Search this Web Book
“When 100 years ago earnest scholars decreed that the Law had no relationship to the preaching of the gospel, they deprived the Holy Spirit in the area where their influence prevailed of the only instrument with which He had ever armed Himself to prepare sinners for grace.”
Paris Reidhead
Kirk Cameron’s Comment
The Holy Spirit is the wonderful One who helped me see my need of God’s forgiveness. The biblical truths in this lesson explain the Holy Spirit’s identity as well as His role in salvation.
Questions & Objections
“I have been born again many times.”
Like Nicodemus, many people have no concept of what it means to be born again. He thought Jesus was speaking of a physical rebirth. Others see the experience as being a spiritual “tingle” when they think of God or a warm fuzzy feeling when they enter a church building. Or maybe they are of the impression that one is born again when one is “christened” or “confirmed.” However, the new birth spoken of by Jesus is absolutely essential for sinners to enter heaven. If they are not born again, they will not enter the kingdom of God. Therefore it is necessary to establish the fact that one becomes a Christian by being born again, pointing out that Jesus Himself said the experience was crucial. The difference between believing in Jesus and being born again is like believing in a parachute, and putting one on. The difference will be seen when you jump. (See Romans 13:14.)
How is one born again? Simply through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All who confess and forsake their sins, and trust in Jesus alone for their eternal salvation, receive spiritual life through the Holy Spirit who comes to live within them.
Lesson
The Holy Spirit’s Role in Salvation
Some have wondered about the Holy Spirit’s role in the salvation of sinners. The answer is clear from Scripture. We are drawn by, convicted by, born of, and kept by the Holy Spirit. Why then do we need to use the Law when witnessing? Why don’t we just leave the salvation of sinners up to the Holy Spirit? Simply because, just as God has condescended to use the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe, so He has chosen the Moral Law to bring the knowledge of sin. And He has given us the privilege of being involved in the process.
Jesus Himself tells us how the Holy Spirit works in the salvation of the lost. He said that when the Holy Spirit comes, “he will reprove the world of sin [which is transgression of the Law—1 John 3:4], and of righteousness [which is of the Law—Romans 8:4], and of judgment [which is by the Law—Romans 2:12]. So when we use the Law to bring the knowledge of sin to the lost, we simply become instruments the Holy Spirit uses to lead sinners to the Savior.
Billy Graham stated, “The Holy Spirit convicts us ... He shows us the Ten Commandments; the Law is the schoolmaster that leads us to Christ. We look in the mirror of the Ten Commandments, and we see ourselves in that mirror.”
The Holy Spirit is a Person: 35 Personal Attributes
1) Helps: John 14:16, 26; Romans 8:26
2) Glorifies: John 16:13, 14
3) Can be known: John 14:17
4) Gives abilities: Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:7–11
5) Referred to as “He”: John 15:26; 16:7, 8, 13
6) Loves: Romans 15:30
7) Guides: John 16:13
8) Comforts: John 14:26; Acts 9:31
9) Teaches: Luke 12:12; John 14:26
10) Reminds: John 14:26
11) Bears witness: John 15:26; Acts 5:32; Romans 8:16
12) Hears: John 16:13
13) Leads: Matthew 4:1; Acts 8:29; Romans 8:14
14) Pleads: Romans 8:26, 27
15) Longs (yearns): James 4:5
16) Wills: 1 Corinthians 12:11
17) Thinks: Acts 15:28
18) Sends: Mark 1:12; Acts 10:20; 13:4
19) Speaks: John 16:13; Acts 10:19
20) Forbids: Acts 16:6, 7
21) Appoints: Acts 20:28
22) Reveals: Luke 2:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10
23) Calls to ministry: Acts 13:2
24) Can be grieved: Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30
25) Can be insulted: Hebrews 10:29
26) Can be lied to: Acts 5:3, 4
27) Can be blasphemed: Matthew 12:31, 32
28) Strives: Genesis 6:3
29) Is knowledgeable: Isaiah 40:13; Acts 10:19; 1 Corinthians 2:10–13
30) Judges: John 16:8
31) Prophesies: Acts 21:11; 28:25; 1 Timothy 4:1
32) Has fellowship: 2 Corinthians 13:14
33) Gives grace: Hebrews 10:29
34) Offers life: 2 Corinthians 3:6; Revelation 22:17
35) Is the Creator: Job 33:4
The Holy Spirit is God: Direct Biblical Evidence
1) Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life.” [only God is the Creator]
2) Matthew 12:31: “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven to men.” [only God can be blasphemed]
3) John 4:24: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
4) Acts 5:3, 4, 9: “But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not your own? and after it was sold, was it not in your own power? why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.” [the Holy Spirit is unquestionably called God]
5) Acts 13:2: “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” [only God calls]
Additionally, in the following parallelisms, the Holy Spirit is equated with God the Father twice, and with God the Son, Jesus, twice:
1) Who spoke through the prophets?
Father—Luke 1:68, 70: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people, ... as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began.”
Holy Spirit—Acts 28:25: “And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers.”
2) Who “works” all things?
Father—1 Corinthians 12:6: “And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.”
Holy Spirit—1 Corinthians 12:11: “But all these works that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
3) Who is speaking to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3?
Son—Revelation 2:18: “These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes like to a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.”
Holy Spirit—Revelation 2:7: “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
4) Who intercedes for believers?
Son—Romans 8:34: “It is Christ ... who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Holy Spirit—Romans 8:26, 27: “Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Feathers for Arrows
A scientist once conducted an interesting series of experiments. He placed two people in separate studios, facing each other through a sheet of glass. Each person had a row of lights at his fingertips. As a light came on, they raced to switch it off. The person who turned the light off first won. The winner then sent an electric shock into his opponent. The interesting thing was that the winner was able to choose the degree of shock he sent, on a one-to-ten scale.
The scientist found, without exception, that when the players were in any way intoxicated by alcohol, the size of the shocks sent into the opponent were far greater. When the players were sober, they always sent less-powerful shocks. But when they were drunk, no matter whether it was male playing female, or female playing female, or male versus male, the players became very cruel, sending maximum strength shocks if alcohol was involved.
Questions
- Name four main things that the Holy Spirit does for sinners.
- How did Billy Graham say that the Holy Spirit convicts us?
- When the Law is not used in preaching the gospel, how is the Holy Spirit’s work impacted, according to Paris Reidhead?
- Name at least two qualities of the Holy Spirit that indicate He is God.
- Identify two verses that equate the Holy Spirit with the Father and with the Son.
- Are any of these characteristics of the Holy Spirit ones you were not aware of?
Answers to these review questions are provided in the back of the printed book / source PDF.
Memory Verse
“And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”
Matthew 12:32
Last Words
Wentworth Dillon, who became Earl of Roscommon, was a poet whose anchor was fixed within the veil. When he died in 1684, his last words were from one of his own hymns: “My God, my Father, and my Friend. Do not forsake me in the end.”
Wentworth Dillon
This page is a faithful digital transcription of Lesson 50 of The School of Biblical Evangelism by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort (Bridge-Logos, © 2004), republished by UECF.NET under the book’s own printed permission to reproduce it “for the furtherance of the gospel and given away free.” See the About this Web Edition page for full source and copyright details, and the original PDF for the complete book, including the answer key.