The key point to be seen in this lesson is that the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the individual is
not necessarily a consistent matter. Though God never changes, his dealings with men do: as God has
altered his dealings with mankind, the ministry of the Holy Spirit has likewise shifted to suit the purpose
and plan of the Father.
The word that best sums up the ministry of the Spirit prior to the death and resurrection of Christ
is “temporary.” The Spirit came and went, indwelling no man permanently. The emphasis in the Old
Testament, and even in the Gospels, seems to be that when the Spirit was imparted, it was for a special
task – when the task was completed, the Spirit was withdrawn. Even David, who was especially close to
God, believed that he was in danger of losing the Spirit for his sin.
The word that best sums up the ministry of the Spirit during the early stages of the church in the
book of Acts is“transitory.” The introduction of the Spirit to the four major people groups existing at that
time was different in each case – prayer, the laying on of the apostles’ hands and a rushing mighty wind
from heaven were necessary in some of these cases and not in others. No two of these initial
experiences of the Spirit to these people groups were identical and there is no indication anywhere in
Scripture that these experiences were to be repeated. The danger of formulating our doctrine from these
“one-off” experiences of the Spirit is only too evident.
The word that best sums up the ministry of the Spirit to the church is
“permanent.” Repeatedly we are told that the Spirit’s presence in the NT Christian is an assured fact until the return of Jesus Chris for his church. To the believers in the church, there is no indication anywhere that the Spirit once received can be lost.
Questions For Further Study
1. How did the Holy Spirit work in men in the Old Testament?
2. What are the similarities and differences in the way in which the Spirit worked in men in the book
of Acts?
3. Should we base our doctrine on the way in which the Spirit worked in the different people
groups in Acts? Why?
4. What new instruction about the ministry of the Spirit did Jesus give? What in fact does the Spirit
now do for us at salvation?