“Who” is the Holy Spirit?
So this is going to get theological. Yesterday, I preached on the Holy Spirit and on the blessings that come from the Holy Spirit. I didn't not address the identity of the Holy Spirit. So this paper is a quit guide to the identity of the Holy Spirit in ten statements.
1: The Spirit is eternal. We read that the Holy Spirit existed before the creation of the world in Genesis 1. The Bible says that God's Spirit was moving over the face of the waters. The Spirit was not created sometime after or during creation. The Spirit, The Son, and The Father are eternally one. We read in John 1 that Jesus was with God and is God and that all things are created through him.
Job recognised this about the Spirit saying in Job 33:4 that the Spirit was also present a creation.
2: The Spirit is one with the Son and the Father. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is God. (the grammar does not work but there is no other way to say it). They are distinct persons but one God. This is confusing and perhaps we have not yet come up with words to describe this easily. In Acts 5:3 Peter recognises this when he says to Ananias that they deceived the Spirit and in doing so lied to God. Also in Matthew 1:18 we read that Mary was pregnant via the Holy Spirit. She bore God's son. So these three persons are distinct and yet inseparable. The Holy Spirit is not God alone, but is being one with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; God.
3: The Spirit is real. When I was in high school we had “School Spirit” This spirit would get us all worked up into a frenzy at Pep rallies and Football games. It would cause us a sense of pride that moved us to shout for our team and cheer along proudly with every touchdown. That is nothing like the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not a feeling, a force, or a attitude, it is God's actual presence with you. I mentioned in Sunday's message that Jesus promises the Holy Spirit as a fulfilment of his promise to be with the disciples “till the end of the ages”. The spirit is that presence, and it is a real presence.
4: The Spirit does not come and go: The Holy Spirit is always with the believer. I have heard people call the Holy Spirit to come to believers or say that the Spirit “Is in this place or time”. Romans 8 says that if the Spirit is not with someone they are not a believer, so if we think that the spirit has to return to us or a place or time we are in, then we are saying that the Spirit has left us, but the Spirit does not leave us so long as we are in Christ.
5: The Spirit cannot be controlled by men: Jesus reminds us in John 3:8 that the Spirit is like wind. In fact, the Greek for Spirit is “Pneuma” which means "wind". This wind blows at the will of God not man. So men cannot give the Holy Spirit as it comes and is given by God. The Spirit is received upon profession of faith and Baptism and is given by God. Men cannot control the Holy Spirit. Men cannot give or impart the Spirit to another person. In the same way there is only one spirit, there are not many spirits as in spirits of peace, spirits of confidence, spirits of healing, only the Holy Spirit according to 1 Corinthians 12.
6: The Holy Spirit and Baptism: In John 3 Jesus says that we cannot enter the kingdom again unless we are born again of water and the Spirit. John baptised with water but promised another baptism would come, which would be the baptism of “Fire and the Spirit” through Jesus Christ. However, these two acts cant be separated, you cannot claim one if you don't believe in the other, and Jesus commands that we be baptised with water. Mark 16 says “He who believes and is baptised will be saved.” While there is no power in the water or the act itself, baptism is a command of God. It is our first act of obedience and a physical sign of a inward acceptance of Christ. To avoid baptism is to will fully avoid a command given by Jesus. So as much as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the real working of salvation in us, the water baptism is our outward sign of that salvation and they cannot be separated.
7: What or who is the Holy Spirit: This is tricky. The Greek Bible refers to the Spirit on several occasions as “Itself” (as does the King James Version). The phrase “pneuma autoc” is translated as “the Spirit itself”. The word for Spirit is neuter, meaning it has no gender unlike the other persons of the triune God;“Theos” and “Xristos” (God and Jesus). This is why many, myself included, incorrectly, use “it” to refer to the Holy Spirit. In a grammatical sense it's like saying “the window himself” that is grammatically incorrect because the window is an object with no gender. So we would say “the window itself”. That being said, we know that the “Spirit” while grammatically is a gender neutral object, is not an object but a person of the Triune God. While it may be natural to say “It” grammatically, it is incorrect theologically. God, the triune God ,is masculine and is always referred to as God Himself. However, we often do the same thing when people use the word “trinity”. Many, incorrectly refer to the trinity as “It”. If God is masculine then the all the persons and the totality of God is “Himself” not “itself”
8. The Spirit is our Helper: Jesus promises a helper when he tells the disciples he is going to leave them. The helper is “Parakletos” a masculine noun meaning comforter or counsel. Jesus, before his death tells the apostles that he must go to be with the father. To comfort them he promised them that God would be present with them through this helper. This helper would remind them of Jesus' commands and help them remain obedient to His teachings. This helper would also be a real presence with them to bring them comfort and strength. Parakletos is also “Intercessor” which is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit. That through the Spirit we can speak and receive from God.
9. The Spirit equips us: According to John 14 the role of the Holy Spirit is not to bring happy feelings or encouragement but to keep us in obedience and to direct us in following Christ. God has plans for each of us and has a call on each of us. The Spirit gives us gifts to live out those plans 1 Corinthians chapters 12+ outline what these gifts are and how they cause us to work for the glory of God. Paul reminds us that we are given different gifts but all are equally important for the work that God has put before us.
10. Spiritual gifts are not evidence for the Holy Spirit. The evidence of the Spirit's presence are outlined in Galatians 5. Some claim that the speaking in tongues, the ability to perform miracles, or strange behaviour exhibited in times of worship, is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus states that signs and wonders can also be performed by evil Spirits as well. We are called to test the spirits, knowing that not every spirit is from God (1 John 4:1). Our standard is Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit.
So this is going to get theological. Yesterday, I preached on the Holy Spirit and on the blessings that come from the Holy Spirit. I didn't not address the identity of the Holy Spirit. So this paper is a quit guide to the identity of the Holy Spirit in ten statements.
1: The Spirit is eternal. We read that the Holy Spirit existed before the creation of the world in Genesis 1. The Bible says that God's Spirit was moving over the face of the waters. The Spirit was not created sometime after or during creation. The Spirit, The Son, and The Father are eternally one. We read in John 1 that Jesus was with God and is God and that all things are created through him.
Job recognised this about the Spirit saying in Job 33:4 that the Spirit was also present a creation.
2: The Spirit is one with the Son and the Father. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is God. (the grammar does not work but there is no other way to say it). They are distinct persons but one God. This is confusing and perhaps we have not yet come up with words to describe this easily. In Acts 5:3 Peter recognises this when he says to Ananias that they deceived the Spirit and in doing so lied to God. Also in Matthew 1:18 we read that Mary was pregnant via the Holy Spirit. She bore God's son. So these three persons are distinct and yet inseparable. The Holy Spirit is not God alone, but is being one with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; God.
3: The Spirit is real. When I was in high school we had “School Spirit” This spirit would get us all worked up into a frenzy at Pep rallies and Football games. It would cause us a sense of pride that moved us to shout for our team and cheer along proudly with every touchdown. That is nothing like the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not a feeling, a force, or a attitude, it is God's actual presence with you. I mentioned in Sunday's message that Jesus promises the Holy Spirit as a fulfilment of his promise to be with the disciples “till the end of the ages”. The spirit is that presence, and it is a real presence.
4: The Spirit does not come and go: The Holy Spirit is always with the believer. I have heard people call the Holy Spirit to come to believers or say that the Spirit “Is in this place or time”. Romans 8 says that if the Spirit is not with someone they are not a believer, so if we think that the spirit has to return to us or a place or time we are in, then we are saying that the Spirit has left us, but the Spirit does not leave us so long as we are in Christ.
5: The Spirit cannot be controlled by men: Jesus reminds us in John 3:8 that the Spirit is like wind. In fact, the Greek for Spirit is “Pneuma” which means "wind". This wind blows at the will of God not man. So men cannot give the Holy Spirit as it comes and is given by God. The Spirit is received upon profession of faith and Baptism and is given by God. Men cannot control the Holy Spirit. Men cannot give or impart the Spirit to another person. In the same way there is only one spirit, there are not many spirits as in spirits of peace, spirits of confidence, spirits of healing, only the Holy Spirit according to 1 Corinthians 12.
6: The Holy Spirit and Baptism: In John 3 Jesus says that we cannot enter the kingdom again unless we are born again of water and the Spirit. John baptised with water but promised another baptism would come, which would be the baptism of “Fire and the Spirit” through Jesus Christ. However, these two acts cant be separated, you cannot claim one if you don't believe in the other, and Jesus commands that we be baptised with water. Mark 16 says “He who believes and is baptised will be saved.” While there is no power in the water or the act itself, baptism is a command of God. It is our first act of obedience and a physical sign of a inward acceptance of Christ. To avoid baptism is to will fully avoid a command given by Jesus. So as much as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the real working of salvation in us, the water baptism is our outward sign of that salvation and they cannot be separated.
7: What or who is the Holy Spirit: This is tricky. The Greek Bible refers to the Spirit on several occasions as “Itself” (as does the King James Version). The phrase “pneuma autoc” is translated as “the Spirit itself”. The word for Spirit is neuter, meaning it has no gender unlike the other persons of the triune God;“Theos” and “Xristos” (God and Jesus). This is why many, myself included, incorrectly, use “it” to refer to the Holy Spirit. In a grammatical sense it's like saying “the window himself” that is grammatically incorrect because the window is an object with no gender. So we would say “the window itself”. That being said, we know that the “Spirit” while grammatically is a gender neutral object, is not an object but a person of the Triune God. While it may be natural to say “It” grammatically, it is incorrect theologically. God, the triune God ,is masculine and is always referred to as God Himself. However, we often do the same thing when people use the word “trinity”. Many, incorrectly refer to the trinity as “It”. If God is masculine then the all the persons and the totality of God is “Himself” not “itself”
8. The Spirit is our Helper: Jesus promises a helper when he tells the disciples he is going to leave them. The helper is “Parakletos” a masculine noun meaning comforter or counsel. Jesus, before his death tells the apostles that he must go to be with the father. To comfort them he promised them that God would be present with them through this helper. This helper would remind them of Jesus' commands and help them remain obedient to His teachings. This helper would also be a real presence with them to bring them comfort and strength. Parakletos is also “Intercessor” which is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit. That through the Spirit we can speak and receive from God.
9. The Spirit equips us: According to John 14 the role of the Holy Spirit is not to bring happy feelings or encouragement but to keep us in obedience and to direct us in following Christ. God has plans for each of us and has a call on each of us. The Spirit gives us gifts to live out those plans 1 Corinthians chapters 12+ outline what these gifts are and how they cause us to work for the glory of God. Paul reminds us that we are given different gifts but all are equally important for the work that God has put before us.
10. Spiritual gifts are not evidence for the Holy Spirit. The evidence of the Spirit's presence are outlined in Galatians 5. Some claim that the speaking in tongues, the ability to perform miracles, or strange behaviour exhibited in times of worship, is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus states that signs and wonders can also be performed by evil Spirits as well. We are called to test the spirits, knowing that not every spirit is from God (1 John 4:1). Our standard is Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit.