Opinion

Christian Doctrine pt. 17: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, His Person

Friday, January 18, 2019

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit may be divided into two areas. These are the person of the Holy Spirit, who he is and the work of the Holy Spirit, what he does. This article considers the personhood of the Holy Spirit. To begin it must be understood that the Holy Spirit is indeed a person. He is not an impersonal force or influence or some sort of nebulous vague substance.

There is clear unmistakable evidence in the Bible for speaking of the Holy Spirit specifically and distinctly as a real person. We can summarize that evidence with two statements. First, the Holy Spirit is spoken of in Scripture in personal terms. In Jesus’ farewell address in John 14-16, he calls the Holy Spirit the “comforter.” He would take Jesus’ place in guiding the disciples. Clearly, this is not an impersonal force or power. He is a real person like Jesus himself. To drive this truth home Jesus always uses the masculine personal pronoun to refer to the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:8, 13, 14).

The Holy Spirit is spoken of as having personal qualities. He has all the attributes of a person. He possesses knowledge (1 Cor. 2:10), will (1 Cor. 12:11), affection (2 Tim. 1:7), and moral appreciation (Jn. 16:9). The Holy Spirit performs personal functions such as hearing (Jn. 16:13), speaking (Acts 10:19), teaching (Lk. 12:12), praying (Rom. 8:26), forbidding (Acts 16:6-7), comforting (Acts 9:31), guiding (Jn. 16:16), revealing (Jn. 16:14), and calling into the work of the Lord (Acts 13:2). The Holy Spirit enters into personal relationships. In his relationships he can be grieved (Eph. 4:30), resisted (Acts 7:51), sinned against (Mt. 12:31). lied to (Acts 5:3), rebelled against (Is. 63:10), and insulted (Heb. 10:29).

Second, the Holy Spirit is the deity. The name is appropriate. The word “holy” is practically synonymous with deity. The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:4). The attributes of God are attributed to him. He is eternal (Heb 9:14), omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-10), omnipotent (Lk 1:35), and omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10-11).

The Holy is a real person, he is God, the third person of the Holy Trinity. Those who have trusted Christ as their personal Savior have the Holy Spirit indwelling their very being. He lives in those who are Christians. It is by the Holy Spirit that Christians are sealed until the day of redemption. We will consider this truth in an upcoming article. Until then remember that God loves you and so does First Baptist Church.

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