4:30). What is the Holy Spirit, and of what significance does its indwelling have for us versus it only being with us? We have Jesus telling us that the Spirit that God gives us as a gift is a counselor, comforter, advocate and helper. Notes on the Nature of the Holy Spirit Key Texts: Isa 11:2; Rom14:17 I. The Personal Nature Of The Holy Spirit 1. And others don’t see God’s Spirit in you in that respect either. b) Because of the Names Given to the Holy Spirit. In the spring of the year, much of the Christian community observes the festival of Pentecost as a special day of worship commemorating the giving of the Holy Spirit as seen in Acts chapter two. Jesus identified the Holy Spirit as the paraclete, a counselor, comforter, advocate and helper. What is the significance of this? Being born of the Spirit is an invisible experience. * Christians are called children of God, disciples, saints, or priests. Romans 8:5-9: Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. pp. a. The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Part 1 – The Nature of the Holy Spirit) Trinity Baptist Church Discipleship Training Introduction: This study will focus upon the third person of the Godhead or Trinity. Neither is He a vague cosmic force. PrefacePreface A study of the Holy Spirit—His Nature and His Work—is a very interesting and challenging study. 3:17-18 Scripture attests the Spirit as: o Eternal according to Hebrews 9:14 o All knowing according to 1 Cor. So what is the nature of the Holy Spirit? It will consist of two parts. To relate to the Holy Spirit is to relate to God. John 16:13-14 - Notice the use of "pronouns" to refer to the HS 2. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Others are enabled to emerge into the fullness of person-hood through the self-effacing nature of the Holy Spirit’s person. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1970. These accounts show that the Holy Spirit was available and had in-dwelled some before the Pentecost event. 4) He can be despised (Heb. Paul shows God’s Spirit is a Spirit of power, love and sound mindedness. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (). Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. In one great act of power, God began the process of preaching the gospel to the world. It then becomes inescapable to examine the Holy Spirit’s work in relation to the Trinity before, during, after the world’s most pivotal moment in history: the crucifixion. Even in our present religious situation, there are various false concepts about the Spirit of God—not only about His work, but about His very being (nature). The Holy Spirit intercedes for the saints: “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27). Luke 24:49: I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." All of these characteristics or marks of personality are repeatedly ascribed to the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments. Nature. Paul told Timothy to stir up the Spirit and Paul told the Thessalonians that we can quench the Spirit. John shows the evidence of God living in us is the Holy Spirit He gives us. The Apostles Baptized With The Holy Spirit To Reveal and Confirm All Truth 5. They were able to understand what the apostles were saying in their native languages. God is power and through His Spirit will manifest His power through us as He wills. Consequently, there is much misunderstanding and ignorance surrounding Him. This conclusion, however, is not accurate seeing that the Scriptures clearly teach that the Holy Spirit is a separate individual Being in the Godheadas seen in the following references: This is what John appears to be saying as quoted above, “And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it. "3 Then, after acknowledging debates since Vatican 1, it adds that, given the revelatory nature of Scripture, "everything actually asserted as true by the inspired authors must be held to be asserted by the Holy See John 3:5-8; Acts 2:1-4; John 20:22; 1 John 2:20. A more robust and trinitarian pneu-matology is gained by moving from presence to power to person-hood. the Divine nature, an agent rather than a Person. pdf: Download File. Likewise, we will se… PrefacePreface A study of the Holy Spirit—His Nature and His Work—is a very interesting and challenging study. Creation 1. Aspects many evangelicals misunderstand. The Holy Spirit Convicts and Converts Sinners 7. Paul told Timothy that God’s Spirit was a spirit of power, love and sound mindedness or self discipline, as some translations have it (2 Timothy 1:7). 2:11-14, 2 Cor. I will admit that there are some things we may never know about the Holy Spirit until we reach heaven. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. The Holy Spirit is part of the triune nature of God which consists of the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. The Holy Spirit is intelligent ( 1 Corinthians 2:10-11), has feelings (Ephesians 4:30) and will (1 However the identity of the spirit is clearly revealed. A few cults and/or denominations teach otherwise: (1) Jehovah's Witnesses: J22-426; (2) The Mormons believe the HS is some kind of "force" or "power" - and even 3. God the Holy Spirit Unitarian Christians, however, do not believe in the Trinity. Both Elizabeth and Zechariah, the mother and father of John the Baptist, are said to have been filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41, 67). pdf: Download File. 2:7) in partnership with Jesus (Jn 1:1-4; Col 1:16). in a different way (Gal 4:29). The work of the Holy Spirit has been declared to us in the Scriptures. Therefore, we cannot elaborate on what the Bible is strictly silent on. English, Arabic (العربية), French (Français), Hindi (हिन्दी), Table of Contents One GodThe Father and the SonThe Holy SpiritAn order of authority This page is also available in: हिन्दी (Hindi)One God Our “One God” is revealed in the…, Table of Contents What is the Holy Spirit?Spirit of GodSpirit of LifeSpirit of TruthWhat does the Holy Spirit do?AuthorTeacherComforter / Counselor / AdvocateConvectorIntercessorSealerWitnessGuideIndweller This page is also available in: हिन्दी…. Many were convicted. With it we also have to celebrate the resurrection of human beings, of Sahaja Yogis, who have been resurrected as realised souls. Amen. 5 reverse of the Calvinistic doctrine of ordo salutis, where God, through the Holy Spirit, takes the initiative to change our hearts. Verse 26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Since the Spirit can be activated or quenched, as Paul instructs, it is apparent that the Spirit of God makes its presence known commensurate with our allowance of that presence. Did it mean that they all could now speak in languages they had never learned, just like the apostles had apparently just done? The nature of the Holy Spirit may be the most complicated of all the Trinity. It is also defined as a Spirit of truth and of power. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Consequently, there is much misunderstanding and ignorance surrounding Him. Bibliography: Bavinck, Herman. God’s righteousness becomes manifested in us through our behavior. I will admit that there are some things we may never know about the Holy Spirit until we reach heaven. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?". The Greek word for Counselor is, God made it very evident that something special was happening. 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".. The expositions by which you sustain your position are not sound. So what is the nature of the Holy Spirit? For a comprehensive discussion of the relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit, go to. While there is a degree of divine mystery to the nature of the Holy Spirit, He definitely is not a bundle of warm feelings or good memories. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. This is what John appears to be saying as quoted above, “And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”. It is through the Holy Spirit that we have power over our human nature. But the nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery because it has not been declared in the scriptures. This crowd had just witnessed a visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit of God. Indwelling of the Holy Spirit for people in general did not become available until the Pentecost event in A.D. 31. THE NATURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT David Kroll Sun, 13 Jan 2008 “Today we are celebrating the resurrection of Christ. We must assume that those who accepted Christ also received the gift of the Holy Spirit as Peter had said. John 7:38-39: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." Acts 2:1-4: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. What made you think of doing such a thing? God used this occasion to manifest Himself through a sound of a mighty rushing wind and the appearance of what seemed to be tongues of fire resting on the disciples. 5 reverse of the Calvinistic doctrine of ordo salutis, where God, through the Holy Spirit, takes the initiative to change our hearts. The Holy Spirit is personal – that is He has “personality” and is not just an impersonal divine force. 2:11 and Isaiah 40:13 For most Christians, this recognition is tied to the doctrine of the Trinity which teaches God is one Being of coeternal, coequal and consubstantial (of the same substance) indwelling entities of Father, Son and Spirit. The Greek word for Counselor is paraclete and is variously translated as counselor, comforter, advocate and helper. 3) He testifies (John 15:26). Here we see that having Gods spirit indwelling us is what facilitates our belonging to Christ. The Spirit of God is free to move and act as the Lord wishes (John 3); and often surprises the leaders of the church (Acts 10-11). This manifestation of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was a special manifestation that empowered the disciples of Jesus Christ to boldly preach the gospel and thus begin the development of the New Covenant Church. Real Answers. The Holy Spirit Is God 2. God is life and imparts life to us through His Spirit. What is the character or nature of the Spirit? … Now they were given a powerful, no holds barred, straightforward message about the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ Jesus. What about spiritual gifts, inspiration, and indwelling? Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. The three persons of the Godhead are of one divine essence, same nature, distinct in their roles, yet unified, indivisible, and eternal. Many were convicted. Your Question (required) Would you like this question answered on our show? Explain the nature of the Holy Spirit. It will presuppose the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity. In conclusion, we can see that the Holy Spirit is central to our having a relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as "the Spirit of God," or God may refer to the Holy Spirit as "my Spirit," or others may refer to Him as "His Spirit" (speaking in reference to God). 4:1). We see this demonstrated in the episode involving Ananias. Another example is a three leaf clover. Peter, in his first letter said it is the Spirit of God that sanctifies us. Verse 52-53: Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. The Miraculous Gifts of The Holy Spirit 3 The Nature and Work of The Holy Spirit 6. This manifestation leads to the disciples being filled with the Holy Spirit which enabled them to speak in languages other than their native tongues. You have not lied to men but to God.". God’s righteousness becomes manifested in us through our behavior. * The gospel is called the New Testament, the truth, the Word of God, the will of God, or the faith. In this lesson we will deal with some personal character traits of the HS, titles, etc. When the Holy Spirit did the work ofrevelation, He revealed a truth to a prophet. ii. The Apostles Baptized With The Holy Spirit To Reveal and Confirm All Truth 5. But, if God’s Spirit is in you, others will see the effects of that Spirit in your behavior, not different from how people see the effects of wind even though the wind itself is invisible. The Holy Spirit’s Work In The Old Testament 3. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. The Holy Spirit’s Work With Jesus 4. Having the Spirit of God in us facilitates righteous behavior. Another popular comparison is water. Therefore, we cannot elaborate on what the Bible is strictly silent on. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Some Christian groups do not believe in this Trinitarian concept but believe that God the Father and God the Son are separate beings with the Holy Spirit being a power common to the both of them. See John 3:5-8; Acts 2:1-4; John 20:22; 1 John 2:20. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. John 15:26: "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. The second element of the nature of regeneration is the concept of birth in that the believer is “born of God” (Jn. In retrospect, we can identify a very plausible reason for the manifestation of the Spirit on this particular Pentecost observance. More often than not, they will disagree among themselves as to the correct understanding of the doctrine they are discussing. Paul says the Spirit identifies our being in Christ. With it we also have to celebrate the resurrection of human beings, of Sahaja Yogis, who have been resurrected as realised souls. I have been part of Bible study groups were someone opens the study with prayer, asking God to lead the group by his Spirit into truth. The God-man Jesus Christ was frequently called the Holy One (John 6:69; Acts 2:27; Mark 1:24; 1 Pet. That’s why Christ compared it to the invisible wind. Of ... Our own spirit/breath is strong with the Lord’s help but weak and broken without him. How is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit one God? Spirit as the source of our oneness when it exhorts us to be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond o peacef " (Eph 4:3). As noted above, the Spirit is seen as a Counselor which in the Greek (paraclete) is variously translated as counselor, comforter, advocate and helper. the Divine nature, an agent rather than a Person. The Nature and Work of The Holy Spirit 6. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. The shell; the whites; and the yolk. He is Spirit, He indwells believers, He is like a fire and a wind; He is God. As noted above, the Spirit is seen as a Counselor which in the Greek (. In one great act of power, God began the process of preaching the gospel to the world. that the Holy Spirit is a person, there are those who understand [010] us to mean that the Holy Spirit has hands and feet and eyes and ears and mouth, and so on, but these are not the characteristics of personality but of corporeity. Yet God does not control us through His spirit. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. The tongues event got the attention of the crowd gathered in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Pentecost. THE NATURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Recognition of the Holy Spirit is foundational to the theological belief system of Christianity. John 3 1-8: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. Paul affirms the separate three persons of the Godhead saying, may “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). I John 4:13: We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. Within its pages God reveals Himself with a triune identity. These free studies present Bible doctrine regarding the Holy Spirit. This was a golden opportunity to present the good news of Jesus Christ to a diverse audience. Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people-- where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Blasphemy Against The Holy Spirit 4 The Apostles Baptized With The Holy Spirit To Reveal and Confirm All Truth 1. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. This is for essential maintenance which will provide improved performance going forwards. His divine nature cannot be fully understood without God the Holy Spirit, along with Jesus and the Father. ONE GOD, THREE DIVINE PERSONS, CO … Jesus had been crucified and resurrected and proceeded to spend 40 days teaching His disciples before visibly ascending to heaven. With that we have to understand that we enter into a new awareness. The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete in the original Greek, which literally means “one called alongside to help.” He is here for you—and He wants to do a wonderful work in your life (see John 14:16–18). 2. When we seek to understand more fully the ways in which the Church is the community of the Holy Spirit, we can sum them up under three headings: community of faith, community of worship, and community of love. The word spirit is rendered as רוּחַ (ruach) in Hebrew-language parts of the Old Testament. For example: * God is called Jehovah, Almighty, or the Most High. * The church is called the kingdom, body, house, or bride. their salvation, which makes the Holy Spirit's work of illumination possible. Even though the Christ event in the first century made the Old Covenant obsolete, these festivals continued to be kept by most of the Jewish Christians until the temple was destroyed in AD 70. For a comprehensive discussion of tongues as seen in the New Testament and as seen in some modern day Christian groups, go to my Five Part series entitled "The Tongues Issue.". This is another way of saying we often sin. The Scriptural evidence indicates that what the disciples experienced was a special manifestation of the Spirit to dramatically demonstrate that the gift that Jesus had promised had truly been given. Many other Scriptures show belonging to Christ equates with passing from death unto life. The Holy Spirit Is God 2. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). nature of the Holy Spirit and Part 2 will focus on the work or office of the Holy Spirit. Elohiym is the plural form of God. The Nature of The Holy Spirit. Notes on the Nature of the Holy Spirit Key Texts: Isa 11:2; Rom14:17 I. 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit leads and guides: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (, The Holy Spirit comforts: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (, The Holy Spirit reproves: “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of, The Holy Spirit can even be grieved: “And grieve not the holy, The Holy Spirit inspires: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of, The Holy Spirit blesses: “Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the, The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed: “Therefore I say to you, every.