The Holy Spirit glorifies the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Son does not glorify the Holy Spirit, but at Pentecost sent Him as the Paraclete (Helper) to indwell us and to help us as we serve God and spread the Gospel of Christ around the world.
I recently sat on the ordination council of a young man going to the mission field. In his doctrinal statement, he only said that the Holy Spirit helped us with the Christian life in His filling of us, which is of course very true. However, he said nothing about the power of the Holy Spirit for spreading the Gospel of Christ. When I mentioned this to him, he asked me for Scripture, so I gave him Acts 4:31, and he was helped: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” This was apparently a help to him.
Scriptures about this:
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).
“13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-15).
Notice the Great Commission. In Luke they are told to wait in Jerusalem until they received “power from on high.” This is of course prophesying Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit gave them power. Then they were to preach Christ (Luke 24:46-49).
Notice the Great Commission in Acts 1:8 also. They were to preach Christ after receiving the power of the Holy Spirit. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Note also the examples of the book of Acts. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down and gave power to do God’s work. Did the apostles then preach about the Holy Spirit? No, of course not. They preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit, and 3000 were saved!
Note also in the writing of Paul that the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. See Eph. 4: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (v. 4.). What happens then? “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (vv. 11-12). So the Holy Spirit equips believers for the ministry of Christ.
Theologians agree on this. Here are just two quotes, though I’m sure I could give many:
“It is the work of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ. In a similar way Christ sought not His own glory but the glory of Him that sent Him. (Jno. 7:18)” (R. A. Torrey, What the Bible Teaches, pp. 237; italics in the original.)
“The result of the teaching ministry of the Spirit is that Christ is glorified. If He is not glorified, than the Holy Spirit has not been ministering. Note also that it is not the Spirit who is glorified or who is supposed to be glorified in a religious service, but Christ. Further, if Christ is known only through the written Word, then He will be glorified when the Word of God is expounded in the power of the Spirit” (Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology, pp. 339-440).
Conclusion: if you ever attend a church or conference where the Holy Spirit is talked up and glorified more than our Lord Jesus Christ, run away from there; don’t walk! They are preaching false fire. This is a common error of the Charismatic movement. (I’m thinking in particular of the so-called “Toronto Blessing” and similar “revivals.”)
Someone says, “How can I know this is happening?” Believe me, you will know. The Holy Spirit Himself will tell you in your heart, because He is here to glorify Christ, not Himself. You may even be able to quantify this in other ways.
I recently sat on the ordination council of a young man going to the mission field. In his doctrinal statement, he only said that the Holy Spirit helped us with the Christian life in His filling of us, which is of course very true. However, he said nothing about the power of the Holy Spirit for spreading the Gospel of Christ. When I mentioned this to him, he asked me for Scripture, so I gave him Acts 4:31, and he was helped: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” This was apparently a help to him.
Scriptures about this:
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).
“13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-15).
Notice the Great Commission. In Luke they are told to wait in Jerusalem until they received “power from on high.” This is of course prophesying Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit gave them power. Then they were to preach Christ (Luke 24:46-49).
Notice the Great Commission in Acts 1:8 also. They were to preach Christ after receiving the power of the Holy Spirit. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Note also the examples of the book of Acts. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down and gave power to do God’s work. Did the apostles then preach about the Holy Spirit? No, of course not. They preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit, and 3000 were saved!
Note also in the writing of Paul that the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. See Eph. 4: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (v. 4.). What happens then? “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (vv. 11-12). So the Holy Spirit equips believers for the ministry of Christ.
Theologians agree on this. Here are just two quotes, though I’m sure I could give many:
“It is the work of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ. In a similar way Christ sought not His own glory but the glory of Him that sent Him. (Jno. 7:18)” (R. A. Torrey, What the Bible Teaches, pp. 237; italics in the original.)
“The result of the teaching ministry of the Spirit is that Christ is glorified. If He is not glorified, than the Holy Spirit has not been ministering. Note also that it is not the Spirit who is glorified or who is supposed to be glorified in a religious service, but Christ. Further, if Christ is known only through the written Word, then He will be glorified when the Word of God is expounded in the power of the Spirit” (Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology, pp. 339-440).
Conclusion: if you ever attend a church or conference where the Holy Spirit is talked up and glorified more than our Lord Jesus Christ, run away from there; don’t walk! They are preaching false fire. This is a common error of the Charismatic movement. (I’m thinking in particular of the so-called “Toronto Blessing” and similar “revivals.”)
Someone says, “How can I know this is happening?” Believe me, you will know. The Holy Spirit Himself will tell you in your heart, because He is here to glorify Christ, not Himself. You may even be able to quantify this in other ways.