Christian Theology in general has neglected the central and crucial role that the Spirit played in the life and theology of the early church. From their Jewish heritage, early Christians understood that the Spirit was part of the promise for the future (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-30) and the gift of the Spirit is the crowning evidence that God’s end-time promises are being fulfilled (Acts 2:15-18; Ephesians 1:13-14). The gift of the outpoured Spirit meant that the Messianic Age (“The Kingdom of God”) had already arrived, that God had ushered in the new covenant, and that He had renewed the lost presence of God to His people. Check out this audio message if you would like to learn more about why the Spirit is so crucial the early church's understanding of Christian existence from a biblical perspective.
