OverviewThis is a short document outlining the predominant roles of the Holy Spirit in relation to a believer's life. No claims are made on comprehensiveness. The basis for this outline was a class taught by Dr. Donald Fowler on Acts in 2006. Dr. Fowler has recently put together a slideshow presentation which outlines many of these same features.
RolesRegenerationReferences: John 3:3-8, 6:63; Titus 3:5 - This is the "moment" of salvation: *
- No one can be regenerated without the Holy Spirit dragging them (John 6:44)
- Anyone who has every received salvation must have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit
IndwellingReferences: John 14:17; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19 - This ministry begins immediately at regeneration and never ends: *→ → → →
- Everyone who has ever been regenerated has had the indwelling of the Spirit
- Old Testament saints
- Luke 1-3
SealingReferences: 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13 - This ministry begins immediately at regeneration and never ends: *→ → → →
- This is our promise and pledge, our salvation is sealed by the Holy Spirit
BaptismReferences: Acts 1:5, 10:44-48, 11:15-16; 1 Corinthians 12:13 - This ministry begins immediately at regeneration and never ends: *→ → → →
- Could be alternate nomenclature for Indwelling ministry
- If there is a difference it is in that the Holy Spirit baptizes all of us into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13)
FillingReferences: Ephesians 5:18, Very common in the NT - This ministry begins immediately at regeneration and throughout a believer's life: *→*→*→*→*
- This is where we experience the Holy Spirit in filling us
- Acts 2 falls into this category – Holy Spirit enabling the disciples to evangelize (see Acts 1:8)
- This typically happens in order to accomplish a divine task
- OT: Saul was given the enabling the Spirit and then God took the enabling away - “Do not quench the Spirit”
- The word “joy” always accompanies the task oriented filling of the Holy Spirit in Acts
John's Gospel- John 7:39 – Holy Spirit not given because Jesus is not glorified
- John 14:17 – Holy Spirit is abiding in you and will
- John 16:7 – Jesus must go away for Holy Spirit to come
- John 20:22 – Jesus breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 24:49)
- This is a filling of the Spirit
- Probably to enable the disciples to get them from where they are to Pentecost when they receive the Holy Spirit to evangelize
Further reading | 