Life's Inanities and Ironies

From a fundamentalist Christian perspective, the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, a mystical energy, or an optional add-on to the Christian life. He is the third Person of the eternal Trinity—co-equal with the Father and the Son, fully God, and fully personal. Scripture consistently uses personal pronouns (“He,” “Him”) and attributes to Him intellect, emotion, and will. He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), lied to (Acts 5:3-4), resisted (Acts 7:51), and quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). At the same time, He is the divine Agent who applies the finished work of Christ to sinners, indwells believers, and progressively conforms them to the image of Christ. 1. The Holy Spirit in Creation and the Old Testament The Spirit’s work begins at the very dawn of creation. “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). He is the active Agent in forming and sustaining life: “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4; see als...

In a world full of confusion about the Holy Spirit’s work, conservative Christians rightly turn to the sufficient, unchanging Word of God. The Bible does not leave us guessing about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are not mysterious feelings or self-improvement tools; they are sovereignly distributed abilities given by the third Person of the Trinity for one clear purpose: “the common good” of Christ’s church (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV). Let’s examine what Scripture actually says, which gifts appear to be for every age of the church, and which were temporary signs tied to the apostolic foundation.   The Biblical Lists of Spiritual Gifts The New Testament gives us several complementary passages—never an exhaustive checklist, but clear categories of how the Spirit equips His people. 1. The Manifestation Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4–11)   These are the most frequently discussed. Paul writes:   “For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to an...