Introduction: "The Holy Spirit in Acts"

One thing that you notice immediately in reading Acts is how prominent a role the Holy Spirit occupies in the letter to Theophilus. We will make a terrible mistake if we blot out these references to the Holy Spirit from our minds when we read Acts. We have only mentioned one reference in any detail so far in our studies; that is, Paul’s question to the twelve men at Ephesus. He asked them, "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" (Acts 19:2.) But there is so much more to consider. We must not allow so much misinformation and misguided teachings about the Holy Spirit keep us from using the language of Scripture about the Holy Spirit and seeking an understanding of the Spirit’s role in our conversion.

We should be impressed with how literally saturated this letter is with references to the Holy Spirit. There are 4 references in chapter one; 4 in chapter 2; 2 in chapter 3; 4 in chapter 4; 2 in chapter 5; 3 in chapter 6; 3 in chapter 7; 4 in chapter 8; 2 in chapter 9; 5 in chapter 10; 3 in chapter 11; 5 in chapter 13; 2 in chapter 15; 1 in chapter 16; 3 in chapter 19; 2 in 20; 2 in 21; 1 in 28. Counting five other references where Spirit is used, there are 57 references to the Holy Spirit in the 28 chapters in Acts; about two references for every chapter. That is too much to ignore! There are over three times as many references to the Spirit as there is to the Gospel (17 to 57). It is not just a matter of numbers of references. We will misunder-stand much of the Gospel, the nature of God, our conversion, the church, and the Scriptures if we blot out this significant information. It is not true that the Holy Spirit’s work belonged only to the first century and now we can omit his work from our teaching and lives. This belief is at the heart of the legalists’ view of Scripture. Note the book of Galatians (5:16, 5:18, 3:2-3).

It is true that there are some things that are happening in Acts that belong to the first century alone. Many of the miraculous works of the Holy Spirit belong uniquely to this time period. A friend of mine and classmate, Randy Winstead, made this significant point about the larger picture of miracles. He noted that there are special times in history where there is a concentration or grouping of miracles. They occur when something new is being initiated or begun. Here are some examples: the miracles associated with creation, the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage and the beginning of that new nation, the beginning of the church in the new covenant; the beginning of the new heaven and new earth with the resurrection of the dead and changing this present order. (Quoted in Luke and Paul: A Theology of one Spirit from Two Perspectives, Don Jackson, 16.)

There is a concentration of miracles to establish the church with power from the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to the apostles, "You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you." (Acts 1:8.) Within the account by Luke, there are even two beginnings---one with the Jews receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and another with Cornelius at Caesarea. Peter said, "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning." (Acts 11:15.) Peter referred to something that had happened ten years before. There are two special beginnings being pointed out---the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost and on the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house.

The beginning of the church was clearly a special event in church history that cannot be repeated. The Holy Spirit has not been promised to all believers in the same sense in which these (apostles and Gentiles) received it with great power. You cannot have another "Pentecost" every Sunday. That special period is unique because it was the beginning of the church established by the preaching of the Gospel and the display of many signs and wonders. The miraculous element and the work of apostles are unique to the first century that we do not have in the church today. We do not have eyewitnesses today; we must preach the word of their testimony. The signs and wonders are not needed today and are conspicuously absent.

Students of Scripture refer to the work of the Holy Spirit in two ways---the miraculous and the ethical. The miraculous belongs primarily to the period of beginnings in history, but the ethical applies to every believer. There exists a special relationship between the Holy Spirit and the new covenant that does not exist with the old covenant. The word only view pays lip service to the Holy Spirit and essentially denies any work of the Spirit today. At the most, the word only doctrine allows for the Bible to be given by inspiration of the Scriptures. After that, there is nothing more to consider. This doctrine is an over reaction to the false teachings today about miracles and special guidance of the Spirit. But note that we have already said that there are special periods of beginnings in history where there is a concentration of miracles done by the Spirit of God. But there are many other things that the Holy Spirit does that are not associated with miraculous things, but rather with ethical things, conversion, fruit of the Spirit, the nature of the new covenant, the temple of God today, and many others.

We must not read "Word" into the text where "Spirit" is found. The Bible uses both words and they are not the same thing. The Word was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but that is not the only thing the Holy Spirit has done or does today. When the Bible says "Word" it means Word. When it says "Spirit" it means Spirit. The writers knew the difference between the two words. Note some examples.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4.) Does "word" mean Spirit in this verse? Surely not!

"But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you." (Acts 1:8.) He did not say that they would receive the Word.

"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38.) This does not mean that we receive the word at baptism. Those who obeyed the Gospel had already gladly received the word. (2:41.)

"Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God and you are not your own?" (1 Cor. 6:19.) This passage refers back to the old Jewish temple in which God dwelt. Now the body of the Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote clearly, "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9.)

"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance; as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." (1 Thess. 1:5.) We must be careful about any "word only" doctrine today; it denies the work of the Spirit of God then and now.

I have always found it helpful to note that Paul makes no difference between saying that the Spirit dwells in the heart of the believer and God and Jesus dwelling in our hearts by faith. This makes sense when you consider the nature of the Godhead, its unity and oneness. If you have the Lord dwelling in you heart, then you have the Spirit and God dwelling in you. The way that the Lord dwells in you, is the same way the Holy Spirit and God dwell in you. Paul wrote that the Galatians received the Spirit by the hearing of faith. (Gal. 3:2.)

Here is a brief list of non-miraculous things associated with the Holy Spirit today. These things belong to every believer. 1) God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ dwell in you. 2) The new covenant is written upon your heart by the Holy Spirit; it is not written upon cold hard tables of clay. 3) Love, joy, peace, temperance, patience are produced by the Spirit in your life. 4) You overcome the works of the flesh by the Spirit dwelling in you. 5) You are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 6) You are born again by the Spirit.

Especially significant in our study of Acts is the work of the Spirit in conversion. Most of the other things named above belong to the study of other letters in the New Testament. We know from Jesus’ words to Nicodemus that we are born "of water and the Holy Spirit." (John 3:5.) He also said, "That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (verse 6.) In conversion, it is man’s spirit, not his body, that is born again. His spirit is born anew by the work of the Holy Spirit. Is the word of God involved? Yes, but so also is the Spirit of God. The Word is the seed that is planted in the heart (Luke 8:11), but the life of the seed is the Spirit. Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63.) Life and spirit belong together in human existence. Life and Spirit belong together in spiritual life.

If the Holy Spirit is removed from the process and understanding of conversion, then you do not have a rebirth of man’s spirit. You have a physical act of immersion in water, an intellectual response to the Gospel, and technicalities when correct baptism is considered. You can have many immersions in water, but there is only one valid baptism into Christ. There is only one conversion that is needed or is possible.

Acts is somewhat like Job. Job does not know why he is suffering, but the reader does. In Acts, those hearing the Gospel do not know what is going on in the background. They do not know that angels, the Spirit, and men are all involved in them hearing the Gospel.

The story of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch included the providence of God. "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip. . . ." (Acts 8:26.) "Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot." (8:29.) Both an angel and the Spirit were involved in directing Philip, the evangelist, to this treasurer reading Isaiah the prophet. The eunuch did not know that anyone other than Philip was involved in his conversion. Neither do we. But we can be sure that God cares about the lost and provides for their salvation if they desire it.

The Spirit of God did not allow Paul to go into Bithynia, but instead directed to go to Macedonia. In a vision, Paul hear a man from Macedonia saying, "Come over and help us." (Acts 16:9.)

The key to coming to know the Gospel may be seen in the lives of those who are saved in Acts and those who are lost. If they desire to do God’s will, they will know of the doctrine. (John 7:17.) Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asks receives and he that seeks finds and unto him that knocks it shall be opened." (Matt. 7:7-8.)

If you desire to obey God, you can be assured that God will provide you the opportunity of hearing the Gospel. If these examples in Acts mean anything, they surely mean that God provides for those who seek. Otherwise, God is a respector of persons. We know that he is not.