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2.3 The gift
The writers of the Bible in other languages use several words for a gift. When they talk about God’s gift -
This gift is connected with the Father’s promise, the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
This noun – gift, doorea-
The dictionary gives several interpretations:
a) a gift that is yours for free;
b) in legal terms: a dowry or donation given by testament.
Later in time the Bible calls the Holy Spirit the guarantee of our heritage! God really does make known how his hand is completely reaching out for us. We can be included in his will to own all of God’s spiritual wealth in time.
Early in his Godly mission the Lord Jesus already emphasizes this gift. He meets the woman from Samaria (see John 4). She was lonely and longing for love. Her way of life shows how big her need is and it also shows the sadness she has to deal with.
She has tried to satisfy her desires in many ways. After all we all have a desire for love and happiness rooted in us.
Jesus gives her a delivering answer. Jesus says: “If you knew the gift of God…he would have given you living water.”
If people also in our days would know about this gift from God – they would be able to have a life filled with happiness and victory!
For the receiving of this living water, this gift, gives an everlasting source of living water (= the working of the Holy Spirit) in your inner being, which will effect your eternal life as well as your life today!
A lot of religious fatalism would be stopped if believers would receive this gift. God comes with his support, his answer to many questions in the ongoing spiritual battle we have to fight, in which we can concretely follow the example of Jesus Christ.
Paul compares the way the demons work, seducing and pushing to sin with death as conclusion, with the working of Jesus’ vitality. He then comes with an awesome conclusion: in Romans 5:15 “…how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”
And as if that is not enough, he repeats in verse 17: “…how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”
The dynamic power of Jesus Christ, the life of victory, has been given in the gift of the Holy Spirit.
When in Acts 8 the believers in Samaria have received the Holy Spirit, Simon the sorcerer wants to buy this gift from them. Acts 8:18: “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of hands, he offered them money…”
But this gift is not for sale!
God gives it to people that listen to his voice, that act upon Peters’ call for example. The believers in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10 and 11) receive exactly the same as Jesus’ students on the day of Pentecost. They (the Jewish believers) were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out over the ‘Gentiles’. How did they know this? Chapter 10:46 says: “For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”
In his defence for the Church in Jerusalem Peter repeats and emphasizes, that God has given the gift in the exact same way based upon their faith. They received the gift that God had promised when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Paul wants to make known to the Church in Ephesus (Ephesians 4:13) how they can grow to be perfect, conform to Jesus Christ. Paul reminds the Ephesians in verse 7 that the grace is given to each individually in the measure to which Christ apportioned the gift.
Did you already receive the gift of the Holy Spirit out of the Father’s hand for the praise of his glory?
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