The Spirit of God
"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." Joel 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
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 (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
It is urged by some that our Lord's reference to the holy Spirit, recorded in
John 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." Other translations render 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.
Another 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." (John 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
"Let the morrow take thought for the things of itself." Matt. 6:34
"If a kingdom be divided against itself." Mark 3:24
"If a house be divided against itself." Mark 3:25
"As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself." John 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." James 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."
Luke 10:12
"She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith." John 20:15
"But know this, that if the goodman of the house." Matt. 24:43
"I do not say that ye shall pray for it." 1 John 5:16
"On one of those days as he taught." Luke 20:1
"The same day was the Sabbath." John 5:9
"The child was cured from that very hour." Matt. 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.
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