The Dorea of the Holy Spirit

Those of you that have any background in Seminary or a charismatic church may be asking me. Why are we not talking about the charisma of the Holy Spirit? After all that is a free gift of grace. Though it is true that charis and charisma are used of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, today I want to talk about another, perhaps more important, word for gift.

Often when we think about the Holy Spirit we think of the sign gifts. We think about tongues, and healing, and people shaking. These are all important aspects of the Holy Spirit. Yet I want to propose to you that if we only have this view of the Holy Spirit we do a disservice not only to our understanding of the New Testament, but to the God that we serve.

The Conversion of the Gentiles

If we look at Acts 10 we find an interesting story. It begins with a Centurion who God appears to. Now this was a miraculous thing indeed for Cornelius was a gentile. Peter, a Jew, is given a vision that shows him that God wants Gentiles in His kingdom as well. (Remember Jesus talking about the sheep from another fold?) So when Cornelius comes to Peter he is able to eat with him. And Cornelius becomes the first Gentile Christian.

Later Peter preaches to Caesarea. When he is done we are told that the Holy Spirit fell on the gentiles that believed. This was an astounding thing. The Jews who were gathered were amazed "because the δωρεάof the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also." Did you catch that? This is not the charisma of the Holy Spirit. This is the dorea (do-reh-ah'). Both these words get translated as gift.

"Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?"

If you read on we find that the Gentiles are speaking in tongues. Now I am not going to get into that debate. What I will say is generally when we see charis or charisma we see the sign gifts. This is where we get Charismatic. Yet in this place, at this time, dorea is used. And if we read Acts 11 we find again in verse 17 dorea being used of the gift that God gave both the Jews and the Gentiles.

Now for a little word study

Dorea or a form of it is used 11 times in the New Testament. What I found interesting is that in every case it would seem that the gift is the Holy Spirit. See we think that in Acts 10 the "gift of the Holy Spirit" means tongues. (Well some do.) Yet after looking at how this word is used I would argue that the Holy Spirit IS that gift.

When dorea is used we either see "the gift of the Holy Spirit" or "the gift of God." If we add the Greek translation of the Old Testament we find that dorea is used of gifts given by kings. It denotes the type of person that a gift comes from. See when dorea is used it does not mean that the Holy Spirit is giving gifts, but rather that the Holy Spirit is being given as a gift. Perhaps we should say "the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Father."

But what about tongues and healing and prophecy?

I think it is sad that we want to limit the work of the Holy Spirit to sign gifts. Matt Chandler has an amazing sermon on the Holy Spirit. You can watch it here. As part of the sermon he says that we often look at the Holy Spirit as the crazy uncle who brings weird gifts at Christmas. Though I sometimes desire to be that very Uncle to my niece and nephews, I think that Chandler makes a good point.

The Holy Spirit is so much more than just a giver of strange signs. The Holy Spirit is the very person of the Trinity that is given to us so that we may know and understand God further. Let's go back to Acts 10-11. What is the gift that is talked about? Is it the tongues that the Gentiles speak? Certainly tongues was the way that the Jews knew, but the gift is the Holy Spirit.

I have a confession to make.

I am not perfect. I think I am. I work every day to earn my salvation. I think that by shear will I can stop myself from sinning. The problem is I can't. I am human. I stumble. I fail. The problem with this is that when I do fail I condemn myself for being so weak. I try and fail and then ridicule myself because I should have just done this or that better.

Yet when these times happen the Holy Spirit speaks to me. I hear those blessed words of God. "Of course you failed. Of course you are not perfect. I am here so that you do not have to be." In John 14, Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is sent to us to teach us. The Holy Spirit is a help in time of need. The Holy Spirit is our guide. But the best part is that through the Holy Spirit we are adopted into God's family.

We are no longer orphans because of the Holy Spirit.

I think sometimes that I forget the realities of my life. I forget that I cannot do things on my own. I forget that I need love. I forget to give myself grace. But most of all I forget that I am no longer an orphan. I forget that no one can take my father from me.

I have lost many things in my life. In the span of two years I lost my wife, my education, my job, my motivation to be a pastor. But the one thing that I never lost. The one thing that no one can ever take from me is my status as a child of God. YHWH is my father and he loves me. He is a mighty fortress. He can conquer any evil that comes against me.

I think the best way to put this is how Matt Chandler did. When people accuse you say to them "Do you know my dad!?" The world persecutes you. "Do you know my dad!?" Satan reminds you of your sin. "Do you know my dad!?" Friends leave you because of your faith. "Do you know my dad!?"

That is what the Holy Spirit does. That is why the Holy Spirit is a gift. We are brought into the family. We are reminded daily of our status before our God and Father. We are lovingly taught new things daily. We are molded, and crafted, and renewed. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, friend, and teacher. The Holy Spirit makes us children of God.

May you grow in your knowledge of God. May the Holy Spirit guide you. May you be encouraged daily. May you never forget that you have been adopted. And may the Holy Spirit lavish the Father's love on you daily.

Amen!