Within the heart of each believer resides the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He is a Person, He is God, and He is the One who gives us the power to live the Christian life. Some believers have a consuming fixation about Him and as a result have led unlearned believers into expectations which are unscriptural. Others have categorized His gifts into elaborate schemes, demonstrating maturity instead of grace. In an attempt to avoid all this confusion, many believers have de-emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit, thus losing the vitality of His Person and are living lives that do not demonstrate the reality of His presence. In my experience, good solid systematic teaching on the subject is woefully lacking thus making a few good books on the subject of strategic importance to my library.
The bookstore section on the Holy Spirit is very large and confusing. Many varied ideas and theological persuasions are mixed together. So I would like to introduce you to a few biblically sound books that will help you understand His personality and the work that He does in the believer’s life.
The first book you should purchase is “The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit” by Rene Pache. A French theologian, he was for many years the principal at the Emmaus Bible School in Lausanne, Switzerland, as well as other outreaches in France and Switzerland. His work on the Holy Spirit has been the standard work for many years. It is written in a systematic theology style. By that I mean the whole book is in outline format with a conclusion after each section. This book will require study; it will not unlock its secrets to the casual reader.
The second book on your shelf might well be “The Holy Spirit: Lord and Lifegiver” by John Williams. This book has a study guide that goes with it that is helpful for classroom or home Bible study groups. It is written in an easy-to-understand fashion. Williams’ book is practical in its focus while giving sound, scriptural information. It has a section on the gift of tongues and baptism in the Spirit which is quite helpful.
I would like to mention two books which are out of print. If you can find them, they will be good additions to your library. One is Samuel Ridout’s book, “The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.” This is a series of messages that he gave on this subject, so it is homiletic in style. His thoughts are easy to follow and dispense a wealth of information.
The other book to hunt for is Harold Barker’s “Christ’s Vicar.” It is succinct in style, covering a broad range. The strong points of this book are the illustrations he uses. My feeble mind has been helped much as I have looked at this book.
Once you have the basic books on the Holy Spirit in your possession and you would like to carry your study further, one you may want is “Emblems of the Holy Spirit” by F. E. Marsh. He cites 14 different symbols used in the Scriptures to present various aspects of the work and character of the Holy Spirit. It is a careful look at the Spirit and will afford many hours of fruitful study.
Another worthy volume is “Gifts of the Spirit” by Ronald Baxter. Mr. Baxter, a Baptist pastor in Toronto, has written one of the most complete books on this subject I have seen. His ecclesiastical position will show itself in the sections on the service gifts of pastor and elder. Thus not all in the book would I endorse. But its demerits do not cancel out all the tangible help provided on this hard-to-grasp subject.
Using these books as guides into the Scriptures will yield hours of happy study and the Spirit of God will Himself use the Scriptures to lead you into a better aquaintance with Himself.
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, by Rene Pache is published by Moody Press
The Holy Spirit: Lord and Lifegiver, by John Williams is published by Loizeaux
Emblems of the Holy Spirit, by F. E. Marsh is published by Kregel Publications
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, by Ronald Baxter is also published by Kregel Publications