What Is The Identity of The Holy Spirit?
Is the Holy Spirit some impersonal force or is He a Person? What does the Bible teach? There are three Divine personages that make up the one Divine nature. They are not three separate gods but one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). There can be a cumulative case made as to why the Holy Spirit is a personal Divine being.
- Genesis 1:26,27 states: "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." Even though this passage does not reveal how many persons make up the Divine nature, we know that there are at least two Persons that make up "God".
- John 16:12-15 states: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." Notice that Jesus is going to send this Person who will grant miraculous power to the apostles. This Person is addressed with masculine pronouns. He is a Person and not a thing because He will guide and speak.
- Acts 5:1-4 states: "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." Peter, an inspired writer of God, reveals that Ananias had lied to the Holy Spirit. Later on, Peter states that Ananias lied to God. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is a personal Divine being.
www.thegospelofchrist.com
This material is copyrighted by The Gospel of Christ and its authors. This information is free to use in its entirety without further consent, however, modifications should not be made without contacting mail@thegospelofchrist.com for permission. Any and all images contained herein are believed to be free for all distribution and content.