Most brethren understand the concept of agency until it involves certain subjects, and then they seem eager to discard it. The purpose of this article is to establish the Biblical concept of agency. Once understood, it should be easy to understand and identify when studying the Scriptures.
The Temptation
One does not need to read very far into the Scriptures to find a credible example of agency. How was Adam tempted? We could rightly state it this way: Adam was tempted to sin by means of Satan using the serpent to approach Eve (through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life), who then gave the forbidden fruit to him. Obviously, several served as agents to tempt Adam to sin.
We know of the involvement of Satan, who was a murderer from the beginning and did not abide in the truth (John 8:44). Upon Satan God pronounced judgment—to put hatred between Eve’s seed (the seed of woman, Jesus) and Satan’s seed. Those who follow God and those who follow Satan have always been at odds. Genesis 3:15, most Bible students agree, describes the conflict of Jesus at the cross. Satan succeeds in getting Him crucified and this wins a battle against Jesus (bruises His heel), but Satan is utterly defeated (his head is bruised) when Jesus arises from the dead, thus establishing His Deity plainly once and for all.
The serpent is punished for allowing himself to be used by Satan (Gen. 3:14), and the woman also is punished for her role in the sin because she not only disobeyed herself, but also encouraged her husband to sin. Thus, Satan began the deception, using the serpent as his agent. The serpent beguiled Eve via the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Adam still could have resisted but did not.
Who Killed Uriah the Hittite?
God spoke through Nathan the prophet (which itself is an example of agency). Nathan told David: “You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon” (2 Sam. 12: 9b). God (through Nathan) makes it clear that David killed Uriah—although he did not do so himself, personally. He did it through others (agents), but since he gave the order, he is fully responsible for the act of treachery.
Other agents are not mentioned in verse 9, but they are mentioned in the text. David used the agency of a note that he sent with Uriah the Hittite, which he was to give to Joab (2 Sam. 11:14). This letter to the commander read: “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battles, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die” (v. 15). Thus, this written communication became a means of bringing about Uriah’s death. Unaware of the contents, David’s loyal soldier delivered the note to Joab, who followed its instructions.
The command of a king is almost always obeyed al-though exceptions do exist. For example, when Saul ordered his guards to kill the priests of Nob, they would not carry out the order (1 Sam. 22:17). He found a non-Israelite to execute the atrocity. Likewise, Joab could have disobeyed what David had authorized. Or he could have written back, questioning the order. While he might have and should have balked at the notion of putting brave warriors in harm’s way, he did what the king commanded. In fact, it was not only Uriah who suffered death, other brave men also died as a result of the action taken.
Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also (2 Sam. 11:17).
There were, therefore, several agents in the death of this innocent man. David’s will was carried out by means of a note sent to Joab, who chose to follow the instructions, and killed Uriah by means of the Ammonites. Although this event marks a low point in David’s reign, it does serve as an example of the way in which agency works.
Who Killed Jesus?
Occasionally, one finds an ongoing feud in which one party insists that the Jews crucified Jesus while their adversaries argue that the Romans put him to death. The argument avails nothing and is a waste of time. Both the Jews and the Romans killed Jesus; the factor that some overlook is that of agency. In case anyone could possibly miss the facts of the matter as recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Peter makes it clear in Acts 3:13-15:
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.”
Notice the facts in the above paragraph.
- The Jews to whom Peter was preaching delivered up Jesus to Pilate.
- The Jews denied Jesus.
- The Jews clamored for Jesus’ death when Pilate was determined to release Him.
- They had an opportunity to have Jesus released, but they asked for a murderer (Barabbas) to be released to them instead.
- They killed the Prince of life.
All that the gospel writers recorded on these matters substantiates what Peter preached in the quotation cited above. They killed Jesus. Did they do it personally? They probably would have if they could have, but they accomplished their goal in the same way David did—through agency.
Of course, the Roman soldiers scourged Jesus (at Pilate’s order); they nailed him to the cross; they furthermore, to their shame, mocked Him. It was a Roman soldier who cast a spear into Jesus’s side to make certain He was dead. Pilate, as governor, had power over the proceedings, and the Roman soldiers carried out the execution. But none of those things would have occurred if the Jews had not brought Jesus to be put to death and shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” The Jews killed Jesus with the Romans as agents.
The Holy Spirit
Most everyone understands agency as it is used throughout the Scriptures, but for some reason, when it comes to the way in which the Holy Spirit works, some want to eliminate or minimize the possibility of agency. Certain observations on this topic are in order.
First, the Holy Spirit once operated directly upon human beings for various purposes. The Holy Spirit has operated directly upon man in the case of inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). As Jesus was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem, He told His apostles that they would be brought before kings and rulers for His name’s sake and that it would give them an opportunity to bear testimony of Him (Luke 21:12-13). Then He added:
“Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist” (Luke 21:14-15).
The New Testament also mentions other direct means of the Holy Spirit influencing someone. On the Day of Pentecost, when divided tongues as of fire sat upon the apostles, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Later, to the Corinthians, Paul enumerates nine spiritual gifts—all of which involve the power or direct influence of the Holy Spirit upon certain individuals (1 Cor. 12:8-10).
Those that involve inspiration are:
- The word of wisdom.
- The word of knowledge.
- Prophecy.
- Speaking in tongues.
Those that involve the Holy Spirit’s power are:
- Faith to accomplish miraculous things.
- Gifts of healing.
- The working of miracles.
Sometimes a supernatural ability is given:
- The discerning of spirits.
- The interpretation of tongues.
- Helps.
- Administrations.
These last two are listed later in 1 Corinthians 12: 28. However, none of these miraculous gifts has continued to the present day. We speak the Word of God because we study it, and if we can discern properly, the reason is that we have practiced doing so.
Paul made it clear in 1 Corinthians 13 that these direct influences of the Holy Spirit were going to be done away (8-10). Therefore, Christians do not speak as though they are inspired directly by God. The Word that was revealed in the New Testament is what was inspired—not us. When God had given man all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), inspiration and the gifts that confirmed them ceased. When the faith had been once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), Christians no longer needed the gifts that re-vealed it, nor the signs that gave the message validity.
Is the Holy Spirit Idle?
Many brethren seem to be at odds with themselves. On the one hand, they do not want to advocate modern-day spiritual gifts, yet they seem to want to move as far in that direction as they can without actually coming out and clearly saying so. Usually, they advocate a position which shows the Holy Spirit working, but they overlook or minimize agency. Some will acknowledge that the Spirit operates through the Word, but then they want to affirm that He works directly on the non-Christian and the Christian—but in conjunction with the Word. No one has proven that. All that brethren of this stripe have shown is that the Holy Spirit works through the Word (which we all believe) and that He works through providence (which we all also believe). Proving those two points by citing the Scriptures does not, however, establish their overall point—that the Spirit is working directly on individuals today.
As to the argument of these brethren that the Holy Spirit is idle today if He is not working directly, such is a non sequitur. If we agree that He can work providentially, then that eliminates the “idleness” charge. Jesus came to earth and lived as a human being. He taught, worked miracles, and eventually was crucified. After He was raised from the dead, He ascended into heaven and has sat down on the right hand of God. Have these same brethren accused Him of being idle? No, and neither have the rest of us. He is the head of the church, and He is our Mediator. None of us knows how busy He is, but He is not necessarily idle just because He is no longer upon the earth, interacting with men. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is not necessarily idle just because He is not inspiring more Scriptures or supplying power to do more miracles. Jesus and the Spirit are idle from some of the things They once did, but that does not make Them idle, period.
What the Agency of the Word Accomplishes
In time past, then, the Spirit inspired the Word to be written, “which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:5). The Spirit also provided power for the miracles. Paul spoke of the “mighty signs and wonders” which were accomplished “by the power of the Spirit of God” (Rom. 15:19). But since these two duties of the Holy Spirit have been accomplished and fulfilled, is nothing being accomplished?
The Spirit used these two techniques: 1) to communicate words; and 2) to provide convincing proof of the message. The Spirit still wields great power through that Word that He revealed. As part of the Christian armor, Paul told brethren in Ephesus to take “the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). The Holy Spirit accomplishes much work through His Word.
How are people saved from their sins? It is through the gospel inspired by the Holy Spirit. As Peter is recounting his meeting with Cornelius, he mentions that Cornelius said he was to send to Joppa for Simon Peter, “Who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved” (Acts 11:14). WORDS! One must be taught the gospel in words he can understand. Does the Holy Spirit convert them? Yes—in the sense that He inspired the message. The one who does the preaching or teaching is an agent of salvation. The words themselves are the agent of the Holy Spirit.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians that “it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21b). Thus, whatever role the Holy Spirit has in conversion, it is not direct; it is through the agency of the Word. Add to these passages the fact that Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). The Holy Spirit uses words, the message preached, the truth in order to save people from their sins. Why, then, would someone try to make a case for the Holy Spirit working independently of these means?
Is it possible, as some denominations teach, that the Holy Spirit must first make the heart receptive (through some sort of direct operation upon it) in order for a person to have faith? Paul objects: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Notice faith is not said to come by a miraculous and irresistible imposition of the Spirit upon the heart.
“But what about being born again?” someone might wonder. Didn’t Jesus say that a person had to be “born of the Spirit”? “Doesn’t that mean that the Spirit must perform a direct operation on the heart?” Even on this matter the agency of the Word is set forth. Consider 1 Peter 1:22-25:
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “all flesh is as grass…. But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
The truth is obeyed through the Spirit, since the Spirit revealed the Word. The Word is the incorruptible seed which is what is preached (since it is the gospel) and responded to. The Holy Spirit does not act apart from His Word in salvation but through His eternal Word.