Open to the Spirit: God in Us, God with Us, God Transforming Us

Biblical scholar Scot McKnight has a keen mind for biblical truth, coupled together with a heart for the church. This is why, beginning in 2016, he partnered with Waterbrook to produce three books addressing religious experience ( The Heaven Promise: Engaging the Bible's Truth About Life to Come ; The Hum of Angels: Listening for the Messengers of God Around Us ). This book is the third in that series, presented not as a systematic theology of the Holy Spirit, but rather a discussion of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer in the experience of the church. Per the title, the author offers a challenge to both believer and non-believer to become open to the work of the Spirit in every aspect of life. From this starting point, the book then presents a solid introduction to the work of the Spirit from multiple points of consideration.Part 1 of the book is “Open to the God Who Speaks.” These four chapters examine how the Spirit works in God’s speaking through Jesus, through Scripture, and through the prophetic word. At the center of the book is transformation: “It is the Spirit who makes us so engrossed and so enveloped and utterly joyful to gaze upon Jesus” (25). And that transformation comes with challenge to surrender to the Spirit rather than seeking ways to promote our own desires — a necessary temperament: “Being critical is not the same as being prophetic” (44). The fourth chapter of this section begins the turn into the formation of the Spirit that will dominate remainder of the book in discussing how the Spirit intercedes for us and is at work within us.Part 2 then presents the challenge to be “Open to the New Creation of the Spirit,” which needs to be considered both by seasoned Christian and borderline believer. What does it mean to be open to the transformative work of the Spirit? What does it mean to have the Spirit usher you into a new day, a new baptism, a new self, and a new power? Each of these topics are taken in a balanced and thoughtful way, and the author is careful not to move into one of the many extremes that so often (unfortunately) accompany discussions of the Spirit. Again, the center is spiritual formation: “Christians have only one thing to offer to the world, and that is Jesus himself …” (86).Part 3 is a necessary, though often neglected, part of the modern church discussions of the Spirit: the community that is formed by the Spirit. To embrace the work of the Spirit one is called to become “Open to the People of the Spirit.” The presence of the Spirit will bring about a new kind of people, who operate with a new kind of leadership, because they have a new orientation in life, which is radically restructured around love. This last part is key to McKnight’s perspective, especially in discussing matters of the church. And here he goes through the paces of finding ways to show love the way Christ has called us, most notably in the Spirit’s leading the believer to show love to those who are our enemies (and he pushes on this point to make it more difficult for the believer to wiggle out of this command).Part 4 expands on the life of love that is brought about by the Spirit, as those who are open to the Spirit will also be “Open to the Virtues of the Spirit.” Here the discussion weighs heavily on the concept of holiness (those from various church traditions will recognize this as a necessary topic to explore in a book such as this). The virtues of the Spirit are explored in the new assurance given to the believer, bringing about a new freedom, and living in what is good while rejecting that which opposes good. There is a lot of good material in this, but the best summary is given by the author himself: “Holiness … is love done well” (153),Part 5 then gives five chapters on being “Open to the Victory of the Spirit,” which brings together the previous threads of the book with a handful of issues that continue to perplex most of the modern church. How the Spirit gives a new victory over sin, over communication (the issue of tongues comes up again here), sickness and death (healing), spiritual warfare (greatly undervalued in modern American Christianity), and in our worship of God. Once again, the context of the church is key in each of these areas, captured well in the comment: “Worship is fellowship and fellowship is worship” (198). There is more transformative truth to this statement than many will immediately recognize.McKnight provides us with a readable and engaging discussion about the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer in the fellowship of the church. Throughout the book it is clear that he is engaging thoughtful and serious scholarship on the theology of the Spirit, though this neither intimidates nor overwhelmed the reader. He also includes many stories and anecdotes and personal reflections that help the reader connect to the concepts being presented. This would be a good book for individual growth and discovery, but would also find a place in small group studies wherever men and women are desiring more in their relationship with Christ Jesus.

My takeaway: As much as the use of the phrase, 'it is a relationship not a religion' bugs me (because of how it is usually used), Christianity that pursues theology or behavior modification and not Christ gets distorted.Open to the Spirit very much feels like a book that has been inspired by Dallas Willard. Scot McKnight is trying to biblically point the reader to the importance of the Holy Spirit. McKnight is a New Testament scholar and mostly is oriented toward a biblical theology of the Holy Spirit. Open to the Spirit also reminds me of Amos Yong’s Who Is the Holy Spirit: A Walk With the Apostles. In Yong’s commentary on Acts he is drawing parallels between the work of Jesus in Luke with the work of the Holy Spirit through the early Christians in Acts. In Open to the Spirit, McKnight is showing how Jesus in his earthly life was guided by the Holy Spirit similarly to how Yong shows the early Christians being guided by the Spirit.

This book is well written on the Holy Spirit

Many of the chapters were right on with knowing or enlightening the reader to life in the Spirit. Some chapters, IMO, were not as relevant as others and in those chapters, I looked forward to see what the next chapter would bring. It was a good book overall and I learned some key insights in the "good" chapters.

This is an exceptional book The author breaks down what it means to be open to the Spirit. A lot of application to go with sound teaching

I’m so thankful for Scot. I love learning about the Holy Spirit. Growing up I didn’t hear this taught on properly. Scot lays the foundation for helping people to understand how to be open to the Holy Spirit. If you have some time, add this to your list!

I enjoyed reading this book as it reminded me of what the spirit has to offer us as children of a great God. The details were powerful, I feel I need to devote more of my life to the holy spirit instead of myself. I just hope I can follow trough.

good read

McKnight does an excellent job with this book using his tremendous knowledge as a renown scholar and putting it in a user friendly package that any believer can understand. I appreciate his scripture centred approach, using that as his main guide while not ignoring Christian discussion around the topic but keeping the exposition of scripture forefront. I've used this book in our church and many people have found it very helpful.