The Personality of the Holy Spirit
By Steven Rudd
The Personality & Deity of the Holy Spirit proven from the Bible!
1. The Holy Spirit is a person!
Two central and irrefutable proof texts:
A CN Tower of verses that proves the Holy Spirit is a person: Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14 (CN Tower is the tallest free standing building in the world: Toronto, Canada)
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" Matthew 28:19
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" 2 Corinthians 13:14
Although the verse gives us no information of 4th century Trinitarian doctrine of "three in one" etc, it most certainly proves the Holy Spirit is a person. To suggest we are to be baptized in the name of (or by the authority of) the Father, the Son and electricity, assaults our common sense. Three persons are clearly implied in this verse. With 2 Corinthians 13:14, like Matthew 28:19, we have a three part combination verse that demands grace, love and fellowship be equally ascribed to three corresponding persons.
Definition of person: "One who had substance, completeness, self existent, individuality and rationality. Five tests to determine a person:
SUBSTANCE: Being existence reality.
COMPLETENESS: That which is part doesn't satisfy the definition (an arm)
SELFEXISTENT: Continued by ones self, not by another: robot
INDIVIDUALITY: Not some universal existence.
RATIONALITY: Excludes the nonintellectual rocks and plants
Is the HOLY SPIRIT an "it" or a "He"? John 16:1214
B. Masculine pronouns are used in reference to the Holy Spirit despite the fact that "Spirit" (Greek--pneuma) is neuter (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8, 13f, Greek--ekeinos, literally, that One).
John 14:16-17-"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; [that is] the Spirit of the truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, [but] you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you."
John 14:26-"But the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He [Gr. that one] will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
John 15:26-"When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, [that is] the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me."
John 16:7-8-"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world..."
John 16:13-15-"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose [it] to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and will disclose [it] to you."
Jesus sent "another comforter": ("allos parakletos") John 14:16 Greek "allos" another of the same kind. Even if you reject that Jesus is God, another of the same kind as Jesus must be a person! The Arian view would require the word "hetros" another of a different kind. So the Holy Spirit is a person who is a "comforter, helper, advocate". Used of the Holy Spirit 5 times in John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; 14:16 and once of Christ in 1 John 2:1. When we combine this with the fact that Jesus said the Holy Spirit was another helper, Gr "allos", "another of the same kind", the personality of the Holy Spirit is reinforced even stronger. The Greek word "parakletos" that is used in all these verses was always applied to persons, not things. So the fact that both Greek words "allos" and "parakletos" TOGETHER in the same phrase in reference to Jesus is irrefutable proof that the Holy Spirit is portrayed as a person. In Acts 9:31 Christians were "walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit." The word, "Comfort" [parakleses] is the verb form of the noun parakletos.
"Your Honor, I object!"
Comforter, helper, advocate: "parakletos"
The word means, "lit., called to one’s side, i.e., to one’s aid, is primarily a verbal adjective, and suggests the capability or adaptability for giving aid. It was used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant, counsel for the defence, an advocate; then, generally, one who pleads another’s cause, an intercessor, advocate" (Comforter, W. E. Vine) For such a word to be applied to the Holy Spirit demands he is a person. Otherwise it is like taking you "lap top computer" into court instead of your lawyer.
D. The Holy Spirit can be fellowshipped:
The Holy Spirit can be fellowshipped: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" 2 Corinthians 13:14. We are not saying that the word fellowship itself, demands the Holy Spirit is a person, but that a word that normally, but not always implies personality, is used in conjunction with two other known persons.
E. The "Holy Spirit" is in contrast to "unholy Spirit", who are persons:
The very term "Holy Spirit" is used in contrast to "unholy spirits" like demons and the devil: Mark 3:22-23; Matthew 12:32; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 3:24-4:6. If "unholy or evil spirits" are persons, then the Holy Spirit is a person. This point applies to Jehovah’s Witnesses but not Christadelphians, because the later do not even ascribe personality to the devil or demons, but view them as the personification of sin and disease respectively. The Spirit The Holy said: "set Barnabas & Saul apart for ME for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:2 The Spirit the Wicked said to them: "I know Jesus and Paul, but who are you" Acts 19:15
II. The Holy Spirit simply must be a person and is much more than God’s power or active force:
A. The Holy Spirit is outright said to have a mind which energy does not.
Romans 8:27 He has a mind. (The Father who searches the heart of man knows the mind of the Holy Spirit who interceeds.)
B. The Holy Spirit experience emotions, slights and injuries which energy does not.
Matthew 12:31 "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" (blaspheme energy?) Hebrews 10:29 "and have insulted the Spirit" (insult energy?)
Acts 5:3 "You have lied unto the Holy Spirit" (lie to energy?)
Romans 15:30 "I urge you by the love of the Holy Spirit" (love energy?) Ephesians 4:30 (Isaiah 63:10) "and do not grieve the Holy Spirit" (grieve energy?)
C. The Holy Spirit evaluates, reasons and chooses with intelligent freewill which energy cannot do.
John 16:14 "He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak"
Acts 15:28 "it seemed good to us and the Holy Spirit"
1 Corinthians 2:11 "He knows God's thoughts.
John 16:13 "He will guide you"
Acts 13:1-4 "being sent out by the Holy Spirit"
Acts 16:6 "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to Asia"
Acts 11:12 "He told Peter to go with Cornelius' men.
Acts 8:39 "He "caught Phillip away."
Matthew 4:1; 1:12;
Luke 4:11 He led Jesus into the wilderness.
Acts 20:28 The Holy Spirit has made [appointed] you overseers."
D. The Holy Spirit originates intelligent thought and speaks which energy cannot do.
Acts 13:2 "the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them"
2 Peter 1:21 He guided men to write Scripture and speak from God. The words of the Bible itself were chosen by the Holy Spirit. Energy is not intelligent.
Hebrews 9:8 "the Holy Spirit is indicating this."
Hebrews 10:15-17 (Jeremiah 31:33-34) "And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, "This is the covenant that I will make with them""
Hebrews 3:7-11 (Psalm 95:7-11) Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice Mark 13:11; 10:19-20 "it is not you who speak, but the Holy spirit"
Acts 4:25 He spoke "by the mouth of David."
John 16:13 "Whatever He hears He will speak" He will disclose to the apostles "things to come." John 16:14 "He shall glorify me"
Romans 8:14 "being led by the Spirit of God"
Revelation 2:7, 11, 29; 3:6, 13, 22 "... let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Luke 2:26 "He revealed to Simeon he would see the Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:10 "for the Spirit searches the mind of God" Is the Holy Spirit merely a web crawler of information... a massive data base?
Ephesians 3:5 "He reveals the mystery of Christ."
1 Peter 1:11 "Spirit of Christ" in the prophets "testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow."
1 Corinthians 2:13 "words taught by the Spirit" 1 Timothy 4:1 "The Spirit explicitly says" Acts 2:4 He gave the Apostles "utterance."
E. The Holy Spirit assists us in ways only another person could. Romans 8:26 "He helps our weaknesses"
Romans 8:26 "He intercedes for us"
John 14:16,17,26; 16:7 The helper, advocate, lawyer like Christ 1 John 2:1
F. The Holy Spirit takes actions of intelligent freewill, which energy cannot do.
1 Corinthians 12:11 The Spirit decides (wills) what spiritual gift each will receive. Makes no sense if energy decides who it will give itself to!
1 Corinthians 12:11 ""the same Spirit works all these things."
1 Corinthians 2:10 "the Spirit searches all things"
2 Corinthians 3:6; Gal 6:8 "Shall from the Holy Spirit reap eternal life" Energy is not the source of life. Revelation 22:17 "The Spirit and the Bride say come (invite)"
1 Corinthians 12:13 "He baptizes us into Christ."
G. The Holy Spirit bears witness in a pattern that always involves a person:
The "Holy Spirit" is said to speak ("The Holy Spirit Says") , then quotes an Old Testament verse, is a pattern found throughout the New Testament proving He is a person: This is a function of bearing witness to scripture itself and always involves a person.
The "Holy Spirit says" in Hebrews 10:15-17 which is a quote from Jeremiah 31:33-34.
"The Holy Spirit says" in Hebrews 3:7-11 which is a quote from Psalm 95:7-11.
"Moses says, 'I will make you jealous '" in Romans 10:19 which is a quote from Deut. 32:21
"And Isaiah is very bold and says, "I was found by those who sought Me not'" in Romans 10:20 which is a quote from Isaiah 65:1.
III. The Holy Spirit is a divine person, like the Father
Acts 5:3-4 "You have lied unto the Holy Spirit ... you have lied to God"
Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20 "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God ... finger of God" 2 Corinthians. 3:17-18 "The Lord is the Spirit"
B. The Holy Spirit shares Qualities that only God possesses:
Eternal like the Father: Hebrews 9:14
Omnipresent like the Father: Psalm 139:7
Omniscient like the Father: 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
C. The Holy Spirit is divine in power:
To create: Psalm 104:30 "Thou send forth thy Spirit, they were CREATED."
To work miracles: 1 Corinthians 12:11
To inspire prophets: 2 Peter 1:21 "men MOVED by the HOLY SPIRIT spoke from God"
D. The Holy Spirit is divine in character:
Hebrews 9:14 "Who through" the ETERNAL Spirit"
Nehemiah 9:20 "Thy GOOD Spirit"
He is omnipresent: Psalm 139:710 "Where can I flee from thy Spirit"
He is all knowing: 1 Corinthians 2:11 "The Spirit searches the mind of God"
E. The Holy Spirit speaks in the first person in the New Testament what Jehovah spoke in the first person in the Old Testament. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit is Jehovah, although not the same person as the Father or the Son.
Hebrews 10:15-17 (Jeremiah 31:33-34) And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And upon their mind I will write them," He then says, 17 "And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Cautionary note: We recognize there is a partially valid counter argument Anti-Trinitarians could make against our point here in Hebrews 10:15-17. Romans 10:19, "Moses says, 'I [Jehovah] will make you jealous'" and Romans 10:20, "And Isaiah is very bold and says, "I [Jehovah] was found by those who sought Me not'" We feel the answer is that Moses and Isaiah are both persons who did actually write the texts. The same must also be true for the Holy Spirit that He is also a person. But even admitting this, the Anti-Trinitarian counter argument does not prevent out interpretation that the Holy Spirit is Jehovah in Hebrews 10:15-17, just that we cannot be certain either way. Both interpretations are possible. However, although this pattern of bearing witness by quoting Old Testament scripture may not definitively prove the Holy Spirit is Jehovah, it does prove He is a person!
Hebrews 3:7-11 (Psalm 95:7-11)Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. 10 "Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; And they did not know My ways’; 11 As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest. Cautionary note: same as Hebrews 10:15-17.
Isaiah. 6:8-10 + Acts 28:25-27 Acts 28 shows the Holy Spirit who actually spoke: "The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying, ‘go to this people and say, "you will keep on hearing, but will not understand"".
The Holy Spirit is called "Jehovah". (Exodus 17:7; Hebrews 3:7-9; Numbers 12:6; 2 Peter 1:21)
The Holy Spirit is called is invoked as "Jehovah".
(Luke 2:26-29; Acts 4:23-25; 1:16,20; 2 Thessalonians 3:5)
The Holy Spirit is called "Jehovah of hosts". (Isaiah 6:3,8-10; Acts 28:25)
The Holy Spirit is called "Jehovah, Most High". (Psalm 78:17,21; Acts 7:51)
F. Many divine titles & names applied to the Holy Spirit show He is a person an not mere energy:
The Spirit of Life (Ezekiel 37:1-10; John 6:63)
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah (Isaiah 61:1-3)
The Spirit of Holiness (Romans 1:4)
The Oil of Gladness (Hebrews 1:9)
The Holy Spirit of Promise (Ephesians 1:13)
The Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19)
The Spirit (John 20:22; Genesis 2:7)
The Spirit of the Living God (2 Corinthians 3:6)
LORD (Acts 28:25 & Hebrews 3:7)
The Spirit of Burning (Fire) (Matthew 3:11)
The Spirit of God (l Corinthians 3:16)
The Spirit of burning (Isaiah 4:3-4)
The Spirit of Judgment (Isaiah 4:4)
The Spirit of His Son (Galatians 4:6)
The Spirit of Glory (1 Peter 4:14)
God (Acts 5:3-4)
The Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2)
The Spirit of God, and of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:9)
The Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9)
The Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14)
The Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29)
The Spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11:2)
The Spirit of Jehovah (Isaiah 11:2)
The Spirit of Knowledge (Isaiah 11:2)
The Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)
The Spirit of Supplication (Zechariah 12:10)
The Comforter (John 14:26)
The Spirit of Truth (John 14:17; 15:26)
The Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:6-7)
The Spirit of Counsel and Might (Acts 1:8,8:29, 16:6-7)
Conclusion:
The Holy Spirit is not some mystical, indefinite, indefinable, ethereal like substance that enshrouds and permeates the universe like a fog.
He is not a mere influence, or a vague, impersonal power released in response to human needs. The personification of God's power or the Bible
B. The Holy Spirit is a loving divine being personally concerned about you! Steve Rudd