An Interesting Discussion This Week About the HOLY SPIRIT

While visiting with a member of the community this week, it wasn't long before our conversation turned to the serious--the Bible.

This young and successful business man was convinced that he had the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit--apostolic powers. He claimed that his success is proof that he has divine approval.

He asked me if I had ever felt the Holy Spirit. Of course, the answer to a question like that is "I have never felt the Holy Spirit, but I have felt the affects of living a Holy Spirit filled life" (Gal. 5:22-26).

A number of questions have been raised over the years about the operation of the Holy Spirit. For years, people have made claim that the Holy Spirit performs a direct operation to the salvation of the soul--as did the individual I referred to above.

This is simple Calvinism and the doctrine of "election." That is, if you're elected to be saved, you cannot resist that grace of God. However, a brief survey of the Bible defeats the tenants of Calvinism.

The Bible says that God's grace is a free gift. Yet, like any gift, it must be accepted (Tit. 2:11; Phil. 2:11,12). Those who enjoy or have ever enjoyed salvation and eternal life to come do so because of obedient faith to the grace of God (Eph. 2:8). No one has ever been saved nor will ever be saved by a miraculous direct operation of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, there is no need for a direct operation of the Holy Spirit. Paul, an apostle, said that all Scripture has been given so that man might be thoroughly furnished (2 Tm. 3:16-17). That is to say, Scripture is sufficient to save the souls of men (Rm. 1:16).

So, how does the Holy Spirit operate in our lives today? Is it by direct operation? It seems to me that the Scripture itself is clear. The Holy Spirit operates today through the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. Man has never been saved in any other way. The Holy Spirit never manipulated the mind of men beyond His spoken word. The Holy Spirit does not manipulate the mind of men today beyond the written Word (2 Cor. 2:13; Heb. 3:7-8).

One writer said it well: "The Spirit did not use direct force or mysterious coercion. He used words. They were His tools. So Paul could well say, 'and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God' (Eph. 6:17)."