The Spirit is much spoken of throughout the whole course of Scripture. We are introduced to it as early as the first chapter of Genesis, and only part from its company in the last chapter of Revelation. We get a key to the subject in the fact testified, that the Father is "spirit" in His personal substance (" God is spirit "--John iv, 24), and that the spirit in its diffusion has to do with the Father, for He styles it "My spirit" (Gen. vi, 3). Nehemiah says, Thou "testifiedst against them (our fathers) by THY SPIRIT in Thy prophets" (Nehem. ix, 30). The Father and the Spirit are one. Yet there is a distinction between the Father and the Spirit as to the form in which they are presented to our apprehension. Of the former, as we have seen, it is testified that He dwells "in heaven--in unapproachable light," and is therefore, located; while of the latter, it is declared that it is everywhere alike.
"Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell (or the grave, or unseen place), behold, Thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me; if I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. Yea. the darkness hideth not from Thee, but the night shineth as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee" (Psa. cxxxix, 7-12).
But, in addition to its universality of diffusion, the Spirit is also presented in the aspect of an agency used by the Father in the accomplishment of His designs. Thus, in speaking of the origin of the various tribes of living creatures that inhabit the earth. David says, "Thou sendest forth THY SPIRIT, they are created: and Thou renewest the face of the earth" (Psa. civ, 30). Again, "By His spirit He hath garnished the heavens" (Job xxvi, 13). Again, "The spirit of God hath made me; and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life" (chap. xxxiii. 4)." The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. i. 2). Also, how frequently throughout the history of Israel we read the words that the "Spirit of God came upon" this and that prophet, when anything wonderful was accomplished (e.g., Jud. xv, 14). All prophecy and revelation were communicated in the same way. "Thou testifiedst ... by Thy spirit in Thy prophets" (Nehem. ix, 30). "I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord" (Micah iii, 8). "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Pet. i, 21).
It will occur to every reflecting mind that if this spirit is an actual element in universal creation, its presence ought to be detected in the course of the extensive and relentless researches now and for many years going on into the secrets of nature, in the laboratory of the experimental chemist. It may shock the current theological mind to suggest so intimate a relation between the Deity and His works. But the higher forms of intelligence cannot exclude the perception that if God has evolved the material universe out of His own energy, and sustains and controls it by His power, that energy cannot be a nullity, but must be an actually present force in the economy of things.
Now, it is a fact that in our day, there has been discovered a subtle, unanalysable, incomprehensible principle, which, though inscrutable in its essence, is found to be at the basis of all the phenomena of nature--itself eluding the test of chemistry or the deductions of philosophy. Scientists have called it ELECTRCITY. This is everywhere, and is the foundation of all organisation, in fact, of all substance, whether organised or unorganised. MATTER in every form is but a combination of grosser elements held together by electricity. Electricity governs the laws of an animal's life and a planet's motion---omnipotent under the hand of intelligence to destroy or build up.
What is this? The name "Electricity" tells nothing; that really means "amber-icity" (electron being the Greek word for amber), and was adopted as the name of the inscrutable element from the circumstance that its existence was first discovered from the friction of amber. Could a better name be devised than what the Scriptures have given it--SPIRIT? It is one of the highest proofs of the truth of Jewish revelation, that its disclosure of the Deity in His relation to the universe coincides with the facts brought to light by the researches of the human intellect in the field of nature.
The employment of this element in accomplishing the designs of intelligence, is illustrated in the facts of animal magnetism, mesmerism, biology, table rapping, clairvoyance, and "spiritualism." In these sciences and systems--(some of them ignorantly made the basis of pretensions to divine prescience and authority) --men make use of the divine "ruach" which they naturally possess, to accomplish results which cannot be developed apart from the action of willpower. Though animals have the same spirit, they lack the intelligence to use it in this form. They use it all up in the mere process of existence. Men having intelligence, find this wonderful agent at their command to a limited degree. One man can influence another by it. Inanimate objects can be moved. Distant facts and occurrences can, in a high state of nervous susceptibility, be perceived by it. Unopened letters can be read; and numberless other prodigies accomplished, made familiar by science and the facts of "spiritualism "--a false and absurd system, based upon misunderstood facts of nature.
We are thus enabled to comprehend the relation assigned in the Scriptures to this universal, invisible agent, in the operations of Deity. If a human being, who is but the faint image of the divine, can in certain stages, have his powers of cognition extended beyond his material person by the action of spirit, it is easy to conceive that the Deity's observation and presence are as universal and infinite as spirit itself. If a human being can move a needle, lift a table, and compel another to act without the intervention of material instrumentality, by the employment of this invisible fluid as the medium of his will, what difficulty is there in understanding the Deity, who is infinite, doing anything He may will to do, and communicating a revelation of Himself to chosen men in the way recorded in the Scriptures?
Spirit concentrated under the Almighty's will, becomes Holy Spirit, as distinct from spirit in its free, spontaneous form. In the one, we are in the domain of fixed law; in the other, God is in communion with us for words of wisdom or works of power, independently of fixed law. It is given to but few to experience this form of the Spirit's manifestation. It is given to none in the present day. The apostles were the recipients of it on the day of Pentecost. Its power was real and felt. Its influx was accompanied with the sound of a mighty wind, that shook the material fabric of the building in which they were assembled. Its results were manifest. God's hand was 'upon the apostles, and they were endowed with powers above natural law. Their faculties were preternaturally exercised. They were enabled by the Spirit to speak fluently in languages they had never learnt; not in unknown tongues, but words which were identified by the bystanders as the current languages of the time. These bystanders were Jews and proselytes from the various countries of the globe, assembled to keep the feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem. When they heard the apostles, they said:--
"Are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man IN OUR OWN TONGUE wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God" (Acts ii, 7-11).
By the same power, the apostles were instructed in things they did not know naturally, according to the promise of Christ. "When he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he shall show you things to come" (John xvi, 13). It also endowed them with miraculous power, evinced in the instantaneous cure of disease, the raising of the dead, and other wonderful works. The Spirit was the medium, instrumentality, or power by which these things were done. It was a reality, a palpably present something pervading the persons of the apostles. Thus, from the body of Paul "were brought unto the sick, handkerchiefs, or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them" (Acts xix, 11, 12). The healing spirit-power in Paul could be conveyed in conducting media, and brought medically to bear on the afflicted. Thus, also the shadow of Peter crossing the sick was efficacious for cure (Acts v, 15). The same peculiarity is apparent in the case of Jesus, to whom the Spirit was given without measure (John iii, 34). When a certain afflicted woman in a crowd came stealthily behind him and touched the hem of his garment, that she might receive benefit, Jesus "perceived that virtue had gone out of him" (Luke viii. 46; Matt. xiv, 35, 36).
These miraculous powers were necessary to qualify the apostles for the performance of the work they had to do. That work was to bear witness to the resurrection of Christ (Acts i, 22), as the basis of the truth built upon that fact. Now, how could they have done this with any effect of their testimony had not been miraculously confirmed? How could they have obtained credence to the naturally incredible announcement that a man publicly executed by the Romans, had been secretly raised from the dead, unless their words had been confirmed by the power alleged to be on their side? It is true the apostles were witnesses, in a natural sense, of the fact that Christ was alive, and would have steadily maintained their testimony to the fact, even if God had not worked with them, but how could the work of getting many to believe their testimony have been accomplished? The earnest protestation of belief on the part of the apostles, though it might have influenced a few, could not have produced that widespread conviction which was necessary to the creation of the Body of Christ.
The effusion of the Holy Spirit did this. By the manifestation of supernatural powers, it bore witness to the truth of what the apostles declared. It is said, "They went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the ward with signs following" (Mark xvi, 20). Paul describes the case in similar terms:-- "The great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit" (Heb. ii, 3, 4). In this sense, the Holy Spirit is styled a witness of Christ's resurrection; "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree .... and we are His witnesses of these things, and so is also the HOLY SPIRIT, whom God hath given to them that obey Him" (Acts v. 30-32). This is in accordance with what Christ had said: "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning" (John xv, 26, 27).
The power granted to the apostles for the confirmation of their testimony, was deposited in them as heavenly treasure in an earthen vessel, and they had the power of imparting it to others. This is evident from an incident recorded in Acts viii. Philip, the evangelist, went down to Samaria, and so proclaimed the truth (of which miraculous attestation was produced by him), that many believed and were baptised; but these did not at the time receive the gift of the Holy Spirit:-
" Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.* And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that, on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts viii, 14-19).
This power of bestowing the Spirit was invariably exercised where the truth was received. In almost every case recorded, the reception of the Spirit followed the reception of the truth. It was, indeed, a matter of promise that this should be so. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said, "Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; for the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts ii, 38,39). This promise was realised in the experience of the churches founded in the days of the apostles. The spirit distributed to believers its preternatural powers in different forms and degrees. Paul says:-
" There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will" (1 Cor. xii, 6-11).
The object of this general diffusion of spiritual power in apostolic times, is thus stated by Paul:--" He gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers, 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 the stature of the fulness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. iv, 11-14).
(* In the common version, "ghost" is given as the translation of pneuma; this ought in every case to be rendered spirit; "ghost" is an obsolete Saxon term, which needlessly mystifies the idea expressed by pneuma and ruach.)
This is perfectly intelligible. If the early churches, consisting of men and women fresh from the abominations and immoralities of heathenism, and without the authoritative standard of the completed Scripture which now exists, had been left to the mere power of apostolic tradition intellectually received, they could not have held together. The winds of doctrine, blowing about through the activity of "men of corrupt minds," would have broken them from their moorings, and they would have been tossed to and fro in the billows of uncertain and conflicting report and opinion, and finally stranded in hopeless shipwreck. This catastrophe was prevented by the gifts of the spirit. Properly qualified men, as to moral and intellectual parts, were made the repositories of these gifts, and empowered to "speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority." They "ruled" the communities over which they were placed, feeding the flock of God over which the Holy Spirit had made them overseers, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock (Acts xx, 28; I Peter v, 2, 3). In this way the early churches were built up and edified. The work of the apostles was conserved, improved, and carried to a consummation. The faith was completed and consolidated by the voice of inspiration, speaking through the spiritually-appointed leaders of the churches. By this means the results of gospel-preaching in the first century, when there were no railways, telegraphs, or other means of a rapid circulation of ideas, instead of evaporating to nothing, as, otherwise, they would have done, were secured and made permanent, both as regards that generation and succeeding centuries.
But it must be obvious that the case stands very differently now. There is no manifestation of the Spirit in these days. The power of continuing the manifestation doubtless died with the apostles; not that God could not have transferred it to others, but that He selected them as the channels of its bestowment in their age, and never, so far as we have any evidence, appointed "successors." There are many who claim to be their successors; but it is not the word but the power of a man that must be taken as the test in this matter. Let those who think they have the Spirit produce their evidences. There is a great outcry about the Holy Spirit in popular preaching; but nothing more. There are phenomena which are considered outpourings of the Holy Spirit; but they bear no resemblance to those of apostolic experience, and, therefore, must be rejected. They are explicable on natural principles.
When an exciting and highly mesmeric preacher gets a crowded audience, it is not a great wonder if his inflammatory exertions are successful in stimulating the susceptible among his hearers, to a state of mind corresponding with his own. He but uses a natural means, which evokes a natural result. If any of the natural conditions are wanting, the result is impaired to that extent. The "spirit," for instance, never descends to the same extent at an outdoor meeting as in a crowded chapel, especially if the day be windy. It is not dispensed so liberally to half-filled as to well-occupied pews. It does not come so quickly at the bidding of a dull temperament and barren imagination, especially if the man be of small stature--as it does to that of a lusty, exciteable, well-built man, or a nervous, wiry, emphatic man. The reason is, that all these conditions are unfavourable to the play of the latent magnetism of the human system.
Were it the Holy Spirit that attended these operations, it would overleap all barriers, and not only so, but its result would be of a more worthy and permanent character than the impressions made at "revival meetings," and rather more in harmony with what the Spirit has said through its ancient media, than the sentiments induced at these gatherings. But the fact is, it is not the Holy Spirit at all. It is the mere spirit of the flesh worked up into a religious excitement, through the influence of fear--an excitement which subsides as rapidly as the agency of its inception is withdrawn.
The result of an intelligent apprehension of what the word of God teaches and requires, is different from this; this has its seat in the judgment, and lays hold of the entire mental man, creating new ideas and new affections, and, in general, evolving a "new man." In this work, the Spirit has no participation, except in the shape of the written word. This is the product of the Spirit--the ideas of the Spirit reduced to writing by the ancient men who were moved by it. It is, therefore, the instrumentality of the Spirit, historically wielded: the sword of the Spirit by a metaphor which contemplates the Spirit in prophets and apostles in ancient times, as the warrior. By this, men may be subdued to God--that is enlightened, purified, and saved, if they receive the word into good and honest hearts, and "bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." By this they may become "spiritually minded," which is "life and peace" (Rom. viii, 6). The present days are barren days, as regards the Spirit's direct operations. They are the days predicted in the following language:--
"I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, AND SHALL NOT FIND IT" (Amos viii, 11-12).
"Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seers be ashamed and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer of God" (Mic. iii, 6-7).
(by Robert Roberts, from Christendom Astray From the Bible).