, quickly disappeared from the Church after she had obtained a footing, and a recognition in the world.

On the contrary, the “ fruits of the Spirit” are to be encouraged, to be cultivated more and more, that they may yield the full, perfect fruitage of love to God, to each other, and the love of sympathy toward the world. These fruits of the Spirit are designated by the Apostle to be “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Gal 5:22-23 ) The word “fruit,” it will be noticed,

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conveys a double thought, that it is a gift , but of gradual development and maturity, and the result of labor. So with the gifts of the Spirit: “Every good gift and perfect gift cometh down from our Father,” but such-like fruits are not miraculous gifts but gradual and indirect gifts, inspired by our Father’s promises, and by our Lord’s instructions through the apostles and prophets. They are wrought out in us in proportion as we come into harmony and obedience of thought and word and deed with the Spirit of our Father, by which we are begotten, and by which, if obedient, we are having developed more and more of the fruits of holiness, or fruits of the holy Spirit or disposition in likeness of God’s dear Son, our Lord and Redeemer. Thus, under the ministration of the holy Spirit of the Truth, the faithful are being fitted to be “born of the Spirit” in the first resurrection, spirit beings; as they were begotten of the Spirit at the moment of consecration. Thus perfected as spirit beings, the Church will be heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, our Lord, in fulness of unity and fellowship with the Father and with the Son, complete in him, who is the head of all principalities and powers, and the Father’s associate in the Kingdom, and full of the Spirit of the Father and of the Son the holy Spirit.

It will be seen from the foregoing general views of the subject that the same Spirit or power of the heavenly Father, Jehovah, which operated in the creation of the world, and which operated differently upon his servants of the past, is, during this Gospel age, operating still differently, for the development of the Church, in the bringing of the Church into harmony with God, and in fitting and preparing it as the “Body of Christ” for a joint share in the Kingdom. And it will be the same holy Spirit or influence of God that will operate still differently during the Millennial age, through Christ and the Church glorified, to bring the world into harmony and unity with the principles of righteousness, and with the King of kings and Lord of lords.

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Nothing connected with this work in any sense or degree makes necessary another God. Quite the contrary. The fact that it is the one God who is operating under various circumstances and conditions, and by various means, for the accomplishment of his one purpose, gives us all the more assurance that all his good purposes shall be accomplished, and that, as he declares, “The word that goeth forth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isa 55:11

Divine Will, Influence, Power, Spirit

From the foregoing we perceive that a broad definition of the words “Spirit of God,” or “holy Spirit,” would be the divine will , influence , or power , exercised any and everywhere, and for any purpose in harmony with the divine will, which, being a holy will, implies that the steps and operations of the holy Spirit will be in harmony with holiness. God exercises his Spirit or energy in many ways, using various agencies in accomplishing various results. Whatever is accomplished by the Lord through either mechanical or intelligent agencies, is as truly his work as though he were the direct actor, since all those agencies are of his creation. Just as, amongst men, the contracting builder may not be actually working on every part of the construction, but every workman is his representative and under his control: the work, as a whole, is the contractor’s work, though he may never have lifted a tool upon it. He does it with his materials and through his representatives and agents.

Thus, for instance, when we read, “Jehovah God created the heavens and the earth” Gen 2:4 ), we are not to suppose that he personally handled the elements. He used various agencies“He spake and it was done [he gave orders and they were promptly executed]; he commanded, and it stood fast.” Psa 33:6 , Psa 33:9 ) Creation did not spring instantly into order; for we read that time was used six days or epochs. And while we are distinctly informed that “All

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things are of the Father” by his energy, his will, his Spirit, yet that energy, as we have previously seen, was exercised through his Son, the Logos .

The transforming power of God’s holy Spirit, as it operates during this Gospel dispensation, to bring his people into full at-one-ment with himself, is a more abstruse, a less easily understood operation, than the exercise of his power mentioned in Gen 1:2 . It deals with a higher subject with mind and free will instead of senseless matter.

In the light of the Scriptures we may understand the holy Spirit to mean:

(a) God’s power exercised in any manner, but always according to lines of justice and love, and hence always a holy power.

(b) This power may be an energy of life, a physically creative power, or a power of thought, creating and inspiring thoughts and words, or a quickening or life-giving power, as it was manifested in the resurrection of our Lord, and will again be manifested in the resurrection of the Church, his body.

(c) The begetting or transforming power or influence of the knowledge of the Truth. In this aspect it is designated “The Spirit of Truth.” God rules his own course according to truth and righteousness; hence, God’s Word, the revelation of his course, is called Truth“Thy word is Truth.” Similarly, all who come under the influence of God’s plan of Truth and righteousness are properly said to be under the influence of the Spirit or disposition of the Truth: they are properly described as begotten of the Truth to newness of life.

The Father draws sinners to Christ through a general enlightenment of the mind, a conviction of sin and of their need of a Redeemer. Those who accept Christ as their Savior and Advocate, and come to the point of full consecration to God, through Christ, are said to be begotten of God, “begotten by the word of truth,” begotten by the

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Spirit of God to a newness of life. That is to say, having come into harmony with divine conditions and regulations, God accepts this consecrated attitude as the proper one, and passing by or covering the weakness of the flesh with the robe of Christ’s righteousness justification by faith, he accepts such as “new creatures in Christ Jesus,” whose desire is to be guided by his Spirit into all truth, and to be led by that holy disposition or Spirit into full obedience to the extent of self-sacrifice, even unto death. Such are said to have received “the Spirit of adoption,” because from thenceforth God, through Christ, enters into a special covenant with these as sons. And the Father, through the Captain of their Salvation, guarantees to such that if they abide in the Spirit of the Truth he will cause that all the affairs and incidents of life shall work together for good to them to the development in them of more and more of the spirit of righteousness, truth, peace, joy; they shall have more and more of the holy Spirit, as they progress in obedience to the Spirit of Truth. Hence the exhortation to such is, “Be ye filled with the Spirit,” “walk in the Spirit,” “let the Spirit of Christ dwell in you richly and abound, and it shall make you to be neither barren nor unfruitful.” This holy Spirit operating in the believer from the time of his full consecration to the Lord, is the same holy Spirit or disposition of the Father which operated in our Lord Jesus Christ, and hence it is also styled “the Spirit of Christ,” and we are assured, “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.” Rom 8:9

The Spirit by “Measure” and

“Without Measure”

Our Lord Jesus was begotten of the holy Spirit at his baptism, his consecration; and so likewise the members of his body, his Church, we have seen, are “begotten” at their “baptism into his death,” at the moment of their full consecration: but there is a distinction to be always remembered;

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viz., that our Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church, received the holy Spirit without measure , unlimitedly Joh 3:34 ), while his followers receive it by measure, or limitedly a measure of the Spirit is given to every man (in the Church). 1Co 12:7 ; Rom 12:3 ) The reason for this difference is that our Lord was a perfect man, while we, his followers, although accepted as reckonedly perfect (justified by faith), are actually very imperfect. The perfect man as the very image of God could be in fullest harmony with God and with his Spirit of holiness, in every and all particulars; but in proportion to the degradation through the fall, our harmony with God and with his Spirit of holiness has been impaired, though it is the duty and privilege of each to thoroughly seek to know and to do the Lord’s will and to have no will in opposition to his; yet no member of the fallen race is capable of receiving the Lord’s Spirit to the full to be in absolute harmony with God in every particular. And hence, amongst those who believe, and who consecrate themselves, and who receive the holy Spirit of adoption, we find it possessed in different measures, these measures depending upon the degree of our fall from the divine image, and the degree of grace and faith attained since coming into the body of Christ. And the rapidity with which we may acquire more and more of the holy Spirit, coming into fuller and fuller knowledge and accord with every feature of the divine plan, is dependent largely upon our realization of our own imperfections, and the degree of our consecration to the Lord to the study of his will, in his Word, and to the practice of the same in the affairs of life.

To the extent that the consecrated believers resign themselves to the Lord, and, ignoring their own wills and preferences, seek to walk in his way, they are “led of the Spirit,” “taught of the Spirit,” and can “serve the Lord in newness of Spirit .” To continue under this leading and instruction they must have a “Spirit of meekness” Gal 5:22-23 ; Gal 6:1 ), so that the “God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,” can give unto them the “ Spirit of wisdom and revelation ,

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in the knowledge of him; the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, that they may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” Eph 1:17-18

In these various presentations of the work of the holy Spirit, and in many others which will come to the attention of Bible students, nothing can be found to necessitate another God. Quite the contrary: a proper conception of the one God shows that his omnipotent power and resources are abundantly sufficient, and that he who said to Israel, “Hear, O Israel, Jehovah thy God is one,” is not in need of assistance. Indeed, to be consistent, those who claim that another God is necessary to attend to matters referred to as the operation of the holy Spirit of God, might with equal consistency claim many spirit Gods a spirit of adoption, spirit of meekness, spirit of Christ, spirit of the Father, spirit of love, spirit of justice, spirit of mercy, spirit of holiness, spirit of truth, spirit of patience, spirit of glory, spirit of knowledge, spirit of grace a separate God for each department. But, as the Apostle explains, all these variations of operation belong to the one Spirit of the one omnipotent Jehovah.

The Spirit of the World

The Spirit of Antichrist

The spirit of the world is the opposite to the Spirit of God. Since the whole world is in a fallen condition, and is under the blinding and seducing influences of the Adversary, its spirit or disposition necessarily is in constant conflict with the holy, the true, the just, the loving Spirit or disposition of God: in conflict therefore with the holy Spirit received by his people through his Word, and all his holy influences variously exercised upon them. As Satan’s spirit of selfishness, hatred, envy and strife works in and largely controls the children of this world, so the holy Spirit of God,

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the Spirit of love, gentleness, meekness, patience, goodness, brotherly kindness, works in and largely controls the children of God. And these two spirits or dispositions, the one of love and goodness, the other of selfishness and evil, are in conflict continually, and wholly irreconcilable.

The Scriptures speak of this spirit which is working in the world in opposition to the holy Spirit, as “the spirit of Antichrist” the spirit or disposition which is opposed to Christ. First, it desires to ignore him entirely, to dispute that he ever came into the world; then if unsuccessful in this, it will claim that our Lord Jesus was a mere man, a sinful man; if this position be disproved, it will still claim that anyway he accomplished nothing, or that he was merely an example, and not a Redeemer. Hence we are enjoined by the Scriptures to test, to try, to prove the spirits (the doctrines that present themselves to us, claiming to be of the spirit of truth). We are to test them, not merely by their outward appearance and claims, but by the Word of God. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God...and know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1Jo 4:1 , 1Jo 4:6

Holy and Unholy Influences at Warfare

God’s perfections of character are the standards for holiness, righteousness and truth for all his creatures. Every thing and every creature opposed to or not in full accord with the standards is unholy, untrue, unrighteous. These adverse influences are sometimes credited to Satan because he is the arch-enemy of God and was the first conspirator against righteousness the originator of error, “the father of lies” and deceptions. But we are to distinguish between evil spirit beings and evil spirit influences just as we do between holy spirit beings and holy spirit influences . The trend of evolutionary thought among educated people who neglect the Bible (including so-called Higher Critics), is to ignore

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the personality of Satan and his associated wicked spirits in exalted positions Eph 6:12 ), and to claim that there is no evil influence per se , and that man merely contends with his own ignorance and misdirection of his own good qualities. Similarly, others, still farther advanced (in error), still more highly educated (in untruth), and still further panoplied with philosophies (falsely so called), are reaching the conclusion that there is no personal God but merely good influences which they claim inhere in man and are gradually being evolved to perfection.

But we are giving heed to the oracle of God, his Word, which the Apostle assures us is able to make wise unto salvation, and which we have found to contain a fountain of life and light and holy Spirit of truth with which human theories and lights cannot compare. It shows us that God is a holy Spirit ( being ) and that his holy Spirit ( influence ) is always exercised in harmony with righteousness, and that all who are in harmony with God and in at-one-ment with him must have his Spirit of holiness The Only Begotten Son in whom dwells the fulness of the divine Spirit the holy angels who have no other will than the Father’s holy will or Spirit the Church from among men who have some measure of the mind or Spirit of their Head (else they are none of his), and who are seeking to be more and more filled with this Spirit of holiness and divested of all unholy disposition and influences. Likewise the Word teaches that Satan is a spirit (being) and has an unholy spirit, mind, disposition; and exercises an unholy spirit or influence through various channels and agents. The fallen angels, also spirit beings, fell by losing their spirit of holiness and devotion to God and his righteous standards, and are now of unholy spirit or disposition, and exercise an evil influence or spirit as they have opportunity.* And the world of mankind, falling through Adam, have become servants of sin: some sin voluntarily for the pleasures of sin; some involuntarily,

*“ What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism?” Address the publishers.

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though “feeling after God,” and blinded and deceived by the Adversary, and controlled by the spirit of error.

Mankind the minds or “hearts” of men is the battle ground on which the holy spirit of light, love, justice, truth, holiness, the Spirit of Jehovah and of his Son, man’s Redeemer, contends with the evil spirit of Satan, sin, darkness, untruth, hatred, envy, malice, etc. Sold under sin, by our first parent, Adam, his family became “slaves of sin” “through frailty,” through the weakness of heredity. Rom 5:12 , Rom 5:21 ; Rom 6:16-23 ; Rom 7:14 ; Rom 8:20-21 ) In this captive condition they have been blinded by the god (ruler) of the present evil world (condition) who puts evil before their minds as good, and darkness for light 2Co 4:4 ; Eph 6:12 ; Isa 5:20 ), and having thus perverted the vast majority, and made it easy to do evil and difficult to do good, and having ranged all the advantages of the present time on the side of evil and made it impossible to attain these except by conforming to his unholy spirit, which is “the spirit of the world,” he has general control, first of the masses through ignorance, and secondly, of the more intelligent through pride, selfishness, etc.

The battle did not begin until our Lord’s first advent; for the Spirit of Truth came first upon our Lord Jesus and at Pentecost upon his Church.*

The world was dark when our Lord Jesus appeared in it filled with the Spirit of God, the light of divine truth, which constituted him “The Light of the world”; and at once the battle began; the true light, the holy Spirit, since Pentecost, being represented, not by the nominal churches, but by the true members of Christ’s

*The battle of the Law of Righteousness was confined to the one little nation, Israel, and as God foresaw “The Law made nothing perfect” none of the fallen race could or were expected to win in that fight. It was really to manifest Christ Jesus, the only Law-keeper, as the channel of divine mercy; and incidentally to discipline a people and make “a remnant” of them ready for the Spirit Dispensation and its conflicts by point