We have already discussed at length Scripture’s uniqueness as the only necessary source of revelation. We need no word from God other than what He has already given us in the Bible. Alongside that, we understand that nothing outside of Scripture carries equal weight and authority. No spiritual experience or divine revelation can compare with the divine truths of God’s written Word. Not only is Scripture the only source we need, no source other than Scripture is capable of leading us in the truth. If we had Scripture alone, we would have all we need. And Scripture alone can give us what we need.
As we conclude our discussion of Scripture’s sufficiency, I’d like to make one final application: commitment to Scripture’s sufficiency is not opposed to Spirit-filled Christianity. Commitment to Scripture alone is sometimes set against Spirit-led Christianity, as if following the written Word is less spiritual than following the Spirit’s leading. But Spirit-led living is not opposed to Scripture-led living. Rather, the Spirit works through the Word to instruct and change us. True spiritual life springs from knowledge of God found in Scripture.
Another way to say this is that, just as Scripture is the vehicle of relationship with God, so it is the vehicle of Spirit-filled life. His Word is the basis for salvation and for relationship with Him. And yes, it is the basis for Spirit-filled life. As a rule, the Christian experiences the Spirit’s power in tandem with Scripture. Walking by the Spirit, living in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit—these are all experienced in close proximity to the Bible, not separated from it. Spiritual Christianity must not be seen as a separate thing from biblical Christianity. If you want to experience the Spirit’s power, stick to the Scriptures.
Central here is our understanding of Spirit’s primary purpose for believers. What is His main goal for His people? And what is the evidence of His work? Signs and wonders? Emotional experience? Spiritual fruit?
Scripture records several things that result from the Spirit’s indwelling. In Acts 1, before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised His disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them (Acts 1:8). As He continues, He describes the purpose of this power: that they could be witnesses of Him to the whole world. The Spirit enabled them to fulfill the great commission. This is demonstrated throughout Acts, were we read of many signs and wonders He did through the apostles in order to validate and promote the gospel they preached.
Notably, these signs faded to the background as God’s word was understood. While sensational signs were significant in the founding of churches, they played very little part in the continual growth of those churches. Without getting into the weeds of that discussion here, it seems that there was very little need for those signs once the word took root. The truth of the gospel was primary over and above the miraculous wonders. More to the point, the Spirit was more concerned that the word go forth than He was about demonstrating signs and wonders.
Not only did the Holy Spirit empower the apostles to perform miracles to validate the gospel, He reminded them of what Jesus had said and done (John 14:26), taught them further truth (John 16:12-15), and gave them boldness to speak God’s word (Acts 4:31). Note the central emphasis on truth in all of these. The ministry of God’s Spirit is closely connected to the spread of truth about God. A central takeaway from Acts is that one of the Spirit’s primary concerns is that His word be advanced so God can be known.
Romans 8 is another significant text in our understanding of the Spirit’s work in us. The previous chapters describe the expectation that believers will live holy lives as “slaves of righteousness.” But the central question coming out of Romans 6 is, “How can a Christian live a life that pleases God?” The apostle Paul definitively answers that we cannot please God by ourselves. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). But God makes us capable of doing what we could never do on our own. “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11) The Spirit is concerned not only with working through us in gospel proclamation but is also concerned with working in us to make us like Christ. He works so God can be known and so God can be obeyed.
One other text is Galatians 5, the familiar listing of the fruit of the Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” This puts meat on the bones of Romans 8, describing the results of life in the Spirit. His presence in believers results in godly behavior. What will be evident in the Spirit-filled believer? Righteous fruits. (Particularly noteworthy in this list is the last fruit, self-control, which is so often lacking in those who claim experiences of the Spirit.) The Spirit’s presence is not seen so much by exotic experiences as it is by the presence of these divine fruits. This passage emphasis following the Spirit over feeling Him, as seen by its focus on the behaviors that blossom in those who are filled with the Spirit. The Spirit’s power is most potently experienced when He works to make us godly. Spirituality is godliness.
From these passages we conclude that the Spirit’s primary purpose is to enable believers to be holy. But this holiness is unattainable without knowledge of what holiness is and how it is attained. Right knowledge—truth—is essential to holy living. Instruction in the truth is so central to the Spirit’s ministry that He is at times called the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17). He has revealed the truth (2 Pet. 1:20-21), He teaches us the truth (1 Cor. 2:12-14), and He helps us obey the truth (1 Pet. 1:22).
Truth and holiness. The Spirit is busy instructing us in both. Should it surprise us that these same themes are emphasized again and again in all of Scripture? Too often we think that spirituality is somehow beyond Scripture, as if commitment to Scripture holds us back from living in the Spirit. We ought rather to see that the very things Scripture prioritizes are the things God wants most for us. The One who gave Scripture is the One who works in us, so it follows that the things He emphasizes in Scripture are the things He wants most for us. God’s desire that His people know the truth and live in holiness is one and the same as His desire that they experience the Spirit’s power. Thus, Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered Christianity goes hand-in-hand with a commitment to the sufficient Scriptures. There is no division between the Word and the Spirit. Spirit-filled Christianity is biblical Christianity.