Nana Yaw Aidoo
“Mainstream Churches of Christ have fallen into the same errors that the denominations find themselves in, on the subject of the Holy Spirit and how He operates. It is evident in our public prayers and it is not uncommon to hear those who lead prayers, petition God to let His Holy Spirit “fill” the preacher and put His words on the tongue of the preacher. Now, what are those who offer such prayers petitioning God for, if not the “direct operation” of His Holy Spirit on the heart and mind of the preacher? My position is that the doctrine of the direct operation of the Holy Spirit on humans today is borderline blasphemy and that brethren, if only they knew and understood the implications of this teaching, would not offer such prayers and would in no way teach or bid Godspeed to this doctrine. The following is a defense of my position.
When David said, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:2), David had not spent one week, reading the Bible, reading study materials and preparing a sermon outline. David was speaking about inspiration. Jeremiah, also, in speaking about his inspiration wrote: “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth” (Jer. 1:9). Of the apostles, Luke wrote: “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Their being filled with the Holy Spirit, coincided with the miraculous ability to speak in tongues and as they spoke, they did so as the Spirit gave them utterance. In other words, they spoke by inspiration. They had not spent the week, reading the Bible and study materials, and preparing a sermon outline. Peter also wrote; “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 Pet. 1:21). Thus, to petition God to allow His Holy Spirit to put His words into the mouth of the preacher or into anyone’s mouth, is to teach that verbal inspiration is still ongoing.
Is that the case? That cannot be for the Bible plainly states that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim. 3:16). And not only is all Scripture inspired, we are emphatically told that we have been given all things we need in Scripture (see 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3). Hence, with Scripture complete, inspiration has ceased. Therefore, anyone who preaches Scripture is not speaking by inspiration but is simply preaching God’s inspired word that has been written down once and for all time.
I even once heard a brother say that whiles meditating on Scripture one time, he began to feel like the Holy Spirit was descending on him. How this brother knew that it was the Holy Spirit, I never knew. However, it is more than evident that brethren are falling into the same “better-felt-than-told” errors of the Pentecostals and Charismatics. I have my guesses why this is happening. Probably we are drinking from denominational wells. The fruit of our teaching indicates its source. A fig tree cannot bear olive berries, remember (Jam. 3:12)? However, above all, I strongly believe that this error is due to a lack of teaching and study on the Holy Spirit, His personality, His mission and His medium of influence.
What does the Bible teach about how the Holy Spirit influences or operates on people today? The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit influences the heart and mind of man, in conviction, conversion and sanctification, indirectly, through the word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). There is not a single influence that He exerts on man directly in conviction, conversion and sanctification. If the Holy Spirit operated directly on the hearts and minds of men today, no one would be able to resist. Anyone with the ability to resist the direct operation of the Holy Spirit would be worthy of worship for only one more powerful than the Omnipotent God of the world could do that. Those in denominations have for years taught this blasphemy. Take for example, this statement as a case in point:
We believe the Scriptures teach that in order to be saved, men must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind; that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel… (Hiscox 63; emphasis mine).
According to Baptists, not only does the Holy Spirit operate directly in addition to the word, in giving a holy disposition to the mind, He does it in an incomprehensible manner in order to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel. We however see in Scripture that when men were operated on directly by the Holy Spirit, they had no control over this direct influence and could not resist it. Contrary to the teaching in the Baptist manual, when the Holy Spirit operates directly on a man’s mind or heart, there is no opportunity for voluntary obedience.
When Balak sent for the gentile prophet Balaam, in order that the prophet would curse the people of Israel, Balaam wanted to do it for the money that was offered him. Yet when Balaam went to Balak, the Bible says “the Spirit of God came upon him” (Num. 24:2). When that happened, Balaam under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit, in that instance, blessed Israel four different times (Num. 23:3ff). Balaam could not resist saying what he said, even if he wanted to.
Also, in one of the series of persecutions that David underwent in the hands of Saul, David fled, went to Samuel and told the prophet all what had happened. When Saul heard of David’s location, he sent three groups of men to murder David. In each instance, “the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied” (1 Sam. 19:20 NKJV). Saul therefore went to the place himself and the Bible says,
the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night (1 Sam. 19:23-24).
We see therefore that, under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit on Saul and on his men, they could not resist even if they wanted to. They had gone down to commit murder but the Holy Spirit influenced them, to do what He wanted them to do and these men could not resist His influence.
Therefore, if like the denominations teach, the Holy Spirit operates directly in conversion and sanctification, then there would not be a single sinner because the Holy Spirit desires the salvation of all men (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). However, we are told that not everyone will be saved. In fact, the majority will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14, 21-23). With this being the case, one implication of the direct operation doctrine is that, the Holy Spirit has selected some individuals to be saved and has condemned the rest of the world to hell. This is “Calvinism” pure and simple and it goes against the nature of our God, who is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6). In fact, He hates partiality to the extent, He has outlawed it among His people and emphatically calls it sin (Jam. 2:1-9).
Another implication is that, the Holy Spirit is derelict in His work of saving people or that He is not powerful enough to lead people to God. However, if He is and yet is allowing people to be lost, then He is not at all good or wise. This is a reflection on the omnipotence and infinite wisdom of our God. This my brethren, is blasphemy and is the reason why at the beginning, I noted that the doctrine of the direct operation of the Holy Spirit is blasphemous to the core. We would do well to think on these things.
Now back to the discussion, it must be noted that when the Holy Spirit influenced directly, the men that we discussed above, He did not “convert” them from their dispositions or intentions against their will. It is evident that if He had converted them from their wickedness directly, they would not have been able to resist. Balaam still went ahead and counseled the Israelites to sin against God, leading to the death of 24, 000 of them (Num. 25:1-9; 31:16; 2 Pet. 2:15; Rev. 2:14). Saul also continued his persecution of David, unabated. Thus, even though the Holy Spirit at one time operated directly on the hearts of men it was not to convert them from sin or to sanctify them. His direct influence on the men had nothing to do with their spiritual states.
This is a Scriptural truth we need to learn and learn again. The direct influence of the Holy Spirit on men never altered any man’s spiritual state. There is not a single instance of the Holy Spirit operating directly on the hearts and minds of men in conviction, conversion and sanctification in the entirety of Scripture. When He operated directly, He did not work through a medium. But in conversion and sanctification, He does not work directly but through a medium. Also, when He operated directly, men did not have a choice and so they could not resist the Holy Spirit. But in conversion and sanctification, He respects the choices of men (Deut. 30:19; Jos. 24:15) and thus men can resist the Holy Spirit if they so wish (Acts 7:51).
We know this to be especially true because even though the Holy Spirit desired the salvation of the Ethiopian (Acts 8:29) and Cornelius (Acts 11:12), He did not operate directly on the hearts of these men to convert them but rather sent preachers to them to preach the word to them. Why did the Holy Spirit not convert them directly? To know this answer is to know how the Holy Spirit converts and sanctifies men.
What then is the medium through which the Holy Spirit works in converting men and sanctifying them? It is the word of God. My thesis is that, the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit influences the heart and mind of man, in conviction, conversion and sanctification, indirectly, through the word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). Where the word of God has not gone, there has not been any Christian.
Jesus Christ said, “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). Paul also wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…” (Rom. 1:16, Emph. NYA). He also wrote,
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain” (1 Cor. 15:1-2, Emph. NYA).
It was by the word of God that Paul preached, that the Corinthians were saved. It was not by the direct operation of the Holy Spirit, neither was it the preaching of the word plus the direct operation of the Holy Spirit like the Baptist manual asserts. It was or is by the preaching of the word and the preaching of the word alone that men were or are saved.
The gospel not the direct operation of the Holy Spirit is God’s power to save. Thus, the psalmist could say, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul” (Psa. 19:7). The word not the direct operation of the Spirit. Also, regarding sanctification, Jesus Christ said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). It is only by taking heed to the word that a young man can cleanse his ways (Psa. 119:9).
Know this dear reader. The Holy Spirit has put forth His converting and sanctifying power in words. When those words are preached or directed to the hearts or understanding of men, and men by their own freewill obey the gospel, they shall be saved and they shall be sanctified. We see then that the Holy Spirit is the one who begins, continues and consummates the conversion of sinners and the sanctification of saints. But He does not do that directly. Rather, He does that indirectly, through the gospel, when men obey it (Eph. 6:17).
An even serious implication of the direct operation doctrine is that, it makes Satan more powerful than God. Satan’s words when heard believed and obeyed by Adam and Eve were enough to lead them astray from God (Gen. 3:1-7). There was no direct operation by Satan on the hearts of Adam and Eve because Satan does not have that much power and yet his words when believed and obeyed were powerful enough to lead astray the first human beings. Yet, according to the direct operation doctrine, God’s words when heard, believed and obeyed by the sinner do not have enough power inherent in them to lead the sinner back to God unless God does something in addition to the word, that is, operate directly on the heart of the sinner before that person can be led back to God. If Satan’s words have much more power than God’s word in conversion, then what is the implication but that Satan is more powerful than God?
Yet, this error has found its way into the Lord’s fold. You might want to read the documentation of this and the manifold errors of so-called mainstream churches of Christ in Jerry Brewer’s book, The Thing That Hath Been. We hear of brethren teaching some supposed illumination by the Holy Spirit on the heart and mind of man before the word of God can be understood. The Bible teaches no such doctrine. God’s word when studied can be understood by both the Christian and the sinner without a direct influence by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 13:14-15; Eph. 3:3-4; 2 Cor. 1:13). The psalmist wrote, “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:104).
We hear of brethren petitioning God to let His Holy Spirit strengthen the saints. The Bible teaches no such doctrine. The Christian is spiritually strengthened by study and application of Scripture and by prayer. Listen to the word; “…increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power…” (Col. 1:10-11).
When Paul admonished the Saints in Ephesus to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6:10), he proceeded to teach them how. It was by putting on the whole armor of God. Now folks, every single one of the elements in the armor of God is supplied by the word of God, except prayer. The word of God is truth (John 17:17), which is the gird. The word of God is righteousness (Psa. 119:172), which is the breastplate. The word of God is the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-2), which is the feet guide. The word of God supplies faith (Rom. 10:17), which is the shield. Those who obey the gospel receive salvation (Mark 16:15-16; Heb. 5:9), which is the helmet. The sword of the Spirit is emphatically called the word and the last of the elements is prayer (Eph. 6:18). We do not receive spiritual strength directly from the Holy Spirit but indirectly when we study scripture, apply it to our lives and pray earnestly.
Some brethren even think the Holy Spirit bears the fruit of the Spirit in them directly. While the source of this fruit is the Holy Spirit, spiritual fruit can only be borne in our lives and abound when we diligently (2 Pet. 1:5, 10) apply God’s word to every facet of our lives. Thus says the word of God; “…whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you since the day we heard of it and heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:5-6).
We believe we can prove this to be the case with regards to things like wisdom and knowledge and whatever influence that the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit exerts on the hearts and minds of men. I reiterate that there is not a single influence that the Holy Spirit exerts on the hearts and minds of men, which He does directly today. Every influence or operation of the Holy Spirit on the hearts and minds of men is exerted indirectly, through the word of God.
I have also heard of some supposed direct “leadings” of the Holy Spirit. In discussing an unscriptural practice with a brother, when I pointed out that there was no authority in Scripture for the said practice, he said we need to be “led by the Spirit.” This brother supposed that we can follow some so-called inner leading of the Spirit and thus do whatever we want, so long as we are sincere. If we allow this buncombe into our midst, we would all end up in eternal destruction. This is the kind of theology that makes some gullible souls end up chewing green grass like farm animals and drinking poison in the name of religion, all because their s0-called preacher told them he had a nudge, which proved that he was being led by the Spirit.
The Bible says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). The one who is led by the Spirit is a son of God. From where do we get information in order to live lives so as to become sons of God, if not the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16-17)? To be led is to be guided. How then does the Spirit guide or lead us? Listen; “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Psa. 73:24).
It is disheartening to read statements like this one from those who should know better: “It is the word of God which brings the believer to the Spirit. But as faith is nurtured by the word, the believer experiences a relationship with the Spirit which transcends the printed page” (qtd. in Brewer 58; emphasis in original)
I would to God that brethren would open their Bibles and study these issues for themselves. If we do, we might not be in the mainstream of the church but we will be in the mainstream of the faith.
Works Cited
Brewer, Jerry C. The Thing That Hath Been. vol. 2, Elk City, Oklahoma, Brewer Publications, 2020.
Hiscox, Edward T. The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches. Philadelphia, American Baptist Publication Society, 1903.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Consider the following quotations from websites of “Mainstream Churches of Christ” who teach that the Holy Spirit directly enters every person who is a Christian:
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, whose indwelling at baptism enables Christians to lead a godly life. (John 16:4-16; Romans 8:9-26; Acts 2:38-39; 2 Corinth. 3:17-18; Ephesians 3:20-21) (Grace Crossing [A Community Church of Christ], Conroe, Texas).
We believe that belief, repentance, confession of the identity of Christ, and immersion (baptism) for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift, are essential for salvation. Acts 2:38 (Northridge church of Christ, Shawnee, Okla.).
We Believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. The Holy Spirit also empowers believers for service and seals them unto the day of redemption (Wilbarger Street church of Christ, Vernon, Texas).
We believe as a baptized believer that the Holy Spirit comes alongside and lives in the heart of the believer and provides comfort, strength, and direction to live the Christian life (John 14:16-17, John 15:26; Ephesians 1:13) (New Life church of Christ, St. Louis, Mo.).
Today, he is involved in the spiritual formation of every person when he baptizes us in the waters of baptism (Acts 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Jesus sent him to live inside every baptized believer so that we can become sons and daughters of God (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit now comforts us in our times of distress and weakness. He intercedes for us before the Father in our inadequate prayers (Romans 8:14-17, 26-27). He searches our hearts and knows our every thought (1 Corinthians 2:10). He convicts us to live righteous lives, exposes the sin of the world and serves as a reminder of the coming judgment (John 16:7-11) (Faith Village church of Christ, Wichita Falls, Texas).
Gospel Minutes (GM) is a weekly mainstream periodical that has a reputation among churches of Christ as a source of “sound teaching”—a reputation that is undeserved. For years, the editors of Gospel Minutes have teetered between truth and error, misusing and misapplying Scriptures to fit their theories, and mainstream churches pass out hundreds of copies each week to gullible members. The current co-editor, David Thurman, is no exception. The following question was printed in Gospel Minutes Oct. 4, 2019: “Dear Mr. Thurman: Please explain John 14:16. Who is this other comforter? I thought Jesus was and is our comforter. J.T. AZ”
Thurman replied:
I will let Jesus answer this question directly. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17 NASB). Jesus has just told the apostles that He would soon leave them (John 13:33, 36) and they were upset by the news (John 14:1). To relieve their fears, He promised them the Holy Spirit to be the comfort and helper in His absence.
This same Spirit is promised to all who are saved. “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). Every person saved has this comforter (the Holy Spirit) within. The Spirit lives in us giving us comfort and encouragement while we await our eternal home in the presence of God and Jesus. Jesus did not want to leave His apostles (and all others who were saved) alone in this world. So, He promised a comforter (the Holy Spirit) to be within us to give us peace and confidence as we navigate the Christian life.
Whether brethren are absolutely ignorant, have no desire to learn the truth, are simply too lazy to study, or merely regurgitate Pentecostal doctrine is a question not easily answered. Whatever the cause, David Thurman teaches Pentecostal doctrine in Gospel Minutes.
Thurman couples Peter’s promise in Acts 2:28—“the gift of the Holy Spirit”—with Jesus’ promise to His apostles in John 13 and 14, but was not made to mankind in general. The Comforter was the Holy Spirit Who imparted power to the apostles on Pentecost (cf. Mark 9:1; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4) and “the gift of the Holy Spirit” is not “a comforter (the Holy Spirit) to be within us to give us peace and confidence…” The gift of the Holy Spirit was miraculous power imparted to Christians in the first century by the laying of an apostle’s hands. What Peter quoted from Joel (Acts 2:17-21, cf. Joel 2:28-32) was the promise of miraculous power and that was never given to “every person saved”—then or now.
