Being Filled with the Spirit: Mystical or Moral?
Quick quiz: who were the first people in Scripture to be filled with the Holy Spirit? If you guessed someone in the book of Acts, let alone the New Testament, you’re an entire testament too late. The answer: Bezalel and Oholiab, the tabernacle artisans. Exodus 31:3 states, “I have filled [them] with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship.” Not only do most of us get the answer to that question wrong, but we’re possibly even more astounded by what being filled with the Spirit looks like in that specific passage.
Few areas in theology are talked about more and studied less than the Holy Spirit.[1] Our church conversations are full of talk concerning the third member of the Godhead, yet our books are often empty.[2] We sing often of the Spirit,[3] asking Him not only to fill a specific place, but even the entire atmosphere.[4] We often describe our services as “Spirit-filled,” whether contemporary or traditional; yet we frequently fail to ask what it means for the Spirit to fill something—let alone us. In many ways, the Spirit has become, as Francis Chan uniquely phrased it, “the forgotten God.”[5] Still, we haven’t entirely forgotten Him. Some might argue that we talk about the Spirit a lot, and maybe even in the wrong ways. For this reason, we find ourselves in a peculiar chasm of the church.
This past semester I had the opportunity to teach a course at Welch College on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. In many ways, this course may have been more beneficial for me than for my students. Preparing, reading, thinking, and praying in preparation for this course, I was astonished by all that I didn’t know about the Holy Spirit. I came to the realization that, at least in my own life, I was anemic when it came to an understanding of the Spirit.
While we could explore a variety of different aspects on the topic of the Spirit, I believe the most common misconception concerns the filling of the Spirit. Ultimately, we must answer two questions concerning this filling. First, what is it? And second, what does it look like? Thankfully, Scripture has not left us to our own devices. The clearest picture we have of Spirit-filling appears in Ephesians 5:18-21.
Self-Control or Spiritual Inebriation?
First, we must answer the question of what the fullness of the Spirit is. To begin, there is a specific difference between “baptism” of the Spirit, and “fullness” of the Spirit.[6] Throughout Scripture, Spirit baptism is a one-time action. Christians are never commanded to be baptized by the Spirit; in all seven New Testament references to Spirit baptism, all are in the indicative, and none in the imperative (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:4-5; Acts 11:16 and 1 Cor. 12:13).[7] This, along with other reasons, should help us reason that Spirit baptism occurs in tandem with regeneration.
However, fullness of the Spirit is different. To be filled with the Sprit is a continual appropriation.[8] New Testament authors often command (imperative) believers to be continually filled with the Spirit (Jn. 7:37-39; Eph. 5:18). Unlike Spirit baptism, Spirit filling is a continuous action for the Christian.
Of particular interest is how the apostle Paul couches this command to be filled by the Spirit.[9] He writes, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” This command by Paul not to get drunk with wine, but rather to be filled by the Spirit has caused some confusion. On a plain reading of the text, the command not to get drunk can seem helpful, but somewhat arbitrary. Yet as commentators have explored it further, they have come to two conclusions. Either Paul is arguing for a different kind of drunkenness (in the Spirit), or he is drawing a contrast. John Stott believes that he is drawing a contrast; and I believe he is right:
We can indeed agree that in both drunkenness and the fullness of the Spirit, two strong influences are at work within us, alcohol in the bloodstream and the Holy Spirit in our hearts. But, whereas excessive alcohol leads to unrestrained and irrational license, transforming the drunkard into an animal, the fullness of the Spirit leads to restrained and rational moral behavior, transforming the Christian into the image of Christ. Thus, the results of being under the influence of spirits on the one hand and the Holy Spirit of God on the other are totally and utterly different. One makes us like beasts, the other like Christ.[10]
Thus, to be Spirit filled is actually the opposite of uncontrolled behavior. It should come as no surprise that the Sprit’s filling would be illustrated by one element of His fruit: self-control.
Characteristics of Being Filled with the Spirit
Ephesians 5 is profoundly helpful description it gives. While the beginning of the passage tells us what being filled with the Holy Spirit is not, the latter part of the passage tells us clearly what it is. Beginning with verse 19, the passage gives four characteristics of someone who is filled with the Spirit. They are:
- Fellowship with believers (v. 19).
- Singing to the Lord (v. 19).
- Always giving thanks to God (v. 20).
- Submitting to one another (v. 21).
What we might find surprising about these characteristics is how commonplace they are. For all that we talk about the Spirit, the characteristics of His filling are, well, ordinary. Yet they stress two colossal points: to be filled with the Spirit is to be at peace (1) with God and (2) our fellow man. Thus, manifestations of the Spirit’s filling may seem all too common, but their foundation is in the glorious truth of the Gospel. In an ordinary way they demonstrate the extraordinary wonder of the Gospel: that Christ has reconciled us to God (cf., Eph. 2).
What we don’t find in this passage is a description of something more mystical and abstract. Where contemporary literature, theology, and music might encourage us toward a more numinous spirituality, the opposite is true of Paul’s exhortation.
Conclusion
We find ourselves at a divide when it comes to the Spirit’s work . Often we want to paint His work in more mystical terms. While Scripture certainly talks about the miraculous work of the Spirit in the New Testament, we also find more ordinary means as the third member of the Trinity works in and through us.
The next time we pray or preach on the Spirit’s filling, remember that it is something much closer in reach than we may have thought. When we describe our services as “Spirit-filled,” we can go to Scripture to see how we measure up in our congregational life. All in all, as we encourage our people to allow the Spirit to do a wondrous work in their lives, we can remind them that the miraculous can happen even (and sometimes exclusively) through the mundane.
____________________
Recommended Reading
John Stott, Baptism and Fullness: The Work of the Holy Spirit
W.A. Criswell, The Holy Spirit in Today’s World
Sinclair Ferguson, The Holy Spirit
Thomas Oden, Systematic Theology, Vol. III: Life in the Spirit
Christopher Wright, Knowing the Holy Spirit through the Old Testament
[1] Intriguingly, more popular systematics, like Wayne Grudem’s for instance, have a chapter devoted to the “Works of the Holy Spirit,” but not one to the Spirit Himself.
[2] I am thankful for my fellow contributor Matthew Bracey, who has written on the subject of the Holy Spirit here, here, here and here.
[3] It is interesting to note the surge that contemporary music has seen in mentioning the Holy Spirit. While the majority of this can be ascribed to the charismatic influence of most CCM music, it is hopeful that there will continue to be more music written that discusses and mentions the Holy Spirit.
[4] Kari Jobe ft. Cody Carnes, “Holy Spirit” from “Majestic”, mp3, Sparrow Records, 2014.
[5] Francis Chan and Danae Yonkoski, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2009).
[6] While time does not allow an exploration here, John Stott’s brief book Baptism and Fullness is a wonderful commentary on the differences between these terms.
[7] John Stott, Baptism and Fullness: The Work of the Holy Spirit Today (Downers Grove: IVP Books, 1964), 65.
[8] Ibid., 68.
[9] This is a continual command: we should continually be filled by the Spirit; it is not a one-time action.
[10] Stott, Baptism and Fullness, 74.
Recent Comments