Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Power: 53. The After-Teaching

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Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Power: 53. The After-Teaching



TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Power (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 53. The After-Teaching

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The After-Teaching

The after-Pentecost teaching, that is the personal relation to the Spirit by one who has received Him today, may best be learned from the epistles. Paul's letters form the bulk of the New Testament after the Book of Acts is passed. They contain the Spirit's after-teaching regarding much which the disciples were not yet able to receive from Jesus' own lips. They were written to churches that were far from ideal. They were composed largely of people dug out of the darkest heathenism. And with the infinite patience and tact of the Spirit Paul writes to them with a pen dipped in his own heart.

A rather careful run through these thirteen letters brings to view two things about the relation of these people to the Holy Spirit. First there are certain allusions or references to the Spirit, and then certain exhortations. Note first these allusions. (1Th_4:8, 1Co_12:1-11, 2Co_11:4, Gal_3:2-5; Gal_4:6; Gal_5:5; Gal_5:18; Gal_5:22-25, Rom_8:1-27; Rom_15:13, Col_1:8, Php_3:3, Tit_3:5-6) They are numerous. In them it is constantly assumed that these people have received the Holy Spirit. Paul's dealing with the twelve disciples whom he found at Ephesus (Act_19:1-7) suggests his habit in dealing with all whom he taught. Reading that incident in connection with these letters seems to suggest that in every place he laid great stress upon the necessity of the Spirit's control in every life. And now in writing back to these friends nearly all the allusions to the Spirit are in language that assumes that they have surrendered fully and been filled with His presence.

There are just four exhortations about the Holy Spirit. It is significant to notice what these are not. They are not exhorted to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit nor to wait for the filling. There is no word about refillings, fresh baptisms or anointings. For these people, unlike most of us today, have been thoroughly instructed regarding the Spirit and presumably have had the great radical experience of His full incoming. On the other hand notice what these exhortations are. To the Thessalonians in his first letter he says, "Quench not the Spirit." (1Th_5:19) To the disciples scattered throughout the province of Galatia who had been much disturbed by false leaders he gives a rule to be followed, "Walk by the Spirit." (Gal_5:16) The other two of these incisive words of advice are found in the Ephesian letter—"Grieve not the Spirit of God" (Eph_4:30) and "be ye filled with the Spirit." (Eph_5:18)

These exhortations like the allusions assume that they have received the Spirit, and know that they have. The last quoted, "be ye filled," may seem at first flush to be an exception to this, but I think we shall see in a moment that a clearer rendering takes away this seeming, and shows it as agreeing with the others in the general teaching.

This letter to the Ephesians may perhaps be taken as a fair index of the New Testament teaching on this matter after the descent of the Spirit; the after-teaching promised by Jesus. It bears evidence of being a sort of circular letter intended to be sent in turn to a number of the churches, and is therefore a still better illustration of the after-teaching. The latter half of the letter is dealing wholly with this question of the day-by-day life after the distinct act of surrender and infilling. Here are found two companion exhortations. One is negative; the other positive. The two together suggest the rounded truth which we are now seeking. On one side is this:—"Grieve not the Spirit of God," and on the other side is this:—"be ye filling with the Spirit." Bishop H. C. G. Moule calls attention to the more nearly accurate reading of this last,—"be ye filling with the Spirit." That suggests two things, a habitual inflow, and, that it depends on us to keep the inlets ever open. Now around about these two companion exhortations are gathered two groups of friendly counsels. One group is about the grieving things which must be avoided. The other group is about the positive things to be cultivated. And the inference of the whole passage is that this avoiding and this cultivating result in the habitual filling of the Spirit's presence.