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 PrintableVersion The message of the Holy SpiritLawless Spirit?THE MESSAGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Keith Warrington, Vice-Principal of (the Elim Pentecostal) Regents Theological College, has written this book not primarily as the ‘development of a dogmatic theology of the Spirit’, but as ‘a theological exploration, practical and biblically based, of the person of the Spirit’. He assures us that the Holy Spirit invites us to explore him, and then discusses biblical metaphors for the Spirit — oil, fire, dove, wind. The Spirit is studied from Genesis and Judges, the Gospels of Luke and John, the Acts and then four epistles — Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians. Especially helpful are the insistence on the compatibility of suffering and the presence of the Spirit; and the emphasis on benefit to others when he discusses spiritual gifts (which he does from a non-cessationist viewpoint which is assumed more than argued). Frequently Warrington speaks of the Spirit as ‘personal mentor’ to the believer as he encourages believers to appreciate their relationship with him. One reservation is about the form of the book. It does not claim to be systematic theology, but the sequential exposition of passages is not in itself biblical theology either. There is a lack of cohesion, progress and development which belies the series subtitle ‘Bible Themes’. More serious, however, were theological issues arising in Warrington’s exposition of the epistles, particularly Romans and Galatians. First, he asserts several times that the Spirit has replaced the Law as the guide to personal holiness. It is not just that the Spirit empowers the believer to do what the Law can only demand, but that ‘the law is no longer to be their guide, for the Spirit is their superior mentor’; ‘the law had now been superseded as the ethical guide of the believer’ (p.155). He appears to be saying that the Spirit gives a higher standard of righteousness than the Law. Warrington nowhere tells us what the new ethic is; could it really be higher than the commands to love God with all our heart and mind and strength and our neighbour as ourselves? And what law does the Spirit cause to be written in our hearts? He also argues (p.156) that, because Jesus has fulfilled the law for us, the believer is no longer bound to the requirements of the law. This is plain old-fashioned antinomianism. What about, ‘For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished’ (Matthew 5.18)? Second, what is his view of Scripture? I quote: ‘Sometimes the Spirit speaks through the Bible…’, but also: ‘The Spirit speaks through circumstances as well as conscience, through music and word, through scenery and sacrament, through silence and sound, or through an inner sense or feeling that one should or should not take a particular action’ (195). We should learn to listen to the Spirit in different ways, ‘reading the Bible or another piece of literature…’(p.246). Of course, caveats are given about the great responsibility this puts on Christians to discern aright, but his approach simply encourages subjectivism and a devaluing of the Word. If the publishers are content with this stance on the Holy Spirit, perhaps they should re-title their series: ‘The Bible (among many other things) Speaks Today’. Far better is the conclusion of John Calvin, ‘theologian of the Holy Spirit’: ‘…the Holy Spirit so inheres in his truth, which he expresses in Scripture, that only when its proper reverence and dignity are given to the Word does the Holy Spirit show forth his power’ (Institutes, I.ix.3). One element we lack in our modern world, says Warrington, is silence, to listen to the Spirit as we should. Perhaps, rather, we need that silence to spend time getting to know God’s Word as we should. In that way we most honour the Spirit who gave the Word, and seek him where he may be found. There are many good books on the Holy Spirit available; despite some good things in this one, it is difficult to recommend it. Mostyn Roberts,
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