The Spirit and the Word: A Treatise on the Holy Spirit in the Light of a Rational Interpretation of the Word of TruthSweeney, Z. T. (Zachary Taylor)
Religion
The Spirit and the Word: A Treatise on the Holy Spirit in the Light of a Rational Interpretation of the Word of Truth
Sweeney, Z. T. (Zachary Taylor)
Holy Spirit
There are some who claim that "the gift of the Spirit" is one that
belongs to all who obey the gospel to-day, that it is independent of the
instrumentality of the gospel, and is the peculiar heritage of those
who repent and are baptized for the remission of sins; that it performs
a work in them other than is performed by the Spirit operating through
the truth. There are others who claim that the "gift of the Spirit" was
a supernatural power and was conferred on persons to qualify them to do
a work or works peculiar to the age of miracles which obtained in the
apostolic church. The only way to settle this is by appealing to (1) the
consciousness of individuals, (2) to the Divine Word.
Before appealing to either of these tribunals, there are a few facts
that we must consider. (1) _This is the only passage in the New
Testament that connects "the gift of the Spirit" with obedience to the
gospel in the preaching of the apostles_. We have remission of sins so
connected on various occasions (see Acts 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18,
etc., etc.), but nowhere else is this "gift of the Spirit" promised. If
it is to be as universal as "remission of sins," ought it not to have
the same prominence in apostolic preaching? This is an important factor
in settling the matter. (2) In the only instance in which it is promised
it is inexorably connected with _baptism for the remission of sins_. It
is promised to no others, and all others are ruled out by the explicit
terms of the promise.
With these facts before us, let us now _appeal to the consciousness of
the individual_. If we consider numbers, it is safe to say that
ninety-five per cent. of those who to-day claim "the gift of the Spirit"
have never been baptized for the remission of sins. _They have never
performed the conditions upon which the gift was bestowed_. Are they
competent to testify? Of the remaining five per cent., there is not one
who can give any definite reason why he is _conscious_ of the personal
indwelling of the Spirit within him. To demonstrate my statement I
appeal to the consciousness of my readers. Are you _conscious_ of any
influence within you except a holy joy that comes from obedience to the
will of God? If you are not, what evidence have you that the Spirit
personally dwells in you? So much for the argument from consciousness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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