INTRODUCTION
The discussion of “What do you know about the Holy Spirit?” will perhaps be the most valuable treatise yet on the Holy Spirit and the problems facing the church regarding it. The history of Christian thought tells us that the eighteenth century placed great emphasis on the study of God as the Father. In the nineteenth century, theologians placed stress upon the study of Christ. The twentieth century should accentuate equal emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Many lectures have been given on the Holy Spirit, but I doubt if any lectureship has covered such a variety of subjects.
The disclosure of the gravity of such a study is easily ascertained by reading two verses: “Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven” (Matthew 12:31). “And every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10). Extreme care must be taken as we venture to share our thoughts together. We shall follow the maxim: “When you run out of text, you run out of authority.” In this, as in other subjects, the Word will be our lamp and light (Psalms 119:105). Everything that we know or can know about the Holy Spirit comes from the Bible, which is, of course, a product of the Holy Spirit.
The design of this particular study will be to handle the personality, individuality, attributes, deity, and names of the Holy Spirit under the headings: The Distinctive Disposition of the Holy Spirit, The Distinctive Definiteness of the Holy Spirit, The Distinctive Description of the Holy Spirit, The Distinctive Divinity of the Holy Spirit, and The Distinctive Designations of the Holy Spirit. I pray this will help us to both convey and grasp the message of this topic.
I. THE DISTINCTIVE DISPOSITION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The language employed declares the Holy Spirit as a person. Three passages will suffice: “But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you” (John 14:26). “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me” (John 15:26). “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you” (John 16:13-14). Let it be noticed that eleven times in these three passages the personal pronoun, masculine gender, and singular number is used of the Holy Spirit. These can properly be used only of a person (cf. Acts 13:2 and Romans 8:16).
The characteristics given affirm explicitly the Holy Spirit to be a person. Personality involves the possession of personal qualities and attributes. The personality of the Holy Spirit necessitates personal features, as a person has life, thought, volition, action, character, etc. The Holy Spirit is said to have a mind (Romans 8:27), has knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:11; 14:11), has the power of volition and the power to forbid (1 Corinthians 12:11; Acts 16:6-7; 21:11-14), that is, a will; has goodness (Nehemiah 9:20; Psalms 143:10); has power to love (Romans 5:5; Romans 15:30; Philippians 2:1); and by no stretch of our thinking could a mere influence or cosmic force have such. With such a one we can have fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14), and by such a one we can be comforted (John 14:16-17; Romans 8:26, 30; Acts 9:31). Some deny this; but the Holy Spirit gave us the Word, and through it he comforts us (1 Thessalonians 4:18). It is also a comfort to know he dwells in us (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Spirit “strives” with man (Genesis 6:3).
The works performed enunciate clearly the Holy Spirit as a person. The Holy Spirit is said to speak (Acts 2:4; 8:29; 10:19-20; John 16:13; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:7; 2 Samuel 23:2; Acts 4:25; 28:25), and it is a person that speaks, as an “influence” or “principle” cannot. He is also said to testify (John 15:26; Acts 20:23; Romans 8:16), to teach (John 14:26), to guide (John 16:13), to lead (Acts 16:6-7; Romans 8:14), to search (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), to intercede (Romans 8:26), to reveal (1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 3:4-5); and only a person can do these things!
The emotions experienced and injuries suffered state emphatically the Holy Spirit is a person. The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30; Isaiah 63:10), resisted (Acts 7:51), despised (Hebrews 10:29), lied unto (Acts 5:3, 9), quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32). Nothing but a personality could suffer such things as herein mentioned!
Honesty and pure belief demand acceptance of the Holy Spirit as a person. Faith comes by hearing and that by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The Bible is the product of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21) and the Holy Spirit guided the apostles into “all truth” (John 16:13). We walk “by faith,” and “faith” and “knowledge” have never been set in contradistinction (2 Corinthians 5:7). Therefore, when the Bible testifies as to the personality of the Holy Spirit, a man, to be true to that which is written, must accept the facts of it. If not, he must surrender his honesty!
II. THE DISTINCTIVE DEFINITENESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Godhead witnesses to the fact of the Holy Spirit being a distinct person. The Holy Spirit is a divine person and a member of the Godhead. The word “Godhead” is used three times in the King James Version (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9). As a member of the Godhead, he is equal in substance and rank with God the Father and God the Son. He is God the Holy Spirit. So distinct are Christ and the Holy Spirit that they were not on earth at the same time in their distinct personalities (John 7:39; 16:7; Luke 24:49). There are numerous passages where all three are mentioned: the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 3:21-22; Mark 1:9-11); teaching about the Comforter (John 14:16-17; 15:26); authority of baptism (Matthew 28:18-20); blessed assurance of the Christian (Romans 8:12-17); the great benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14); Peter’s address to the Dispersion (1 Peter 1:2); to the Romans (Romans 15:30); to the Ephesians (Ephesians 4:4-6); in greetings from the Godhead (Revelation 1:4-6); three bear record (1 John 5:7); etc., such as Luke 10:21; John 3:34-35; Acts 10:36-38; 1 Corinthians 12:3-6; Galatians 4:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-16; Titus 3:4-6; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 3:18.
The material universe testifies to the truth of the Holy Spirit as a separate person. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The word God, Elohim (from El or Eloah) in Hebrew is plural. John 1:1ff assists in the understanding of it. It is evident that the Holy Spirit was also there. The plural is used again in Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7 (when used with verbs and adjectives singular in number it shows unity in the Godhead). When the earth was waste and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep, the Holy Spirit began his organizational work. Genesis 1:2 says, “…and the Spirit of God moved (brooded upon) the face of the waters.” Here the picture is that of the Spirit bringing order out of chaos. This is further seen by the statement in Job 26:13: “By his Spirit the heavens are garnished…” The word “garnished” means to adorn, beautify, embellish, etc., and the imagery is that of the Spirit bringing order and beauty to the universe. This same thought is expressed in Psalms 104:30: “Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created (bara); and thou renewest the face of the ground.” Thus, all three members of the Godhead were active in creation. The Father purposed all things (Jeremiah 51:15; Revelation 4:11), the Word, Christ, was the divine agent in creation (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2), and the Holy Spirit was the order-bringer (Isaiah 45:18).
The creation of man affirms the Holy Spirit’s individuality. In Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” We note again the use of the plural form and see the Godhead cooperating in the creation of man. After man had sinned, God again speaks and says, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil” (Genesis 3:22). Man is, therefore, the product of the divine plurality, the Godhead. To prove the Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of man and that man was a product of the Holy Spirit we notice two statements from Job: “But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding” (32:8) and, “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life” (33:4). Job 33:4 concurs with Genesis 1:26 and Job 32:8 concurs with Genesis 2:7. We have God making man and the Spirit making man. We also have God giving life to man and the Spirit giving life to man. The Spirit’s work of “giving life” (John 6:63; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 8:2, 11) is easily seen in the creation of man. There are three Hebrew words most important just here in relation to the creation of man (bara, create; asah, make; yatsar, formed). Evidently, it was the Spirit’s job to “give life” to the body which had been made.
III. THE DISTINCTIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(1) The attributes or qualities of the Holy Spirit are those of the Godhead. It can be said that whatever is declared of the Father or of the Son is also ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Father and the Son are life, and so is the Spirit (Job 33:4; John 3:5-6). God and Christ are both light, and so is the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-12). God and the Son are love, and so is the Spirit (Romans 5:3-5). Whatever it is that can be ascribed to the Father and the Son can also be ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
(2) The characteristics or features of the Holy Spirit are distinctively set forth in the scriptures. The Holy Spirit is: eternal, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14); omnific, “Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created (bara); And thou renewest the face of the ground” (Psalms 104:30); omnipotent, “But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:8; cf. Luke 1:35; Romans 15:19); omnipresent, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalms 139:7-10); omniscient, “But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11; cf. Isaiah 40:13-14); immutable, God has given us of his Spirit (Galatians 4:6), we have the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9) and “Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Also, Jesus prayed to the Father for the apostles to receive “another” (Greek, allos, another of the same kind) Comforter, “that he may be with you forever” (John 14:16); truth, “And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:7). Let it be noted that the God of “Amen” in the Old Testament was the God of “truth” (Isaiah 65:16). In the New Testament, Christ said he was the “Amen” (Revelation 3:14); love, “Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). God gave us a spirit of love (2 Timothy 1:7). The love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us (Romans 5:5).
IV. THE DISTINCTIVE DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(1) Defining deity proves the Holy Spirit’s divinity. The word “deity” means “divine nature, godhood, divinity” and, thus, many of our previous points have already proved the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches the Holy Spirit is a divine person and we have proven this by looking at his personality, nature, characteristics and identity. The attributes of his divine personality, for example, are attributes of God, deity, divinity. Such attributes as eternity, omnipotence, omnipresence and holiness prove his deity. If the Holy Spirit, for example, is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), he is self-existent and no one is self-existent but God. If the Holy Spirit is omnipotent (Micah 3:8; Luke 1:35; Romans 15:19), his power is unlimited and this belongs only to God, deity. If the Holy Spirit is omnipresent (Psalms 139:7-10), he is divine as no one but God can be everywhere at once. If he is the “Holy” Spirit (Psalms 51:11; Isaiah 63:10-11; Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 12:3), he is deity because this is an attribute of God.
(2) Delineating Godhead demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s divinity. The Holy Spirit is a member of the Godhead, which has already been stated. However, the term was not fully explained. The term “Godhead” is found in three passages in the King James Version (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9) and, in each instance, there is a different word employed (theion in Acts 17:29; theiotes in Romans 1:20; theotes in Colossians 2:9). The word in Acts 17:29 means “divine,” and in 2 Peter 1:3-4 refers to God’s nature. It has the definite article with it and refers to deity, the Godhead. In Romans 1:20 the word means “divinity” and is so translated in the American Standard. It may refer to the “whole of that which we call God.” The term in Colossians 2:9 simply means that in Christ is seen the fullness of the Godhead. That the Holy Spirit is a member of the Godhead can be noted from the following: “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17). “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It is interesting to note that the “name” here is “singular” and is the name of all three of the Godhead. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me” (John 15:26). “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). They are separate, yet one in essence, nature.
(3) The Holy Spirit is coeternal with God and is called God. The word in Hebrew for God is Elohim (Genesis 1:1) and is plural; and, this simply means that the Godhead participated in the creation. John tells us that the Word was the divine agent (John 1:1-3) and Genesis 1:2 says, “The Spirit of God brooded upon the face of the waters.” Thus, all three were present at the creation. Not only did he assist in the creation of the material universe, but from Genesis 1:26 and Job 33:4 we learn that he participated in the creation of man. In Acts 5:3-4 we learn that the Holy Spirit is called God. In speaking to Ananias, Peter said, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” The man lied unto the Holy Spirit, but Peter said he lied unto God. It must be the case, therefore, that the Holy Spirit is God. Not, of course, meaning the Father, but deity.
(4) The works of the Holy Spirit are those of a divine nature, of deity. As already observed, the Holy Spirit is spoken of as God (Acts 5:3-4). The works we now mention are those which only God can perform and, these works, are attributed to the Holy Spirit. The work of creation is clearly taught in such verses as Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4 and Psalms 104:30. The work of revelation is seen from such verses as Genesis 41:16,38; Galatians 1:11-12. The work of inspiration is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which states that the scriptures are “God-breathed.” Also, “Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The work of regeneration belongs to him as man must be “born of water and of the Spirit” (John 3:5) and without this he cannot enter the kingdom of God. The work of intercession is mentioned in Romans 8:26, where we find Paul teaching that the Holy Spirit works for the Christian. The work of sanctification is also mentioned and Paul states the Spirit sanctifies obedient man unto God (2 Thessalonians 2:13). The work of conviction comes from the pen of John. He says the Spirit will “convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). The work of comforting, as the Lord himself prayed for the Father to send “another Comforter” (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7). The work of the miraculous was the work of the Holy Spirit, as it was by him that men had the power to perform miracles (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). Whether the miracles were those of healing, speaking in tongues, prophesying, etc., the miracles were done by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Matthew 12:28). The work of resurrection is of the Holy Spirit. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11). These are not the only works of the Holy Spirit that manifest his deity (cf. Numbers 24:2; Micah 3:8; Judges 6:34; 1 Samuel 16:13; Exodus 31:1-5), but these ten ought to suffice to convince man of his distinctive divinity.
V. THE DISTINCTIVE DESIGNATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(1) The Holy Spirit is a prominent figure in the Bible. Even though the Old Testament does not give the prominence to the Holy Spirit that the New Testament does, he is “referred to in more than half of the books of the Old Testament… mentioned specifically eighty-eight times.” “In these references there are eighteen names applied. The New Testament refers to the Spirit two hundred and sixty-four times and uses thirty-nine names. Five names are common to both Testaments, which leaves fifty-two different appellatives for the Spirit.”
(2) Names significantly describe the nature, function, relation, and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Of the fifty-two different appellatives for the Spirit, “seventeen express his relation to God, five his relation to the Son, five indicate his divine nature, seven describe his own character and seventeen are used to indicate his relation to man.” Each name describes some attribute of deity, whether the title is one describing God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit.
(3) Some distinguishing titles of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is called: seven Spirits, because of his perfect and diversified fullness of gifts, graces, and operations (Revelation 1:4); the Spirit of God because of his divine nature (Romans 8:14); the Spirit of Christ because he proceeds from the Father through the mediation of the Son (Romans 8:9); Spirit of promise because he promises (Ephesians 1:13); Spirit of truth as he is the true God and teaches nothing but the truth (John 14:17; 16:13); Spirit of adoption because he brings us into the family of God (Romans 8:15) and certifies our sonship; the Holy Spirit because this is an essential attribute of this Person of the Godhead (Ephesians 4:30) and he helps to sanctify people; the Spirit of the Lord God because he shares the sovereignty of the Godhead (Isaiah 61); the Comforter because he is like Jesus and comforts and calms the troubled (John 14:26); the Spirit of grace because he dispenses the divine favor and makes known to all their gracious endowments (Hebrews 10:29), etc.
There are names in relation to God such as: Spirit of God (Matthew 3:16); Spirit of your Father (Matthew 10:20); Spirit of the living God (2 Corinthians 3:3); Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11); His Spirit (1 John 5:4,13), etc. In relation to believers we have some like: Spirit of truth (John 14:17); Spirit of life (Romans 8:2); Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13); and Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29). Some are descriptive of the activity and character of the Spirit: Free Spirit, Right Spirit, Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and fear of the Lord, Spirit of Holiness, etc.
We have preferred not to use the term Holy Ghost as to so many it suggests something mysterious and maybe even frightening. When some think of this, they think of some power of feeling that produces some sort of emotional excitement or hysteria. However, when first employed, the term did not mean that at all. In 1611 when the King James was translated, it meant “Holy Guest.” The Spirit indwells in the Christian and makes his body his temple, his dwelling place. But today we think of ghost as something like Casper, and we choose not to use it because of the change of language involving the word ghost.
CONCLUSION
(1) Our decision ought to be, in view of the Holy Spirit being mentioned some 352 times in the Bible, “study to show ourselves approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15), and do it with the “trait of nobility” of those in Berea (Acts 17:11-12). We need to realize our “spiritual drought” (Amos 8:11-12) and develop a love for the Book as David did (Psalms 119:97, 99) when he said, “Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb” (Psalms 19:10). We need to realize that which has been “revealed” belongs unto us and to our children, and may God help us to never take it for granted!
(2) Our discipline needs to be of such nature that we will never speak slightly, irreverently, or disparagingly of this, the third member of the Godhead, the downpayment of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13f). May we refrain from joking about the Holy Spirit, calling the Spirit a “glorified it,” saying the study is just too deep for us, and doing those things which grieve and vex the Spirit. Also, may we always treat the Spirit as our “Holy Guest” and realize that our body is his temple, his dwelling place. May we so train ourselves by the Spirit of our God that we will forever appreciate his distinctive disposition, definiteness, description, divinity, and designations.