I have four questions concerning the Holy Spirit. 1. Does the Holy Spirit have to enlighten and energize the word of God today to help us understand it? 2. Does the Holy Spirit take control of our hearts and minds today? 3. Does the Holy Spirit continue today? 4. Does the Holy Spirit lead and guide us in any other way than through the word or God today? Thanks, Marvin Towell
No, the Holy Spirit does not have to “enlighten and energize the Word of God today to help us understand it.” I am not aware of Scripture passages that indicate that some further divine activity must occur upon the Word of God, but rather it is completely satisfactory as a revelation from God to address mankind’s every (especially spiritual) need (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).
No, neither the Holy Spirit and nor any Divine Person “takes control of our hearts and minds.” Instead, each person with a mind that can reason or understand communication has personal responsibility for his or her conduct (2 Corinthians 5:10). “…And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).
Yes, the Holy Spirit continues today. However, the role of the Holy Spirit continues providentially, but not miraculously (Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12). The Holy Spirit is active with Jesus Christ on the spiritual side of conversion at baptism (Acts 2:38, 41, 47; 1 Corinthians 12:13). In addition, the Holy Spirit has completed His role of delivering new revelation from the Father (2 Peter 1:21; Galatians 1:6-9; Jude 3).
No, “the Holy Spirit does not lead and guide us in any other way than through the word or God today.” The Holy Spirit was promised as a guide to the apostles of Jesus Christ (John 14-16) and other Christians in the infant church (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21). Constant revelation from God or the continuation of miracles was never promised indefinitely, but miracles were provisional (Mark 16:20), which when they accomplished the deliverance of the New Testament they ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8-12; Ephesians 4:11-13).
The sequence of events respecting the Holy Spirit and the Word of God was that the Holy Spirit provided the Word of God. While the Holy Spirit was in the process of delivering the Word of God (the New Testament), both the Holy Spirit and the Word of God were instructors of mankind. When the Holy Spirit completed the delivery of the Word of God, the Word of God only became man’s instructor.
