The fourth lesson of nine on the subject of basic doctrines of the Christian faith. This lesson is part of the BBD course; one of several courses in the Diploma in Ministry Essentials program.

1. BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINES
A survey of fundamental Christian doctrines as found in the Bible.
Lesson 4 | The Doctrine of The Holy Spirit
I. THE PERSONHOOD OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Holy Spirit is a personal being just as the Father and the Son (​He, John 16:13-14). The Spirit is not an
impersonal ​it, ​or simply an influence.
A. The Spirit has personal characteristics. ​He has intelligence (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), emotions (grieve not,
Ephesians 4:30; Isaiah 63:9-10, Romans 15:30), and will (1 Corinthians 12:11).
B. The Spirit acts in personal ways. ​He teaches us (John 14:26). He commands (Acts 8:29). He intercedes for
us in prayer (Romans 8:26).
II. THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. He has the name and title of deity ​(Spirit of God, Romans 8:9,14; 1 Corinthians 2:11, 12:3; Ephesians 4:30).
B. He has incommunicable attributes ​(no one but God has them; self-existence, ​Spirit of Life, Romans 8:2;
Omnipresence, Psalm 139:7).
C. He performs incommunicable works ​(no one but God can do them; Creation, Genesis 1:2; resurrection,
Romans 8:11)
D. He is equated with deity ​(a lie to the Spirit equals lie to God, Acts 5:3-4; the Lord is the Spirit, 2 Corinthians
3:17-18).
III. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN THE OT BEFORE THE CHURCH AGE
A. He took part in creation ​(Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4, Psalm 104:30).
B. He guided and protected Israel ​(Isaiah 63:10-14).
C. He spoke through prophets to produce Scripture​ (1 Peter 1:11; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
D. He selectively and conditionally indwelt certain people in the Old Testament (e.g. Joseph, Genesis
41:38; Joshua, Numbers 27:18; Samson, Judges 14:6; Saul, 1 Samuel 10:9-10; David, 1 Samuel 16:13 etc.). The
Spirit’s indwelling was specifically related to enabling someone to do a particular task. The Holy Spirit could
cease to indwell a person because of their disobedience. The Spirit left Saul (1 Samuel 16:14). When David
sinned he pled that the Spirit not be taken from him (Psalm 51:11).
E. He was the empowering Agent in Christ’s earthly life. ​He was the Agent of Christ’s virgin birth (Luke 1:35).
He empowered Christ’s ministry (Matthew 12:28, Luke 4:1,18). He was the Agent of Christ’s resurrection
(Romans 1:4, 8:11).
IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN THE NT CHURCH AGE
A. In salvation
1. He ​glorifies ​the Lord Jesus Christ, not Himself (John 16:13-14; must also be included in section B.).
2. He ​directs ​and ​enables ​evangelistic efforts (Philip/Ethiopian, Acts 8:26,29; Great Commission, Acts
1:8).
3. He ​convicts ​the unbeliever of sin (John 16:8-11).

2. 4. He ​regenerates ​(saves) the person. He cleanses the person from sin and gives them the new nature
(cf. Titus 3:5, 2 Corinthians 5:17). When He performs this spiritual ​new birth the person enters ​the
kingdom of God​ (eternal life, John 3:3-7,16).
5. He ​seals ​(eternally secures) the person. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the ​seal ​or guarantee that a
person is saved and will remain saved (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30).
6. He ​baptizes ​(places) the person into the body of Christ.
a. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
i. It is the Spirit’s work of uniting us with Christ, spiritually identifying us with Christ’s
death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5).
ii. It is the Spirit’s work of incorporating us into the universal church (the body of Christ,
all church age believers, 1 Corinthians 12:13).
b. When is the baptism of the Spirit?
i. In each believer it occurs once and for all at their conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13,
Galatians 3:26-28). There is never a call to re-experience it.
ii. In history it is limited to church age believers (predicted, Acts 1:5; fulfilled, 1
Corinthians 12:13).
iii. Exceptions: On the Day of Pentecost when the church age began, both new and
existing believers were baptized by the Spirit (Acts 1:5, 11:15-16). Also in 2 other cases
in the early church it seems the Spirit was not given to believers until an apostle was
present (Acts 8:14-17, 19:1-6).
7. What is the ​unpardonable sin​ ​in Mark 3:22-30 and Matthew 12:22-32?
a. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was unique to the time and situation during Christ’s earthly
ministry. The Pharisees chose to slander Christ and the power of His miracles.
b. This sin cannot be repeated today since Christ is not on the earth performing miracles.
c. The only unpardonable sin is unbelief (John 3:18).
d. For comfort, read Romans 5:20, Isaiah 12:2, and Hebrews 7:25.
B. In the Christian’s life​.
1. He ​indwells ​believers.
The Spirit permanently indwells all believers in this age (John 14:16, Romans 5:5, 8:9; 1
Corinthians 3:16, 6:19), unlike the Old Testament where the Spirit indwelt some.
2. He ​fills ​believers.
Ephesians 5:18 describes ​filling ​of the Spirit as being controlled by the Holy Spirit. This filling is
evidenced by such ​fruit ​(Galatians 5:22-23), Romans 8:16 (assurance), and Acts 2:4-6
(witnessing). We can be filled/controlled by fleshly desires (like alcohol) or be filled/controlled by
the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). It is a command to ​be filled ​with ​and ​walk in the Spirit (Galatians
5:16). We must ​choose ​to yield to God to experience the Spirit’s transforming power to change
and grow (e.g. ​Let us​…; ​Put on​…; ​Be ye​…; etc.). Filling of the Holy Spirit is ​not ​obtained by
praying for it, but e.g. by ​not ​yielding to the flesh (cf. Romans 6:12-13); e.g. by yielding to the
Holy Spirit’s leading in the Word of God (Ephesians 5:19-21), e,g, by ​not ​quenching the Spirit (1
2

3. Thessalonians 5:16), e.g. by not grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), e.g. by learning and
growing (Ephesians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 2:13), and e.g. walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25).
3. He ​leads ​yielded believers (cf. Romans 6:11-14, Colossians 3:16; led by the Spirit, Romans 8:14,
Galatians 5:18; also, cf. Matthew 4:1, Acts 8:29, 16:6-11).
4. He ​guides ​believers into all truth (John 16:13).
5. He ​teaches ​us (John 14:26, 16:13; cf. Deuteronomy 29:29).
6. He helps believers ​pray ​(Romans 8:26).
7. He ​intercedes ​for us (Romans 8:27).
8. He ​brings ​God’s word to mind (John 14:26).
9. He ​bears ​fruit in yielded believers (Galatians 5:22).
10. He ​draws ​us closer to God (Galatians 4:6) in spirit (new life) and truth (God’s word, John 17:17; John
14:21,23; John 4:24). Believers must be careful of being ​controlled by or an ​over-reliance upon emotions,
feelings, and or experiences that can deceive, but rather rely on the word of God (cf. Proverbs 28:26 &
3:5, Jeremiah 3:7 & 9, 10:23; John 6:63, Genesis 27:22, Proverbs 14:12, Matthew 7:22-23, 16:22-23; 2
Timothy 4:3, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Acts 17:2, Psalm 119:105, 1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11:14, 12:4-5;
deceiving, Romans 8:34, Galatians 1:8, Mark 13:22, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Romans 6:12). Our emotions,
feelings, and or experiences must be rooted in the word of God (cf. 2 Peter 1:16-19, Romans 10:2).
11. He ​comforts ​us (Acts 9:31, John 15:26; with hope, Romans 15:13; with love, Romans 5:5; with joy,
Romans 14:17; with assurance, 1 John 4:13).
12. Believers can ​quench ​(suppress) ​the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) by resisting the leading or
prompting of the Holy Spirit as it relates to Scripture and His known leading.
13. Believers can ​grieve ​(cause sorrow) the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) by knowingly engaging or not
engaging in an activity that goes against Scripture or His known prompting.
14. He gives ​spiritual gifts ​to believers (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10,28-30, 1 Peter 4:10-11,
and Ephesians 4:8,11-12).
a. Spiritual gifts are God-given ​abilities​, i.e. ​graces ​from God, wherein He enables all believers to
serve in spiritual ministry. Spiritual gifts are ​not ​the same as ​natural talent (music ability or
mechanical aptitude, etc.) although God may often give spiritual gifts that make use of natural
abilities, e.g. a musician may have the gift of encouragement; an experienced school teacher
may have the gift of teaching, etc.
b. How do we get spiritual gifts?
The Holy Spirit imparts these special abilities (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). But it is also
accurate to say that they are Christ’s gifts ​to the church (Ephesians 4:7-8,10). We
receive spiritual gifts when we trust Christ as Savior; thus, each believer has at least
one, but perhaps several gifts.
c. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?
Spiritual gifts accomplish spiritual ministry that God desires for the edification of ​the
church (1 Corinthians 14:12); they equip others to minister (Ephesians 4:12), and
spiritual gifts glorify God (1 Peter 4:11).
d. There appears to be four categories of gifts:
3

4. Note​: There is much discussion and or debate about some of the spiritual gifts; therefore,
one cannot be dogmatic about spiritual gifts until more has been revealed to us.
i. ​Sign gifts (cf. Mark 16:20, Acts 14:3, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Hebrews 2:3-4): ​prophecy
(foretelling; revealing divine truths for canonization), ​healing​, ​miracles​, ​speaking in
tongues ​(previously unknown foreign language, cf. Acts 2:8, 1 Corinthians 14:22, 2
Corinthians 12:4), and ​interpretation of tongues​. Among some groups of Christians,
sign gifts are generally considered no longer given by God; not in use today as they were
in the early NT (i.e. not in the apostolic sense), or have greatly been reduced in
occurence (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:8-11). Other Christians see the gifts still in use today as
they were in the early NT. However, apparently, these gifts were meant to authenticate
the truth of the Gospel of God and the authenticity of the early NT church to the world
(Ephesians 2:19-20).
ii. ​Speaking gifts (ministry of the word): ​teaching ​(expound on revealed truths, relate
scriptural doctrine to the hearers, build brethren up in the faith), ​encouraging ​(or
exhortation), ​word of wisdom ​(associated with prophets, biblical truth related to life
situations), and ​word of knowledge ​(associated with teachers, revelation of deeper
truths from Scripture).
iii. ​Ministering gifts ​(practical service): ​serving ​(e.g. deacons), ​giving ​(generous with
money, materials, or time), ​government ​(leadership, management, administration),
mercy ​(showing compassion), ​faith ​(exceptionally strong), ​discernment ​(cf. 1 John 4:1),
and ​helps ​(identify and encourage spiritually struggling brethren).
iv. ​Office gifts​: ​Apostle ​(Christ’s original messengers of the Gospel who were sent forth,
who saw the Lord, 1 Corinthians 9:1; were commissioned by the Lord, Romans 1:1;
produced signs and wonders, 2 Corinthians 12:12; wrote Scripture, 1 Thessalonians
2:13; and Ephesians 2:20; now perhaps equated with a missionary), ​prophet ​(share
revelations from Scripture or revealing divine truths for edification, cf. 1 Corinthians
14:26; however, nothing extra-biblical, cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17), ​evangelist ​(e.g. itinerant
preachers), ​pastor-teacher ​(i.e. [under]-shepherd). There is some debate as to whether
these gifts are the individuals themselves (Ephesians 4:11) or God-given abilities (1
Corinthians 12:28-31).
Note​: Walking with the Lord and being faithful may help ​reveal ​our spiritual gifts.
Furthermore, our gifts are to be ​used ​(1 Peter 4:10-11); they require ​development (1
Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6, 4:5; Romans 12:6-8); they require the right ​attitude
(Romans 12:10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3), and they must be used in the right ​time ​and
place ​(the church, 1 Corinthians 14:12). However, as Christians in general, we are told
in the Scriptures to exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13, 10:25, Romans 12:8); give (2
Corinthians 8:7); show mercy (James 2:13), 3:17; evangelize (Acts 1:8, 2 Timothy 4:5,
Ephesians 4:11), and the like; so, we should be practicing at least something of each gift.
----- [END] -----
Resource information: ​Prepared by Ptr. J. F. Smith, D.Min., Faith Missionary Church and Bible Institute,
Gruetli-Laager, TN, USA, email: ​jerryfranksmith@gmail.com​. Reference: Litke, Sid (May 17, 2004). Survey of
Bible doctrines. Bible.org. Accessed from ​https://bible.org/series/survey-bible-doctrines
4