By R.C. Sproul
The topic of the Holy Spirit is one I have
been thinking about for awhile and most books I looked at seemed to be very
deep with much theology. So when I came
upon the Crucial Questions Series by Sproul and his booklet about the Spirit I
felt I had hit the jackpot. This series
takes topics and discusses them in a pared down way. So I felt this would be a beginning way to
look at the topic of the Holy Spirit.
Sproul opens the booklet with a story of
his fiancée's conversion and her recognition that the Spirit is a person and not
a thing. He goes on to say that it is
important for Christians to know who the Holy Spirit is. Since the Biblical teaching on the Holy
Spirit is extensive this booklet provides basic answers to the question of who
the Spirit is and then touches briefly on some of the important roles He plays
in the lives of believers.
Sproul begins with a discussion of the Trinity;
he explains that in the Godhead there is one being with three persons. Already this sounds confusing but with
references to scripture and a measured approached the reader is introduced to
the Holy Spirit as a person who empowers the people of God not just an abstract
force.
The next chapters describe the Holy Spirit
as:
- The Life Giver
- The Advocate
- The Sanctifier
- The Anointer
- The Illuminator
These chapters were not easy reads, but
Sproul’s use of personal reflections and stories, and references to scripture
help the reader to answer the question of who the Spirit is. The chapter that I found most interesting was
The Anointer. This chapter looked at the Spirit’s work in the Old
Testament. When I think of the Holy
Spirit, Pentecost comes to mind. I have
never really thought about His work in the Old Testament, so this chapter
opened a whole new meaning of who He is and his role in scripture.
I do recommend reading this booklet on the
Holy Spirit. It is less than a 100 pages
and it will expand your understanding of His role in the Trinity. Also the good news is that the booklet is
easily down loaded from the Internet so you do not have to go searching for it! Ed. Note: epub and mobi files available here.
In his introduction Sproul suggests that if
you wish a fuller examination of the subject to see his book The Mystery of the Holy Spirit.
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