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Biblical Doctrine of The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit as a Person

Our belief in the Holy Trinity is fundamental to our Christian faith and is based on the belief that there is only one God, but that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all God. <br>We believe that the Holy Spirit is an equal part of the Trinity and the same as the Father and the Son in every sense!<br>To believe in the Holy Trinity, we also have to believe in the person of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit is a separate (distinct) person.

Jan1313
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Biblical Doctrine of The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit as a Person

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  1. Biblical Doctrine of The Holy Spirit- The Holy Spirit as a Person -

  2. Introduction Our belief in the Holy Trinity is fundamental to our Christian faith and is based on the belief that there is only one God, but that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all God. We believe that the Holy Spirit is an equal part of the Trinity and the same as the Father and the Son in every sense! However, to believe in the Trinity, we also have to believe in the person of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit is a separate (distinct) person, which is often a bone of contention.

  3. The Holy Trinity • The Holy Trinity consists of: • God the Father • God the Son • God the Holy Spirit • All three being fully God but at the same time three distinct persons, with the exact same attributes! The Father The Son Is Not God Is Is Is Not Is Not Is The Holy Spirit

  4. The Holy Spirit • When considering the person of the Spirit, there are three main areas that need to be addressed: • Is the Holy Spirit a person? • Is He a divine person? • Is He a distinct divine person? • So, it is important for us to establish how the Bible, which is our only ultimate and final authoritative source, treats the Holy Spirit .

  5. Is the Holy Spirit a person? Throughout history and in contemporary times, many people grapple with this question and many have resolved, for various reasons that the Holy Spirit is not a person. However, it is important that we understand and believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, not only to ratify the doctrine of the Trinity, but also in order to make sense of the works of the Holy Spirit in the Bible, as it is impossible for those works to be done if He is not a person.

  6. Is the Holy Spirit a person? Firstly, it is important to understand that in the Bible all spiritual entities are personal. A being of spirit is a personal being, including God (Jn. 4:24; 2 Cor. 3:17, NIV) and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4, NIV). Secondly, in John 14:16 (NKJV) the Lord Jesus describes to the disciples the Holy Spirit as “another Helper” (coming to take His place), exactly the same as Him. Jesus would not have said this or used such precise words if it was an impersonal or any other force that was in any way different or less than Him.

  7. Is the Holy Spirit a person? Thirdly, in Matthew 28:19 (NIV), the Holy Spirit is connected in an equal sense with the Father and the Son, who are indisputably persons. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is again is again listed with (other) persons, sharing their responsibilities (Acts 15:28, NIV), clearly being attributed personhood. Fourthly, masculine pronouns are used in various scripture passages when reference is made to the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14, NKJV), which clearly suggest a person and not an impersonal force or “thing”.

  8. Is the Holy Spirit a person? • Fifth, the Bible frequently describes the Holy Spirit doing things that persons do: • He engages in rational or intellectual activity (Jn. 16:8; Rom. 8:26-27; 1 Cor. 2:10-11, NIV) • He uses His own will, exercises judgment (Acts 13:1-4; 15:28; 16:6-7; 1 Cor. 12:11) • He speaks both to and through the apostles and prophets (Acts 8:29; 1 Tim. 4:1; Matt. 10:20; Heb. 3:7; Rev 2:7, NIV) • He teaches (Nem. 9:20; Jn. 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:12-13, NIV) • He feels emotions (Isa. 63:10; Eph. 4:30; Rom. 15:30, NIV)

  9. Is the Holy Spirit a person? • Sixth, the Holy Spirit is treated like a person would be treated. As seen in Acts 5:1-11 (NIV) Peter declared that the Ananias lied to Him and tempted Him. Furthermore, in Hebrews 10:29 (NKJV) we learn that it is possible to insult Him and in Matthew 12:31 (NKJV), to blasphemy Him. These acts can only be performed against a person.

  10. Is the Holy Spirit a Divine person? • Scripture confirms to us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person. He is the third person of the Holy Trinity, God the Holy Spirit , sharing the exact same divine attributes as God the Father and God the Son.

  11. Is the Holy Spirit a Divine person? • Firstly, there are a number of text in the New Testament that sustain the equality and divinity of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; Eph. 4:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 1 Pet. 1:2, NIV). • Secondly, the Holy Spirit has divine characteristics: • He is the eternal spirit (Heb. 9:14, NIV) • He possess immortality (1 Tim. 6:16, NIV) • He is omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10-11; Isa. 40:13-14, NIV) • He is omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-10 • He is omnipotent (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:30; Rom. 8:11; Rom. 4:17, NIV). He is the Spirit of power (Mic. 3:8; Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:13, 19.)

  12. Is the Holy Spirit a Divine person? • Thirdly, Jesus teaches us that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin (Mk. 3:29, NIV). However, blasphemy against Jesus can be forgiven, so it is obvious that the Holy Spirit must be divine as well, otherwise it is impossible for the same sin against the Holy Spirit to be worse than against Lord Jesus, if He was not. • Fourth, the Holy Spirit is divine because He is explicitly referred to as God in scripture (Acts 5:1-4; 1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:22; Heb. 3:7-11; Exo. 16:7; 17:1-7; Acts 28:25-27; Heb. 10:15-17; Jer. 31:31-34, NKJV).

  13. Is the Holy Spirit a Distinct Divine person? • We believe that further to being equal to the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit also an entirely separate and distinct person as well. In essence this means that all are God, but the Holy Spirit can act feel, experience, think and do separately from the Father and the Son, as do they. He is His own distinct person and there is interaction between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit . • The Father and the Holy Spirit were both involved in the incarnation of the Son (Lk. 1:35, NIV) • The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are involved in the same events at the same time, but in different ways, eg:

  14. Is the Holy Spirit a Distinct Divine person? • At the baptism of Christ (Lk. 3:22, NIV) • Jesus teaches about the coming of the Spirit (Jn. 14:16, NIV) • The Holy Spirit intercedes for us (with the Father, which isn’t possible if not separate persons (Rom. 8:26, NIV) • Sanctification, Justification, renewing (1 Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:4-6, NIV) • It is clear that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all God, but are distinct persons who exist simultaneously and they interact with each other.

  15. Implications of believing in the distinct divine person of the Holy Spirit • The understanding of, realization of and belief in the distinct divine person of the Holy Spirit lead to the following implications: • We should speak of the Holy Spirit in personal terms • It is likely that Yahweh in the Old Testament is the Trinity • We should worship the Holy Spirit • The overwhelming realization that we have a person of divine majesty dwelling in us who is ready to use us, mere mortals, for His divine purpose

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