Holy Ghost

John 14:16-17

- True and Proper personality of the Holy Ghost

- United trinity of the 3 persons in our salvation

- The indwelling of the doctrine of the Holy Ghost

- Why the carnal mind rejects the Holy Ghost

4 questions that C.H.Spurgeon answers...

Some observations on what Spurgeon’s persuasion was on this topic.

1. We tend to miss the point that the Holy Ghost is actually a person, we take the Holy Ghost as an animation flowing from the Father and the Son, and not an actual person. The reason for this is the Father is associated with all we see in creation and therefore our minds are able to process Him as a person. It is the same for the Son as He is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. He walked the face of the earth as a man. But the Holy Ghost acts are secretive, but a person He is. Let’s look at the doctrine to back this point. We must be a Trinitarian and believe in the three persons of the trinity. When we baptise a believer it is done in the Name, not names of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. If the Holy Ghost was merely an influence he would not be mentioned as a person. When the Lord Jesus was baptised He showed Himself as a bright light and in the form of a dove. He came from Heaven to show that he is from Heaven. He also in the book of acts appeared in a manifestation of cloven tongues.

A power of Knowledge 1 Corinthians chapter 2 is ascribe to the Holy Ghost. Spurgeon concludes that any rational man will conclude that if anything is spoken of as having understanding it must be in existence and He is mentioned in conjunction with the Father and the Son who are actual persons. The Spirit has a will, He has a will of His own and power is also ascribe to Him. Whenever you find will, power and understanding it must be an existence or person. Spurgeon also ascribes creation to the Holy Ghost. Holy men of old spoke when they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost still deals with his saints. Some examples used acts and the separation and when Phillip was carried away by the spirit. He uses his own spoken ministry under the influence of the Holy Ghost and how it captivates the audience as if their life depended upon it. The person of the Holy Ghost gets us to repent and believe. He points out that the Holy Ghost can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and vexed (Isaiah 63:10). He has feelings (acts 7:51) you can also resist the Holy Ghost.

2. 3 persons of the Godhead doing something for our salvation. The Lord (Son) prays, the Father sends and the Holy Ghost will comfort. In Genesis it mentions that man will be created by us, this speaks of unity and that they are united

3. The indwelling of the Holy ghost... He uses an example of the senses with relation to pain... you cannot see, touch, smell or taste pain but you surely can feel it. So is it with the Holy Ghost, you can’t see, touch, smell or taste Him but you most definitely can feel Him. We are the temple of the Holy Ghost for He dwells in you. He then says, if a person is full of studies and all knowledge and he does not know if the Holy Ghost dwells within him. This is where I find his point very interesting. Whenever Spurgeon found a brother filled with the Holy Ghost the spirit within him would leap. He would have a witness. The spirit witnessing with the spirit. An act of God, not mans intellect, because it is of God and not of man (my summation). We must however know if the Spirit is in us. Why? Well he uses an example of a man being shocked by electricity to illustrate the awareness of reality. Likewise if the Holy Ghost indwells a man’s body it must be obvious. When Spurgeon has difficulty in his life he looked to the Holy Ghost for direction. When he did not understand a portion of scripture he asked God the Holy Ghost to illuminate truth to him. In this sermon, he emphasis, that the Person of the Holy Ghost reveals truth and not commentaries. He held the revelation of the Holy Ghost in high regard. (That is my opinion). He also saw the point of people playing the fanaticism card and had to deal with those objections. It is at this point that he says despise not the Holy Ghost as it the unpardonable sin. He then speaks to unbelievers and how they should rather tremble than speak out against the Holy Ghost. He then Challenges the Armenian and draws on the word “forever”. The text says He will abide with you forever. The Armenian point of defence will eventually be the translation and it is wrong. Which it is not!

4. The unregenerate world cannot receive the spirit, all those who God passed over when He elected those who would be saved. We feel the Holy Ghost but the world rejects Him because they cannot see Him. Once you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost it is impossible to deny. Even though it is beyond our senses. The Holy Ghost dwells in all believers. The Holy Ghost must own our labourers. The answer to Hebrews 6... Spurgeon said, “I do not know what the unpardonable sin is, I do not think any man understands it! But it is something like this, he who speaks a word against the Holy Ghost; it will never be forgiven him. I do not know what that means but tread carefully. There is a danger, there is strife, go to the ale house, I do not say you will be resisting the Holy Ghost and committing the unpardonable sin, but it is somewhere there, be very careful. There is no crime on earth as bad as blaspheming the Holy Ghost as you can never be forgiven. Neither in this world or the world to come.” He does not professing to understand it or to tell us what it is. But there it is, what he does say, “stop, stop man stop if thy has despised the Holy Ghost. If you scorn what Christians call His influence, stop, I beseech you stop.” “Let us not trifle with words or the acts of the Holy Ghost.”

January 21^st 1855