Spirit was still to continue its work, to enlighten, warn, and comfort
the children of God.
Jesus promised His disciples, “The Comforter which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you
all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you.” “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will
guide you into all truth: ... and He will show you things to come.”
John 14:26
;
16:13
. Scripture plainly teaches that these promises, so
far from being limited to apostolic days, extend to the church of Christ
in all ages. The Saviour assures His followers, “I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world.”
Matthew 28:20
. And Paul declares
that the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit were set in the church
“for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
[ix]
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:12, 13
.
For the believers at Ephesus the apostle prayed, “That the God
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the
Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes
of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is
the hope of His calling, and ... what is the exceeding greatness of His
power to usward who believe.”
Ephesians 1:17-19
. The ministry of
the divine Spirit in enlightening the understanding and opening to the
mind the deep things of God’s holy word, was the blessing which Paul
thus besought for the Ephesian church.
After the wonderful manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost, Peter exhorted the people to repentance and baptism in the
name of Christ, for the remission of their sins; and he said: “Ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call.”
Acts 2:38, 39
.
In immediate connection with the scenes of the great day of God,
the Lord by the prophet Joel has promised a special manifestation of
His Spirit.
Joel 2:28
. This prophecy received a partial fulfillment in
the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost; but it will reach
its full accomplishment in the manifestation of divine grace which will
attend the closing work of the gospel.