We fail miserably to understand the present ministry of the Holy Spirit if we do not see that as the Lord and Giver of life, the primary aspects of his work in this age are to give his people a supernatural boldness to be Christ's witnesses by empowering them to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen, and to be responsible for the regeneration and conversion of a lost soul (Ti. 3:5). Only God the Holy Spirit can give new life to someone who is dead in trespasses and sin (Jn. 3:3-16; Eph. 2:5). Therefore, no debate about the present work of the Holy Spirit is complete if it does not focus on the fact that whenever anyone comes to Jesus Christ through faith, they have done so precisely in the same manner that we see in Acts 2. The Blessed Holy Spirit has not only empowered another witness to preach to them, but he has given to the converted sinner the gift of the new birth. He empowers his people to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and he gives the gift of regeneration, enabling those dead in sin to trust in the Saviour. So, when someone asks me, "Do you believe that the Holy Spirit works today just as he did in the Book of Acts?" my answer can only be the most resounding, "Yes!" The Holy Spirit is still the Lord and Giver of life!
Kim Riddlebarger
