THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

Introduction

Lesson #1

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The Holy Spirit is definitely a Bible topic.

1.     The word “spirit” is found in 456 verses.  It is used 505 times in those verses.  Many of these references involve the Holy Spirit.

2.     In the KJV, we also find reference to the Holy Ghost.  This designation is found 93 times.

3.     We come in contact with the Holy Spirit very early in the Biblical text (Gen. 1:2).

 

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

 

B.    Because the Holy Spirit is a Bible topic, we cannot shy away from a study of it.

1.     It can be a very lengthy study.

2.     It will be a controversial study.

3.     It can be a difficult study.

 

C.   We are going to donate 13 weeks to this study.  We will not cover every aspect of the Holy Spirit.  Hopefully, we will cover some of the more controversial topics.  Our “Plan of Study” is as follows:

 

i.        Introduction

ii.        The Person of the Spirit

iii.       The Works of the Spirit

iv.       Inspiration

v.        The Baptism of the Holy Ghost

vi.       Miracles

vii.      Speaking in Tongues

viii.     The Gift of the Holy Spirit

ix.       The Holy Spirit in Conversion

x.       The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1)

xi.       The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (2)

xii.      Romans 8

xiii.     Sins against the Holy Spirit

 

I.           HEBREW AND GREEK

 

A.   Old Testament (Hebrew) words that are translated “spirit.”

1.     Ruach (7307) – this is the most commonly used Hebrew word for spirit

2.     Obe (178)  (Lev. 20:27)

3.     Neshawmaw (5397) (Job 26:4)

 

B.    New Testament (Greek) words that are translated “spirit.”

1.     Pneuma (4151):  this is the most commonly used word for spirit

2.     Fantasma (5324) (Matt. 14:26)

 

II.         MANY TYPES OF SPIRITS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE

 

A.   The Spirit of God (Gen. 1:2)

 

B.    Man’s spirit (Gen. 41:8)

 

C.   Familiar spirit (Lev. 20:27)

 

D.   Evil spirit (Judges 9:23)

 

E.    Spirit of the beast (Eccl. 3:21)

 

F.     Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15)

 

G.   The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2)

 

III.       CAPITALIZATION OF HOLY SPIRIT

 

A.   In our English translations (esp. the KJV), many times the word “spirit” has been capitalized when the translators believe the reference is to the Holy Spirit.

 

B.    Sometimes, however, the word “spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit, but is has not be captalized.

1.     Exodus 31:3

 

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in know-ledge, and in all manner of workmanship.

 

2.     Numbers 24:2

 

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

 

3.     II Corinthians 3:8

 

How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

 

C.   There may be times when the word “spirit” has been capitalized when it should not be (Rom. 8:26 ? ).

 

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:  for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:  but the Spirit itself make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

D.   What does this mean?  When we come to a passage of Scripture that uses the word “spirit,” we must make the determination as to whether this is speaking of the Holy Spirit or of another spirit.  (NOTE:  There are only two or three verses where we are presented with much difficulty in making the determination).

 

IV.        THE DESIGNATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

A.   “Of the fifty-two different appellations for the Spirit, ‘seventeen express his relation to God, five his relation to the Son, five indicate his divine nature, seven describe his own character, and seventeen are used to indicate his relation to man” (What Do You Know about the Holy Spirit?, Winkler, ed., p. 15).

 

B.    Some of the names the Holy Spirit:

1.     Comforter (John 14:26)

2.     Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2)

3.     Spirit of truth (John 16:13)

4.     Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29)

5.     Spirit of glory (I Pet. 4:14)

6.     Spirit of God (Matt. 3:16)

7.     Spirit of Christ (I Pet. 1:11)

8.     Spirit of the Lord (II Cor. 3:17)

9.     The eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14)

10.  The Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19)

11.   The Spirit of his Son (Gal. 4:6)

12.  The Spirit of the living God (II Cor. 3:3)

13.   My Spirit (Gen. 6:3)

14.  His Spirit (I Cor. 2:10)

15.  Holy Spirit (I Thess. 4:8)

16.  The Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4)

17.  The Spirit (Acts 16:7)

18.  The Spirit of your Father (Matt. 10:20)

 

C.   The King James Version also uses the term “Holy Ghost” to describe the Holy Spirit.

1.     It is found 89 times in the New Testament.

2.     Definitions of the word “ghost.”

a.     It is the Greek word “pneuma,” (4151).  Remember, this is the most common word for “spirit” in the New Testament.

b.    The word was not used in the 1600s for some shadowy or evanescent form that haunts the living.  It simply meant “guest.”

 

V.          BOOKS WRITTEN BY OUR BRETRHEN ON THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

A.   The Bible Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Robert R. Taylor, Jr.

 

B.    The Holy Spirit and the Christian, James D. Bales

 

C.   The Holy Spirit, H. Leo Boles

D.   The Work of the Holy Spirit – Franklin Camp

 

E.    Harper on the Holy Spirit:  Issues in the 20^th Century, E.R. Harper

 

F.     The Holy Spirit of God, Ed., Tommy J. Hicks

 

G.   The Holy Spirit, V.E. Howard

 

H.   Lectures on the Holy Spirit, Gus Nichols

 

I.     Mission and Medium of the Holy Spirit, Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

 

J.    What Do You Know about the Holy Spirit?  Ed., Windle Winkler

 

K.   The Witness of the Spirit, James W. Zachary

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   When I was in the Memphis School of Preaching, I had some anxiety about the Holy Spirit class that I was to take.

1.     Brother Hearn was the teacher.

2.     I made up my mind that I was going to do my best to learn what the Bible taught on the subject.  This made the class much more enjoyable.

 

B.    I will do my best to keep this class simple.

1.     We will not get too tied down in the thousands of questions that can be asked.

2.     We will try to move from lesson to lesson each week.

3.     At the end of the quarter of study, we will move to a new topic. 

4.     We can come back to the Holy Spirit at another time.