"You have another spirit than we," so said Luther to Bucer after the Colloquy of Marburg (1529).¹These words served to divide rather than unite. Yet Luther meant what he said. A year and a half later he reflected on them again and confirmed what he had said. Luther, Bucer and others, who did not hold to Luther's position, did not merely have a different mind, but rather lacked the Holy Spirit. To him, it was not merely a mat­ter of psychology but of pneumatology.²

This church historical reference serves to illustrate how the doctrine of the Holy Spirit has been a bone of contention in history. We see this today as well. Theb whole evangelical movement says that it puts more emphasis on the Spirit than the traditional churches and has said to them: "you have done too little with the confession concerning the Holy Spirit." The charismatic movement, even more strongly than the evangelical movement, accuses the Western churches of a defi­ciency in the confession and the experience of the Holy Spirit.

Is there any truth to this accusation? Many say that the early church developed the confession of the trinity, that the Reformation discovered the confession concerning Christ in the doctrine of justification through His merit, and that only in the last part of the previous century, particularly the charismatic movement, has done justice to the confession concerning the Holy Spirit.

We know from church history that there was a great deal of emphasis on the Spirit in the various periods of the early church, as well as in the Middle Ages, and no less in the days of the sixteenth century Reformation. It is erroneous to think that only in our lifetime there has been due emphasis on the Holy Spirit.

It is true, the so-called charismata, the gifts, e.g., speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, are widely "practiced." Yet here too, there have been times in the history of the church, when these phenomena (tongues, etc.) were popular. The question remains, however: by virtue of which spirit do these stand out? Can we ever say: "you have another spirit"? There are three essential marks to test "the spirits to see whether they are from God" (cf. 1 Jn. 4:1).

First, the Holy Spirit shines the light fully on Christ in all his glory. The Holy Spirit is at work where Jesus is confessed as Lord. One can work this out theologically. One can also apply this very practically. In our lives the floodlight has to be put on Christ. He must be glorified. "He shall glorify Me" (Jn. 16:14), says Christ. "He shall not speak of Himself" (Jn. 16:13). J. I. Packer writes: "when floodlighting is well done, the floodlights are so placed that you do not see them." The Holy Spirit is "the hidden floodlight shining on the Saviour."³ We sometimes call this the modesty of the Holy Spirit. He never calls attention to Himself. He never says: "Look at Me," but always, "Look at Him!"' He does not glory in Himself. He teaches to glory in Christ alone. There is an inseparable connection between Christ and the Spirit. Christ has obtained the life-giving Spirit. The Spirit works through Christ and constantly leads us to Christ.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is always connected to the Word. "Other spirits" operate alongside the Word, outside of the Word, and eventually apart from the Word. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Word. No one respects the Scriptures more than the Holy Spirit. He uses the Scriptures. He brings Christ to us in the garment of Scripture. When our life is rooted and grounded in the Word of God, it becomes steady and sure. Faith is founded upon the Word and ignited by the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is never separate from the body of Christ, the church. The article "I believe in the Holy Spirit" is immediately followed by "I believe a holy, catholic, Christian church: the communion of saints." Spiritualism brings about a separation between Christ and the Spirit, between the Word and the Spirit, and also between the Spirit and the church. Spiritualism often makes the church into something external. This is entirely incorrect. The Spirit binds us to the church, which the Lord instrumentally uses in salvation. The preaching in the church is the chief means through which the Spirit works regeneration. The Spirit joins people to one another in the communion of saints.

These are three marks to test our confession of the Spirit. The Spirit glorifies Christ, renews by His Word, and reveals Himself in the communion of saints. When these things are in operation, no one will be able to say: "You are of another spirit," whatever other differences there may be. Conversely, where any of these essential spiritual marks are missing, one may indeed ask: "By which spirit are you led?" Pentecost is the time par excellence where this question of personal and ecclesiastical self-examination may be raised. Let us honestly submit to this test.