What I wish particularly to dwell on is the grand truth itself of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and this distinguished from any workings of His power by particular members. These gifts differ, but the gift itself is and must be the same Holy Spirit. Here we speak of a divine person, who comes down to dwell in each Christian and in the church. It is evidently destructive of the truth for one to speak of differences in Him. There may be a variety of forms and measures in which His power is displayed; there may be and are different degrees in which the joy of His presence is entered into, but the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer who rests now on finished redemption in Christ Jesus.
The Double Sign
Besides, there is also the circumstance of His being not only in us, but with us. Accordingly, we find that while the tongues of fire rested on each, there was also a rushing mighty wind which filled all the house. There was thus what may be called a double sign of the presence of the Spirit of God —that which abode upon each person, but also that which in a general way filled the house where they were seated. We may see in the Book of the Acts that the Holy Spirit was there among them as well as in each of them.
We do well to take special heed to God’s inspired account of the day of Pentecost. Jesus “being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost . . . hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” That is, there were palpable tokens before them and evidenced by them of the accomplishment of the promise of the Father. The promised Holy Spirit was not in itself a thing of sense, but, nevertheless, there was external power which accompanied it. This is of great importance to distinguish, because otherwise men are in danger, in consequence of the absence of these outward signs, of overlooking and denying that incomparable gift which was always above its effects. Whatever the importance of these signs, they were but the accompanying voucher to man of the gift and presence of the Spirit as a new thing upon the earth.
Other Works of the Holy Spirit
When the Apostle exhorted them to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, you will note what follows: “And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Surely when they repented, it was not without the Holy Spirit. When they received the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and found in Him remission and were baptized thereon, it will not be doubted that the Holy Spirit must have given them repentance and faith in His name. Therefore it is evident that the reception of the Holy Spirit as here spoken of has nothing whatever to do with the bringing men to believe and to repent. It is a subsequent operation; it is an additional separate blessing; it is a privilege founded on faith already actively working in the heart.
“the Gift” and Gifts
“The gift of the Holy Ghost” never means the gifts. There are many who confound the gift with the gifts. They are never mixed together in the Word of God; they in no way convey the same thought. There is even a different word — not in our language, but in that which the Holy Spirit employed. The two things are invariably distinct. Both might, of course, be given on the very same occasion. A man might have the gift and enjoy the presence of the Spirit of God in his soul. He might also be empowered of the Spirit to carry out the gospel to the world, or be made a teacher or pastor in the assembly. Still the gift of the Holy Spirit is another privilege altogether. It is the Holy Spirit Himself given, and not merely the power with which He invests a person for special purposes. The gift of the Holy Spirit was that common blessing which was conferred on every soul that repented and was baptized.
W. Kelly, adapted from Lectures on the
New Testament Doctrine of the Holy Spirit