February 20, 2023
The Spirit Without Measure
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:34-35 (NASB)
In the 1990’s I was approached by a young lady within our church’s youth ministry. She was a high school senior enrolled in a private Christian school. She said she was a little dismayed by something that happened at school. Her Bible teacher was explaining how to speak in tongues. She showed me how the teacher positioned her tongue in order to speak this “new measure of the Spirit.” She knew something wasn’t right. The teacher explained this was a new impartation of the Holy Spirit and comes progressively throughout periods in the Christian life. It was explained that she was receiving something more in her salvation. I carefully looked at her. She was upset. I explained she might speak to her mother and father. I already knew the answer, but I wanted her to hear it from her parents. Later, her parents pulled her out of the school after speaking with staff. When we are saved, we get all the Holy Spirit, not portions of Him over our lifetime. I didn’t ask the question but, if this was a God-given gift, why did man have to teach it?
God gives the Spirit of God without measure. Folks, we don’t need anything more than what we have. We receive all the Holy Spirit at one time. There is no need for an upgrade over time. With that said, we also need understand the difference between what Jesus received from the Father, and you and I possess today. Jesus had full measure of the Holy Spirit. You and I have limitations. We cannot be God. He is. Scholars have argued for hundreds of years over two views of the passage, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.” Let’s make these clear and succinct. One point of view from this passage refers to believers who receive the Holy Spirit upon salvation, and His inexhaustible fountain of benefits. Example: The well never runs dry in the Christian’s life. We can’t exhaust God’s Spirit. Secondly, the passage is referring to Christ, not believers. Scholars view this passage as referring to Christ alone. This Spirit of God was given to Christ “without measure.” When Jesus operated on earth, He was not limited to power of the Holy Spirit. He is God. He had all the power He is worthy to claim, unlike you and me. Whatever may transpire, let’s make sure we understand one thing. God gave us everything for this life by His Spirit. He knows…
I am sure passages like this will be debated for several hundred years more. One thing is clear though, when you and I receive Christ’s forgiveness, we are adopted into a new family, God’s. Adopted through Christ’s blood. When this happens, we receive God’s Spirit, the seal of redemption. In the life of the born-again believer, He doesn’t come in part. We get Him all. What is also clear is we have all we need to live this life. We don’t need all Jesus had during His earthly ministry. He is God, and what He gives is plenty. As we are here, we still need His Spirit to help guide us. We aren’t perfect. Jesus is. He was without sin. Because He is perfect, we know He gives us everything we need to be in the process of perfection as we seek to serve Him!
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3).