As we examine the topic of the Holy Spirit, there’s a lot that one can say in regards to this topic, not only as a whole but also how it is under attack. In the past decade or more, we’ve seen the rise of Bethel Church in Redding, California, as well Bethel Music, among their other ministries. We have also seen the rise of the New Apostolic Reformation (N.A.R.), which emphasizes “hearing from the Lord” outside of the Scriptures, as well as the establishment of “apostolic networks”.
One of the most important truths that any Christian can consider is that he/she can know the Lord as He is revealed in the Word. As Christians, the Holy Spirit (according to Jesus’ explanation in John 15-16) teaches us the truth about what is in the Word. The Reformers and the Puritans were men and women who wrote a great deal in regards to defining the Holy Spirit’s person and work. For example, the Genevan Reformer, John Calvin, is considered the theologian of the Holy Spirit. John Owen, the Prince of Puritans, also wrote a great deal on the person and work of the Holy Spirit in his ministry. Both of these men’s works are often incorporated into modern-day Orthodox Evangelical doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
Today our churches need to return to this understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and His work in the life of the Christian. We need to know these realities first from the Word of God, but we also must understand a bit about what the Church has taught regarding the Holy Spirit.
We know that we are living in times where people claim “the Holy Spirit told me”, and they have dreams, “words”, and “visions”. As you will see in this Issue of Theology for Life Magazine, the Holy Spirit is 100% knowable. He is God and He has revealed Himself in the inspired, inerrant, clear, sufficient, and binding Word of God. So, as you read the pages of this magazine, get ready to dig ever deeper into who the Holy Spirit is, what the Holy Spirit is aiming to do in your own life (and in the life of others), and in and through the Church for His glory and honor.
In Christ Alone,
Dave Jenkins
Executive Editor, Theology for Life Magazine
Who is the Holy Spirit? A Theological Examination of His Person and Work
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
