Conclusion: This study has helped us to perceive the significance of Christian Baptism as it arose from its antecedents, and yet differed decisively from them in meaning and significance. We have seen how Baptism grew from the New Testament situation into the life of the Early Church. We have considered the sacramental nature of Baptism, that here, while the Community is visibly active, in this holy sacrament, God is the doer of what is done. It is by Him, whose Grace is seen in Jesus Christ, that we are brought to new life within the Community of His Covenant and what He can do for adults, He can do for infants as well. However, it is good for us to remember that His presence is also for our judgement, and that there therefore remains upon us as individuals and as Community the requirement of faith and faithfulness. We have seen how it is that the Holy Spirit is given in Baptism, and we believe it is through His indwelling presence and power that we are able to come into the Family of God and enjoy that fellowship with Him, which is salvation. We have also seen that, despite many centuries of thought and study, no final doctrinal definition of Baptism is yet achieved, and that the Churches are still giving this serious attention.

The essay consists of five main chapters with an introduction and conclusion. This defines the limits of the essay and explains the methodology employed. These chapters are examined particularly with reference to the Spirit as the agent of fulfillment of the old, and the inaugurator of the new. 'The main text examined is Lk. 1.35. The Spirit is shown to be also used in a skillful linking and differentiation of John the Baptist and Jesus. Through a fairly detailed synoptic comparison, the peculiarly Lukan emphasis is brought to light. The Baptism is linked with 1.35 and the Transfiguration. Again both the Baptism and Temptation are shown to be seen in the light of the fulfillment of the Old Covenant. All the lines of fulfilment join together in the Spirit's descent on Jesus. The immediate result of this is the testing of his Messiahship, and Proclamation in the synagogue of Nazareth. This proclamation is coupled with the Luken rejection motif. The Spirit is seen to be especially involved in Jesus' ministries of exorcism and healing, but also in his preaching and teaching. The position of Lk 4.18-19 is seen to be of great importance. The main problem is the lack of specific reference to the Spirit. This is resolved in similar fashion to the question of the Messianic Secret. The relation of the apostles to the spirit is also discussed, since this is relevant to the ministry of the Church. Firstly the relation between the Transfiguration and Ascension is examined. This points to the fundamental centrality of the Ascension in Luke's theology. Pentecost is then seen as the fulfilling of the Ascension in the Church. Secondly, as a minor theme, the resurrection appearances are looked into and the similarities with Johannine thought are noted. This raises the question of the historicity of the Lukan schematization. In the examination of Pentecost itself the problem of the quotation from Joel and also the relation of Pentecost to the founding of the Church and the Gentile mission are raised. The Spirit is revealed to be active in two main areas : (1) the mission of the Church in evangelization - this is especialy seen in the areas of preaching, miracles and the life of the Church ; (2) the establishing and justification of the Gentile mission - this overriding concern is shown to obscure the other functions of the Spirit especially in the realm of Baptism and the Christian life of the individual. Thus Luke's historical sense is seen to be coupled with a theological desire to justify and bolster the Gentile mission. This draws out the various conclusions within the essay. The question of 'salvation-history' is raised and a solution found in terms of Luke's use of the Spirit. In broad outline the schema of Conzelmann is accepted. The Lukan eschatology is mentioned in an attempt to find a solution to questions raised by the comparison of Luke with Paul and John. This comparison is only meant to place the main conclusions of the essay within the context of the wider New Testament.

Were OT saints indwelt by the Holy Spirit? This dissertation seeks an answer from John's Gospel. The thesis here is that John 14:17c, "He is with you, and he will be in you," encapsulates the Bible's description of the relationship between the Spirit and the believer in the Old and New Covenants. In chapter 1 the different positions taken on this question are surveyed. The five actual positions and one alleged position are illustrated with quotations. Not all equate regeneration and indwelling. None think the Spirit had nothing to do with OT saints. Chapter 2 contends that the OT does not present its faithful as indwelt by the Spirit. Covenant mediators have the Spirit, but the Spirit distinguishes and empowers them. God dwells among his people in the tabernacle/temple, but he does not dwell in each believer. The outpouring of the Spirit passages point to the future, saying nothing about the experience of Old Covenant believers. Chapter 3 exegetes the Spirit passages in John. Chapter 4 argues that John 7:39 will not permit the inference that OT saints were indwelt. This chapter lays out the OT expectation of a Spirit-anointed Messiah who inaugurates the age to come. John presents Jesus as the fulfillment of this hope, and Jesus ministers the Spirit to his people. Chapter 5 shows that regeneration and indwelling are not equivalent in John. John presents Jesus as the replacement of the temple. Jesus is the locus of God's presence and the place where sin is dealt with. Once Jesus fulfills all sacrifice, God can take up residence in a temple where no sacrifices are offered. Jesus confers temple status on those who believe in him. When Jesus ascends, believers become the locus of God's presence with authority to forgive and retain sin, i.e., they are the new temple. Chapter 6 concludes and summarizes. OT saints were regenerate but not indwelt. The OT does not claim its faithful were indwelt, and the NT says they were not (John 7:39). Under the Old Covenant God's dwelling was the temple. In the New Covenant God dwells in believers. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

M.Litt. et Phil. / The importance of the Trinity cannot be overemphasised in the matter of salvation. We cannot talk about a salvation if we cannot talk about a Trinity. Paul thinks of salvation only in trinitarian categories. For the purpose of this treatise, we call it a Soteriological Trinity. Paul takes the soteriological trinity as a matter of fact because he ascribes deity to both Christ and the Holy Spirit without denying his monotheistic background or beliefs. For Paul, God's dealing with people in the world is to call a people for his own name. These are called the People of God, and is identified with the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Church. The Holy Spirit is instrumental in constituting this People, or Body, or Temple. Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, and the gift of the promised Holy Spirit, this People is defined as an eschatological community, and salvation is an eschatological event. Through these events, the future and the kingdom is present in the here and now ("already"), while there is still a "not yet" aspect to that future. This society, the Church, is therefore a reflection of the Divine Trinity. They reflect God's unity, love, grace, kingdom and more in this world. Because the community of believers is a Spirit-instituted, Spirit-sealed, Spirit-quickened, Spirit-initiated, Spirit-controlled and Spirit-endowed community, they characterise the New Age, which is the age of the New Covenant and the age of the Spirit. That means that our obedience to God is internally motivated rather than by external codes or requirements of law. The Church is, really then, the beneficiaries of God's grace, thus making them a charismatic community. Salvation is by God's grace. Sanctification is by God's grace. Security is ours by God's grace. In fact for Paul, the whole of the Christian life is a matter of God's grace. He calls it "the riches of the glory of God's grace" (Eph. 1:7). Grace is the antithesis of the Law. Paul's own experience of Christ and the Spirit, changed his whole understanding of God, the People of God, and the Law. God was now understood as a trinity; the People of God now consisted of both Jews and Gentiles; and the Law, though holy and good, was weak through the flesh, and unable to bring salvation. In fact, the Law brought death and bondage, rather than life and liberty. The Spirit of life and liberty set us free from the law of sin and death. The Spirit, life and liberty are then gifts of grace. We now have to live as free, not using our freedom as a 'cloak of maliciousness', but to bring honour to God. Freedom was for Paul the mark of sonship, and bondage of slavery. We are sons and not slaves. Through the Spirit we were made sons of God, and are being fashioned after the image of the true Son of God. All of the Spirit's operations in the Church, are to this end. Whether to give us life, or to place us in Christ's Body, or to unite believers to Christ and to each other, or to give gifts for the building up of the saints and for the work of the ministry, or to lead and control us, or to have us bear spiritual fruit, a to reveal to us the mysteries of God, it is so that the Body and the individual believer be conformed to Christ's likeness. All these operations are done in conjunction with the Father and the Son. The Kingdom of God is for Paul the final goal of the relationship between the Spirit, Christ and the People of God. So that God's righteousness and rule be the culmination of it all. The Kingdom of God is nevertheless a present reality, in that righteousness, peace and joy are already the experience of the Church. Yet, the future of the believers' participation in the Kingdom, is guaranteed by their participation with the Holy Spirit in the present. Through this present participation with the Spirit, are we guaranteed of the future bodily resurrection, inheritance and eternal life. Our participation in the "firstfruits" guarantees our participation in the "harvest". When the Holy Spirit is involved in the world, he is involved with the task of the Kingdom; the calling of those who will be the People for God's Name. The Holy Spirit makes the Word understandable and appropriate for salvation through the Gospel. He gives life which opens them up for his work in them to bring about their identification with Christ, the Lord and King. The Holy Spirit is the key to true spirituality and Christ-likeness. The Holy Spirit is the key to the future.

The problem of 'authority' is of paramount importance in determining the theological stance of any religious movement and not least is this the case where the movement is labelled 'fundamentalist' both by its protagonists and its antagonists. Intro. p. 1.

No abstract available / Biblical and Ancient studies / M. Th. (New Testament)

No abstract available / Biblical and Ancient studies / M. Th. (New Testament)

Systematic Theology / M. Th (Systematic Theology)

The subject and the scope of this study are the role(s) of the Spirit-Paraclete in John 16:4b-15. The methodology applied is socio-rhetorical criticism as developed by Vernon K. Robbins. The fourth Gospel is called the `spiritual Gospel.' Its pneumatic connotations are not only related to its presentation of Christ but also to its frequent references to the Spirit and its cognates. Jesus' Spirit-Paraclete teaching in his Farewell Discourse is a prominent example of this. Its pneumatological content is, however, problematic. This is demonstrated by the various attempts of Johannine scholars. In addition, methodologies, goals and the scope of these studies vary. It was observed that if scholars suggest a role for the Spirit-Paraclete, they usually use `either-or' language, pointing out one role while excluding other possible roles from their conclusions or merely list explicitly mentioned functions of the Spirit-Paraclete. This study is a response to this present situation. It deals with the last two Spirit-Paraclete sayings of Jesus in his farewell address to determine the role(s) of the Spirit-Paraclete, applying the comprehensive reading model which has not been applied to this text before. The hypothesis was that if a more comprehensive methodology is applied to the narrative, a more comprehensive understanding of the text would be gained. We applied multidisciplinary socio-rhetorical criticism which takes into account narrative-rhetorical, intertextual, social-cultural, ideological and sacred aspects of the text while not neglecting contexts in which the story took place, was recorded and is interpreted. Findings were that the roles of the Spirit-Paraclete go beyond mere theological and spiritual significance to touch sociological and psychological aspects of human experience. Thus, the roles of the Spirit-Paraclete are multidimensional. These roles are also integrated with each other. Together they support and point to one major role of the Spirit-Paraclete, which does not, however, downplay his other roles. The central role of the Spirit-Paraclete in John 16:4b-15 is to be the divine presence who forms a performing community of the disciples called the people of the Spirit. / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)

Text in Afrikaans. / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die mensdom beleef 'n grootskaalse ekologiese krisis vanwee die mens se vermoe om die skepping totaal te vernietig. Gevolglik is die ekologiese krisis ook 'n menslike krisis. Gesien vanuit 'n holistiese oogpunt, kan die oorsaak van die krisis aan die deur gele word van die sogenaamde meganiese-wereldbeskouing. Om dit te verander vra vir 'n radikale verandering in die evaluering van die Heilige Gees se werkinge in die skepping en herskepping. Die skepping is die werk van die Drie-eenheid: God die Vader skep deur die Seun in die krag van die Heilige Gees. Die gedagte van Geesverwaarlosing het aanleiding gegee tot die WRK se tema in Canberra: "Kom Heilige Gees- Vernuwe die Ganse Skepping!" Verandering en venuwing vind alleenlik plaas deur die Heilige Gees wat as agent optree in die proses van herskepping. Deur die Heilige Gees is God immanent in die kosmos. Nie alleen die mens nie, maar ook die res van die skepping word vernuwe en herskep. Dit is God se plan om Sy koningkryk tot die hele kosmos uit te brei. Die mensdom, bekragtig deur die Heilige Gees, moet hul taak as bouers en medewerkers tot opsigte van herskepping met erns opneem. Die doel van hierdie verhandeling is om die allesomvattende rol en werkinge van die Heilige Gees in beide christene sowel as nie-christene, wat in die krag van die Gees van God die skepping onderhou, te bepaal en te omskryf. / Mankind experiences an ecological crisis that is unprecedented because human beings now have it in their power to destroy the creation. Therefore the ecological crisis is also an anthropological crisis. Seen from a holistic perspective, this crisis, caused by the so-called mechanical worldview, calls for a radical change in viewing the work of the Holy Spirit in creation and re-creation. Creation must be seen as a Trinitarian process: the Father creates through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. It was the apparent absence of the Holy Spirit in God's creation that led to the WCC theme at Canberra: "Come Holy Spirit, - Renew the Whole Creation!" This change and renewal is to be brought about by the Holy Spirit, who acts as the agent in creating a "new creation". The Holy Spirit represents the personal presence of God in the cosmos, and not only recreates God's people, but nature as well. The design of our world is to be God's kingdom. Humankind, empowered by the Holy Spirit, must be builders and co-workers in a new creation. The purpose of this dissertation is to discern the workings of the Spirit in those people, Christian and non-Christian, who empowered by the Spirit, work to help sustain the creation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th.(Systematic Theology)