The Spirit and the Word – Z. T. Sweeney
Z. T. Sweeney was a great scholar of the 19/20th centuries and this is perhaps his finest work. “This book discusses in a brief, well-written style the work of the Holy Spirit. The author, Z.T. Sweeney (1849-1926), makes a thorough and convincing argument from the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit operates upon both saint and sinner alike only through the Word of God. This book contains an excellent chart that illustrates this proposition. Every Christian will profit from a study of this classic work.”[1]
Highlights of this work include its brevity and the simplicity of it. So many volumes on this theme will “word you to death” (as one has said), but Sweeny’s will spare you of any boredom and you should be able to read through it in a day or two.
The chapter on the “The Holy Spirit and the Apostles” is exceptional, and its dealing with John 14, 15 and 16 is worth the price of the book. I believe that if only one book on the subject of the Holy Spirit is on your shelf, this should be the one. It has proven to be more valuable to me in my study of this matter than any other, save the Bible itself.
The doctrine of direct operation of the Holy Spirit is, I am convinced, the foundation stone of most false doctrines in the world today. For anyone who has been faced with the statement, “I would take what the Spirit has laid on my heart over a stack of Bibles any day of the week!” (or some like-minded phrase), this book will be a treasured tool in explaining to people that the only way to Jesus Christ is through His word! – CED
Online version of “The Spirit and the Word”
[1] Guardian of Truth Foundation