Gospel of John [Joh 16:12-15]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 33. Eph 5:18; Joh 16:6; 1Th 5:19.Title: Gospel of John [Joh 16:12-15]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 33. Eph 5:18; Joh 16:6; 1Th 5:19.
The nature of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Every historic instance of the filling of the Spirit illustrates the principle that only Christians yielded to God are filled.
The filling of the Spirit is commanded of every believer. As a present imperative it is to be constant and daily.
There are no commands to be baptized by the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, or sealed by Him. Yet, being filled is a command.
Eph 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise,
Eph 5:16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
"be filled" - present passive imperative of plhro,w[pleroo] = to be filled, to be made full. Present imperative = keep on being filled.
The verb pletho is used in every instance except Act 13:52 and Eph 5:18, where pleroo is used.
Pletho - "What wholly takes possession of the mind, is said to fill it."
Pleroo - "to pervade, to take possession of" [Thayer's Greek English Lexicon]
Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
Eph 5:21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
In the Upper Room the disciples were filled with sorrow, but the Spirit’s ministry will turn that to joy.
Joy - Eph 5:19-21.
Joh 16:6 "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
filled - perfect active indicative of pleroo. Sorrow has filled them since the Lord began to teach them this night since they actively sought to look at these things from human viewpoint and that sorrow will remain until something replaces it.
Joh 16:7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
The filling of sorrow will turn to the filling of joy and the Spirit.
Act 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, since it is a command to keep on being filled with the Spirit it is possible for a Christian not to be filled. We are never warned to seek for any other ministry of the Spirit save this one.
The filling of the Spirit is contrasted to the baptism of the Spirit, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the sealing of the Spirit. Confusing these has led to many false doctrines.
Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
The contrast with the state of intoxication is obvious.
Instead of being constantly in a state of being drunk, the entire faculties of the mind and body being subject to its power and influence, the Christian should be constantly filled with the Spirit.
The verb "do not get drunk" is also a present passive imperative.
I am thus commanded to be continually yielded to the Spirit. It is a moment by moment relationship which may be hindered by sin or self-reliance. It is never a question of a so-called second work of grace or some epochal, emotional experience. It is a submission to the will of the Trinity and a complete reliance on their gifts in grace. And so it is based on a system of thinking in grace and not some special experience.
The filling of the Spirit has been shown to be the ministry accomplished in the believer fully yielded to His control. We see in the book of Acts that it was a repeated experience. All believers can be filled with the Spirit. It is not exclusive to any type of believer, but given in grace to all. It will only be hindered and limited by the believer's choice for his flesh in the realms of sin and self-reliance. Yet he can, in grace, adjust his thinking to the will of God and be filled and walk by the Spirit without looking back and without guilt or condemnation.
Conditions for the filling of the Spirit.
There are three specific instances in the Scripture that addresses the work of the Spirit in the believer. Two of them are negative and the third is positive.
As usual, these verses should be noted in context.
1The 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.
1The 4:2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
1The 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
1The 4:4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
1The 4:5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles [heathens] who do not know God;
1The 4:6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.
1The 4:7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.
1Thes 4:8 Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
1The 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
1The 4:10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,
1The 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you;
1The 4:12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
Then he reminds them of the teaching concerning the Rapture.
1The 5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
1The 5:2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
1The 5:3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1The 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief;
1The 5:5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
1The 5:6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
1The 5:7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
1The 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
1The 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
1The 5:10 who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.
1The 5:11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
1Thes 5:12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,
1Thes 5:13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
1Thes 5:14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly [disorderly, slacking like soldiers out of formation], encourage the fainthearted [literally - small soul], help [hold fast] the weak [without strength], be patient with all men.
1Thes 5:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after [present active imperative] that which is good for one another and for all men.
1Thes 5:16 Rejoice always [present active imperative];
1Thes 5:17 pray without ceasing [present middle imperative];
1Thes 5:18 in everything give thanks [present active imperative]; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1Thes 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit [present active imperative];
1Thes 5:20 do not despise prophetic utterances [present active imperative].
1Thes 5:21 But examine everything carefully [present active imperative]; hold fast to that which is good [present active imperative];
1Thes 5:22 abstain from every form of evil [present middle imperative].
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