I have never said the Holy Spirit is not working today. The Holy Spirit is indeed working today. He is making intercession for the Christian (Rom. 8:26). He strengthens the Christian in connection with the Word of God (Eph. 3:16). The Holy Spirit is given when one obeys the Lord in water baptism (Acts. 2:38).
It must be remembered that there are varying gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible. Jesus had the gift of the Holy Spirit without measure (Jn. 3:34). The apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:5). There were nine spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit given by the laying on of the apostles’ hands (I Cor. 12; Acts 8:17-18). The Christian receives the gift of the Holy Spirit when he obeys the gospel (Acts 2:38).
We do not have to concern ourselves with the gift of the Holy Spirit without measure, since Christ was the only one to have such. The apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit and they could raise the dead and do other miracles. This cannot be done today, therefore, the baptism of the Holy Spirit no longer exists. Not only is this true, but we do not have the twelve apostles of Christ with us today. Since the gifts of I Cor. 12 were given by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, and since we no longer have the twelve apostles with us, we may conclude that these special gifts no longer exist. We only have the one remaining and this is the gift of the Holy Spirit of Acts 2:38.
The common mistake made today is that of thinking every time the Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit it is speaking of the same measure of the Spirit and this is just not true. The context declares the measure of the Holy Spirit as well as those who received the Holy Spirit.
Many people think the Holy Spirit is like the fog or a smoke. They think the work of the Holy Spirit is mysterious and is closely connected with the modern day concept of a ghost. But we must remember that the Holy Spirit is one of the God- head three. He is in the God family. The Bible always alludes to the Holy Spirit as He (Jn. 16:13). We are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).
The Holy Spirit is co-existent and co-eternal with God. The Godhead three are clearly seen at the baptism of Christ. Christ the Son was being baptized and after His baptism the Holy Spirit came down from heaven and God spoke saying that Christ was His son (Matt. 3:11-17). The Holy Spirit was with God in the beginning (Gen. 1:2). Let us remember that the Holy Spirit is not “it” but “He” and “Him” in the Bible. The Holy Spirit is a personality just as Christ and God are personalities.
-Malcolm Hill
