The Holy Spirit has used both of these methods in the past.
1. In the case of the apostles and prophets, he immediately,
mechanically and directly controlled their actions and speech, so much
so that Jesus told them that under the influence of the Spirit they
should take no thought what they should say. "For it is not ye that
speak, but the Holy Spirit" (Mark 13:11). "And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).
2. In the case of the men to whom the apostles preached on the day of
Pentecost, the Spirit used a rational moral influence through the words
of Peter's sermon, which conveyed ideas that swayed their minds and
hearts. It is claimed by some that both of these methods are used by the
Spirit to-day. The modern teaching concerning the first of these
influences is well set forth in the following selection from a widely
known book by L.B. Dunn, entitled "The Mission of the Spirit": "Even
where the light of the gospel does not shine, and the institutions of
the gospel are not enjoyed, there the Spirit acts directly upon man's
heart and conscience, writes the law of God upon his mind, gives him the
sense of sin and the need of forgiveness.
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