Lesson Two: the All-inclusive Spirit
I. the progressive revelation of the divine Spirit
The revelation in the Bible concerning God, Christ, and the Spirit is progressive, beginning in Genesis 1 and developing progressively until the book of Revelation.
1. the Spirit of God
Genesis 1:2 But the earth became waste and emptiness, and darkness was on the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was brooding upon the surface of the waters.
in relation to God's creaton, the Spirit is specifically called the Spirit of God.
2. the Spirit of Jehovah
In His relationship wth man God's title is Jehovah. in the Old Testament, we can see a few cases that the Spirit of Jehovah came upon certain man, or rushed on certain man. This indicates that the Spirit of Jehovah has to do with God's reaching of man.
3. the Holy Spirit
Matthew 1:18 Now the origin of Jesus Christ was in this way: His mother, Mary, after she had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together, was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.
It was when the time came to prepare the way for Christ's coming and to prepare a human body for Him to initiate the New Testament dispensation, that the term "Holy Spirit" came into use.
4. the Spirit was not yet
John 7:39 But this He said concerning the Spirit, whom those who believed into Him were about to receive; for the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
it was quite puzzling to see that here John says that the Spirit was not yet. the Spirit of God was in Genesis 1, and the Spirit of Jehovah was also there in the Old Testament. then why here in John 7, was the Spirit not yet? in John 7, the Lord Jesus was still in the flesh; He was not yet in glory, that is, not yet in resurrection. Because He was not yet resurrectd, the Spirit was not yet. the Spirit of God was there from the very beginning, but the Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit of Jesus Christ was not yet until the Lord was glorified in resurrection.
5. the Spirit of Jesus
Acts 16:7 And when they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, yet the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
in the context of the book of Acts there, we can see that the apostle Paul was in suffering, so for this reason, the Spirit of Jesus was with him. The Spirit of Jesus has the elemnt of humanity, human living, and cricifixion.
6. the Spirit of Christ
Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Yet if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him.
the Spirit of Christ in this verse has the element of resurrection. this Spirit is the Spirit of God mentioned in the same verse and also the Spirit of life mentioned earlier in verse 2. in the Spirit we have Christ's incarnation, humanity, human living, death, and resurrection.
7. the Spirit of Jesus Christ
Philippians 1:19 For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
when Paul wrote this word, he was a prisoner, but he could still rejoice because he had the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This Sprit supplied and supported Paul in his suffering and enabled him to rejoice.
II. the Spirit - the all-inclusive, processed Triune God
when all the aspects and elements of the Spirit are put together we have a totality, a final product known in the New Testament as "the Spirit". He is now the all-inclusive, compound, lfe-giving, indwelling Spirit who is the processed Triune God.
III. saved by the bountiful supply of the Spirit
from the book of Philippians, we can see that, though Paul was suffering and confined in the prison, he was rejoicing in the Lord because of the boutniful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. this is also very applicable to us today. we may feel unhappy with our situation in human life. but we can, be like Paul, learn the secret of being saved from many negative things and to express and magnify Christ to those around us.
Summary
the revelation in the Bible concerning the Spirit is progressive. in the Old Testament, the Spirit is merely the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jehovah. it is not until the time of the Lord's incarnation in the New Testament that the title "Holy Spirit" s used. the "Spirit of God" existed from the very beginning, but "the Spirit" was not yet until the Lord passed through the process of incarnation, human living, death and resurrection. the Spirit today is the all-inclusive Spirit containing all the divine elements for our enjoyment.
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