Beginnings
As you can see from the above pictures, the Holy Spirit is represented in scripture by a dove, water and fire. But who or what if the Holy Spirit? To answer this question, we need to delve into theology.
The Triune God
The Christian believe, as shown in Scripture is that there is but One God but within the One, there are three distinct personalities. The believe is not in three gods but One.
The major emphasis in the Old Testament is the statement from Deuteronomy 6:4 – 5, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all all your strength.”
This talks about the two concepts of the uniqueness and numerical unity of God and the simplicity of God. There is only one God. He is unique. There is none other like Him. Each human is also unique but there are many humans. This is not so with God. He alone is the uncreated One. Thus we can say that God is uniquely and numerically one.
The simplicity of God refers to the unity of His essence. There are no parts to God. He is spirit which means He can not be divided. Yet, the Christian will say that within the one God, there are three distinct personalities, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the unity of God, these three exist as one essence. Although the word “trinity” does not appear in the Bible, it is revealed in the Scriptures and most clearly in the New Testament.
Anathansian Creed
The Anathansian Creed was formulated to try and explain the Trinity. It says in part:
“We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father: another of the Son: and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is: such is the Son: and such is the Holy Ghost …
The Father is made of none: neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created: but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten: but proceeding …
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after another: none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped.”
Holy Spirit is God
From the above creed, we see that the Holy Spirit is God and is so called in Acts 5: 3-4. Verses in the Bible that show the Trinity are Mathew 3: 16-17, Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 1: 1-2 and 2 Corinthians 13:14
Holy Spirit is a person
The fact that the Holy Spirit is person is found throughout the New Testament. He searches the heart and makes intersession (Romans 8:27), Searches all things (1 Corinthians 2:10), acts with intelligence and wisdom (Ephesians 1:7, Isaiah 11:2), has emotions and can be grieved or hurt (Ephesians 4:30, Isaiah 63:10). He distributes gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11). He guides the early church and directed key missionary movements (Acts 13:2, 16:6) John even uses masculine personal pronouns to draw attention to the Spirit’s personality when normally “spirit” in Greek always is neutral and grammatically calls for neutral pronouns.
As well, those moved by the Spirit in both the Old and New Testaments knew him in a definite, personal way. I will be commenting on this in another blog.
How have you understood the Holy Spirit
As we go through this study on the Holy Spirit, it is important for you to examine yourself. How have you thought of Him? As a force or as a person? You need to realize He is a person and it will actually be Him, The Holy Spirit, who will guide you as we go through this study