The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the personal, life-giving presence of God who makes the finished work of Christ real in the hearts of sinners. Without him, the gospel remains a dead letter and human hearts stay closed. With him, the weakest preaching can produce the mightiest results, and the most hardened sinner can be brought to saving faith. The authors gathered here agree that the Spirit is not an optional addition to Christian experience but the one who convicts, regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, assures, and empowers every true believer. Their teaching matters because it humbles human pride, exalts divine grace, and gives believers solid ground for hope and holiness.

The Spirit and the power of the gospel

Matthew Henry insists that the gospel salvation is effective only through the power of God; without that power the gospel is a dead letter (Romans 1:16). Charles Spurgeon makes the same point from Pentecost: the three thousand baptisms demonstrate that God can use the weakest instrument to produce the mightiest results: He comes forward—and he begins to speak. Soon the heavenly fire descends from Him, upon the multitude, and that day, 3,000 Baptisms tell what God can do, and how Grace can reign in the feeblest instrumentality Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Reigning Grace” Henry adds that no preacher, however gifted, can make one soul obedient apart from the accompanying power of the Spirit of God (Romans 15:19). This does not make preaching unnecessary. Spurgeon warns that if souls are not saved, the reason is either that Christ is not preached, or he is preached coldly and without zeal: if there are not souls saved, there is always some reason for it; and the reason to which I would look—leaving now the inscrutable Sovereignty of God out of the question for a moment—the reason would be either that Christ is not preached, or else He is preached in such a way as He never ought to be preached—with cold-heartedness, with lack of zeal, with want of tenderness Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Christ Set Forth As A Propitiation” Yet even faithful preaching depends on the Spirit. Henry observes that the Spirit's power working through weak ministers encourages faithful ministers, since God perfects strength in weakness (Romans 15:19).

Spurgeon also stresses that the Spirit was active in every age ordaining types and representations that set forth Christ as the appointed propitiation: It is wonderful to see how engaged the Holy Spirit was through every age and era in ordaining types, in bringing forth representations, and symbols in which Christ should be set forth as being the appointed Propitiation for sins through faith in His blood Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Christ Set Forth As A Propitiation” The Spirit's coming at Pentecost and subsequent conversions are God's ongoing public display that Christ is the appointed Redeemer through whom believers are justified: What a setting forth that was of Christ the Propitiator, when the Holy Spirit came down on Pentecost! And what have all conversions been since then? Have they not been repeated seals to the testimony that Christ is the appointed Redeemer of men, and that through Him the faithful are justified and accepted Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Christ Set Forth As A Propitiation” Henry agrees that miracles, called signs and wonders, were the appointed means of conviction and the divine seal affixed to the gospel (Romans 15:19). The Spirit therefore works through both the written word and the preached word, but the power belongs to him alone.

The Spirit and regeneration

All the authors teach that changing the human heart is impossible for any person and requires the supernatural work of the Spirit of God in every case: To change the heart of the most amiable maiden requires the work of the Spirit of God as truly as to change the heart of the most debauched wretch that lives! It is no more possible for the honest man than for the practiced thief to make his heart right in the sight of God—it is equally impossible to either of them Charles Spurgeon, sermon “There Is No Difference” Henry explains that true circumcision is inward, of the heart and in the spirit, and it is this inward work that makes a person acceptable to God (Romans 2:29). This inward circumcision is not made with hands but consists in casting away the body of sin, and it is worked in our spirit by God's Spirit: This is the circumcision that is not made with hands, Col. ii. 11, 12. Casting away the body of sin. So it is in the spirit, in our spirit as the subject, and wrought by God's Spirit as the author of it Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Jonathan Edwards develops this doctrine with careful precision. He argues that the immediate cause of vital union is the Spirit of Christ, not man, which secures salvation by grace and honors Christ's federal headship: Having shown that neither the carnal man nor the spiritual man is the immediate cause of the union subsisting between Christ and the Christian, it remains to be ascertained, what else is the cause? If it be not man it must be the divine spirit, either as the Spirit of the Father or of Christ. In one view this difference is not very material, but in another it is of considerable importance. Allow it to be from the Holy Spirit, in either sense, it secures the great point of salvation by grace, in opposition to our own merit Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” Scripture declares that the Spirit's influence on human minds comes from Christ, who is the source of life, light, grace, and strength (John 1:4, John 5:21, John 15:26, 2 Corinthians 4:6). Edwards insists that regeneration, as the act of the Spirit of Christ, must precede believing, since a vital principle must exist before its acts: Thus union precedes vitality, and this of necessity must precede vital acts; and regeneration, as the act of the Spirit of Christ, must necessarily precede believing, which is one mode by which a vital principle operates. For to suppose that the operation produces, or is prior to the principle, either in nature or in time, is a direct contradiction Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” By Christ's uniting act, which is effectual calling, the enmity of sin is destroyed in the soul and the Spirit of Christ is imparted: By his uniting act, which may be termed effectual calling, the enmity of sin is destroyed in the soul, and the Spirit of Christ is imparted, which as occasion offers, will manifest itself as the Spirit of faith, or love, &c Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

Henry describes the same work in vivid terms. The effectual call works when the Spirit draws sinners, convicts the conscience, enlightens the understanding, bows the will, and enables them to embrace Christ (Romans 8:30). The natural man is blind to original corruption until the Spirit uses the law to reveal it, making the law a schoolmaster that opens the wound to prepare it for healing (Romans 7:7). The Spirit through the commandment convinced Paul that he was in a state of sin and death, destroying his former good opinion of himself (Romans 7:9). Spurgeon agrees that the influence of divine love, applied by the Spirit, conquers hardened hearts and opens them to grace (Romans 5:6, Isaiah 44:22).

The Spirit and faith

Faith itself is the child of grace, created and sustained by the Spirit of God, not produced by the natural heart: The Believer knows that his faith is not a weed suitable to the soil of his heart, but a rare plant—an exotic which has been planted there by Divine Wisdom—and he knows, too, that if the Lord does not nourish it, his faith will die like a withered flower Charles Spurgeon, sermon “How Is Salvation Received?” Edwards argues that the immediate cause of vital union is the Spirit of Christ, which he gives as federal head and surety, so that faith is a fruit of the Spirit rather than the cause of spiritual life (John 15:1–5). He explains that union to Christ is twofold: on Christ's part by his Spirit, in which we are passive, and on our part by faith, in which we are active: Union to Christ is of two kinds, on his part by his spirit; and on our part by faith, as explained in a preceding note. In the former, we are passive; and in the latter, we are active Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” The union by Christ's Spirit precedes the union by faith in both nature and time, and faith is the effect of that prior union: By the order both of nature and of time, the union begins with him who is a quickening Spirit; and that of faith is consequent upon the other, and is the proper effect of it Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

Spurgeon describes the practical experience of this truth. When seeking God's mercy, difficulties will arise until we despair of our own ability, but the Holy Spirit enables us to keep believing the promise and to cast the burden of fulfilling it upon God (Romans 4:19–21). Believers gain peace with God by resting on the promises of God found in Scripture and opened by the Holy Spirit (Romans 4:16). Henry adds that the Spirit teaches believers how to ask according to God's will, which is why the prayers of God's people never seek in vain (Romans 8:27).

The Spirit's indwelling and assurance

Henry teaches that the indwelling of the Spirit of God is the best evidence that a person is in the Spirit (Romans 8:9). The Spirit visits the unregenerate with motions they resist, but in the sanctified he dwells, resides, and rules as master of the house: The Spirit visits many that are unregenerate with his motions, which they resist and quench; but in all that are sanctified he dwells; there he resides and rules. He is there as a man at his own house, where he is constant and welcome, and has the dominion Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ at all: To this he subjoins a general rule of trial: If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Having the Spirit of Christ also means being actuated and guided by the Holy Spirit as sanctifier, teacher, and comforter (Romans 8:9). Those actuated by the Spirit of God as their rule are conformed to the spirit of Christ as their pattern, and this character applies to all the privileges that follow (Romans 8:9).

The Spirit's indwelling gives assurance of future resurrection. Henry writes that God will raise the mortal bodies of believers from the dead and glorify them (Romans 8:11). The indwelling Holy Spirit is a second assurance that believers' bodies will be raised: The indwelling of the Spirit. The same Spirit that raiseth the soul now will raise the body shortly: By his Spirit that dwelleth in you. The bodies of the saints are the temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. iii. 16; vi. 19 Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Spurgeon adds that the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints by the power of the Holy Spirit is as clearly revealed in Scripture as the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, or the atonement: I have not time to quote all the innumerable passages, but it is absolutely certain that if there is one doctrine in Scripture more clearly revealed than another, it is the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints by the power of the Holy Spirit. The man who doubts that precious Truth of God has quite as much reason to doubt the Trinity, to doubt the divinity of Christ, or the fact of the atonement Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Grace Exalted—Boasting Excluded”

The Spirit also gives assurance of adoption. Henry explains that God alone can give the Spirit of adoption, which produces in believers a filial love for God, delight in him, and dependence upon him as Father (Romans 8:15). The Spirit teaches believers to pray to God with holy, humble confidence as children crying to a Father (Romans 8:15). The Spirit bears witness with the believer's spirit to their adoption, not by extraordinary revelation but by an ordinary work speaking peace through the means of comfort (Romans 8:16). At conversion, the Spirit often first brings conviction of sin and wrath, producing a spirit of bondage, but this is not the permanent state of God's children (Romans 8:15).

The Spirit and sanctification

Henry teaches that believers must serve God in newness of spirit, by new spiritual principles, not resting in mere external services as the carnal Jews did (Romans 7:6). Believers are delivered from the bondage and terror of the letter of the law so that they may serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness (Romans 7:6). Yielding our members as servants to righteousness unto holiness means placing them under the conduct of God's righteous law and the principle of inherent righteousness planted by the Spirit (Romans 6:19).

Yet sanctification is not automatic. Henry insists that mortifying sin requires both the Spirit working in us and our own diligent endeavor (Romans 8:45). The flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another in the believer, so that he cannot do the things that he would (Romans 7:15–23). Those who claim to walk by the Spirit must not gratify the desires of the flesh (Romans 13:14). The body is made holy when a sanctified soul communicates holiness to it, so that its actions conform to God's will and it is used as a temple of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1).

Henry also describes the Spirit's role in producing Christian graces. Tribulation works patience, not by its own power, but through the powerful grace of God working in and with the tribulation (Romans 5:3). The transformation commanded in Romans 12:2 is not something we can accomplish by our own power; it is God's work, yet we must use the appointed means (Romans 12:2). Service to God must be done with inward spiritual fervor and holy zeal, not mere outward form (Romans 12:11). Christians must put on the armor of light, meaning the protective and adorning graces of the Spirit, and live as those who belong to the day (Romans 13:12).

The Spirit and prayer

Henry gives extensive attention to the Spirit's work in prayer. The Holy Spirit helps believers in their praying infirmities by dwelling in them and working in them as a Spirit of grace and supplication (Romans 8:26). The Spirit's help does not remove human responsibility; believers must put forth their own effort while the Spirit helps them (Romans 8:26). The Spirit intercedes for believers in their hearts by dictating their requests and drawing up their plea, just as Christ intercedes for them in heaven (Romans 8:26). The Spirit's intercession is often with groanings that cannot be uttered, meaning prayer may be genuine even when no words are spoken (Romans 8:26).

The Spirit's intercession is always according to the will of God, never contradicting the Spirit speaking in the word (Romans 8:27). God knows the mind of his own Spirit interceding within believers, and he always hears that intercession because it is according to his will (Romans 8:27). This is why believers can pray with confidence. Henry adds that believers have received the first-fruits of the Spirit, which both stirs up their desires and strengthens their hopes for future glory (Romans 8:23). Even those who have received rich present blessings from the Spirit still groan inwardly with earnest, united desire for something greater (Romans 8:23).

The Spirit and the church

Henry teaches that all believers form one body in Christ, united to him as their common head and animated by one Spirit (Romans 12:4–5). God has distributed gifts to every believer, so no one should be proud as if he alone had spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3). God's grace appoints the office, qualifies the person, and works in them both to will and to do (Romans 12:6). Edwards agrees that God sovereignly determines each believer's place and capacity in Christ's body, giving greater degrees of the Spirit and grace to those he appoints to higher places (1 Corinthians 12:18).

The Spirit also produces love and unity among believers. Henry writes that like-mindedness among Christians is a precious gift of God, for which we must earnestly seek him, since he fashions hearts and gives the Spirit of love (Romans 15:5). Believers should also pray for Paul as an expression of the love the Holy Spirit produces among Christians and as a fruit of their spiritual communion (Romans 15:30). Joy in the Holy Ghost is spiritual joy worked by the Spirit in believers, respecting God as their reconciled Father and heaven as their expected home (Romans 14:17).

Henry also notes that the offering of the Gentiles is acceptable because it is sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and only those who are sanctified are acceptably offered to God (Romans 15:16). There is a happy meeting between people and ministers when both are under the fullness of the gospel blessing, with ministers prepared to give it out and people prepared to receive it (Romans 15:29). Many people have the gospel without having the blessing of the gospel, and the gospel will not profit unless God blesses it to us, so we must wait upon him for that blessing and its fullness (Romans 15:29).

Differing emphases and pastoral allowances

While the authors agree on the Spirit's essential work, they differ in emphasis. Edwards stresses the logical and temporal priority of the Spirit's regenerating work before faith, arguing that the immediate ground of justification is the vital union between Christ and the soul, which is overlooked by schemes of justification from eternity, by works, or by faith alone: Now each of these schemes overlooks the important truth, that the immediate ground of justification is the vital union between Christ and the soul. Justification from eternity precedes vital union; justification by works denies the fact of a vital union being an adequate ground of a justifying sentence; and justification by faith alone, or believing in Christ, to the exclusion of a prior vital union on the part of the Spirit, confounds the work of man and the work of God Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” Henry and Spurgeon emphasize the experiential side: the Spirit's work in conviction, prayer, assurance, and sanctification. These are complementary rather than contradictory, but Edwards's precision on the order of union and faith is more philosophically developed than the others.

Edwards also makes a pastoral allowance that the others do not state as explicitly. Some people may hold erroneous views about justification in theory while their hearts and practice actually trust in Christ, so allowances must be made in many cases: How far a wonderful and mysterious agency of God’s Spirit may so influence some men’s hearts, that their practice in this regard may be contrary to their own principles, so that they shall not trust in their own righteousness, though they profess that men are justified by their own righteousness Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” Spurgeon similarly notes that ignorance and inability to read do not bar a person from salvation, since Christ himself teaches all who trust him what is essential to be known (Romans 3:22). Henry adds that though no one can know the mind of the Lord by nature, true believers who have the mind of Christ through his Spirit know enough of God's mind for their happiness (Romans 11:34).

Spurgeon also speaks honestly about the felt weakness of Christian workers. Without the energy of the Holy Spirit, Christian workers can do nothing (Romans 4:19). Lack of success and the failure of cherished hopes make workers feel their barrenness apart from the Spirit (Romans 4:19). Henry agrees that God is the author and foundation of all patience and consolation, giving the grace of patience and supporting believers with comfort under affliction (Romans 15:5). Abounding hope is produced and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by our own power (Romans 15:13). Believers conquer troubles only through Christ's love, the merit of his death, and the strengthening grace of his Spirit, not by their own strength (Romans 8:37).

In all these points, the authors present the Holy Spirit as the one who applies redemption, creates faith, indwells believers, assures them of adoption, empowers holiness, helps them pray, and builds the church. Their teaching is both humbling and encouraging: humbling because no human effort can replace the Spirit's work, and encouraging because the Spirit's power is greater than all our enemies and sufficient for every need.