This article is adapted from MARSCAST Episode 257
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is no abstract theological construct. It is the heartbeat of the Christian life. For Richard Zekveld (alum of the Seminary and Pastor of Covenant Fellowship PCA in South Holland, IL), this truth is both something he preaches and something he lives. The interplay between Christ’s blood and Spirit is a drumbeat he takes into his pulpit, his counseling, and his own walk with God. In his words, “It is theology for the trenches.”
John Calvin rightly called the Holy Spirit the "bond by which Christ effectually unites us to Himself." Without the Spirit’s work, all that Christ accomplished remains external, of no benefit to believers. Acts 2:38 lays it out clearly: Peter calls the people to "repent and be baptized... for the forgiveness of your sins"—the cleansing blood of Christ—"and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." This is the fullness of salvation: believers are both washed in the blood and filled with the Spirit.
The Heidelberg Catechism captures this beautifully. In reflecting on baptism, it declares that "as surely as water washes away the dirt from the body, so certainly his blood and his Spirit wash away my soul’s impurity." Christ’s blood forgives, and the Spirit renews. Justification and sanctification—both are given in union with Christ.
This dual reality is essential to grasp. Many Christians struggle with an imbalanced view of salvation, leaning heavily on either justification or sanctification while neglecting the other. Zekveld frequently reminds his congregation that both are gifts of grace, both are necessary, and both are found in Christ alone. The believer is simultaneously declared righteous and is being made righteous—fully accepted while being progressively transformed.
For many believers, assurance of salvation is a battle. Zekveld has counseled many who despair over their sin, who feel they stumble into the same ditch time and again. To them, he says this: if they are struggling, it is evidence of the Spirit’s work. The fight against sin is a sign of life. Romans 7 shows the believer’s battle, but Romans 8 assures that the Spirit testifies with their spirit that they are God’s children. Sanctification is slow, sometimes painful, but God finishes what He starts.
One of the great comforts he shares is this: if someone is worried about their salvation, it is a strong indication that the Spirit is at work. The reprobate do not concern themselves with their standing before God. The very presence of conviction is evidence of spiritual life.
Yet assurance can be elusive. Christians often tie their confidence in salvation to their feelings or their performance. Zekveld gently directs them back to the promises of Scripture. "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37). "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). The Spirit assures, not through dramatic signs, but through the Word applied to the heart.
Zekveld often tells his congregation that they must live in dependence on the Spirit’s filling. Ephesians 5:18 commands believers to “be filled with the Spirit”—an ongoing action, not a one-time event. They need fresh filling every day, whether it’s for wisdom in a difficult decision, love for someone hard to love, or boldness in their witness. The Spirit is the living “umbilical cord,” bringing them the resources of Christ moment by moment.
This ongoing filling is distinct from the indwelling Spirit received at conversion. While every believer has the Spirit, there is a continual need for His renewing power. Zekveld has often prayed for fresh filling in moments of weakness, and he urges his congregation to do the same. The Spirit provides what is lacking, whether it be love, wisdom, or courage.
And yet, he insists that this must not be separated from the corporate life of the church. The Spirit’s work is deeply tied to the ordinary means of grace—Word, sacraments, and prayer. He warns against the temptation to seek extraordinary experiences while neglecting the very means God has ordained. Every Lord’s Day, as the Word is preached, as confessions are made, as assurances are given, the Spirit is at work. Zekveld has seen people released from guilt in the simple, ordinary moment of hearing an assurance of pardon. That is the Spirit’s power in the means of grace.
Pastors, he insists, should help their congregations recognize this reality. Worship is not a routine event—it is an encounter with the living God. The Spirit is present in the preaching, in the prayers, in the sacraments, and in the gathered body of believers. A biblical view of the Spirit does not diminish His presence in everyday Christian living but magnifies His work through the means He has established.
Zekveld often reminds his congregation that corporate worship is not a human invention but a divine institution. It is where God speaks through His Word, where Christ is visibly proclaimed in the sacraments, and where the Spirit applies grace to His people. He urges believers to approach worship expectantly, trusting that the Spirit will meet them there.
To young pastors, he offers this counsel: they are not the Holy Spirit. They cannot manipulate change in people’s hearts. Their call is to faithfully proclaim the Word, administer the sacraments, and pray. Trusting that the Spirit will do what He has promised is essential. He urges them to resist the urge to rely on gimmicks, guilt, or manipulation. The Spirit works through the ordinary means in extraordinary ways.
He also warns against the messianic complex that many pastors fall into. The weight of ministry is heavy, but it is the Spirit who does the real work. A pastor’s task is to be faithful in their calling, not to manufacture growth or transformation. Those things belong to God.
Zekveld also encourages pastors to maintain a personal dependence on the Spirit. The demands of ministry are relentless, and burnout is a real danger. He exhorts pastors to be men of prayer, regularly seeking the Spirit’s strength, wisdom, and encouragement. The same Spirit who empowers them to preach also sustains them in their weakness.
To know the Spirit is to love the Spirit, and to love the Spirit is to trust Him. He is the wind who moves, the fire who refines, the paraclete who walks alongside believers. He is the power in weakness, the comfort in sorrow, the one who unites believers to Christ. Christians are temples of the living God, and He will finish the work He has begun.
Zekveld’s message is clear: trust the Spirit, rely on His filling, and rest in His faithfulness. The Christian life is not lived in one’s own strength but in the power of the One who dwells within. He who began a good work will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6).
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