What is the Holy Spirit?

Definition of terms and explanation of concepts

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
Corvus
Guru
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2004 10:59 pm
Location: Australia

What is the Holy Spirit?

Post #1

Post by Corvus »

I would like to know what the Holy Spirit is and what is its function. It's fairly clear what Jesus does and what purpose he fulfills, yet the Holy Spirit is something I only know of as a vague thing that descends on people, without a personality or nature to speak of.
<i>'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'</i>
-John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn.

User avatar
KnowJah
Student
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:23 am
Location: California

Post #21

Post by KnowJah »

Overcomer wrote:
The Holy Spirit is given several names in the New Testament. He is called Counsellor, Comforter, Helper.
The Holy Spirit there is merely being personified. Personification is not unusual in the scriptures.

Examples:

35But wisdom is proved right by all her children."

(Death is spoken as kings)

14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

User avatar
McCulloch
Site Supporter
Posts: 24063
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 9:10 pm
Location: Toronto, ON, CA
Been thanked: 3 times

Post #22

Post by McCulloch »

KnowJah wrote:The Holy Spirit there is merely being personified.
Do you have any support for that idea?
Matthew 1 wrote:Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Being personified made Mary pregnant? Historically, Christianity has taught that the Holy Spirit is a person, along with God the Father, and Jesus Christ.
KnowJah wrote:Personification is not unusual in the scriptures.
True.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

User avatar
KnowJah
Student
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:23 am
Location: California

Post #23

Post by KnowJah »

Pentecostal wrote:Hello everyone. I’m new and this is my first reply, so I will respond to the original question at this time.


First, the Holy Spirit is the third “Person” of the Trinity and not an it or thing.
(KJV) John 1:32: 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

Romans 8:16: 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God

26: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us...

1 Peter 1:11: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Pentecostal wrote: Third, all the characteristics of the Godhead are attributed to each, again inseparable. You sin against or grieve The Father, you sin against Jesus and the Holy Spirit at the same time.
Really? Then please explain this:

Matthew 12:32: Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Pentecostal wrote: Fourth, the job of the Holy Spirit is massive in scope, to mention only a few for example:

His ministry in the world:
Creates Job 33:4, Renews Isaiah 32:15, Convicts men John 16:8-11

His ministry in believers:
Regenerates John 3:3, 5, Indwells Romans 8:11, Anoints 1 John 2:20, 27, Empowers Micah 3:8, Gives discernment 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 and 1 John 4:1-6, Opens the mind 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 and Ephesians 1:16-17, Reveals the things of God Isaiah 40:13-14 and 1 Corinthians 2:10, 13.

His ministry in the body of Christ – the Church:
Fills Acts 2:4, Baptizes 1 Corinthians 12:13, Comforts the Church Acts 9:31, Sanctifies the Church Romans 15:16
Well of course it does a lot because it is God's active force doing its work.
Pentecostal wrote: The Godhead / Trinity / Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always existed and worked as one, and numerous references are in the plural:

Take Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth – 1:2 And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters – 1:26 Then God said Let US (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make man in OUR image according to OUR likeness.

And Genesis 3:22 Then the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become like one of US.
God has always existed and his spirit because that is his power. Jesus however was created:


John 1:18: No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Begotten comes from beget which means: To cause to exist

Proverbs 8:22-31:

"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, [a] ,
before his deeds of old;

23 I was appointed [c] from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began.

24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water;

25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,

26 before he made the earth or its fields
or any of the dust of the world.

27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,

31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind

Along with that when it says, "let US make man..." it is rediculous to use that as proof for the trinity because God would not be talking to himself! No, he was talking to his Son Jesus.



Pentecostal wrote: Next, Jesus being God was Spirit before becoming man – John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God – and John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.


When it says 'spirit' it doesnt mean holy spirit. Angels are spoken of as spirit creatures.

The bible mentions "if there is a physical body than there is a spiritual body."

Pentecostal wrote: Okay, Angels were created by God for many purposes, however, in-as-much as they are not perfect: Job 4:18 If He puts no trust in His servants, if He charges his angels with error, it required righteousness to save the world from sin


Angels are perfect until they choose to disobey because of their freewill.


User avatar
KnowJah
Student
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:23 am
Location: California

Post #24

Post by KnowJah »

McCulloch wrote:
Matthew 1 wrote:Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Being personified made Mary pregnant? Historically, Christianity has taught that the Holy Spirit is a person, along with God the Father, and Jesus Christ.
I'm not saying the holy spirit is just a nature or something, it is the power of God, the force of him.

adlemi
Apprentice
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:33 pm

Post #25

Post by adlemi »

KnowJah wrote:
McCulloch wrote:
Matthew 1 wrote:Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Being personified made Mary pregnant? Historically, Christianity has taught that the Holy Spirit is a person, along with God the Father, and Jesus Christ.
I'm not saying the holy spirit is just a nature or something, it is the power of God, the force of him.
The Lord God said that the Holy Spirit is one among the created spirit beings of God and was then given by God the power to create the child in the womb of Mary. The Holy Spirit is not the Lord God.

User avatar
KnowJah
Student
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:23 am
Location: California

Post #26

Post by KnowJah »

adlemi wrote:
KnowJah wrote:
McCulloch wrote:
Matthew 1 wrote:Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Being personified made Mary pregnant? Historically, Christianity has taught that the Holy Spirit is a person, along with God the Father, and Jesus Christ.
I'm not saying the holy spirit is just a nature or something, it is the power of God, the force of him.
The Lord God said that the Holy Spirit is one among the created spirit beings of God and was then given by God the power to create the child in the womb of Mary. The Holy Spirit is not the Lord God.
And where are you getting this information?

adlemi
Apprentice
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:33 pm

Post #27

Post by adlemi »

KnowJah wrote:
adlemi wrote:
KnowJah wrote:
McCulloch wrote:
Matthew 1 wrote:Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Being personified made Mary pregnant? Historically, Christianity has taught that the Holy Spirit is a person, along with God the Father, and Jesus Christ.
I'm not saying the holy spirit is just a nature or something, it is the power of God, the force of him.
The Lord God said that the Holy Spirit is one among the created spirit beings of God and was then given by God the power to create the child in the womb of Mary. The Holy Spirit is not the Lord God.
And where are you getting this information?
From the Lord God Jesus Christ himself who is now our Good Pastor and
Teacher. He is real and alive and He is open to all who will believe in Him being the only Good Pastor who will teach us the TRUTH.

User avatar
KnowJah
Student
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:23 am
Location: California

Post #28

Post by KnowJah »

Whatever. this is getting nowhere.

adlemi
Apprentice
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:33 pm

Post #29

Post by adlemi »

KnowJah wrote:Whatever. this is getting nowhere.
How could it be when I am just telling you to get nigh with the Lord God Jesus Christ himself, not to any denomination, not to any membership which is only headed by men like us, not even to the bible but by what is only the true essence of the bible - the Lord God himself, and you can do it right where you are at the moment.

topaz
Apprentice
Posts: 175
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:43 am

Post #30

Post by topaz »

BeHereNow wrote: To my knowledge Jews do not have an acceptance of any Holy Spirit distinct from god.
That is why their religion is called Judaism not christianity.

Post Reply