T. Austin-Sparks · 1 of 2

Part One

The Dispensation of the Holy Spirit

It is common knowledge that God has arranged the course of this world's history in what we call ages or dispensations, which simply means that at certain different times a particular distinguishing, character is given to the period. There were the past dispensations, which had their own character and nature and regime. There will be future dispensations, called in the New Testament "the ages of the ages"; they, again, will have their own special characteristics. We ourselves, at the present time, are in one of these particular arrangements of God.

It is also common knowledge that the advent of the Holy Spirit, on that particular occasion which has come to be known as 'The Day of Pentecost', marked a change in the nature of the ages. That day saw a change of dispensations. That day brought in the dispensation in which we still live, which has its own particular and peculiar characteristics, different from all the others.

This, of course, is a commonly accepted truth, but the failure to recognise adequately the nature of the change which took place on that day has resulted in very much that is dishonouring to the Lord Jesus, and to Christianity. There is a great deal that does not honour the Lord Jesus in the present state of Christianity as we know it. There is that about the present condition which almost everyone deplores. For instance, there are very few people who do not deplore the divisions amongst Christians. These and many other things have brought about a state which really does not glorify our Lord, and makes room for much that would not exist if He had things according to His own mind. That is due in the main to an inadequate apprehension of the change which took place on the day of Pentecost - the advent of the Holy Spirit - and what it was intended to mean for this world and for the people of God.

The Holy Spirit's Work in This Age

There are four great features of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this age.

(a) The Relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Man in Heaven

Firstly, the Holy Spirit is related to the perfected Man in Heaven, who is His - the Holy Spirit's - vision, objective and passion. In other words, the Holy Spirit has come as committed to that One at God's right hand, the perfected Man, God's Son, to work everything in relation to Him. He is the inclusive objective of the Holy Spirit's work in this dispensation. The Holy Spirit's passion is Jesus Christ in Heaven, as God's Model for a new creation. That is the first thing.

(b) An Alteration in Man's Being

The second great matter with which the Holy Spirit is connected in this age, and intimately linked with the first, is the alteration of man's very being. He is concerned to make a fundamental difference in the very being of man, initially and progressively. This is a very great thing.

(c) Calling Out a People into Life-Union with Christ

The third thing is the calling out from the nations of a people into life-union with Christ, whereby His Church - the Church which is His Body - is formed. That is the commitment made by the Holy Spirit to the Lord Jesus Himself: to bring into being His Body for Him, to make that Body suitable to Him, and to take that Body back to Him. The energies of the Holy Spirit are Churchward, related to the forming of the Body of Christ by gathering and building up. That is simply the fulfilment of the Lord's own words: "I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). Seeing that so soon after saying those words He went back to glory, it is evident that it was handed over to the Holy Spirit to fulfil the thing that He had said He would do.

(d) The Commissioning and Empowering of the Church for World Ministry

And fourthly, the Holy Spirit has as His work the commissioning and empowering of the Church for a world mission and ministry. I underline the Church. It is very important to underline that, because it takes us back to what we said at the beginning, that an inadequate apprehension of the meaning of the coming of the Holy Spirit has led to many weaknesses and defects. It is the Church that is the anointed vessel for a world commission and ministry. It is the Church that is called to do that. But that has been missed. If only the Church as a whole had stood into the anointing and the commission, we should have seen a continuance of what was at the beginning. But that has been largely lost; it has slipped away from recognition, though there are signs of a return to it now. But the truth is that the connection of the Holy Spirit in this dispensation is with the Church for its commissioning and empowering for a world mission and ministry.