READING • MARK 1
God works by His Spirit
The Bible presents the Holy Spirit as God's power at work: in creation, in revelation, in the birth and ministry of Jesus, and in the special gifts given to the apostles. To understand the Holy Spirit, we must begin with the way Scripture itself uses the expression.
The Spirit of God in creation
The Bible begins by directing our attention to God as Creator. Creation was not the result of chance. God spoke, and His purpose was accomplished.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1 • King James Version
“And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
Genesis 1:2 • King James Version
The same chapter immediately records God speaking: “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Psalm 33 brings these ideas together: God speaks, and His power accomplishes His will.
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. ... For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.”
Psalm 33:6, 9 • King James Version
Inspiration and the Spirit of God
God also used His Spirit to reveal His message. The Bible was written by many different servants of God over many centuries, yet its great themes form one connected message because the writers did not simply invent their teaching.
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
2 Peter 1:21 • King James Version
In the Bible, prophecy is not limited to predicting the future. A prophet is one who speaks a message from God. The Spirit of God enabled His servants to communicate what He wanted His people to know.
What does the Bible say God does by His Spirit?
The expression “Spirit of God” appears in many different settings. The following references show the breadth of its use:
WORK OF THE SPIRIT
EXAMPLES
WHAT WE LEARN
Creation
Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30
God uses His power to create and sustain life.
Knowledge
Psalm 139:7-12
Nothing is beyond God’s presence or knowledge.
Strength for service
Judges 6:34; 11:29
God empowered chosen servants for particular tasks.
Revelation
Micah 3:8; Nehemiah 9:30; 2 Peter 1:21
God’s message was given through inspired servants.
“Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit”
The King James Version often uses the expression “Holy Ghost”. In older English, “ghost” could mean “spirit”. For clarity in ordinary modern English, this course normally says “Holy Spirit”, while Bible quotations retain the exact King James wording.
What Christadelphians understand by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not a separate God or a third divine person. Christadelphians understand the Holy Spirit to be the power of the one God, by which He carries out His purpose.
The Holy Spirit and the birth of Jesus
The miraculous conception of Jesus was brought about by the power of God. Matthew records:
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”
Matthew 1:18 • King James Version
This agrees with the angel’s words to Mary in Luke 1:35. Jesus was therefore the Son of God: his birth was the direct result of God’s power, not of a human father.
The Spirit given to Jesus without measure
At his baptism Jesus received the Holy Spirit. John later wrote of him:
“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
John 3:34 • King James Version
Jesus used the power given to him in complete obedience to his Father. His miracles were not performed for self-display, but as signs of God’s work and as acts of compassion. Isaiah had foretold the character of his ministry:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ... to proclaim liberty to the captives ...”
Isaiah 61:1 (excerpt) • King James Version
The disciples were promised the Holy Spirit
Before his death Jesus told the apostles that after he had gone away the Father would give them the help they needed. They had heard and seen Jesus throughout his ministry; the Spirit would help them remember his teaching accurately and continue the work he had given them.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
John 14:26 • King James Version
The King James word “Comforter” describes one who comes alongside to help. In this setting the promised Holy Spirit would teach the apostles and bring Jesus’ words to their remembrance.
Why is the Spirit sometimes spoken of as “he”?
Jesus sometimes speaks of the Holy Spirit in personal language. Christadelphians do not understand this to mean that the Spirit is a separate divine person. The Bible often uses personification: it speaks of something as though it were a person in order to describe its activity vividly.
EXAMPLE OF PERSONIFICATION
WHAT IT MEANS
Psalm 65:13 — valleys “shout for joy” and “sing”.
The valleys are not literally people; the language vividly describes abundance and joy.
Proverbs 3:13-18 — wisdom is spoken of as “she”.
Wisdom is described personally to show its beauty and value.
John 14:26 — the Comforter “shall teach” and “bring ... to remembrance”.
The language describes the real activity of God’s Spirit among the apostles.
The Spirit is God at work.
The Father is the source; His Spirit is the power by which His purpose is carried out.
The promise was fulfilled at Pentecost
After his resurrection Jesus told the apostles to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the promised gift from the Father:
“For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
Acts 1:5 • King James Version
Acts 2 records the fulfilment. There came a sound “as of a rushing mighty wind”, and “cloven tongues like as of fire” appeared and rested upon them. The apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:1-4).
A visible beginning to the apostles’ work
The signs at Pentecost showed that the power came from God. The apostles were equipped to witness about the risen Jesus and to establish the first-century ecclesias.
What were the Spirit gifts for?
In the first century, God gave special Spirit gifts for particular purposes. The apostles preached in places where the New Testament had not yet been completed or widely available. Miraculous gifts confirmed the message and helped the early ecclesias to be established.
GIFT OR WORK
NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
PURPOSE
Speaking in languages
Acts 2:4-11
Enabled the Gospel to be heard by people from many lands.
Healing
Acts 3:1-10
Showed God’s power and compassion and confirmed the apostolic message.
Inspired teaching
John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 12
Guided the first-century believers before the New Testament was complete.
Signs and wonders
Acts 4:29-31; Hebrews 2:3-4
Provided divine testimony to the message being preached.
Are miraculous Spirit gifts given today?
The original lesson teaches that the special miraculous powers used in establishing the first-century ecclesias were later withdrawn. This is the Christadelphian understanding of the New Testament evidence. Lesson 21 considers Holy Spirit gifts in more detail and explains why Christadelphians do not expect believers today to possess the apostolic miraculous gifts.
This does not mean that God is inactive. He remains the living Creator and Ruler of all things. The question is how He has chosen to instruct and guide His people in the present age.
God speaks to us through His Word
The same Spirit that moved the prophets has given us the Scriptures. We therefore come into contact with God’s revealed mind by reading, understanding and obeying His Word. Jesus said:
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:63 • King James Version
The Bible does not merely give information. When its message is believed and obeyed it can change the way we think, speak and live. Peter therefore urged believers:
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
1 Peter 2:2 • King James Version
The Spirit-inspired Word
We should not look for a private message that replaces Scripture. God has given us His Word, produced by inspiration, so that we can learn His will and allow His teaching to shape our lives.
The Holy Spirit in one view
SETTING
WHAT THE SPIRIT DID
RESULT
Creation
God’s power carried out His command.
The created order came into being.
Revelation
God moved His prophets and apostles.
His message was preserved in Scripture.
Jesus
God caused his birth and empowered his ministry.
The Son of God spoke and acted with divine authority.
Apostolic age
God gave special gifts to the apostles and early ecclesias.
The Gospel was confirmed and the ecclesias were established.
SUMMARY
1
The Holy Spirit is the power of God.
By His Spirit God carries out His purpose in creation, revelation and salvation.
2
The Scriptures were given by inspiration.
Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
3
Jesus was born by the power of the Holy Spirit.
His Father was God, and at his baptism the Spirit was given to him without measure.
4
The apostles received special Spirit power.
The promise was fulfilled at Pentecost and enabled their first-century witness.
5
The miraculous gifts had a particular purpose.
Christadelphians understand them to have belonged to the apostolic period; Lesson 21 examines this further.
6
God has given us His Spirit-inspired Word.
We should read it prayerfully, believe it and allow it to change our lives.
Chapters to read
Acts 10:34-43; John 14; Acts 2
LEARN BY HEART • MARK 16:15-16
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Mark 16:15-16 • King James Version
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