Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God

After reading the book "Paul & the Law", I have come to the conclusion that I should have read the book "Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God" first. At the beginning of the book, the author, Gordon Fee, bored me to tears. Once I realized who the author was I understood that perhaps he was writing at a higher level that I could understand. After a few chapters I started to pick up the author's intention. Based on my personal experience as a Christian, there is no doubt that, in many churches, the Holy Spirit, just as in the Jehovah's Witnesses movement, has become a thing. The Spirit used to be treated and identified as a person but now it seems that in many churches He is identified with the fruit and/or gifts of the Spirit; the Spirit has become the force or influence in everything local churches try, or strive, to do. Even within the Assemblies of God churches, the Spirit has taken the back seat as He is much more identified with speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, dancing, and prophetic utterances. Though those are manifestations of the Spirit, they have taken centered stage. In other words, He is much more identified with the things of God instead of as the Spirit of the living God who makes His dwelling with the Church of Jesus Christ. Though many are the ones who acknowledge the Spirit as the One who convicts a person of his sinful nature/state and as the One who sanctifies and transforms the people of God into the image of His Son, Jesus the Christ that is as far as the Spirit of God seems to go in many churches. Churches need to give the Spirit of God His rightful place since "we are dealing with none other than the personal presence of God."The author stated on page 37 the following: "I believe in God the Father; I believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son; but I wonder about the Holy Ghost." Though he is in no way demeaning the work and importance of the Spirit of God in salvation history in Christ, he is nonetheless expressing the view that, in my opinion and his, is traditional or prevalent among some Christian churches. This is evident between some Baptist and Pentecostal churches, for example. While one group concentrates much more on the Word and less on the Spirit, the other group's emphasis is on the Spirit and less on the Word. One group can see heresy 20 miles away while missing the Spirit by an inch while the other can detect the Spirit 20 miles away but missing doctrinal error by an inch. This is just a general observation, though.What Gordon Fee is trying to do, and I think he achieved it, is to present Paul's view on the Spirit of God as the One who is able to unite, for the first time in the history of humanity, both Jews and Gentiles and bring out of these two people the new people of God; the Israel of God, if you will. Paul understands and believes that the Spirit is important in achieving unity within the Body of Christ. He sees the Spirit as the long-awaited-for fulfillment of the promise that God made in the Old Testament that one day His presence would return to His people, that one day He would make a new covenant with His people, and that one day He will put His Law in the minds, and write it in the hearts, of His people. Paul, according to Fee, sees the giving of the Spirit of God as the true mark, unlike the Torah and its circumcision, of belonging to the family of God. Once Christ ascended into heaven and once the Spirit was sent from heaven, Paul viewed the Spirit as the One who makes the Christian life possible because, what the Law demanded in the Old Testament to do as obedience to God's commandments is now doable by the empowerment of the Spirit to those who believe in Christ for their salvation. I believe the author drove home the view that Paul had concerning the promised outpouring, or God's returning presence, of His Spirit. The apostle Paul understood the importance of the Spirit of God in the lives of the believers that they may be renewed, sanctified, transformed, and empowered to live a life worthy of their calling and to attain salvation which will be consummated sometime in the future. For Paul, and according to Fee, a person that is saved is a person that has the Spirit of God, not just residing in him or her, but living out the life of the same Spirit. In other words, "A Spirit-filled person is a Spirit-fruit bearer." I greatly agree with the author's view of Paul's view on the Spirit of God as the much needed presence of the living God.

I love this book. Gordon Fee has done excellent work in compiling and explaining a profound Biblical truth; the Spirit of God indwells the believer in Christ. I've used this book "as is" and as reference for Sunday School classes, home Bible studies, and the basic framework for a discipleship curriculum. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking practical, livable insight for a deeper walk with God

This initial review is just on the quality of the copy I received and the swiftness of delivery. I'll come back once I've read the book to provide further comments. Goodwill of Roanoke put the copy in the "Used -- Very Good" category. I looks brand new, without a mark or crease on it. It arrived before the seller's estimated delivery time. Well satisfied with both.

This book is a must-read for the church at large. Very sound teaching on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believer and the gathered comfy city of faith. Correction is needed in a powerless church which has adopted a marketing form of success for the church. Time ask the Spirit to co.e in power to change us all again!

The most informative, well-written, thorough, and helpful overview of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church that I’ve ever read. Dr. Fee recaptures a balanced, complete view of the Holy Spirit by “walking in the radical middle” without catering to the excesses of Pentecostal culture or the denials of mainstream Evangelical culture. Dr. Fee clearly loves God and the church, and has a deep understanding of the wider context of the New Testament that really makes the concepts rich and the explanation trustworthy. A must-read for every Christian!Note: As a friend pointed out, this is a theology book with a lot of big words and may not be approachable for some audiences or reading levels. But definitely worth the effort if you’re willing to use the dictionary or are already familiar with the more common theological terms.

Gordon Fee, professor & writer, writes a very helpful book on understanding God's Holy Spirit. The more we understand of God's Spirit, the more we can move from a simply rational understanding of the Holy Spirit into an experiential one. As the Western mind is informed & can "relax" regarding that which is spiritual in general, the easier it is for that informed mind to enter into valid Biblical Spiritual experiences. The Bible is full of people having Spiritual experiences: dreams, visions, senses, intuitive understandings & perceptions, feeling guided or led to do something in particular, etc. The more we know & understand of how God wants to work in our lives, the easier it is to not interfere with His attempt to do so, but instead open the door & let God work in our lives & circumstances. A very helpful book. Western rational forms of Christianity have almost killed the Holy Spirit's activities in the church, and many church leaders are content to let that be the case most of the time. But as the modern seems to be directionless in its 'lost' state, this is a great reminder that the same Spirit who shook the early disciples & the Roman Empire, can shake our modern world today as well.

A thoroughly good read. It is short but pithy and challenging. Please buy this book. It will change you

OK, although not life changing for me. I've had a lot of issues in my life at that time and was looking for help in various Christian literature; however, I have found little help if any at all.

Another book to keep my nose down. I will be using this one for some time to come.

I would thoroughly recommend this book. It is good to see someone working hard to be biblically accurate. Gordon Fee's style is very readable, practical and helpful.

Excellent