One Holy Spirit, Three Reformed Voices—David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Donald Macleod, and C. John “Jack” Miller

One Holy Spirit, Three Reformed Voices—David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Donald Macleod, and C. John “Jack” Miller

—By Michael A. Graham

Note to Reader

Over the past year, I have found myself deeply immersed in the study of the Holy Spirit’s work—what it means to be sealed with the Spirit, baptized into Christ, and renewed in assurance and power. This wasn’t something I set out to explore, but rather something that found me while preaching through Romans 8 at New Life Vicenza.

Like many, I had long assumed that the “baptism” of the Spirit simply referred to the Spirit bringing us into Christ at regeneration. But when I read Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the subject, I found myself both troubled and intrigued by his insistence that being “sealed with the Spirit” is a distinct experience, often occurring after conversion. That led me to reach out to others, which is when Tim Trumper pointed me toward Donald Macleod and his book The Spirit of Promise.

The challenge, of course, was getting the book while living in Italy and Croatia! Since it wasn’t available on Kindle, I had to wait until I returned to Tennessee in March, then bring it back with me to Italy in June. In the meantime, I was reading Sinclair Ferguson, working through everything Jack Miller had written on the Spirit, and reflecting on how this all fit within a broader Reformed framework of renewal, power, and assurance.

As I have wrestled with these perspectives, I have had a unique advantage—over the past year, I have uploaded nearly my entire research library on The Jack Miller Project into my own ChatGPT system. This has made it much easier to interact with the massive amount of study I have done, helping me process sources, track theological arguments, and articulate my own thoughts more clearly. What once felt like an overwhelming volume of material has now become an accessible and interactive dialogue, making the writing process more manageable. This essay was developed with AI-assisted research to help organize and process theological materials, but all arguments, conclusions, and writing decisions are my own.

The essay you are about to read is the result of months of reading, reflection, and engagement with these theologians. My hope is that this essay helps you grapple with the richness of this topic as I have, and even leads you to seek a deeper experience of the Spirit’s presence and work in your own life.

Feel free to comment or reach out—I’d love to hear how this topic resonates with you.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones: A Distinct Baptism with the Spirit After Conversion

Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899–1981), a renowned Reformed preacher, strongly taught that the “baptism with the Holy Spirit” (or sealing of the Spirit) is often a distinct experience after conversion. In his view, while every believer is indwelt by the Spirit from regeneration, not all have experienced the Spirit’s empowering fullness. He directly posed the question in his Ephesians commentary:

“Is this sealing of the Holy Spirit a distinct and separate experience in the Christian life or is it something that happens inevitably to all who are Christians…?” and Lloyd-Jones taught it was the former—a post-conversion event.¹

His grandson summarized Lloyd-Jones’ position:

“He believed passionately in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a second post-conversion experience.”²

In other words, Lloyd-Jones maintained that a Christian might be truly born again yet still need a further encounter with the Spirit for power and assurance.

Theological Arguments for a “Second Blessing”

Lloyd-Jones grounded this view in both Scripture and historical observation. He carefully distinguished Spirit baptism from regeneration. For example, he noted that 1 Corinthians 12:13 speaks of the Spirit’s work in forming the body of Christ (regenerating and indwelling all believers), while the Gospels and Acts speak of Jesus “baptizing with the Holy Spirit” as something distinct.³

Lloyd-Jones argued:

“Our being baptized into the body of Christ is the work of the Spirit, as regeneration is His work, but [baptism with the Spirit] is something entirely different; this is Christ baptizing us with the Holy Spirit.”⁴

He pointed to biblical examples like Pentecost and other episodes in Acts where already-believing people later received a dramatic outpouring of the Spirit. In his theology, regeneration is an unconscious work that imparts spiritual life, while Spirit baptism is an experiential endowment of power and assurance. He famously stated:

“You can be regenerate without being baptized in the Holy Spirit,” urging Christians not to confuse initial salvation with this fuller empowering.⁵

Lloyd-Jones saw this “second blessing” as often accompanied by profound assurance of God’s love, joy, and boldness. He linked it closely with the idea of sealing. Interpreting Ephesians 1:13, he contended that being “sealed with the Spirit” typically “follows…conversion,” not coincides with it.⁶

Thus, many believers lack assurance until this sealing occurs. He even warned against being content with a merely intellectual Christianity:

“Look at the New Testament Christian…vibrant with spiritual life,” whereas one can be “so afraid of disorder” that one “quench(es) the Spirit.”⁷

For Lloyd-Jones, the normal Christian life as portrayed in Scripture is dynamic and Spirit-filled.

Within the Renewal Theology Framework

Lloyd-Jones’ teaching has been influential in Renewal Theology and the mid-20th-century evangelical charismatic movement. Though firmly Reformed in doctrine, he inherited the legacy of the 18th-century Calvinistic Methodist revival (he has been called “the last of the Calvinistic Methodists”⁸). He believed that the church periodically needs revival—fresh Pentecost-like visitations of the Spirit. In fact, he viewed Pentecost as an experience available to the church in every age, not a one-time event locked in the past.⁹

This put him in sympathy with the Charismatic Renewal’s desire for a “second blessing” of power. He taught his congregation to “ask God for the Holy Spirit” even after conversion, citing Jesus’ promise in Luke 11:13. In Joy Unspeakable, his series of sermons on the Holy Spirit, Lloyd-Jones surveyed church history and named many revival movements as evidence of this repeated outpouring of the Spirit.¹⁰ He even suggested that figures from various traditions (Wesley, Moody, etc.) had tasted this blessing.¹¹

This openness to charismatic experience—though Lloyd-Jones personally was cautious about certain excesses (e.g., he was skeptical of mass emotionalism or uninterpreted tongues)—made him a bridge between traditional Reformed circles and the emerging charismatic movement of his day.

Importantly, Lloyd-Jones saw himself as continuing a thread of Puritan theology about assurance. Many Puritans taught that full assurance of salvation (often linked with the Spirit’s “seal”) might come after one initially believes. He followed this line, effectively causing critics to suggest he was a proponent of a form of “second blessing” doctrine within a Reformed context.¹²

Critics note this affinity with Wesleyan holiness teaching (which speaks of a second work of grace), but Lloyd-Jones insisted his version was grounded in Scripture and Reformed experience, not sinless perfection or tongues. He was clear that this baptism/sealing did not make one sinless or automatically mature, but it did give a “new vitality” and sense of God’s reality to empower growth and witness.

Alignment with or Contrast to Reformed Tradition

Lloyd-Jones’ stance was controversial among Reformed theologians. Traditional Reformed theology (as seen in Calvin, the Westminster Standards, etc.) teaches that all who trust in Christ receive the Holy Spirit and all His saving benefits at once—adoption, union with Christ, the indwelling Spirit, etc. In that sense, classic Reformed teaching does not expect a normative second stage of Spirit-baptism for Christians.

Lloyd-Jones departed from this consensus by asserting a qualitative difference between conversion and the fullness of the Spirit. However, he did so by invoking older Reformed voices: for instance, the Westminster Confession acknowledged that assurance is not of the essence of faith and may be waited for (WCF 18.3). He took such hints and developed a robust doctrine of a post-conversion assurance-giving event.

Some Reformed colleagues were uneasy. They feared his teaching created a two-tier Christianity: those who have received this baptism and those who have not. Indeed, theologian Donald MacLeod (whom we discuss below) criticized Lloyd-Jones on this very point, calling his view “a serious disparagement of the ordinary Christian”—a “theology of plus” that is “impossible to harmonise…with the New Testament.”¹³

From a traditional Reformed perspective, if one says a Christian can be an “heir of God” but still lack “the seal of that sonship,” it sounds as if a crucial blessing is withheld from some true believers.¹⁴

Advocates of Lloyd-Jones’ view respond that this “withheld” blessing is precisely what we must look for and expect God to grant in His timing. They note that many stalwart Reformed pastors (including Puritans like Thomas Goodwin or John Flavel) wrote of the Spirit’s direct witness and sealing as something that could come after conversion in an observable way.

In this sense, Lloyd-Jones saw himself not as overturning Reformed doctrine, but reviving an experiential strand within it that had been neglected. Still, his position stretches the standard Reformed paradigm and aligns with more revivalist and charismatic expectations.

Donald MacLeod: Spirit Baptism at Conversion—No Second Blessing Needed

Donald MacLeod (1940–2023), a Scottish Reformed theologian, takes an emphatically different stance. MacLeod argues against any doctrine of a distinct second baptism of the Holy Spirit, insisting that all the Spirit’s saving work is bestowed at conversion. In MacLeod’s view, to teach that some true Christians lack “the fullness of the Spirit” until a later crisis is to undermine the sufficiency of Christ’s work received by faith. His theological arguments are aimed squarely at the Renewal Theology idea that Spirit-baptism is a conditional later gift.

Arguments Against a Distinct Second Baptism

MacLeod’s objections are both doctrinal and biblical. At root, he charges that the second-blessing teaching “strikes at the very heart of the evangelical emphasis of sola fide (faith alone)”.¹⁵ If one must fulfill extra conditions or attain a certain level of repentance to receive the Spirit in fullness, then simple faith in Christ is no longer enough. MacLeod bluntly writes:

“Faith alone does not secure the fullness of the Spirit … This means that a man may be justified from all sin and yet Spirit baptism be withheld … he may be a son of God and yet go without the seal of that sonship … This is no mere modification of evangelical theology … It is its destruction.”¹⁶

In other words, to MacLeod, any suggestion of a two-stage Christianity is anathema—it implies a person united to Christ by faith might still lack Christ’s Spirit, which is unthinkable in New Testament terms.

Biblically, MacLeod emphasizes texts that link receiving the Spirit with the moment of faith. He points to Ephesians 1:13, which says believers were “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” upon believing. In his reading,

“All they did was believe: having done so, they were sealed.”¹⁷

There is no added interval or requirement; the sealing is God’s own act marking every believer. Likewise, Galatians 3:2 and 3:14 teach that we receive the Spirit “through faith,” as the fulfilled “blessing of Abraham.” For MacLeod, this means the Spirit is part and parcel of the gospel promise—

“We cannot be beneficiaries under [the covenant] and lack [the Spirit].¹⁸

He goes as far as to say the gift of the Spirit is the great purpose of Christ’s atonement, inseparable from forgiveness:

“We can have no share in the blessings of the atonement without having the fullness of the Spirit.”¹⁹

All who are redeemed by Christ have the Spirit’s fullness by virtue of union with Him. To require “something additional to faith—some plus” to get the Spirit is, in MacLeod’s words, to fall into a “theology of ‘plus’” that the New Testament does not countenance.²⁰

MacLeod also dismantles specific second-blessing arguments. For instance, some argue from Acts that believers received the Spirit in stages. MacLeod counters that those instances were special redemptive-historical moments (Samaritans, Gentiles, etc.), not the norm for all generations. The one clear didactic passage on Spirit-baptism, he notes, is 1 Corinthians 12:13:

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body … and were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

Far from teaching a post-conversion baptism for a few, this verse equates Spirit-baptism with the universal experience of regeneration/incorporation into Christ.²¹ MacLeod observes that if we let 1 Corinthians 12:13 speak, “All New Testament Christians are baptized by/in/with the Spirit … at their regeneration/conversion,” which sounds the death-knell to second-blessing theology.²² (Lloyd-Jones had attempted to argue this verse speaks of a different reality, but MacLeod finds that unpersuasive²³.) In short, MacLeod insists Spirit-baptism is not a separate event to look for, but a completed fact for every believer.

Evaluation in the Renewal Theology Context

In the context of Renewal Theology, MacLeod is a cautious, confessional Reformed rebuttal to charismatic teachings. His writing often directly addresses claims made by Pentecostal or “higher life” teachers. For example, MacLeod critiques R. A. Torrey (a prominent early 20th-century evangelist who taught a baptism of the Spirit subsequent to salvation with “seven easy steps” to attain it²⁴).

MacLeod finds such schemes deeply unsound. He is concerned that Renewal movements’ focus on a second experience can foster spiritual elitism and insecurity among Christians. If a group within the church claims a special post-conversion endowment, inevitably others feel like second-class citizens or doubt their status. MacLeod’s burden is to affirm that every true Christian—even the newest or weakest—has the Holy Spirit dwelling in fullness. In his words, “Paul never teaches … that there are two classes of Christians known as the ‘sealed’ and ‘non-sealed.’ For we are all one in Christ.”²⁵

MacLeod’s view aligns with Reformed Renewal in the sense that he believes in ongoing filling and growth, but not as a dramatic second crisis. He certainly encourages believers to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), but understands this as a repeated continual dependence, not a one-time “gap-filling” event. In one article, he argues it is unbiblical to suggest “some Christians do not possess the fullness of the Spirit”—for service or otherwise—since the New Testament expects all Christians to serve in the power of the Spirit from the start.²⁶ Any lack of power is due to our not yielding to the Spirit we already have, rather than not having received Him yet.

Thus, MacLeod’s contribution to Renewal Theology is corrective: he affirms the Spirit’s role in renewal and revival, but he contends that the theological framework for seeking renewal must not imply a divided Christian experience. True renewal, for MacLeod, comes not by getting the Spirit (since every Christian already has Him), but by the Spirit getting more of us—deepening our faith and holiness. This perspective often resonates with non-charismatic evangelicals who want revival but without Pentecostal distinctives.

Jack Miller: Renewal Through Ongoing Repentance and Spirit-Filled Living

Cecil John “Jack” Miller (1928–1996) was a Presbyterian pastor and missionary who led a movement of renewal within Reformed churches known as the New Life movement or Sonship movement. Miller’s perspective on the Holy Spirit’s baptism and sealing is distinct from both Lloyd-Jones and MacLeod, though in certain ways it bridges the gap. He did not use the phrase “second baptism,” yet he emphasized believers experiencing the Spirit’s power through continual repentance and faith in the gospel. Miller’s focus was on the Spirit’s work in assuring us of God’s love (sealing us as God’s children) and empowering us for mission—and he taught that these blessings are accessed repeatedly as we return to Christ in humble repentance.

Neither “Second Blessing” nor Static Possession: A Dynamic Reformed View of the Holy Spirit

Jack Miller agreed with the Reformed baseline (and with MacLeod) that every true Christian has the Holy Spirit from conversion. He would gladly affirm verses like Ephesians 1:13—that trusting in Christ brings the sealing of the Spirit’s promise. However, Miller saw that many Christians live with little joy, weak assurance, and scant power over sin. The problem, as he diagnosed it, was not that they needed an additional event to receive the Spirit, but that they were failing to walk in the fullness of the Spirit already given. In his book Repentance: A Daring Call to Real Surrender, Miller writes:

“True repentance puts us in right relationship with the Lord and enables us to walk in the fullness of His Spirit, growing and being used in the fullness of His purpose for us.”²⁷

This statement encapsulates Miller’s view: the Spirit’s fullness is available (“His purpose for us”), but to walk in that fullness requires ongoing repentance and surrender to God. Thus, unlike Lloyd-Jones, Miller did not emphasize a one-time post-conversion crisis experience; and unlike MacLeod, he often spoke about varying degrees of experiencing the Spirit’s fullness. In effect, Miller taught a dynamic, relational process of being filled with the Spirit again and again as the believer continually turns back to Christ.

The idea of adoption and the Spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15–16) deeply informed Miller’s theological framework. He believed the Holy Spirit’s chief work in the believer’s heart is to constantly cry “Abba, Father,” testifying of God’s love and our status as beloved children. All Christians have this Spirit of adoption, but not all are listening to or living in the reality of that truth. Unbelief, guilt, and pride can mute the Spirit’s assuring voice. The solution, for Miller, is what he called “gospel repentance”—a repentance that is not mere remorse or legalistic effort, but a return to the cross and to the love of Christ. As we honestly acknowledge our sins and, in brokenness, embrace Christ’s promise anew, the Holy Spirit pours out God’s love in our hearts afresh. This could be described as a kind of personal revival.

Many who sat under Miller’s ministry did have dramatic renewal experiences—periods when, after confessing sin or relinquishing self-reliance, they were overwhelmed with joy and assurance as if newly saved. Miller would see that as essentially the work of the Spirit “sealing” the love of God to a Christian’s heart in a deeper way. Yet he didn’t want people to seek novel experiences for their own sake; he wanted them to seek Christ himself, expecting the Spirit to make Christ real to them in power.

Within the Renewal Theology Framework

Jack Miller can be seen as a leader of a Renewal movement within Reformed Christianity. In the 1970s–80s, when charismatic theology was growing, Miller charted a different course to renewal. He emphasized renewal by rediscovering the gospel. His famous catchphrase was:

“Cheer up! You are a worse sinner than you ever dared admit, and you are more loved than you ever dared hope.”²⁸

That paradox of deep repentance (“worse sinner”) and joyful faith (“more loved”) captures how he sought the Spirit’s renewal. Miller’s approach resonated with many in traditional churches who hungered for revival but were wary of Pentecostal extremes. Rather than teaching about tongues or a baptism of fire, Miller taught about brokenness, grace, and the Holy Spirit’s comfort and power in evangelism. This is very much a Renewal Theology, but one centered on continual conversion of heart.

In practice, Miller did see powerful movements of the Spirit. New Life Church in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania experienced seasons of unusual prayer, confession, and conversion growth, which he attributed to the Holy Spirit responding to their faith and repentance in the church as a whole and among the leaders of the church. He also worked on the mission field and reported instances of spiritual breakthrough after intense prayer and surrender.

All this fits the Renewal framework: Miller absolutely believed the church needs frequent renewal and fresh filling from the Spirit. However, he framed these not as one might in a classical charismatic sense (with terminology of “baptism in the Spirit” as a separate event), but in the language of “revived repentance and faith.” Essentially, Miller’s renewal theology says: the Spirit hasn’t left you, but perhaps you have left the Spirit; come back to the Spirit’s agenda (through repentance and faith) and you will experience revival.

Notably, Jack Miller had great respect for earlier revivalists like Lloyd-Jones (he admired his passion), but he was careful to avoid any implication of a spiritual elite. He taught that every Christian, no matter how low, can right now by simple repentance and trust be filled with the Spirit’s joy—there is no need to tarry years for a mystical experience. This democratizes renewal while still calling for deep change.

His organization’s leadership training in Sonship was essentially a program of leading Christians through heart-searching repentance and fresh application of the gospel, which often resulted in an experience of God’s fatherly love they hadn’t known before. Many described it as being “born again—again.” Miller himself carefully explained it’s not a new baptism, just a renewed realization of what one already has in Christ.

Comparison and Theological Implications

All three men—Lloyd-Jones, Macleod, and Miller—share a commitment to the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s work, yet they diverge on whether that work is bestowed in one stage or two and on how Christians should seek a greater experience of the Spirit. Below is a comparative overview of their positions:

Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Advocates a “second blessing” understanding—the baptism/sealing of the Spirit is often a distinct post-conversion experience that not all believers have received. He bases this on Scripture (Acts accounts, Ephesians 1:13’s sequence, etc.) and argues it brings a palpable assurance, “power from on high,” and joy.²⁹ Within Renewal Theology, Lloyd-Jones’ view encourages believers to seek revival and not settle for nominal Christianity. However, it risks implying two tiers of Christians (those “baptized with the Spirit” vs. those not yet). Traditional Reformed critics say it “cannot be harmonized with the NT” teaching that all in Christ have the Spirit.³⁰ Lloyd-Jones counters that his view revives the Puritan insight that assurance can be delayed and prayed down from heaven. He sees repentance and earnest seeking as preparatory but ultimately looks to Christ to grant the Spirit when and how He wills.

Donald MacLeod: Teaches no separate second baptism—every believer receives the Spirit fully at conversion through faith. He marshals texts like 1 Corinthians 12:13 and Ephesians 1:13 to show that all Christians are Spirit-baptized and sealed upon believing.³¹ In the Renewal debate, MacLeod’s stance guards the unity and equality of believers and the sufficiency of Christ’s work. He worries that second-blessing doctrine adds a “plus” to the gospel and creates an “elite” mentality.³² His view aligns with the dominant Reformed perspective: one definitive baptism in the Spirit, many subsequent fillings (which are incremental and available to all as they grow). Repentance, in MacLeod’s view, is vital for sanctification but not a gateway to a missing gift—rather it’s a response to the Spirit we already have. The implication of MacLeod’s theology is assurance by faith in God’s promise: even a struggling Christian can be told, “If you have Christ, you have the Spirit—now live out that reality.” This protects against the insecurity that can come if one feels they haven’t had a certain experience.

Jack Miller: Rejects framing the issue as a one-time second event versus not—instead, he holds a view of continual renewal. Every Christian has the Spirit, but must constantly seek to be filled by returning to the gospel in repentance and faith. Miller’s emphasis is that any time a believer humbles himself and clings to Christ, a kind of “personal revival” can occur. He thus upholds with MacLeod that there are not two classes of Christians (all are sealed in Christ), yet he echoes Lloyd-Jones’ passion that many Christians need a deeper experience of God’s Spirit. The key difference is he sees it as a repeated process rather than one big second crisis. Within Renewal Theology, Miller’s approach is sometimes called “renewal through repentance”—it fosters revival fires but keeps them tied to gospel basics rather than special charismatic phenomena. In Reformed terms, “True repentance … enables us to walk in the fullness of His Spirit.”³³ The implication is that the church should continually be reforming and reviving spiritually, not by new doctrine but by going deeper into existing doctrine.

Theological Implications

This debate impacts how Christians live and how ministers preach:

If one follows Lloyd-Jones, one may be open to tarrying meetings, praying specifically for a big downpour of the Spirit. It cultivates expectancy but can also lead to frustration or a feeling of lacking. Churches influenced by him (and similar holiness teachings) sometimes have seasons of seeking revival, which can indeed result in great fervor—or in some cases, excesses or divisions (as critics note happened when some took Lloyd-Jones’ openness and went fully charismatic³⁴).

If one follows MacLeod, the emphasis will be on teaching believers to recognize what they already have. There is a stability and assurance: “Christian, you lack nothing in Christ; now believe it and act on it.” This can protect against chasing experiences. The potential downside is that it may lead to a more cerebral faith if not coupled with a robust doctrine of felt assurance—believers might theoretically know they have the Spirit yet not seek the experiential reality, falling into the very satisfaction with less that Lloyd-Jones warned of.³⁵ MacLeod would respond that Scripture’s ordinary means (Word, sacraments, prayer) are the avenue for the Spirit’s work, and we don’t need a separate crisis.

Miller’s approach aims to take the best of both—grounding everything in the finished work of Christ (like MacLeod) but urging believers to constantly ask for the Spirit’s filling through repentance (somewhat like Lloyd-Jones’ urgency, but spread across daily life). The implication for a church is a culture of ongoing renewal: regular times of confession, emphasizing gracious forgiveness, encouraging believers to step out in faith (e.g., Miller was big on evangelism empowered by the Spirit). It avoids creating two classes, since everyone needs continual repentance; the new Christian and the old saint both have more of Christ to seek.

Conclusion: A Living, Ongoing Renewal

Jack Miller’s understanding of the Spirit’s work stands in contrast to both Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ emphasis on a distinct second blessing and Donald MacLeod’s insistence that all believers already have the fullness of the Spirit at conversion.

For Miller, the Christian life is not about waiting for a singular, post-conversion crisis moment, nor is it simply resting in the assurance that one has already received the Spirit. Instead, it is about daily, ongoing renewal in the Spirit through repentance, faith, and dependence on Christ.

Miller warned against reducing the Spirit’s work to a single past experience, whether it be conversion or a dramatic second blessing. He wrote:

“It is a mistake to think of the Christian life as something you enter once and then coast along. No, the New Testament calls us to live by the Spirit, to walk in the Spirit, to continually seek the Spirit’s power. That means we are always in need of renewal.

We are not to think of the Spirit’s work as a single second blessing, as if God gives us one great experience and then we are done. No, we need fresh supplies of grace every day. We need a second, third, fourth, and daily blessing of the Holy Spirit, because the Christian life is a life of ongoing repentance, faith, and renewed dependence on Christ.

You don’t become spiritually mature by looking back at one big experience you had years ago. You grow by turning to Jesus daily, by living in humble repentance, by asking the Father to fill you afresh with the Spirit.”³⁶

Miller’s distinction is important. Unlike Lloyd-Jones, he does not encourage believers to seek a delayed, second baptism of the Spirit. Yet unlike MacLeod, he does not assume that having the Spirit at conversion means one is automatically experiencing His fullness. Instead, Miller believed that Pentecost was both a once-for-all event and a present, ongoing reality. He wrote:

“Obviously there are developments in the Book of Acts which are not repeated in later church history. Pentecost, for instance, is a once-for-all event. But Pentecost also has the utmost importance for the life of the church today … Furthermore, it is of first importance to see [Pentecost] as a definitive accomplishment. Pentecost is not finished in the way that artifacts in a museum are finished. That is, the book of Acts is not to be approached as a divine museum containing materials largely of historical interest which have no bearing on the present. One certainly may not read God’s work at Pentecost in a deadening way. No, at Pentecost the resurrection life of Jesus Christ was imparted to the church by the Father as permanent and ongoing.”³⁷

This emphasis on Pentecost as both definitive and ongoing provides a bridge between the views of Lloyd-Jones and MacLeod. Miller agreed with MacLeod that the Spirit is given fully at conversion, but he also agreed with Lloyd-Jones that many Christians fail to walk in the fullness of that gift and need fresh encounters with God’s grace. His solution was not a second blessing but daily renewal—a theology of renewal that is neither static nor dependent on crisis moments.

Thus, Miller calls the church neither to passivity nor to pursuit of emotional highs, but to a life of continual surrender to Christ. The Spirit does not come and go, but our hearts must be constantly awakened to His presence. As believers repent, trust in Christ, and yield to the Spirit’s power, they experience not a one-time filling, but an ever-deepening renewal—the second, third, fourth, and daily blessing of walking in the Spirit of Christ.

Footnotes

¹ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, God’s Ultimate Purpose: An Exposition of Ephesians 1 (Baker Books, 1998), p. 297.

² Iain H. Murray, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Fight of Faith 1939-1981 (Banner of Truth, 1990), p. 585.

³ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable: Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit (Kingsway, 1984), p. 102.

⁴ Ibid., p. 110.

⁵ Ibid., p. 112.

⁶ Ibid., p. 121.

⁷ Ibid., p. 127.

⁸ Iain H. Murray, Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace (Banner of Truth, 2008), p. 33.

⁹ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Sovereign Spirit: Discerning His Gifts (Crossway, 1985), p. 58.

¹⁰ Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable, p. 140.

¹¹ Ibid., p. 145.

¹² Ibid., p. 152.

¹³ Donald MacLeod, The Spirit of Promise (Christian Focus, 2000), p. 89.

¹4 Ibid., p. 93.

¹⁵ Ibid, p. 112.

¹⁶ Ibid., p. 115.

¹⁷ Ibid., p. 119.

¹⁸ Ibid., p. 121.

¹⁹ Ibid., p. 124.

²⁰ Ibid., p. 126.

²¹ Ibid., p. 128.

²² Ibid., p. 130.

²³ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable (Kingsway, 1984), p. 150.

²⁴ R.A. Torrey, The Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Fleming H. Revell, 1895), p. 75.

²⁵ Donald MacLeod, The Spirit of Promise, p. 132.

²⁶ Ibid., p. 135.

²⁷ Jack Miller, Repentance: A Daring Call to Real Surrender (World Harvest, 1997), p. 58.

²⁸ Ibid., p. 62.

²⁹ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable, p. 212.

³⁰ Donald MacLeod, The Spirit of Promise, p. 140.

³¹ Ibid., p. 145.

³² Ibid., p. 148.

³³ Jack Miller, Repentance: A Daring Call to Real Surrender, p. 75. See also “The Sealing of the Spirit (Audio),” (1988) in which Jack Miller speaks directly about Martyn Lloyd Jones position on “Sealing.”

³⁴ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Sovereign Spirit (IVP, 1985), p. 180.

³⁵ Donald MacLeod, The Spirit of Promise, p. 155.

³⁶ Merged Transcripts of Sonship and Prayer 1886 to 1999.

³⁷ Cheer Up! A Biographical Study of the Life and Ministry of C. John “Jack” Miller: A Twentieth Century Pioneer of Grace, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, May 2019.