Contact Us. Yet, the Watchtower Society asserts that the Holy Spirit “never” appears as a person in the Biblical text and discounts all of the personhood texts about the Holy Spirit by attributing the actions of the Holy Spirit seen in the text to being a mere force like “electricity” or “radio waves” and pointing to examples where the Spirit is described in non-personal ways such as the “tongues of fire” of Acts chapter two. The Holy Spirit is a living Person, one of the three Persons of the Godhead. Jehovah God uses this force to accomplish his will. For instance, the Spirit is alive. Others understand the Holy Spirit as the impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ. Was the Holy Spirit really given in John 20:22? The following verses demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is indeed personal –after all, he knows, wills, speaks, teaches, intercedes, and has a mind. Mk.9:7 You can only grieve a person. The moment we confess our sin and ask Jesus to come into our lives, we are born again, become members of God’s family, and the Spirit immediately takes up residence inside of our bodies. ( Log Out /  It is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will ( Reasoning from the Scriptures 1985, 81). They convey the idea of breath, air in motion, wind. The definition that the Holy Spirit was a distinct divine person equal in substance to the Father and the Son and not subordinate to them came at the Council of Constantinople in ce 381, following challenges to its divinity. Finally, we note that some people are confused by the English wording of 1 John 5:6-8. The following documentation proves that JESUS emphatically spoke of The Spirit as ANOTHER PARACLETE like HIMSELF!!!. First, every pronoun used in reference to the Spirit is … Home These facts indicate the that Holy Spirit is a shared power, not an individual independent personality. Insight p.1019, & Aid p.1543 ~ INSIGHT On The Scriptures (1988) is the updated version of AID To Bible Understanding (1971) WOW !!! The Identity of the Holy Spirit – Question 5 . The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit has all the attributes of personality and is not merely an impersonal force. 157-158). He has been with God since the beginning, and has been part of God since before creation. Question: "Is the Holy Spirit a person?" An impersonal force or unifying energy does not have a distinct will, but a person certainly does. Local: 704-401-2432 These are attributes of a person (in this case, a divine Person), not of a mere force. . Jesus also referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter or the Counselor (John 14:16 and 15:26). The Holy Spirit was Addressed as a Person. What was the significance of Joseph’s “coat of many colours?”. Furthermore, throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit exhibits the characteristics of a Person, not an inanimate force. Without denial of the one Essence of the Godhead, the personality of the Holy Spirit must be affirmed and is subject to proof unassailable by any who accept the Scriptures as authoritative. Some people believe the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force, not a Being with the attributes of personality. | For What Saith the Scriptures? Where in the Bible did God give Satan domain over the Earth? In John chapters 14, 15, and 16, for example, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as “He”. Enter your email address to receive email notifications when new Bible Q&A articles are posted. Is the Godhead/Trinity a Biblical concept? In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit dwells within all believers (1 Corinthians 6:19), assures them that they are children of God (Romans 8:16), enables them to live the Christian life (Romans 8:9, 12-15), and gifts them for Christian service (1 Corinthians, chapter 12). What does God mean, “I am Alpha and Omega?” | For What Saith the Scriptures? God's HOLY SPIRIT is NOT a PERSON but is God's active FORCE by which he accomplishes his purpose and executes his will." Will you believe the Word of God? Only a rational, emotional, and active person could do all that the Scriptures teach the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Is the Holy Spirit a person or a force? Check out our 60 new Bible Q&A booklets for sale. Jesus also referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter or the Counselor (John 14:16 and 15:26). In addition, the Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is God Himself. Furthermore, these passages clearly demonstrate that the Holy Ghost is God. Here the apostles are commanded to baptize those who receive the Gospel “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”. ; 2 Peter 1:20-21. Why did Jesus say to throw the net on the “right” side? He is confused with the manifestations themselves, and has even been presented as an incidental figure that appears momentarily. | For What Saith the Scriptures? The HOLY SPIRIT, THE 3RD PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY In Acts 5:1-4 When Ananias lied to the Church, Peter told him he had lied to the Holy Spirit and in lying to the Holy Spirit he lied to God. Will you believe the Word of God? Have I blasphemed against the Holy Ghost? ( Log Out /  Is the Holy Spirit a force, a person, or something else? Will4. However, the arguments the Watchtower uses to support this doctrine are not biblically sound. The Holy Spirit is also described in the Bible as having the characteristics of God and doing God’s work. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon people, anointing them for a specific task or purpose (Exodus 31:1-5; Numbers 24:2). The Holy Spirit is referred to as a “he” in “he shall teach you all things”: John 14:26 King James Version (KJV) 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Insight p.1019, & Aid p.1543 ~ INSIGHT On The Scriptures (1988) is the updated version of AID To Bible Understanding (1971) WOW !!! Why did Jesus say, “My God, my God?” | For What Saith the Scriptures? He is not simply “God’s active force,” as the cults suggest. The Holy Spirit does give us many marvellous experiences, but He Himself is not merely an experience. According to the Bible, if someone lies to the Holy Ghost, he or she has “lied to God.” Obviously the Bible makes the Holy Spirit equal to God. » Why does the King James Bible use the terms “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit?” (LINK TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE) The Holy Spirit considers Himself a person, not a personification. arC Ministries' Bible Questions Answered from the Dispensationally-Delivered Scriptures. In fact, He is called the Spirit of life in the book of Romans. He is neither a force nor an impersonal, dispassionate entity. It is also clear that the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit of God (1 Thessalonians 4:8; Isaiah 63:10–11). They are three distinct personalities which are all parts of one God. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Thirdly, The Force can be manipulated by Jedi and those trained in the Jedi arts. THE HOLY GHOST SPEAKS, SHOWS, HEARS, AND GUIDES US INTO ALL TRUTH Again, these are matters of grammar and translation, not of biblical theology. Because we tend to think of spiritual things as immaterial … This is a vitally important concept. Third Member of the Trinity . The Bible gives us a clear picture of who He is: He’s intelligent and has an intellect. (Will you believe the Word of the Holy Ghost? The Holy Spirit Is a Person. Coronavirus detected in lake water, researchers find. The Apostle Peter says, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? The Holy Spirit is a living Person, one of the three Persons of the Godhead. Simply put, the Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God. Part 2. The word spirit (from the Latin spiritus meaning "breath") appears either alone or with other words in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament.Combinations include expressions such as the "Holy Spirit", "Spirit of God", and in Christianity, "Spirit of Christ".. He is a person and if you and I are wise we will treat Him not as POWER but as a PERSON. Jehovah's Witnesses and certain other groups, such the Iglesia ni Cristo, claim that the Holy Spirit is not a Person but merely a force (for example, "the power of God"). .’ (Acts 13:2). by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D., 1991. The Holy Spirit is a person, a He. The Holy Spirit is indeed a person. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Intellect3. He is not simply “God’s active force,” as the cults suggest. By BGEA Staff   •   This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. | 333 Words of Grace. Because the names “Holy Ghost” and “God” have been used interchangeably, we conclude that the Holy Ghost is God. When Did the Church the Body of Christ Begin? The Holy Spirit is referred to as a Person in the Bible, and as a “He”, and also as God. Thanksgiving 2012 – In Every Thing Give Thanks, The Flesh Straineth, Christ’s Love Constraineth. Again, these are matters of grammar and translation, not of biblical theology. How do we know? (Genesis 1:2) However, the Bible also uses those words in other senses:(a) Breath.-Habakkuk 2:19; Revelation 13:15. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And that simply is not true. Furthermore, throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit exhibits the characteristics of a Person, not an inanimate force. The Holy Spirit has a mind, will and emotions. | 333 Words of Grace. The Spirit is, first and foremost, God’s personal presence. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit has all the attributes of personality and is not merely an impersonal force. "This is My Son, the Beloved; LISTEN TO HIM." Emotions2. In themselves, the Hebrew and Greek words for “spirit” give no hint of personality. Most reputable versions discard it. And what is the Holy Spirit’s role in the believer’s life? 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