New Life Biblical Seminary

Subject: Systematic Theology

A Seminar paper on: Work of Holy Spirit for Salvation

Submitted by: Ramesh Kuma (B. Th.III) submitted to: Rev. Kunjachan Lukose
1.1 Introduction
The present writer addressed on work of Holy Spirit for salvation. The key to have salvation
in human life is Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The Holy Spirit operates the heart of people and
the grace of god is shown for all human beings. The duty of man is that is to repent from
their sins and mistakes having faith upon Jesus Christ to be a true child of god. After
believing in Jesus Christ she/he must take immerse baptism by surrendering himself/ herself
in order to witness in public. Then the Holy Spirit will secure from all evil which the flesh
wants to do.

1.2. Work of Holy Spirit for salvation

The work of Holy Spirit in salvation involves the convicting ministry to the unbeliever,
regenerating the person to give him Spirit life, indwelling the believers, baptizing the believer
into union with Christ and other Christians, and sealing the believers.1

1.2.1. Etymology of salvation

The word salvation comes from Greek, “Soteria”2 which means deliverance, salvation. This
term is used in the bible for both people and things. The term salvation can be applied to
rescue from danger, safe travel, and healing of disease, as well as security in general.
1.2.2. The operation of the Holy Spirit for Salvation
In the Bible God acted for human being to draw near to Him in a different ways. God never
wants that human being live away from. He interceded to have salvation to all human kind,
people went away FROM HIM. In the fullness of time God sent His begotten Son into the
world to have salvation for all humankind that whoever believes in His name. After that
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to operate the heart of human being as well a Helper.
‘The Holy Spirit has not only a personality of His own but also a distinctive method of working;
and therefore we should distinguish between the works of the Holy Spirit in applying it.’3
Holy Spirit helps the man kind to understand the truth. (John 16:13, 14).
1.2.3. The Grace of God
While there is human responsibility in salvation, there is first a Divine side to salvation in
which sovereignly acts to secure the sinner’s salvation.4
1.2.3.1. Grace Common

1
Paul Enns, The moody Hand Book of Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 330.
2
Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Eds, The international Standard Bible encyclopedia (Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company Grand Rapids, 1988), 587.
3
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1958), 424.
4
Paul Enns, op. cit., 332.
 Common grace can be shown to all human beings whether, people believe in Christ or not but
that grace is for all. ‘Common grace is broader in score aimed at all mankind. In concise terms
common grace may be defined as the unmerited favor of God toward all men displayed in His
general care for the \m. an expended definition of common grace is those general operations of
the Holy Spirit whereby He, without renewing the heart, exercises such a moral influence on
man through His general or Special revelation, that sin is promoted.’ 5 the general blessing
come under common grace such as rain and sunlight shines over all men the same way food
and drink, clothing and shelter. So on, ‘when people participate in the material blessings of Gog
(Mtt. 5:45) it ought to make them reflect on the goodness of God.’6
1.2.3.2. Efficacious Grace
All who are the recipients of efficacious grace response to nit and become believers.
Efficacious grace is also called special grace in contrast to common grace. According to Paul
Enns,
[God does not bestow His efficacious graced whimsically and without purpose. His
purpose is not only to enlighten, regenerate, and bring a sinner into fellowship with Himself
but it is primarily that through this operation he may bring glory to Himself. His purpose is
that sinner who have been the recipients of efficacious grace may also show forth the
excellence of Him who called them “out of the darkness into hos marvelous light” (1peter
2:9, 10). God is glorified through the, display of His efficacious grace in the redeemed life.’7

The special grace is not for popularity of human being rather it is to be lift up the name of
God. Today many Christians achieve great things from God whether it may be
material or spiritual things. The things of God one who gets he/she utilize for expansion of
God’s glory.
1.2.4. Repentant and Belief
Repentance should not be understood as a separate condition for believing in Christ. Virginia
Malcom cited of William Barclay that, ‘in the promise of the spirit, says that can be no
adequate doctrine or experience of conversion without the Holy Spirit’.8 If repentance is
cited as a condition of salvation in terms of feeling sorry for ones sins, then it is a wrong
usages of the term. It should not be understood as a separate step in Salvation act. 20:21 it
indicates that repentance and faith should not be seen as separate items in response to the
gospel but together that signifies belief in Christ to believe in Christ is to change one’s mind
about Christ and trust Him alone for salvation.9 The word “repentance” comes from Hebrew
IS ‘NAHAM” which means ‘REPENT’.10 It also signifies God’s dealing with people for good or
ill according to his just judgment. (1 Sam 15:11, 35; John 3:9-10). In Greek “Metanoia” for
repentance which means form from continuing sinning.11

5
Ibid, 333.
6
Ibid, 334.
7
Ibid, 338.
8
Virginia Malcom, The Holy Spirit Comes (Tennessee: Frontier Press, 1973), 13.
9
Ibid, 330-331.
10
Walter A. Elwell, and Peter Toon, ed, The Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, (Michigan: Barter
BOOK House, 1991), 428, 429.
11
Ibid.
 1.2.5. Believe and Baptized

Paul enns’s suggestion that people should not misunderstand by taking Acts 2:38 and by
claiming baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins, rather, he was calling for members
of that generation which guilty of having crucified Christ to separate themselves from a
generation under the judgment of God. That separation was to be publicly signified through
baptism.12 The Holy Spirit is to “win new life”13 through the world of God. It helps a person
one who shares gospel to the non-Christian. More’ve, the baptism signified that the people
had received the forgiveness of sins.

1.2.6. Belief and Confession

Unless a person believe in Jesus Christ he/she cannot confess that Jesus Christ is the son of
God. Two theologians H. Wayne House and Kyle Roberts like this, ‘whereas faith seeking
understanding emphasizes the priority of special revelation (God revealed in the incarnation,
Scriptures, and the witness of Holy Spirit understanding enabling faith emphasizes general
revelation.14 The condition of publicly confessing Christ for salvation is sometimes added to
faith on the basis of Romans 10:9. Believing in Jesus means to confess Jesus as Lord means to
acknowledge His deity. The one who believes in Christ as savior must of necessity
acknowledge His deity.

1.2.7. Believe and surrender

A person can simply become a Christian by believing the gospel. But the word of God teaches
that person must surrender to Christ as the Lord of one’s life. Paul Enns says that confession
of Christ as Lord identifies Christ as deity; the issue is not concerning His Lordship. In
addition, if surrendering one’s life to Christ as Lord is necessary for salvation, then there
could be no canal Christians. Yet Paul makes it clear that the carnal Christians whom he
speaks of as being “in Christ” were indeed carnal. 15
1.2.8. Securing Work of the Holy Spirit
Paul Enns forwarded views for strengthen the believers. “The Holy Spirit has regenerated the
believers, giving him life (tit. 3:5); the Holy Spirit indwells the believers forever (john 14:17);
he has sealed the believers for the day of redemption (eph. 4:30). The sealing being a down
payment, guaranteeing our future inheritance; the believers is baptized into union unto with
Christ and into the body of believer.16
In Rom. 8:14 says that “for all who are being led by the spirit of God, these are sons of
God.”17 Leading is a confirmation of sonship, for sons are led. This work of guidance is
participation the work of the Spirit. The eternal security of the believer by the grace of God is
bthe completion and crowning glory of God’s plan of salvation.

12
Paul Enns, Op. cit., 331.
13
E. J. Daniels, The Holy Spirit the Christian’s H. Bomb (Orlando: Christ for The world Publishers,), 4.
14
H. Wayne House and Kyle Roberts, Charts on Systematic Theology, vol. 1 (U. S. A.: Kregel Academic
And Professional, 2006), 90.
15
Paul Enns, Op. cit., 331.
16
Ibid., 340.
17
Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Hyderabad: GS books, 2016), 440.
 According to Amos Yong,’ the Spirit exercises mutuality through a contact function. The
Father teaches history and the church through Christ in the Spirit. The Spirit is also the point
of entry into a movement back to the Father.’18 In all of this the Trinity is the control.
However the Holy Spirit is the main role for securing from the evils. If a man is responsible
for securing his salvation, then he can be lost; if God secures the person’s salvation, then the
person is forever secured.
1.3.Implication

The work of the Holy Spirit is very necessary to have salvation. The word
salvation can be understood in ancient days that saving a person from his/she difficulties
such as (slave, poverty, and so on later Christians understood that they applied saving from
the sin of world. Salvation is needed for all human kind. Contrast is that whoever confess
that Jesus Christ is the son of God, died and resurrected from the death. A man bound to die
physically he/she will be eternal death and life. To escape from the eternal death man must
live Holy life just as Jesus lived. The Holy Spirit will be guiding from all the way that he wants.

Conclusion

Here the writer writes about salvation that will be all. But especially common grace is shown
by God according to His righteousness. By reading this paper reader might be understood
the necessity of the Holy Spirit and how he guides without the defiling the person.

Bibliography

Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1958.

Bromiley, Geoffrey W. Eds, The international Standard Bible encyclopedia. Michigan: William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Grand Rapids, 1988.

Daniels, E. J. The Holy Spirit the Christian’s H. Bomb .Orlando: Christ for The world Publishers.

Elwell, Walter A. and Toon, Peter. ed, The Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology.
Michigan: Barter BOOK House, 1991.

Enns, Paul. The moody Hand Book of Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1998.

House, H. Wayne and Roberts, Kyle. Charts on Systematic Theology, vol. 1 .U. S. A.: Kregel
Academic and Professional, 2006.

Malcom, Virginia. The Holy Spirit Comes .Tennessee: Frontier Press, 1973.

Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology .Hyderabad: GS books, 2016.

Yong, Amos ed. Toward a Pneumatogical Theology .New York: University Press of America,
2002.

18
Amos Yong, ed. Toward a pneumatogical Theology (New York: University Press of America, 2002), 104.