RELATION OF HOLY SPIRIT WITH MAN (HS book) pt 4

PART III: THE PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE SPIRIT

Virgil Warren, PhD

            How God works in us through his Spirit should have (1) a positive basis rather than one we cannot disprove. We should look for (2) what the prediction of the model is in which Christian operations take place. Interpersonal reality implies what is natural to interpersonal process. Feelings, urges, spontaneous ideas, and the like we should understood in an interpersonal sense rather than assigned to the Spirit in a special sense if we have no way of recognizing that the Spirit is their source to the exclusion of other possibilities. Finally, we should try to determine (3) what is left when control tests are applied. If the same experiences occur in other religions or with non-religious circumstances, we should not assign those experiences to the Spirit as directly or specially caused. If we cannot tell the difference, we should not understand them as supernatural, much less claim that they are supernatural.

I. Natural products of the relationship between the Holy Spirit and a person

            A.  Conversion

                  1.   Basic nature of the inter-operation in conversion

                        a.   Interpersonal

                              (1)    In consequence of Part I and Part II above

                              (2)    Ontic regeneration not necessary (not miraculous necessarily)

                        b.   Indirect

                              (1)    Model

                              (2)    Imperceptibility of God

                                       (a)     Motive behind the incarnation: John 1:18

                                       (b)    No one has ever seen God in his own nature—only in manifestation: Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 6:46; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16; Hebrews 11:27; 1 Peter 1:8; 1 John 4:12, 20.

                                       (c)     Samson did not know that the Spirit had left him (Judges

                                                16:20).

                                       (d)    “We will be like him and see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

                                       (e)     Appearing angels: to be perceived, the spirit world in general

                                                must be manifested to us.

                              (3)    Relationship to apologetics

                                       Even Christians may have a sense of the real presence of God—by the impact of nature, by inference from human relationships, by a built-in sense of need, for example. That awareness of God’s awareness may help precipitate commitment.

                        Conversion is by faith, not perception (2 Corinthians 5:7). The Spirit’s influence is typically indirect; his connection with us is not that of supernatural operation performed on us directly, on our nature. Giving people the Great Commission itself implies that conversion is indirect.

                  2.   Knowledge of the relationship possibility through scripture’s promise

                  3.   Terminology associated with the Holy Spirit after conversion

                        A different word does not necessarily mean a different thing. It may address a different aspect of the same thing, a different connection between that thing and related things, or be another word picture for the same thing.

                        a.   The concept of “indwelling” (see subsequent documents)

                        b.   The concept of “being filled with the Spirit” (see subsequent

                              documents)

                        c.   The expression “baptism in the Holy Spirit” (see subsequent

                              documents)

                        d.   The term “gift(s) of the Holy Spirit” (see subsequent documents)

                        e.   The “earnest of the Spirit” (see subsequent documents)

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