Q & R with Brad Jersak: In whom and when does the Holy Spirit “enter” us?

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Question: 

Thanks, Brad for bringing so much needed clarity to the issues in your blog posts.

I would love to see more information in regards to the work of Holy Spirit. When does he enter, manifesting his presence as sons, etc.?

Response: 

That’s an excellent question, the answer to which has filled volumes of books for two millennia. My brief response will cover just the two major features of your question:

First, “When does the Holy Spirit enter”? Some say we all “receive” the Spirit when we first come to faith in Christ, others say it happens at our baptism, while still others associate the “baptism of the Spirit” as a subsequent outpouring with some sort of visible evidence. Ironically, the debates around this question have been as unspiritual as any other factious religious debate.

I would rather approach your question with a prayer: “Abba, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit” and following Paul, “I’d like to keep being filled” (Ephesians 5:18). It’s better not to think of this “filling” spatially (like a bucket being filled) but instead, as a child who is continually being nourished (filled) as she continues to grow toward maturity in Christ.  

Of course, “enter” itself is a spatial metaphor. It sounds as if we are containers and only certain people has the Spirit “in” them and to various volumes (“be filled!”). But hang on, hasn’t the Spirit also been “poured out on all flesh” (Acts 2)? And didn’t Christ say the Spirit would testify as a witness concerning Christ? (John 15:26)? In other words, the Spirit doesn’t only guide Christians, but actively directs all people toward Christ. 

So there’s a both/and here that is illustrated beautifully in the story of Cornelius (Acts 10). First, the Spirit is a witness, actively leading Cornelius to Christ. And then as he hears the Good News of Jesus, Cornelius also experiences the Spirit “falls on” him and “fill him” as his heart responds to the gospel. The Spirit had already “entered” Cornelius’ life as a guide on the path… and the Spirit’s work culminates in Cornelius’ encounter with Jesus, confirming Peter’s message.

Second, you mentioned “manifesting his presence as sons,” an allusions to Romans 8. Where do we start? Paul describes us as living in or by the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit living in us. He talks about those who have the Spirit, who belong to the Spirit and who are led by the Spirit. Paul looks for evidence of those in whom the Spirit lives by watching who the Spirit leads—as confirmation that they are, evidently, God’s children. That brings us to the Spirit-children connection in verses 14-17:

  • 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

What’s most important to me in this section is the Spirit’s work of transformation: rescuing us from slavery to fear and bringing us into our identity as God’s children. The key phrase is, “By him we cry, Abba,” because the Spirit testifies that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16). 

Here’s the difficult part. What does Paul mean? What is our invitation? Is it, “The good news is if you come to Jesus and receive the Spirit, you’ll become God’s child”? Or is it, “The good news is that the Spirit has come to tell you, “You’re God’s child! You can live in that Love now!”   

Regardless of Paul’s intent, I see the second version at work in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. I imagine it was the Spirit who brought the young man to his senses, reminding him of his Abba and prompting him to return home. Even then, the son imagined he had disqualified himself and could at best be one of the servants. Nevertheless, the Spirit guided his footsteps homeward and his Abba came running to greet “this son of mine!”

I’ll leave you to meditate on Romans 8 and its implications, but what I’m sure of is that Jesus Christ uniquely reveals God as Abba and the Holy Spirit of Grace opens our hearts from within to know that we are indeed God’s sons and daughters. 

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