The Acts of the Holy Spirit: Tracing His Work in the Early Church Discerning His Life-Giving Presence Today
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Book may have numerous typos missing text images or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1895. Excerpt: ... THE PRESENCE AND PRESIDENCY OF THE SPIRIT The word "presence" implies personality as we more correctly use it. And the fifth chapter of the Acts of the Holy Ghost contains an unmistakable unveiling of the fact that he is a Person present and presiding in the church. When Ananias and Sapphira conspired in a sin of sacrilege keeping back in part what being already given unto God was to be ranked among "devoted" things they committed Joshua vn. a1 a sin similar to that of Achan and a6 visited with like penalties. The noticeable feature however is not this correspondence so much as the indirect but unquestionable witness to the individuality personality presence and presidency of the Spirit. Peter said to Ananias "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to Lie To The Holy Ghost?" And afterward to Sapphira "How is it that ye have agreed together to TEMPT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD?" Let us mark also how he added to his rebuke to Ananias "Thou hast not lied unto men but UNTO GOD." Thus in one transaction so briefly recorded we are vividly impressed with three facts all the more impressive because assumed to be facts and needing no argument or even direct assertion: 1. The Spirit is a person with personal attributes. 2. The Spirit is God not only having divinity but deity. 3. The Spirit is the presiding presence in the church. If the Holy Spirit were as some would have us believe only "a thin and shadowy effluence proceeding from God " as the breath exhales from ones body such language as is here used would be absurdly inappropriate. It is plain that a man cannot "lie" to an influence or effluence or "tempt" and defraud anything less than a person. Moreover it is distinctly affirmed that in thus lying " unto the Holy Ghost " Ananias had lied "not unto men ...
