* There is the GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(Ac. 10:45).
This is the fullness of God in us.
The Holy Spirit is the Gift. Though we receive the Holy Spirit in our regeneration (Ro. 8:9), we do not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit until we make total commitment, absolute surrender, complete consecration (Ac. 15:8-9). God intended from the beginning that we would have the fullness of His Spirit, but God allows believers the opportunity to choose holiness of heart and life, and then He gives us the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts (1 Th. 4:7-8; 1 Th. 5:23-24), and empower us for service (Lk. 24:49; Ac. 1:8).
* There are the GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the Gift. Though we receive the Holy Spirit in our regeneration (Ro. 8:9), we do not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit until we make total commitment, absolute surrender, complete consecration (Ac. 15:8-9). God intended from the beginning that we would have the fullness of His Spirit, but God allows believers the opportunity to choose holiness of heart and life, and then He gives us the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts (1 Th. 4:7-8; 1 Th. 5:23-24), and empower us for service (Lk. 24:49; Ac. 1:8).
* There are the GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(1 Co. 12:4; He. 2:4).
These are the tools that God gives to us.
The Holy Spirit comes into our lives at regeneration (Jn. 3:5; 2 Pe. 1:4) and He imparts to us spiritual abilities for serving Him. These gifts are the spiritual tools the Holy Spirit gives to believers. Though we receive gifts from the Holy Spirit at conversion, we are not spiritually equipped to use them fully until we are purified and filled with the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world, but before they did, they needed to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the purifying of the Holy Spirit. The gifts are tools, the Gift is God in us. Think about the people who use their gifts, but are not controlled and led and purified and empowered by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (Partial lists of the gifts: Ro. 12:5-8; 1 Co. 12:7-11, 28-31; chs 13-14; Ep. 4:7-12; 1 Pe. 4:9-11).
* There is the FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit comes into our lives at regeneration (Jn. 3:5; 2 Pe. 1:4) and He imparts to us spiritual abilities for serving Him. These gifts are the spiritual tools the Holy Spirit gives to believers. Though we receive gifts from the Holy Spirit at conversion, we are not spiritually equipped to use them fully until we are purified and filled with the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world, but before they did, they needed to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the purifying of the Holy Spirit. The gifts are tools, the Gift is God in us. Think about the people who use their gifts, but are not controlled and led and purified and empowered by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (Partial lists of the gifts: Ro. 12:5-8; 1 Co. 12:7-11, 28-31; chs 13-14; Ep. 4:7-12; 1 Pe. 4:9-11).
* There is the FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(one fruit with various characteristics).
This is the character that God produces in us.
This is the character that God produces in us.
The character that is inherent to the Holy Spirit is manifested through several spiritual traits in the believer. Believers are created in righteousness and true holiness (Ep 4:34), which holiness is observable through the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Ga. 5:22-25). A related passage concerning the developmental work of God in the believer is found in 2 Pe. 1:4-11.
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