Theological Term of the Week: Pneumatology

eschatology
The branch of theology that investigates what scripture teaches about the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

• From scripture:

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:9-13 ESV)

• From the Heidelberg Catechism:

53. Q. What do you believe concerning the Holy Spirit?

A. First, he is, together with the Father and the Son, true and eternal God. Second, he is also given to me, to make me by true faith share in Christ and all his benefits, to comfort me, and to remain with me forever. 

• From Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, page 98:

The work of the Holy Spirit in the divine economy. There are certain works which are more particularly ascribed to the Holy Spirit, not only in the general economy of God, but also in the special economy of redemption. In general it may be said that it is the special task of the Holy Spirit to bring things to completion by acting immediately upon and in the creature. Just as He Himself is the person who completes the Trinity, so His work is the completion of God’s contact with His creatures and the consummation of the work of God in every sphere. It follows the work of the Son, just as the work of the Son follows that of the Father. It is important to bear this in mind, for if the work of the Holy Spirit is divorced from the objective work of the Son, false mysticism is bound to result. The work of the Holy Spirit includes the following in the natural sphere: (1) The generation of life. As being is out of the Father, and thought through the Son, so life is mediated by the Spirit, Gen. 1:3; Job. 26:13; Ps. 33:6 (?); Ps. 104:30. In that respect He puts the finishing touch to the work of creation. (2) The general inspiration and qualification of men. The Holy Spirit inspires and qualifies men for their official tasks, for work in science and art, etc., Ex. 28:3; 31:2,3,6; 35:35; I Sam. 11:6; 16:13,14.

Of even greater importance is the work of the Holy Spirit in the sphere of redemption. Here the following points may be mentioned: (1) The preparation and qualification of Christ for His mediatorial work. He prepared Christ a body and thus enabled Him to become a sacrifice for sin, Luke 1:35; Heb. 10:5-7. In the words “a body thou didst prepare for me,” the writer of Hebrews follows the Septuagint. The meaning is: Thou hast enabled me by the preparation of a holy body to become a real sacrifice. At His baptism Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit, Luke 3:22, and received the qualifying gifts of the Holy Spirit without measure, John 3:24. (2) The inspiration of Scripture. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, and thus brought to men the special revelation of God, I Cor. 2:13; II Pet. 1:21, the knowledge of the work of redemption which is in Christ Jesus. (3) The formation and augmentation of the Church. The Holy Spirit forms and increases the Church, the mystical body of Jesus Christ, by regeneration and sanctification, and dwells in it as the principle of the new life, Eph. 1:22,23; 2:22; I Cor. 3:16; 12:4 ff. (4) Teaching and guiding the Church. The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ and leads the Church in all the truth. By doing this He manifests the glory of God and of Christ, increases the knowledge of the Saviour, keeps the Church from error, and prepares her for her eternal destiny, John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13,14; Acts 5:32; Heb. 10:15; I John 2:27.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who is the Holy Spirit?, Is the Holy Spirit a person?, and Is the Holy Spirit God?
2. Robert Letham: God the Holy Spirit
3. BiblicalTraining.org: Holy Spirit
4. Sinclair Ferguson: The Holy Spirit’s Ministry
5. Michael Horton: 3 Ways the Holy Spirit Works in the World

Related terms:

• effectual call
• Holy Spirit
• illumination
• inspiration of scripture
• Pentecost
• procession of the Holy Spirit
• regeneration
• sanctification

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Sunday Hymn: Heal Us, Emanuel

Heal us, Em­ma­nu­el, here we are,
We wait to feel Thy touch;
Deep wound­ed souls to Thee re­pair,
And Sav­ior, we are such.

Our faith is fee­ble, we con­fess
We faint­ly trust Thy Word;
But wilt Thou pi­ty us the less?
Be that far from Thee, Lord!

Remember him who once ap­plied
With trem­bling for re­lief
Lord, I be­lieve, with tears he cried;
O help my un­be­lief!

She, too, who touched Thee in the press
And heal­ing vir­tue stole,
Was an­swered, Daugh­ter, go in peace;
Thy faith has made thee whole.

Concealed amid the ga­ther­ing throng,
She would have shunned Thy view;
And if her faith was firm and strong,
Had strong mis­giv­ings, too.

Like her, with hopes and fears we come,
To touch Thee if we may;
O send us not des­pair­ing home,
Send none un­healed away.

—William Cowper

Theological Term of the Week: Eschatology

eschatology
The study of what the Bible says about final things (or last things), including both corporate or general last events like the return of Christ, the final judgment, and the millennial kingdom; and personal last events like individual death, and the intermediate state.

• In scripture:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV)

• From Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof:

E. The Contents of Eschatology: General and Individual Eschatology

1. General Eschatology. The name “eschatology” calls attention to the fact that the history of the world and of the human race will finally reach its consummation. It is not an indefinite and endless process, but a real history moving on to a divinely appointed end. According to Scripture that end will come as a mighty crisis, and the facts and events associated with this crisis form the contents of eschatology. Strictly speaking, they also determine its limits. But because other elements may be included under the general head, it is customary to speak of the series of events that is connected with the return of Jesus Christ and the end of the world as constituting general eschatology, — an eschatology in which all men are concerned. The subjects that call for consideration in this division, are the return of Christ, the general resurrection, the last judgment, the consummation of the Kingdom, and the final condition of both the pious and the wicked.

2. Individual Eschatology. Besides this general, there is also an individual, eschatology that must be taken into consideration. The events named may constitute the whole of eschatology in the strict sense of the word, yet we cannot do justice to this without showing how the generations who have died will participate in the final events. For the individual the end of the present existence comes with death, which transfers him completely from the present into the future age. In so far as he is removed from the present age with its historical development, he is introduced into the future age, which is eternity. In the same measure in which there is a change in locality, there is also a change of æon. The things touching the condition of the individual between his death and the general resurrection, belong to personal or individual eschatology. Physical death, the immortality of the soul, and the intermediate condition call for discussion here. The study of these subjects will serve the purpose of connecting up the condition of those who die before the parousia with the final consummation.

Learn more:

1. Samuel Parkison: What is Eschatology?
2. Christianity.com: What is Eschatology?
3. Monerism.com: The Mellennium - Major Views
4. Fivesolas.com: Eschatology Comparison
5. Costi Hinn: 4 Views on Eschatology

Related terms:

• already/not yet
• beatific vision
• final judgment
• kingdom of God
• parousia

Filed under Theological Categories

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Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.