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"THE HOLY SPIRIT"
INTRODUCTION: To my knowledge, the question of "Who is the Holy Spirit" has not been asked
very often. Actually, the adjective "holy" is also used to describe God the Father (Jhn 17:1)
(Rev 4:8) and other places. In the case of the "Holy Spirit", "holy" (agios) indicates that
He infinitely and perfectly possesses the qualities of .. purity .. goodness .. and holiness.
In the days of Christ and the Apostles, there existed .. unholy .. impure .. and unclean
spirits. (Mat 10:1) (Mat 12:43) "Unclean" (akathartos) (ah-kah-thar-tos) means .. "that which
is impure .. defiled .. filthy." The word "Spirit" indicates that He does not have a physical
.. material .. fleshly .. tangible body. The Son who was the "word" in eternity "became
flesh" and had a physical body. (Jhn 1:14) (Heb 10:5,10) This is not the case with the "Holy
Spirit". (Luk 24:37-39) God the Father is a "Holy Spirit", for He is a "Supreme Spirit Being"
(Jhn 4:24), and He is "holy" (Jhn 17:11), yet it is the "third" person of the Godhead who is
specifically designated "The Holy Spirit". This is a descriptive phrase which distinguishes
Him from the Father and the Son. (Mat 12:32) (2 Cor 13:14)
I. There Are Misconceptions Concerning The Holy Spirit.
A. The "Holy Spirit" is not an "it" in the sense of being a lifeless or impersonal thing.
In the KJV, the word "itself" is used with reference to the "Holy Spirit". (Rom 8:16)
1. It was changed to "himself" in the ASV .. NIV ... and other modern translations.
2. In (1 Pet 1:11) the word "it" is used in the ASV regarding the "Holy Spirit" in the
prophets.
3. "It" was changed to "he" in some recent translations such as the NIV, NASV, and
NKJV.
B. The "Holy Spirit" is not a "ghost".
1. One of the reasons for the misunderstanding that some entertain regarding the nature
and identity of the "Holy Spirit" is due to the KJV reading of "Holy Ghost"
2. In 1611 "ghost" in such references meant "spirit" .. a non-human .. unseen being.
3. In our culture, "ghost" usually denotes "the soul of a dead person believed to be
an inhabitant of the unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness...
a haunt." (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, page 516.)
4. When the disciples saw Christ walking on the water .. they thought He was a spirit
or "ghost". (phantasma), which means "an apparition, ghost". (Mat 14:26) (Mrk 6:49)
C. The "Holy Spirit" is not a mysterious influence, a mighty wind, divine energy, or
merely an active force.
1. He is a member of the "Godhead" who can exert influence
2. He "hovered" over the waters at the creation. (Gen 1:2) (Job 33:4)
3. He moved prophets.(2 Pet 1:20-21)(Neh 9:30) ... He "guided" .. "taught" ..
"reminded" ..and did "bear witness" through the Apostles. (Jhn 14:25,26)
(Jhn 15:25,26) (Jhn 16:13)
4. He also brought about the salvation of sinners through the spoken word.
(Acts 2:4, 37-39)(Acts 8:29,35)(Tit 3:5-7)
II.What About The Personality Of The Holy Spirit?
A. The Bible teaches that the "Holy Spirit" is a person. .. Personality does not
necessitate that one possess a human body .. or that one be governed by the elements of
time .. as we do as humans.
1. A person is a self-conscious or rational being. .. a character .. or an individual
.. that is distinct from others.
2. He has life .. thought .. volition .. action .. and influence.
3. Nearly everyone believes that "God the Father" is a person even though He does not
have a physical .. fleshly body .. God is a Spirit. (Jhn 4:24)
a. His personality is accepted because He is "an individual who is distinct from all
others.
b. He has life .. volition .. influence .. rationality .. etc.
4. The Holy Spirit is also a person .. to the same extent .. the same way "God the
Father" is a person.
B. Jesus promised His Apostles that He "will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another comforter." (Jhn 14:16)
1. The two words "another comforter" imply two things.
a. That while Jesus was with His Apostles on the earth .. that He was a comforter..
(1).(Parakletos) ... which means .. "a helper .. Intercessor."
b. The "Holy Spirit" would be a "helper" like Jesus was to His Apostles.
(1).He promised them another (allos) ... an additional comforter like Himself.
(2).Jesus recognized the personality of the "Holy Spirit".
C. In speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit and His work through the Apostles ... the
Lord used masculine pronouns.
1. This must not be misconstrued to teach that the "Holy Spirit" is of male gender.
2. It simply states that He is a person .. an individual .. distinct from others.
3. Look at some references of the Lord to the "Spirit" .. (Jhn 14:26)(Jhn 14:17)
(Jhn 15:26)
4. The "Holy Spirit" is a being to whom the NT ascribes the characteristics of a person
.. He:
a. Speaks (1 Tim 4:1) .. Teaches (Jhn 14:26) .. Guides (Jhn 16:13) .. Searches
(1 Cor 2:10) .. Bears Witness (Jhn 15:26) .. Forbids (Act 6:6,7) .. He knows
(1 Cor 2:11) .. He wills (1 Cor 12:11) .. He can be grieved (Eph 4:30) .. He can
be blasphemed (Mat 12:31,32) .. He can be resisted (Acts 7:51).. He can be lied
to (Acts 5:3)
III.The "Holy Spirit" is God.
A. God is the name that the scriptures give to the three "Supreme Beings" that are "deity"
1. They possess all of the perfect .. infinite .. self-sustaining qualities which make
God .. God.
2. It is implied that the "Holy Spirit" is God .. is deity (Acts 5:3,4)
3. He is specifically designed as the "Spirit of God". (Gen 1:2) (Mat 12:28)(Rom 8:9)
and others.
B. The "Holy Spirit" is spoken of as the "third person of the God-head".
1. He is not third in importance .. power .. or nature.
2. It means that He is third in the aspect of time .. when His work in the scheme of
redemption was accomplished.
3. The Lord spoke of immersion being "into the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit" (Mat 28:19) ... Look at (2 Cor 13:14)
a. In these references ... "The Holy Spirit" is mentioned last.
4. The work of the "Holy Spirit" was not .. legislation .. but .. REVELATION.
5. He is identified as "The Spirit of Truth". (Jhn 16:13)
a. He would .. teach .. guide .. bear witness through the Apostles ... beginning at
Pentecost in the apostolic age (Jhn 14:16, 17,26) (Jhn 15:26,27) (Jhn 16:7-14)
(Luk 24:45-49) (Acts 1:2-8)
C. The "Holy Spirit" is deity .. a divine personality .. He is characterized as the
"Eternal Spirit". (Heb 9:14) .. Omniscience (1 Cor 2:10,11) .. Omnipotence (Rom 1:20)
.. and Omnipresence (Psl 139:7-10)
D. The "Holy Spirit" is the third person of the Godhead in regard to His mission.
1. Jesus said .. ".. for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (Jhn 16:13)
a. Notice " ... he shall not speak of himself..." .. This means that He will not
assume the initiative.
b. He will not speak "of himself" ... Instead, He would speak the things that the
Father would give Him to speak.
c. The "Holy Spirit" revealed the things of God. ... by the words of God.
(1 Cor 2:10-13)
E. Finally .. The "Father" is the first person .. the legislator .. His work is first
(Jhn 12:48) (Jhn 14:24)
1. The "Son" is the second person .. the one who executes .. He performs the Fathers
will (Jhn 17:4)(Heb 10:7).
2. The "Holy Spirit" is the third person ... the revelator ... He was sent from the
Father after the Son returned to heaven. (Jhn 14:16,17,26)(Jhn 16:7)
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