Foundation Topic

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is God himself, who comes to dwell in God’s people to help them know, love, and obey Jesus and know God the Father. The Holy Spirit is our strength, but he's also a person. He's not a force, but a friend—the answer to God's promise to be with his people. 

Short Content

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit sits in the backseat of many people’s Christian theology. While you may hear a lot about God the Father and Jesus his Son, the role of the Holy Spirit is often neglected in Christian circles.

But as we look closer at who the Holy Spirit is and what he does, we will quickly realize that he is vital to any explanation of Christianity. To put it plainly, nothing of any consequence happens in the life of the Church or in an individual Christian without the Holy Spirit.

We are introduced to God’s Spirit in the second verse of the Bible, but there is never a full-blown explanation as to who the Spirit is in the Old Testament. However, at the revelation of Jesus Christ, we begin to understand that the Spirit is actually a Person equal in essence to God the Father and God the Son.

The Bible is clear: the Holy Spirit is not a commodity or force, though many churches today treat him that way. The Spirit is as much a Person as are the Father and the Son. We must remember to refer to the Holy Spirit as “he,” not as “it.”

This means that the Spirit is a relational being. For example, the Spirit teaches Jesus’ disciples (John 14:26); he speaks (Acts 13:2), guides (Galatians 5:16), and leads (Romans 8:4); he helps and prays and pleads (Romans 8:26-27). He can be lied to (Acts 5:3); he can be grieved (Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30). In John 16, where Jesus provides extensive comments about the promised Spirit, the Spirit is said to “come,” “convict,” “guide,” “speak,” “hear,” and “tell.” All of these activities are relational, personal activities.

In numerous other places, the Bible mentions the Holy Spirit alongside God the Father and Jesus the Son, implying an intimate and equal relationship between the three. For example, believers are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—all three persons of the Trinity are brought together under one name (Matthew 28:19). This triune relationship is seen in passages like 2 Corinthians 13:14 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is not just a relational person, he is also a Divine person. He's God.

Another evidence that the Spirit is God is that believers are called God’s “temple,” because God’s Spirit indwells them (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). The connotation of a temple is a place where God dwells. Calling a Christian the temple of the Holy Spirit indicates that the Spirit is in fact God.

Everything in the Christian’s life has something to do with God’s Spirit. From the ability to confess Jesus as Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3), to being born again (John 3:5), to bearing spiritual fruit and growing in godly character (Galatians 5:22-23) and possessing spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11), nothing of any value or importance in the Christian life happens apart from the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit does not take backseat in the Christian life, though he may have taken that place in our thoughts. He actually drives our life of faith in Jesus. The question is, will we let him have the wheel?

by Bibles.net 

OPEN YOUR BIBLE

Theme Verse

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

JOHN 14:26 ESV

Who Is the Holy Spirit?
Article: 10 Min

Four Ways We
Go Wrong in
Thinking About the Holy Spirit

by Michael Horton at Challies.com

Image

God is spirit,
and his worshipers
must worship
in the Spirit
and in truth.

John 4:24 NIV
Quote

What We Believe About the Holy Spirit

Question: What do you believe concerning the Holy Spirit?

Answer: First, he is, together with the Father and the Son, true and eternal God. [1] Second, he is also given to me, [2] to make me by true faith share in Christ and all his benefits, [3] to comfort me, [4] and to remain with me forever.[5]

[1] Genesis 1:1, 2; Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3, 4; 1 Corinthians 3:16.
[2] 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13.
[3] Galatians 3:14; 1 Peter 1:2.
[4] John 15:26; Acts 9:31.
[5] John 14:16, 17; 1 Peter 4:14.

Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A #53, Lord's Day 20 | Source
Article: 7 Min

The Gospel of the Holy Spirit

The gospel is the wonderful life-changing message at the heart of the Bible about what God did for us. We often hear about Jesus, but don't often hear about the person of the Holy Spirit and his role.

by Trevin Wax at The Gospel Coalition

How to Receive the Holy Spirit?
Article: 8 Min

The Holy Spirit Is Central to the Bible (And Your Life)

by Bibles.net
Quote

We receive the Holy Spirit
by simply receiving
the Lord Jesus Christ
as our Savior.
When we do receive
the
Spirit,
the Holy Spirit
becomes our
permanent possession
the moment we believe.

Article: 7 Min

What Does It Mean to Be Sealed with the Holy Spirit?

by Erik Raymond at The Gospel Coalition

Verse
John 3:5 ESV

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit."

Verse
John 16:7 CSB

Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.

Verse
Luke 11:13 ESV

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Quote

What Does It Mean to Be Sealed with the Holy Spirit?

A Roman seal conveyed authenticity, security, ownership, and authority. And the Spirit of God represents those same realities in the lives of his children.

Those who have received the Holy Spirit can rest assured that they are truly saved (authenticity) and that their salvation can never be lost or stolen from them (security).

Moreover, the Spirit’s presence in their lives demonstrates that God is their Lord and Master (ownership). As they are led by the Spirit, they will manifest a life of submissive obedience to Christ (authority).

All this is part of the Spirit’s sealing work.

by John MacArthur | Source
Image

if anyone
does not have
the Spirit of Christ,
they do not
belong to Christ.

Romans 8:9 ESV
Article: 10 Min

What’s Better Than Jesus Beside You

by J.D. Greear at Desiring God

Verse
Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Quote

Do You Honor the Holy Spirit?

To the believer: Dear brother, honor the Spirit of God as you would honor Jesus Christ if he were present. If Jesus Christ were dwelling in your house you would not ignore him, you would not go about your business as if he were not there. Do not ignore the presence of the Holy Spirit in your soul. I beseech you, do not live as if you had not heard whether there were any Holy Spirit. To him pay your constant adorations. Reverence the august guest who has been pleased to make your body his sacred abode. Love him, obey him, worship him.

by Charles Spurgeon | Source
What Does the Holy Spirit Do?
Quote

I can think of
no thought
more humbling
or more overwhelming
than the thought that
a Person of divine majesty
and glory dwells
in my heart
and is ready
to use even me.

Article: 7 Min

The Holy Spirit Is Your Helper

by Paul Tautges at Biblical Counseling Coalition

Verse
Galatians 4:6 ESV

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

Article: 12 Min

The Fruit of the Spirit

by Billy Graham at Decision Magazine

Infographic

The Fruit of the Spirit

We made this graphic to help you learn what the Bible lists as the "fruit" or evidences of the Holy Spirit's presence and work in a person's life. This list comes from Galatians 5:22-23. Feel free to download and save it to your device!

Article: 16 Min

The Holy Spirit as a Teacher

by R.A Torrey, adapted by Bibles.net

Books
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