The Role and Function of the Holy Spirit in the book of Romans
NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS
ROMANS
MB637
GEORGE WIELAND
ASSESSMENT 3
THEMATIC ESSAY - THE HOLY SPIRIT
DUE DATE: 14.11.03
WORD COUNT: 1851
JARROD ANGOVE
javiandjess@value.net.nz
Thematic Essay - The Holy Spirit
Question: The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian believer.
Paul, more than any other New Testament writer links the concept of the Spirit indwelt believer, with the day to day living and empowering of the Christian life. As Paige muses, "Christians who were formerly alienated from God have not simply been entered into the heavenly register of the redeemed; the Spirit indwells and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God." Furthermore, Paul's introduction and subsequent explanation of this theme is perhaps best articulated in his Letter to the Romans, and most particularly in his rebuttal to the objections and difficulties raised by the imaginary interlocutor concerning the Problem of Flesh and Death in chapter 8. It is this indwelling and empowering which is at the very heart of all that will be discussed in this paper.
For the purpose of this discussion the following functions of the Spirit will be investigated as they pertain to the outworking of the Christian existence:
As the outpouring of God's love (5:5)
As the assurance and hope of future glory (8:23)
As the giver of new life (7:6, 8:11)
As the believer's aid in fulfilling the law (8:4)
As the renewer of our minds (8:5)
As the intercessor for the saints (8:26-27).
Throughout Paul's writing of Romans it is inherently obvious that he is building a Theological Argument, with each element fitting systematically between those which precede and follow. With this in mind it is important that we initially consider Romans 5:5, as Paul's first fragment of discourse concerning the role of the Spirit in the life of the believer...
"...and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."
Here,
ROMANS
MB637
GEORGE WIELAND
ASSESSMENT 3
THEMATIC ESSAY - THE HOLY SPIRIT
DUE DATE: 14.11.03
WORD COUNT: 1851
JARROD ANGOVE
javiandjess@value.net.nz
Thematic Essay - The Holy Spirit
Question: The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian believer.
Paul, more than any other New Testament writer links the concept of the Spirit indwelt believer, with the day to day living and empowering of the Christian life. As Paige muses, "Christians who were formerly alienated from God have not simply been entered into the heavenly register of the redeemed; the Spirit indwells and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God." Furthermore, Paul's introduction and subsequent explanation of this theme is perhaps best articulated in his Letter to the Romans, and most particularly in his rebuttal to the objections and difficulties raised by the imaginary interlocutor concerning the Problem of Flesh and Death in chapter 8. It is this indwelling and empowering which is at the very heart of all that will be discussed in this paper.
For the purpose of this discussion the following functions of the Spirit will be investigated as they pertain to the outworking of the Christian existence:
As the outpouring of God's love (5:5)
As the assurance and hope of future glory (8:23)
As the giver of new life (7:6, 8:11)
As the believer's aid in fulfilling the law (8:4)
As the renewer of our minds (8:5)
As the intercessor for the saints (8:26-27).
Throughout Paul's writing of Romans it is inherently obvious that he is building a Theological Argument, with each element fitting systematically between those which precede and follow. With this in mind it is important that we initially consider Romans 5:5, as Paul's first fragment of discourse concerning the role of the Spirit in the life of the believer...
"...and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."
Here,
Bibliography: (2)Dunn, J.D.G. The Theology of Paul the Apostle, Edinburgh: T & T Clark Ltd., 1998. Donfried, Karl.P. The Romans Debate, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1977. Fee, Gordon.D. Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996. Fitzmyer, Joseph.A. Romans, New York: Doubleday, 1992 Hubbard, David.A McGrath, Alister.E. Christian Theology - an Introduction, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 2001. McIntyre, John. The Shape of Pneumatology - Studies in the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Edinburgh: T & T Clark Ltd., 1997. (1)Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans, Michigan: Grand Rapids, 1996. (2)Moo, Douglas. The NIV Application Commentary - Romans, Michigan: Grand Rapids, 2000. Murray, John. The Epistle to the Romans, Michigan: Grand Rapids, 1968. Pink, Arthur.W. The Holy Spirit, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1978. Dillon, Richard.J. 'The Spirit as Taskmaster and Trouble Maker in Romans 8, ' CBQ 60, 1998, 682-702. (3)Dunn, J.D.G. 'Spirit, Holy Spirit, ' New Bible Dictionary, Leicester: IVP, 1982, 1125-1129. (1)Dunn, J.D.G. 'Romans, Letter to the, ' DPL, IVP, 1993, 838-850. Kealy, Sean.P. 'Holy Spirit, ' Dictionary of the Bible, ' Michigan: Grand Rapids, 2000, 601-602. Packer, J.I. 'Holy Spirit, ' New Dictionary of Theology, ' Leicester: IVP, 1988, 316-319. Paige, T. 'Holy Spirit, ' DPL, Leicester: IVP, 1993, 404-413. Smith, Geoffrey. 'The Function of Likewise in Romans 8:26, ' TynBul 49, 1998, 29-38. Wu, J.L. 'The Spirit 's Intercession in Romans 8:26-27: An Exegetical Note, ' Expt 105, 1993, 13.