INTRODUCTION


Christianity is differentiated from all the other religions by the fact
that it offers its followers a spiritual dynamic in living up to its
precepts. That dynamic is the Holy Spirit, that sets the word of God on
fire, warms the church from coldness to enthusiasm, and strengthens the
Christian with a power not his own in the great battle between the flesh
and the spirit.

Christianity is unique in making this offer. No other religion has any
equivalent for it. The Holy Spirit is not obtained from the deductions
of logic, the conclusions of philosophy nor from the investigations of
science. All these are as silent as the grave regarding his presence and
potency.

It is solely and distinctly a matter of divine revelation. It is not my
purpose, therefore, to view this subject in the light of philosophic
induction, logical deduction nor scientific investigation, but solely in
the light of God's revelation. I shall gather the teaching of God's word
around several important phases of the nature, mission and work of the
Spirit. I do not speculate upon what God may do through his Spirit; I
put no limit upon the power of the Spirit. He may work in a thousand
ways, for aught I know. I am treating solely of that work of the Spirit
which God has made plain in his revealed word.

For the sake of simplifying the treatment of the subject, I shall use
the words "Spirit" and "Holy Spirit" instead of other terms used in the
Scriptures. The Old Testament has eighty-eight distinct references to
the Holy Spirit. In these references there are eighteen names applied.