The Personality and Deity of the
Holy Spirit

I. False views of the Holy Spirit:

A. The Holy Spirit is the least understood member of the Godhead.

  1. We understand the relationship of the Father and the Son, but the Holy Spirit?
  2. We know he has worked in the past for man's benefit, but how?
  3. There are more misunderstandings a about the HOLY SPIRIT than Father & Son combined.
  4. One of these misunderstandings deals with the very nature of the HOLY SPIRIT . and calls into question His very existence.

B. Catalogue of false/apostate views:

  1. Christadelphians: "The Holy Spirit is not a personal God distinct from the Father, but the radiant. invisible. power or energy of the Father."
  2. Jehovah's Witness:
  3. Others say the Holy Spirit is not a personal being but is rather a term used of the sum total of God's power. Scriptures that seem to indicate the Holy Spirit is a personal being may be understood as personification. Therefore the Holy Spirit is nothing more than the Personification of God's power.

II. Is the Holy Spirit a Personification of God's power?

A. Definition: "A figure of speech in which a thing, quality or idea is represented as a person. To speak of a thing as having life or personality"

B. Examples we are familiar with:

  1. In reference to "59 Thunderbird Coup, "She sure is a beauty"
  2. Cupid is personification of love.
  3. Expressions like. "The face of the moon"

C. The Bible does use personification widely:

  1. "Oh earth, earth, earth, write this man down childless."
  2. Ps 98:8 "The rivers clap their hands: Let the mountains sing together for Joy.
  3. "I tell you if these become silent, the stones would cry out." Lk 19:37­40
  4. Of wisdom, "She stands and calls on the rooftops" Proverbs 9:1­6

D. Similar false view of the nature of Satan. They view the devil, not as a separate personal evil being, but as the personification of sin and disease. When it says "the Devil prowls around seeking someone to devour", (Jas 4:8) This is personification they would say.

E. Some say the Holy Spirit the personification of the Bible. They do this by constructing a chart like below and show that the two have many of the same qualities. They then conclude that since they have the same qualities, they are the same thing and rest on this chart as proof.

  1. Similar qualities does not mean two things are the same. Identical twins have many similar qualities but are distinct.
  2. There are several qualities the Holy Spirit has that the word does not:
  3. The Holy Spirit revealed the Bible.
  4. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit, not the Spirit Himself. Eph 6:17

Sword of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit

work/action

The Bible

2 Cor 3:6

begotten

Jas 1:18

Jn 3:5-8

born again

2 Pe 1:23

1 Cor 6:11

cleanses

Jn 15:2-3

Ax 9:31

comforts

1 Thes 4:8

Jn 16:8

convicts

Tit 1:9

Gal 5:22

Faith

Rom 10:17

Neh 9:20

instructs

2 Ti 3:17

1 Cor 6:11

justifies

Gal 2:16; Rom 3:28

Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18

Leads

Ps 43:3; 119:105

Rom 15:13

Power

Heb 1:3; Rom 1:16

1 Pe 1:22

Purifies

1 Pe 1:22-25

1 Pe 3:18; Jn 6:63

Quickens

Ps 119:50

Rom 8:11

raised

Jn 5:28-29

Jn 16:8

reproves

2 Ti 4:2

Ax 7:51

resists

2 Ti 3:8

1 Cor 6:11

sanctifies

Jn 17:13

Tit 3:5

saves

Jas 1:21

Eph 3:16

strengthen

Ps 119:28

1 Cor 2:13

teaches

2 Ti 3:16-17

Jn 15:26

testifies

Jn 5:39

Gal 5:16

walks in

Ps 119:10

Rom 8:16

witnesses

Jn 5:39; 1 Jn 5:6-8

III. The Holy Spirit is a person!

A. What is a person:

  1. Definition of person: "One who had substance, completeness, self­existent, individuality and rationality.
  2. Five tests to determine a person:
  3. Is the HOLY SPIRIT an "it" or a "He"? Jn 16:12­14

B. The Holy Spirit is a person:

  1. Who has a mind: Rom 8:27 "the MIND of the Spirit"
  2. Who has a will: 1 Cor 12:11 "The Spirit distributes Just as He WILLS"
  3. Who can be fellowshipped: 2 Cor 13:14 "FELLOWSHIP of the Spirit"
  4. Who has emotions:
  5. Who suffers slights and injuries:

IV. The Holy Spirit is a divine being

A. In name:

  1. Ax 5:3,4 "You have lied unto the Holy Spirit [GOD]"
  2. Mt 12:28 [Lk 11:201 "If I cast out demons by the Spirit "finger] of God"
  3. Jesus sent "another comforter": Jn 14:16

B. IN POWER:

  1. To create: Pa 104:30 "Thou send forth thy Spirit, they were CREATED."
  2. To work miracles: 1 Cor 12:11
  3. To inspire prophets: 2 Pe 1:21 "men MOVED by the HOLY SPIRIT spoke from God"

C. IN CHARACTER:

  1. Heb 9:14 "Who through" the ETERNAL Spirit"
  2. Neh 9:20 "Thy GOOD Spirit"
  3. He is omnipresent: Ps 139:7­10 "Where can I flee from thy Spirit"
  4. He is all knowing: 1 Cor 2:11 "The Spirit searches the mind of God"

Conclusion:

A. Summary of what the Holy Spirit is not:

  1. The Holy Spirit is not some mystical, indefinite, indefinable, ethereal­like substance that enshrouds and permeates the universe like a fog.
  2. He is not a mere influence, or a vague, impersonal power released in response to human needs.
  3. The personification of God's power or the Bible

B. The Holy Spirit is a loving divine being personally concerned about you!



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