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Topic: God's holy spirit
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oneinchrist
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posted
Hi Isaiah,
I prayed to our Lord Jesus with a troubled heart desiring to know the truth.....I highly doubt that Jesus would send me a devil instead to teach me a lie. I trust the Lord desires to share the truth with us if we care to know it. When I searched scripture it affirms the truth of what was spoken to me. Jesus honors His Father.
As far as the separate personhood.....I'm not really sure what you view as "separate personhood" Since Jesus did not give me a direct answer Himself, but authorized the Holy Spirit to speak on His behalf, I know that the Holy Spirit has a unique operation in the Godhead.... I am not going to quarrel over terminology.
With love in Christ, Daniel
Posts: 1389 | From: Wind Lake, WI | Registered: May 2007
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Isaiah
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I did not say the holy spirit was God. When I address God -the Father -in Christ's name -he hears by his spirit...
(He also speaks by his spirit...but quickened by the Spirit: 1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison)
...I said the spirit IS "GOD'S" -which is quite correct. It is HIS SPIRIT. Num 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
2Sa 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue.
HIS word -That is -God's spirit spoke by him -which can also be said -God spoke by him by his spirit.
Christ is God -and the spirit is his also -as he and the Father are one..Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
This is the same spirit which can be in one after baptism. After which, by the spirit, God grants many and various gifts. By this same spirit were many miracles wrought by the apostles, etc...though it is still GOD'S
-the same spirit which the Word -who became Christ -moved across the face of the waters when creating all things.
Still -not a separate person.
When David did not want to lose God's spirit -he did not talk to a separate person he did not ask the holy spirit not to leave him -he spoke to God -Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
I would sincerely advise anyone who hears a voice in their head to not rely solely on that for evidence of anything -especially these days...
2Th 2:7-9 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders...
Ouch indeed!
2Th 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
2Co 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
You will believe what you will -just be careful -be certain. The synagogue of satan is alive and well -and more crafty and powerful than ever. Among their ranks are criminals and occultists -not to mention Satan and the demons who can and will grant them power -they target churches and sincere people....a voice in one's head would be a little thing for them.... "the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders"
Sincerely -be careful! (Not saying that exactly happened to you -just don't take a voice in your head as proof of anything. That can happen as a result of many things -even one wanting it to happen -many hear voices -and they say conflicting things -should I believe you over another?)
As Satan wields more influence -it will not necessarily be more apparent.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Posts: 288 | Registered: Aug 2007
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Michael Harrison
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Isaiah, i say this with a smile! Ouch, when you call Him 'it'! It is easy to do, and we have all been guilty at some point. But if the Holy Spirit is God (and He is, even you said it), then He is a He! This is a bit difficult to come to grips with because we don't see Him.
But clearly, when you address one, you address three. Really! Think of this. I do not like this illustration, but here it is anyway. God the Father is like the radio or tv transmitter; or if you like, He is the server on the computer network. We are like the radio, tv, or computer who receive the signal. In the case of the computer, the Spirit is like the network cable, and the computer is like the client who logs onto the server if they have a connection.
In the case of the radio transmitter, we are the radio or tv, and the air is the signal carrier. This would be the Holy Spirit. Air is every where and we see neither it, nor the signal, but it is there.
The world is a mirror of heaven, and these things, i feel, are some images that reflect that fact. But with God, the Holy Spirit is part of Him. Whether as a person or not, He is God, and unlike a radio signal, He is two-way! I must say that He is part of the person of God.
God isn't up there seperate from the universe. The universe is in Him. The Spirit manifests His creation. That is also part of His purpose. This is clear, by the way, from the Genesis account!
Jesus, by the way, is the authorization code, allowing us to log on! Then the program on the server can run on the terminal!
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![[clap2]](graemlins/clap2.gif) ![[hyper]](graemlins/hyper.gif) ![[dance]](graemlins/dance1.gif) ![[spiny]](graemlins/spiny.gif) :eek:cross ![[Cross]](graemlins/cross.gif)
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Carol Swenson
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Isaiah,
When I first became aware that the Holy Spirit lives inside of me, I felt frightened and self-conscious. But He is wise, and very kind. Very, very kind.
![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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oneinchrist
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Member # 6532
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posted
Hi Isaiah,
You inquire of the seperate personhood of the Holy Spirit. You have not believed the word of my testimony which I shared with you.
I prayed to Jesus as I was troubled over the issue of "Jesus is God". Shortly before I woke answer came to me.......JESUS DID NOT EXALT HIMSELF. To me, the evidence of the separate personhood comes in light of the fact that the voice spoke to me (in the second person) about our Lord Jesus....but to you, I may just be a liar.
With love in Christ, Daniel
Posts: 1389 | From: Wind Lake, WI | Registered: May 2007
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Isaiah
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Member # 6699
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posted
The use of the literary device of personification is not evidence of separate personhood of the spirit.
Act 1:16 Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Did the spirit speak independently, or did God speak to David by the spirit -who in turn spoke these words?
Personifying non-persons is often done -even in the bible. Such as...
Luk 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
and...
Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Lying to the spirit is lying to God -but neither does this prove separate personhood, as the spirit is his spirit.
There were realtively few who had God's spirit in the old testament -this is true -as the old covenant was to prepare a larger number of people to receive the spirit with the new covenant -but the spirit was the same -Elijah and Elisha had it -evidenced by such things as prophecy and miraculous works. David also had it -and asked that God not take it from him. (Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.)
Then -after Christ had died and was raised -the comforter was sent -made available to a large number...
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
3,000 were added in just that day -that is, the spirit was then IN them.
So what is the difference between the spirit being with and in one? Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom(which) the world cannot receive, because it seeth(it) not, neither knoweth him(it): but ye know him(it); for he(it) dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Here we see the spirit of truth -1Jo 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
This does not refer to a person -though the same words are used -and not capitalized.
When God calls one -he does so by his spirit then when one repents and is baptized -at the laying on of hands, that one can receive God's spirit WITHIN them. There is no real evidence that it is a separate person -nor is it necessary that there be a separate person.
If we do not understand this spirit -we will NOT have it in us! If we believe falsely, what might we accept within ourselves?
We cannot take popular belief as proof of anything, as Satan has deceived the whole world and transforms himself into an angel of light -not to mention God's church is called a little flock.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
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Carol Swenson
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Title: The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary
Edition: First
Holy Spirit
The third Person in the Trinity.
Scriptural Designations (Heb. rûaḥ, ’ĕlohı̂m “Spirit of God,” or rûaḥ, YHWH, “Spirit of Jehovah”; Gk. to pneuma to hagion, “the Holy Ghost,” or “the Holy Spirit”). Frequently the term is simply “the Spirit,” or “the Spirit of the Lord,” or “the Spirit of God,” or “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 3:16; Luke 4:18; John 14:17; Acts 5:9; Philippians 1:19).
Theological Statements
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit has about it the difficulty that belongs to that of the Trinity or the existence of God as a purely spiritual being—the difficulty that arises from the narrow limits of human understanding. Nevertheless, the Scriptures bring to us their definite representations of truth, and with these Christian thought must concern itself. The chief topics of theology respecting the Holy Spirit are: (1) His personality; (2) His deity; (3) His relation to the Father and to the Son; and (4) His office or work.
Personality. The historic and prevailing doctrine of the Christian church, in accordance with the Scriptures, has been that the Holy Spirit is a person distinct from the Father and the Son, though united to both in the mysterious oneness of the Godhead. He is not simply a personification or figurative expression for the divine energy or operation, as some have held at various periods of the history of the church (Anti-Trinitarians), but He is an intelligent agent, possessed of self-consciousness and freedom. In proof of this it is justly said: (1) that the Scriptures that ascribe distinct personality to the Father and the Son with equal explicitness ascribe distinct personality to the Holy Spirit. Prominent illustrations of this are found in Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; John 14:16-17; 15:26. (2) The pronouns used with reference to the Holy Spirit are invariably personal pronouns, e.g., John 16:13-14; Acts 13:2. (3) The attributes of personality, self-consciousness, and freedom are ascribed to the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10; 12:11). (4) The relations described as existing between the Holy Spirit and mankind are such as to emphasize His personality. The Spirit strives with man (Genesis 6:3). He instructs, regenerates, sanctifies, and comforts believers (John 3:5-6; 14:16-17; 16:13-14; 1 Peter 1:2). We are warned not to “blaspheme against,” “not to resist,” not to “grieve,” nor to “quench” the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).
Deity. The deity of the Holy Spirit has been but little disputed in the church by those who have admitted His personality. The Arian heresy of the fourth century, which represented the Holy Spirit as the earliest of all the creatures of the created Son, is the chief exception to the general rule. The Scriptures that establish the personality of the Holy Spirit in many cases, as must have been noted, also establish His deity. Beyond this, attention is commonly called to the following sure indications of Holy Scripture: (1) The Holy Spirit is distinctly called God, and names are given to Him that properly belong to God (Acts 5:3-4; Acts 28:25-27; Hebrews 10:15-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). (2) Divine attributes, such as knowledge, sovereignty, and eternity, are ascribed to the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:11; 12:11; Hebrews 9:14). (3) Divine works, such as creation and the new birth, are attributed to Him (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13, KJV; John 3:3-8). (4) Worship and homage such as belong only to God are paid to the Holy Spirit (Acts 28:25-27; 2 Corinthians 13:14). And harmonious with this is the fact that the sin against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31-32).
Relation to Trinity. The relation of the Holy Spirit to the Father and to the Son is a subject with respect to which the faith of the church developed slowly. The controversies of the first four centuries related principally to the Son. The Council at Nicaea, a.d. 325, gave forth simply this clause respecting the third Person in the Trinity: “And we believe in the Holy Spirit.” The second Council at Constantinople, a.d. 381, added the words “the Lord and Giver of life who proceeds from the Father, who is to be worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, and who spake through the prophets.” At the third Synod of Toledo, a.d. 589, the words “filio que” (“and the Son”) were added, so as to assert the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son as well as the Father. This was a principal cause of the division between the Western and Eastern churches, the former maintaining, the latter denying, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son (see Shedd, Hist. of Doctrine, 1:355-62). The prevailing doctrine may be thus summed up: (1) The Holy Spirit is the same in substance and equal in power and glory with the Father and the Son. (2) He is, nevertheless, as to His mode of subsistence and operation, subordinate to both the Father and the Son, as He proceeds from them and is sent by them, and they operate through Him (John 15:26; 16:13-15; 14:26; Philippians 1:19; Acts 11:15-17).
Office. Van Oosterzee does well to say, “Happily, not the sounding the depths of the Holy Spirit’s nature, but the receiving and possessing of the Holy Spirit himself, is for us, even as Christian theologians, the main point.” Hence, without detracting from the value of what has preceded, of paramount importance is the office and work of the Holy Spirit. This is indicated as follows: (1) The Spirit is the immediate source of all life, physical and intellectual (Psalm 104:30; Isaiah 32:15; Job 33:4; Genesis 2:7, KJV; Exodus 31:3; Numbers 11:17; etc.). (2) He bore an important part in the coming of Christ in the flesh and the qualifying of His human nature for His work (Luke 1:35; John 3:34; 1:32-33). (3) He is the revealer of all divine truth. The Scriptures are especially the product of the Holy Spirit (Micah 3:8; John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13). (4) He moves upon the hearts and consciences of all men, attending revealed truth with His power wherever it is known and even where it is not known, affording some measure of divine light and gracious influence (Acts 2:17; John 16:7-11; 1 Corinthians 2:4). (5) He convicts men of sin; graciously aids them in repentance and faith; regenerates, comforts, and sanctifies believers; bears witness to their acceptance with God and adoption as God’s children; and dwells in them as the principle of a new and divine life. In addition to Scripture quoted above, see Romans 8:14-16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18. (6) He also exercises guidance in the ministrations of the church, calling men to various offices and endowing them with qualifications for their work (Acts 13:2, 4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Special Work in the Believer. The Holy Spirit in this particular age from Pentecost to the outtaking and glorification of the church, the Body of Christ, performs a special work in every believer the moment he exercises saving faith in Christ. Simultaneously with regenerating him the Spirit baptizes the believer into union with other believers in the Body (1 Corinthians 12:13) and into union with Christ Himself (Romans 6:3-4). This is a unique and distinctive ministry of the Spirit during this age. The Holy Spirit also dwells perpetually within every believer (John 14:17; Romans 8:9-14; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and seals every believer for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). In addition, the Holy Spirit fills every believer when special conditions of filling are met (Ephesians 5:18).
Dispensational Ministry. According to the prophetic announcement of John the Baptist of the Spirit’s baptizing work (Matthew 3:11-12; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16-17; John 1:32-33), the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ were to inaugurate the new age of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. Our Lord prophetically announced a drastic change in the Holy Spirit’s operation in the age that was to begin. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as the ascension gift. He came, moreover, in a sense in which He was not here before and to perform all the ministries delegated to Him in this age; namely, regenerating, baptizing, sealing, and indwelling every believer with the added privilege of each believer’s being filled with the Spirit, if he meets the conditions of filling. The distinctive ministry of the Spirit for this age is His baptizing work. This occurred for the first time in Acts 2 (cf. 1:5; 11:15-16). The first occurrence of the baptizing work of the Spirit in chap. 2 marked the birthday of the Christian church. In chap. 8 the racially mongrel Samaritans were admitted to gospel privilege and granted the gift of the Holy Spirit, which included the Spirit’s baptizing work, placing them in the church, the Body of Christ. In chap. 10 the Gentiles were likewise admitted. This latter instance marks the normal course of the age. Every believer, upon the simple condition of faith in Christ, is regenerated, baptized into the Body, indwelt perpetually, sealed eternally, and given the privilege of being continuously filled. The experiences of OT saints and all pre-Pentecost believers came short of these tremendous blessings that are the heritage of every genuine believer in this age.
Bibliography: A. Kuyper, The Work of the Holy Spirit (1941); W. H. G. Thomas, The Holy Spirit of God (1950); E. H. Bickersteth, The Holy Spirit: His Person and Work (1959); J. Owen, The Holy Spirit, His Gifts and Power (1960); J. E. ******* , Through the Eternal Spirit (1965); C. C. Ryrie, The Holy Spirit (1965); J. F. Walvoord, The Holy Spirit (1965); J. Buchanan, The Office and Work of the Holy Spirit (1966); F. D. Bruner, The Theology of the Holy Spirit (1970); M. F. Unger, The Baptism and Gifts of the Holy Spirit (1974); E. M. B. Green, I Believe in the Holy Spirit (1975); H. C. G. Moule, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit (1977); C. F. D. Moule, The Holy Spirit (1979); E. Schweizer, The Holy Spirit (1980).
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Isaiah
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I started this topic to show how many different views there are about this very important subject. It is important to understand that popular belief can affect translation, so it is wise to consult the original languages for definitions. Some verses which seem, quite clearly, to call the holy spirit a "HE" and refer to it as "WHOM" are not necessarily translated correctly, as the words could just as well mean "IT" and "WHICH" -so the translation is not proof in itself.
The closest thing to a dictionary definition of the holy spirit in the bible is found in 2Titus -2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
This refers to the holy spirit -which can be in one -and is a spirit of GODLY power, GODLY love and a GODLY sound mind.
The first time the spirit is mentioned, in page order, Is in Genesis 1:2 ... And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. After which God says "let there be light", etc... So...
Who created the earth and all else? The spirit? The Father?
John 1, Heb 1:2 & 2:10, Col 1, Eph 3:9 clearly state that it was the WORD, who eventually became CHRIST, who did the actual creating (under direction from the Father, of course).
So..was the "spirit of God" ("spirit" not necessarily capitalized, which seems to suggest personhood) of Genesis 1 moving under its own power and will, being a separate person -or did God/the Word move his/their spirit in order to create? Essentially, was the spirit WHO or HOW?
Notice in John 1 there are only two beings mentioned as having existed from the beginning -God (the Father) and the Word (who became Christ). Also notice that no one in the bible ever addresses the holy spirit as if it were a person itself -they talk ABOUT it, but no one ever talks TO it.
(off the subject, but ..Heb 1:4 might seem to suggest Christ was created, but this actually refers to the process of becoming begotten by God through his time and suffering on earth, etc...-being the firstborn of MANY BRETHREN [Rom 8:29])
The next time the "spirit of God" -as such -is mentioned in page order is Genesis 41:38-39 -where the spirit of God was in Joseph -evidenced by wisdom revealed to him by God.
Though God does say "My spirit" in Gen 6:3, some would think this and the above refer to different things. Do they? Notice the verses in the old testament where God refers to his own spirit -saying "My spirit"....Isaiah 30:1, 42:1, 44:3, 59:21, Ezekiel 36:27, 37:14, 39:29, Joel 2:28-29, Haggai 2:5, Zechariah 4:6, 6:8
He states he will pour out HIS spirit upon men and they will dream dreams, prophesy, etc..Is this the same as the "spirit of God" and the "holy spirit"?
The other verses in the old testament which use the words "spirit of God" are these...Exodus 31:3 & 35:31, Numbers 24:2, 1Samuel 10:10, 11:6, 19:20, 19:23, 2Chronicles 15:1 & 24:20, Job 27:3 & 33:4, and Ezekiel 11:24 -where the evidence of the spirit of God is men prophesying -having vision and knowledge beyond the natural, etc.. and even having skills, abilities and talents beyond their own.
So -is this the same as the "holy spirit" mentioned in the new testament? Is it a person?
The old testament does not support the idea of the spirit being a separate person -but what about the new testament?
The following verses seem to settle the issue quickly...
Joh 14:16-17 ...And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Yet it could also read -according to the definitions of the words... "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that it may abide with you forever; Even the spirit of truth; which the world cannot receive, because it seeth it not, neither knoweth it: but ye know it; for it dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
Notice the next verses also -Who will come to them and be in them? Another PERSON??? NO!
Joh 14:18-20 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
There are more points to make, but this is getting lengthy -it is very important we know what the spirit is -especially if we are to have it IN us! Confusion on this point is dangerous in many ways!
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lonlesol
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Member # 4511
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Since this forum is called '' Exposing False Teaching'', there is a site that I found that talks about the Holy Spirit...
Somehow, it doesn't sound right to me...for instance, in one paragraph in particular, it says that God created the Holy Spirit...
This is the link to that site...
I would like to know other people's opinion on this...
http://www.thevoiceforlove.com/holy-spirit.html
One part of the text says:
quote:
God loves His children so much that He wanted His children to always know that they are safe, they are loved, and they are whole. God created the Holy Spirit as a way to ensure that God’s children would always know these things...
Posts: 478 | From: Quebec | Registered: Mar 2005
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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posted
Concise Theology
PARACLETE
THE HOLY SPIRIT MINISTERS TO BELIEVERS
When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
JOHN 16:13-14
Before Jesus’ passion, he promised that the Father and he would send his disciples “another Counselor” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). The Counselor or Paraclete, from the Greek word parakletosparakletos (meaning one who gives support), is a helper, adviser, strengthener, encourager, ally, and advocate. Another points to the fact that Jesus was the first Paraclete and is promising a replacement who, after he is gone, will carry on the teaching and testimony that he started (John 16:6-7).
Paraclete ministry, by its very nature, is personal, relational ministry, implying the full personhood of the one who fulfills it. Though the Old Testament said much about the Spirit’s activity in Creation (e.g., Gen. 1:2; Ps. 33:6), revelation (e.g., Isa. 61:1-6; Mic. 3:8), enabling for service (e.g., Exod. 31:2-6; Judg. 6:34; 15:14-15; Isa. 11:2), and inward renewal (e.g., Ps. 51:10-12; Ezek. 36:25-27), it did not make clear that the Spirit is a distinct divine Person. In the New Testament, however, it becomes clear that the Spirit is as truly a Person distinct from the Father as the Son is. This is apparent not only from Jesus’ promise of “another Counselor,” but also from the fact that the Spirit, among other things, speaks (Acts 1:16; 8:29; 10:19; 11:12; 13:2; 28:25), teaches (John 14:26), witnesses (John 15:26), searches (1 Cor. 2:11), determines (1 Cor. 12:11), intercedes (Rom. 8:26-27), is lied to (Acts 5:3), and can be grieved (Eph. 4:30). Only of a personal being can such things be said.
The divinity of the Spirit appears from the declaration that lying to the Spirit is lying to God (Acts 5:3-4), and from the linking of the Spirit with the Father and the Son in benedictions (2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-6) and in the formula of baptism (Matt. 28:19). The Spirit is called “the seven spirits” in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6 partly, it seems, because seven is a number signifying divine perfection and partly because the Spirit ministers in his fullness.
The Spirit, then, is “he,” not “it,” and he must be obeyed, loved, and adored along with the Father and the Son.
Witnessing to Jesus Christ, glorifying him by showing his disciples who and what he is (John 16:7-15), and making them aware of what they are in him (Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 4:6) is the Paraclete’s central ministry. The Spirit enlightens us (Eph. 1:17-18), regenerates us (John 3:5-8), leads us into holiness (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16-18), transforms us (2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:22-23), gives us assurance (Rom. 8:16), and gifts us for ministry (1 Cor. 12:4-11). All God’s work in us, touching our hearts, our characters, and our conduct, is done by the Spirit, though aspects of it are sometimes ascribed to the Father and the Son, whose executive the Spirit is.
The Spirit’s full Paraclete ministry began on Pentecost morning, following Jesus’ ascension (Acts 2:1-4). John the Baptist had foretold that Jesus would baptize in the Spirit (Mark 1:8; John 1:33), according to the Old Testament promise of an outpouring of God’s Spirit in the last days (Joel 2:28-32; cf. Jer. 31:31-34), and Jesus had repeated the promise (Acts 1:4-5). The significance of Pentecost morning was twofold: it marked the opening of the final era of world history before Christ’s return, and, as compared with the Old Testament era, it marked a tremendous enhancing of the Spirit’s ministry and of the experience of being alive to God.
Jesus’ disciples were evidently Spirit-born believers prior to Pentecost, so their Spirit-baptism, which brought power to their life and ministry (Acts 1:8), was not the start of their spiritual experience. For all who have come to faith since Pentecost morning, however, beginning with the Pentecost converts themselves, the receiving of the Spirit in full new-covenant blessing has been one aspect of their conversion and new birth (Acts 2:37; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13). All capacities for service that subsequently appear in a Christian’s life should be seen as flowing from this initial Spirit-baptism, which vitally unites the sinner to the risen Christ.
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lonlesol
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Holy Spirit: One of Three Persons of God
The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For many of us, this is a difficult concept to grasp. The Bible declares that there is only one living God, yet we learn from scripture that He comprises three separate personages. One way to partially visualize this concept is to examine the nature of water (H2O). Water is a single compound that can exist in three states – liquid, ice and vapor. An egg is another picture. It is comprised of the white, the yoke and the shell, yet it is still one egg. Of course, by no means do these examples paint a complete picture of our God, but they are illustrative of the fact that His three “persons” in no way invalidate His oneness.
Holy Spirit: Much More that an Ethereal Life Force
The Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal life force. He is not impersonal or unthinking. The Holy Spirit is a “person” equal in every way with God, the Father, and God, the Son. The Bible tells us that all the characteristics of God apparent in the Father and the Son are equally apparent in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is composed of intellect, emotions and will. In 1 Corinthians 2:11, we see an example of the Holy Spirit’s intellect and will: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
In Romans 15:30, we see the Holy Spirit has emotion, as represented by the capacity to love:“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”
Although the Holy Spirit has all the characteristics of God, He has specific roles and functions in our lives. In John 16:13, we see the Spirit of Truth as our guide: “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”
In John 14:26, we learn that the Holy Spirit is our Counselor and teacher: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
In 1 Corinthians 3:16, we see that the Holy Spirit lives inside us: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
In Acts 1:8, we understand where our power comes from: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."
In Romans 8:14, we understand where our direction comes from: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
In Romans 8:26, we learn that the Holy Spirit is there for us in times of weakness and prayer: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
In Hebrews 9:14, we see that the Holy Spirit is eternal. In 1 Corinthians 2:11, we see that the Holy Spirit is all-knowing. In Psalm 139, we see that the Holy Spirit is everywhere.
Holy Spirit: Attributes of God
The Holy Spirit, Father and Son all comprise a unified Godhead known in Christianity as the “Trinity.” A common misconception is that Christians believe in three different gods. This isn’t correct. While each “personage” is distinct in function, each shares together in the same deity and each reflects the divine attributes of the one living God.
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Isaiah
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What is the holy spirit? Some believe it is a separate person from the Father or Christ -some believe it is not a person.
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