The Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost so as to aid the Growth of the Church.
1. The Holy Spirit and the Universal Church. He formed it. Willmington p.651
Eph 2:19 So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
Eph 2:20 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Eph 2:21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
Eph 2:22 in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
Barnes Notes.
In whom - In Christ, or on Christ, as the solid and precious foundation.
Ye also are builded together - You are built into that, or constitute a part of it. You are not merely “added” to it, but you constitute a part of the building.
For an habitation of God - For the indwelling, or the dwelling-place, of God. Formerly he dwelt in the temple. Now He dwells in the church, and in the hearts of His people; see the notes at 2Co_6:16.
Application: The church is His Building, His Holy Temple. He indwells the church. Therefore we should live holy lives.
2. The Holy Spirit and the Local Church.
a. He desires to inspire its worship. Phil 3.3. For we are the true circumcision, worshipping by the Spirit of God, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh,
which worship God in the spirit. The object of worship is "God", and Him only; not a creature animate or inanimate, stocks or stones, beasts, birds, men, or angels; only God, Father, Son, and Spirit:
that the Father is to be worshipped, is not disputed, see Joh_4:21; and the Son is to be worshipped with the same worship the Father is; since he is in the form of God, and equal to him, is the Creator of all the Lord of angels and men, and is to be, and is worshipped by both; prayer is made unto him, baptism is administered in his name, and trust and confidence are placed in him; and so is the Holy Ghost, he being equally God with the Father and the Son, and therefore the same homage is to be given to him as to them: and so some indeed read the words here, "which worship God the Spirit"; or the Spirit, who is God. "Worship" is either inward or outward; inward worship lies in the exercise of grace on God, as ointed Ministryof faith, hope, love, fear, &c. outward worship is the performance of certain external actions required by God, and both are to be performed: and it is also either private or public; private worship is in the closet, or in the family, and consists of praying, singing of praises, &c. public worship lies in tire observance of the outward ordinances of preaching, praying, hearing singing, &c. in the church of God; even all such ordinances as God has appointed, which are recorded in the Scriptures, and are confirmed by the authority of Christ. The manner in which worship is to be performed, is "in the Spirit"; either in and with the Spirit of God, without whose grace and assistance no part of it can be performed well. And the Alexandrian copy reads, "which worship in the Spirit of God"; J.Gill
If allowed by the Pastor AND THE PEOPLE, the Spirit of God can guarantee both the presence and power of God at each church meeting.
b. He desires to direct the Missionary Outreach of the Local church.
Act 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near, and join yourself to this chariot."
Act 8:30 And Phillip, running up to it, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Indeed, do you know what you are reading?"
Act 13:1 Now there were some in the church being in Antioch who were prophets and teachers: Both Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Act 13:2 Now as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them."
Act 13:3 Then, fasting and praying, and laying their hands on them, they sent them away.
Act 13:4 These two therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
2. They were fasting and praying when the Holy Spirit spoke.’
3. They commissioned Saul and Barnabas by the Laying on of hands.
4. They acknowledged that they were sent forth by the Holy Spirit.
5. Missionary Work is a separate Calling of the Holy Spirit
c The Holy Spirit desires to Inspire the Singing of the Church
Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Eph 5:20 giving thanks always concerning all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1. Be being filled with the Holy Spirit v.18 [but keep on being filled with the Spirit.This
should be a continual process.
2. Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, The Continual process is expressed in Psalms and Spiritual Songs.cp
1 Cor 14”15 Jon Gill “,I will pray with the Spirit; meaning not with the human breath, or spirit only, vocally, with an articulate voice, and distinct sounds, so as to he understood; nor with his own spirit, or in a spiritual way, with a spirit of devotion and fervency, with his whole heart and soul engaged in such service, though this is necessary to it; nor with the common and ordinary assistance of the Spirit of God, though without this prayer cannot be performed aright, with faith and fervency, freedom and boldness; but with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, so as to pray in an extraordinary manner, with divers tongues, in an unknown language; this, as the apostle was capable of, he determined to use at proper times, and on proper occasions: but then he also resolves,
and I will pray with the understanding also; not merely so as to understand himself, or with an understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God; with a spiritual experimental understanding of things, so as to know the object of prayer, the way of access to him, the need of the Spirit's influence, his own wants and necessities, and that he shall have the petitions he asks in faith, according to the will of God, all which is very requisite in prayer; but so as to be understood by others: his sense is, that though on some occasions he might choose to make use of his extraordinary gift, yet he would also pray in a language, in which he might be understood by the people; that so they might be able to join with him, and receive some fruit and advantage thereby; and that their souls might be refreshed, as well as his:
I will sing with the Spirit; meaning also not with the spirit, or breath, singing vocally only; nor with his own Spirit, with his heart engaged in the work, with grace in it, in the lively exercise of faith, hope, and love, with much spiritual light, knowledge, experience, and judgment, which are very necessary to the due discharge of this duty; nor merely with the ordinary aid of the Spirit of God, which yet is greatly needful to excite attention, assist meditation, enlighten the understanding, raise the affections, strengthen faith, and make a comfortable application of what is sung; but as before, with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, by which the apostle was capable of delivering out a psalm, or hymn, extempore, and that in an unknown tongue: but then he also determines,
d. The Holy Spirit desires to appoint its Preachers.
Act 20:28 Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, [overseers],to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.
Over the which the Holy Ghost - Though they had been appointed, doubtless, by the church, or by the apostles, yet it is here represented as having been done by the Holy Spirit. It was by him:
(1) Because he had called and qualified them for their work; and,
(2) Because they had been set apart in accordance with his direction and will.
Overseers - ἐπισκόπους episkopous. “Bishops.” The word properly denotes those who are appointed “to oversee or inspect anything.” This passage proves that the name “bishop” was applicable to elders; that in the time of the apostles, the name “bishop” and “presbyter,” or “elder,” was given to the same class of officers, and, of course, that there was no distinction between them. One term was originally used to denote “office,” the other term denotes “age,” and both words were applied to the same persons in the congregation. The same thing occurs in Tit_1:5-7, where those who in Tit_1:5 are called “elders,” are in Tit_1:7 called “bishops.” See also 1Ti_3:1-10; Phi_1:1.
To feed - ποιμαίνειν poimainein. This word is properly applied to the care which a shepherd exercises over his flock. See the notes on Joh_21:15-16. It is applicable not only to the act of feeding a flock, but also to that of protecting, guiding, and guarding it. It here denotes not merely the “duty” of instructing the church, but also of “governing” it; of “securing” it from enemies Act_20:29, and of “directing” its affairs so as to promote its edification and peace.
e. He desires to anoint its preachers.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
And my speech, and my preaching,.... As he determined, so he acted. As the subject matter of his ministry was not any of the liberal arts and sciences, or the philosophy and dry morality of the Gentiles, but salvation by a crucified Christ; so his style, his diction, his language used in preaching,
was not with enticing words of man's wisdom; with technical words, words of art, contrived by human wisdom to captivate the affections; and with bare probable arguments only, a show of reason to persuade the mind to an assent, when nothing solid and substantial is advanced, only a run of words artfully put together, without any strength of argument in them; a method used by the false teachers, and which the apostle here strikes at, and tacitly condemns:
but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; partly by making use of solid proofs out of the writings of the Old Testament, indited by the Spirit of God, and which amounted to a demonstration of the truths he delivered; and partly by signs, and wonders, and miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, those extraordinary instances of divine power, which greatly confirmed the doctrines he preached: and besides all these, the Spirit of God wonderfully assisted him in his work, both as to words and matter; directing him, what to say, and in what form, in words, not which human wisdom taught, but which the Holy Ghost taught; and accompanying his ministry with his power, to the conversion, comfort, edification, and salvation of many.
f. He desires to warn its members.
1Ti 4:1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
1Ti 4:2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.
Notes
But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith,
He himself elsewhere refers to this same prophecy, and John also more than once mentions it; compare 2 Thes. 2; 1Jo_2:18; Rev_20:1-15. From 2Th_2:5, it would seem that this was a truth which had before been communicated to the apostle Paul, and that he had dwelt on it when he preached the gospel in Thessalonica. There is no improbability, however, in the supposition that so important a subject was communicated directly by the Holy Spirit to others of the apostles.
Speaketh expressly - In express words, ῥητῶς rētōs. It was not by mere hints, and symbols, and shadowy images of the future; it was in an open and plain manner - in so many words. The object of this statement seems to be to call the attention of Timothy to it in an emphatic manner, and to show the importance of attending to it.
That in the latter times - Under the last dispensation, during which the affairs of the world would close; see the notes on Heb_1:2. It does not mean that this would occur “just before” the end of the world, but that it would take place during “that last dispensation,” and that the end of the world would not happen until this should take place; see the notes on 2Th_2:3.
Some shall depart from the faith - The Greek word here - ἀποστήσονται apostēsontai - is that from which we have derived the word “apostatize,” and would be properly so rendered here. The meaning is, that they would “apostatize” from the belief of the truths of the gospel.
g. He desires to determine its decisions.
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
Act 15:29 that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.
This important decision of the jerusalem Council in Acts 15 shows the cooperation between the Holy Spirit and the early church. Willmington. Not just democratic processes but a combined Theocratic-democratic process should be the aim.
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