by Ron Matson, notes
Session 1
Not polytheism. Yes Monotheism (Trinitarian monotheism).
-Jesus always referred to God as “the father” except for one time: when he was on the cross. Then “My God”. Father: the unseen authority. Jesus was the revealed person of God/ physical representation.
Acts 19:2 : And Paul said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” and they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Paul is speaking to John the B’s disciples. They had believed and been baptized before receiving the Holy Spirit.
OT term: “Roo’-akh” Hebrew for “breath” or “spirit”
NT term: “Pneuma” Greek for “wind” or “spirit”. Both: unable to visualize.
Holy Spirit is not a force or a mere influence or essence of God. Not an “it”.
He is a “he” and a person.
Deut 6:4-5 : “Hear, O Israel: The LORD your God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”. LORD (YHWH), God (Elohim-plurality of god), and One (Ekah/Unified/Unity).
Matt 3:16 : and when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him, and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Separate but equal. All 3 sovereign are separate and are present.
Attributes of the Holy Spirit:
A Person:
-a mind (Romans 8:27 and he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.)
–A will (1 Cor 12:11 : All these (gifts) are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.)
–Knowledge (1 Cor 2:10-12: these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of the person, which is in him? So also, no one comprehends the thoughts of God except for the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God that we might understand the things freely given us by God.)
–understanding (see above 1 Cor 2:10-12).
–Expressions (Acts 13:2 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”). (Phil 2:1 : So if there is any encouragement in Christ, and any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit any affection and sympathy (fellowship)). 2 Cor 13:14 : The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (fellowship)).
–Feelings (Matt 12:31 : Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.) (1 Thess 5:19 : Do not quench the Spirit) (Eph 4:30 : and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.) (Heb 10:29 : How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Holy Spirit of grace?).
–Responsibility (Acts 1:8 : But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the Earth) (John 15:26 : But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.)
–Dwells in everyone.
Holy Spirit is God is Holy Spirit (interchangeable) OT in NT revealed.
| Acts 5:3 : But Peter said: Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself proceeds of the land? | Acts5:4 ….you have not lied to man but to God |
| Isaiah 6:8-9 And I heard the voice of the LORD saying “who shall I send and who will go for us” Then I said, “Here I am, send me!” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: Keep on hearing but do not understand, keep on seeing but do not perceive.” | Acts 28:25-26 And disagreeing amongst themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: Go to this people and say ‘You will indeed hear but never understand and you will indeed see but never perceive.’” |
| Jeremiah 31:31-33 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after all those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God and they shall be my people. | Hebrews 10:15-17 And the Holy Spirit bears witness to us; for after saying, “this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then He adds, “ I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” |
| Psalm 95: 8-11 Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as a Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said ‘they are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.’ Therefore I swore in my wrath, “they shall not enter my rest.” | Hebrews 3: 7-10 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore, I was provoked with that generation and said, ‘ they always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest.” |
Session 2: Work of the Holy Spirit
In the World:
John 16:8-11 : And when He (Spirit) comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer; concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world will be judged.
Who? The world. Not just the Christians.
-Ultimate sin: unbelief: “because they do not believe in me.”
-Matt 12: blasphemy of the Holy Spirit= continued rejection.
In the Church:
Two Promises to the church when we believe: 1. Promise of the Holy Spirit
2. Promise of salvation
–Convict (Acts 2:37 : Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”)
–Guide (John 16:13-15 : When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come).
–Glorify Jesus (John 16:14 : he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.)
–Reveals what will happen (John 16:13)
Works of the Holy Spirit
If one questions his own salvation, Ron says:
“well lets settle it now! Cry out to God”
If there is any doubt at all, go back to the foot of the cross, humble yourself. The Spirit is what gives us assurance.
-Our Regeneration (Titus 3:4-5 : But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…)
– Our Sanctifier (set apart)( Rom15:16 : to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.) (2 Thess 2:13-14 : but we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.)
– Our guarantee (Eph 1:13-14 : In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.) 2 Cor 1: 21-22 : And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee).
-Our Occupier
-Our Teacher (1 Cor 2:13 : And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual).
-Our Spirit-Baptism: Indwelling power, Jesus is the baptizer.
Baptisms
-John the B baptizes with water. It is Jesus who baptizes with the Holy Spirit; not us or the Holy Spirit.
Matt 3:11 : “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
-water is for repentance
-Holy Spirit- for indwelling
-fire is for judgement (if you’re not baptized by the Holy Spirit, you will be baptized by fire, later)
–Purpose of Spirit Baptism = to bear witness to Jesus. Testify of Christ. (Acts 1:8 : But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the Earth).
–Evidence of Spirit Baptism– evidence also testifies. Evidence is different with everyone. (Acts 2:2-4 : And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance). Another evidence: Peter’s transformation, he was unstoppable. Notice Acts 2:6 says And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing the speak in his own language. This is not babble, this is actual languages, and it was understood.
–Baptism of Samaritans evidence (Acts 8:14 : Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for He had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit). This does not tell us the evidence of their baptism, but it is something that Simon the sorcerer saw and wanted and was willing to pay money for.
–Gentile Baptism (Acts 10:44 : While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days). Evidence: tongues, extolling God. Here they were baptized in the Spirit before being baptized in Jesus Christ or water-baptized. Also, speaking in tongues is always understood as praising God.
-John the B’s disciples (Acts 19:1-6 : And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying). The Holy Spirit is a gift that comes at salvation. End result is the same: witness/testify of Jesus.
Session 3
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are different from the gift of the Holy Spirit.
-Gift of the Holy Spirit is given to us upon salvation
-Gifts of Holy Spirit are from the Holy Spirit. Better to say, “Gifts from the Holy Spirit”.
-Distributed by Holy Spirit, we all have at least one.
1 Cor 12:1 : Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed/ignorant.
1 Cor 12:4:7 : Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestations of the Spirit for the common good. Verse 11: All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
-Evangelists make a proclamation, teachers give an education.
–Gifts given according to the grace that is given us (Rom 12:6).
– (Eph 4:7) Every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ
-(Eph 4:12): For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of he stature of the fulness of Christ.
-The people of Corinth were very gifted, charismatic, but ignorant.
Ignorance leads to Misunderstanding of differences leads to Disputes leads to Division
-Manifestation of the Spirit is for the benefit of others, not for ourselves or to have an “experience”.
-Notice all these are by the same spirit. As He Wills.
-Paul stops at tongues, which is where the Corinth had the most problems.
-We all must do all, but some are gifted. Some have more than one. Some have some at different times and not other times. Not permanent gifts. An enabling for a purpose, at a time. Spirit gives it as He wills.
Gifts
–Wisdom (Greek: Sophia)= always as wisdom from God. Experienced based knowledge. Capacity to address something beyond our experience.
–Knowledge (Knosis)= Implies a complete understanding, knowledge from God.
–Faith= not saving faith, but a trusting faith. Faith provides works.
–Healing= sudden healing. James 5:14= ask for healing, but not all are healed (Paul’s thorn in flesh, Timothy’s infirmities, and Timothy’s mom.
Isaiah 51:4-5 By his stripes we are healed. Concerning the word healed (always interpret OT in light of the NT) = what is it we are healed from? Sin (1 Peter 2:24).
-Miracles (dunamis=power) A translation issue. Power to do things.
-Prophecy= prediction of the future or “Thus sayeth the Lord”/ a statement from God. Test the prophets. Truth is not afraid of being tested.
-Discerning of Spirits= to pass judgments, judge actions/ fruits, not hearts. Test the spirits.
-Tongues/language= Not random babel. Always translated as praise of God
-Interpretation of tongues (translation of tongues) = always praise of God.
Session 4 The Fruit of the Spirit
#1 way to tell if it’s the Holy Spirit: Does it bring glory to Jesus/ testify of Jesus? (John 15:26 : but when the helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will witness about me.
John 15:16 : You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you aske the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another
-The Fruit of the Spirit should be consistent with the functions of the Holy Spirit.
John 15:7 : If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified: that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Us bearing fruit glorifies the Father.
Mans’ efforts: works of the flesh
God’s effect= Fruit of the Spirit
Fruit (Greek= Karpos)= not fruit like from a tree. Fruit as in “comes from an inner source”. Karpos can be singular or plural depending on the context.
Types
Fruit= from a tree
Fruit= You bear, as in a verb
Fruit=a byproduct (like from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit).
Why Fruit? (Karpos): here it is single tense, to show unity of the Holy Spirit. Not 9 fruits of the Spirit, but 9 expressions of the single fruit. All these should be present. If not, the Spirit must repair the worker if they submit to the Holy Spirit.
-Human ability cannot produce this fruit. Ask the Holy Spirit and submit to Him. Humble yourself.
-None are natural, all go against our nature.
Fruit of the Spirit:
–Love (agape)= not natural. Sacrificial. Definition is 1 Corinth 13. A choice we make. Not for the subject being loved, but for our character/God’s character in us.
–Joy ( ) = Not happiness. Happiness is fleeting/circumstantial. A calm delight that we experience even in the midst of the storm. Not a feeling. Rom 14:17 : For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.) (1 Thess 1:6-7 : And you became imitators of us and the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.) (2 Cor 8:1-2 : We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.) A deep sense of rest and satisfaction.
–Peace (Eivene)= lack of hostility, state of harmony. (Phil 4:7 : And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus). Ex: Paul writing about peace while in prison and Nero the emperor. Wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
–Longsuffering (Mak-roth-um-eo)= Not willing to give an offense/fight back. Suffering to bring glory to Christ. Not responding naturally. (2 Cor 6: 4-10 : but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger, by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything).
–Kindness (Chreos-tot-eos)= gentleness/goodness. A sense of doing what’s right. Offering mercy and forgiveness.
–Goodness (Ag-ath-o-su-neo)= being full of God’s word. Good things in a vessel. Then good things flow from that vessel. We, being clay pots doesn’t change. What changes is what we are filled with.
–Faithfulness (Pistis)= a confident trust in what is unseen but known to be trustworthy. Listed as the first attribute of leaders of the church (2 Tim 2:1-2). Like a faithful employee.
–Gentleness (Praoteos)= meekness, humility. A soft answer turns away wrath.
–Self-Control (Egkrateia)= temperance. Sense of virtue. Not by the human willpower. Not passion. A byproduct of the Word of God in us.
2 Peter 1:5-7 : For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Love, Joy, peace = all take place in our heart. (Goodness)
Longsuffering, kindness, gentleness = shown thru our actions (Righteousness)
Faithfulness, gentleness, self-control= signs of maturity in the Lord (Truth).
-Struggling with your life’s fruits?
What are you rooted in? Have a good root. (John 15:-8 : I m the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Seek guidance by the Spirit.