Amongst the gracious acts that the Holy Spirit manifests on earth is the giving of life to them. An early reference of this action is seen where God breathed His Spirit into Adam to bring him to life (Gen 2:7). Later in Genesis 6:3 He was grieved that He had made man at a time when man’s sin was multiplying upon the earth (Genesis 6:5-6). In that context, the Spirit of God is that aspect of His presence that bestows life, since He councils with Himself to reduce man’s years from the multiple centuries that he had hitherto enjoyed. So in this verse it is evident that the Holy Spirit gives life to every man; not just Adam. But what is also evident is that it is the Spirit who keeps people alive after they are born. This is evident where He says that He will no longer contend with sinful men and their lives are shortened by the removal of His Spirit. Thus, the very fact that men are living despite their wickedness is evidence of the grace of God to them.
The Holy Spirit’s grace towards all mankind can be encapsulated in the words of Jesus where He says, “…for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Mat 5:45). This sort of grace, which is given to everyone, goes by the term “general providence.” It is called “general” in that it is distinct from “special providence” which is reserved for believers and entails salvation, sanctification, and security.This is due to their drawing together towards a final culmination of the temporal world and all things are mediated from God through Christ (cf. Jn 17:2; Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:3). Dr Robert L. Reymond goes so far as to say that the reason that common grace exists is as a platform upon which special grace is built with Romans 8:28 in view, where all things work together (i.e. common grace) for those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (i.e. His special providence). A state of common grace is from whence every believer has sprung, and gone into a state of special, and saving grace.
One other way in which the Spirit blesses mankind is in the skills which men possess. It is not in vain that we speak of talented people as being “gifted.” Clement of Alexandria in reflecting upon Exodus 31:2-5 saw the connection between artistic talent and the Holy Spirit. Clement claimed that artistic talent and invention was from God, but he did not go so far as to say that men have the diving prerogative of creation. He believed that the best kind of beauty was spiritual beauty as brought about by the Holy Spirit as compared to transitory temporal beauty.
Jonathan Edwards went further in seeing the beauty of the Holy Spirit in the world wherever there is order and harmony. Edwards was operating within the 18th century concept of harmony and order as an expression of beauty. The love that God has for His creation and for His creatures is the bond of the Holy Spirit for Edwards. Building from St. Augustan’s bond of love concept of the Holy Spirit between the Father and the Son, Edwards saw that same bond of love God has for His creatures being the Spirit also. For Edwards, wherever God sets His affection on believers, there too is the Holy Spirit as their connection with Him. The Holy Spirit touches men so as to “quicken, enliven, and to beautify things.” Edwards saw the ultimate expression of the Spirit’s beautification in the sanctification of men, and our greatest apprehension of that beauty in our participation in holiness. Thus it may follow that wherever man sees beauty and order the hand of the Holy Spirit can be contemplated as having wrought it.
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