Like fire, this intelligent "spirit" was imagined as a tenuous substance akin to a current of air or breath, but essentially possessing the quality of warmth; it was immanent in the universe as God, and in man as the soul and life-giving principle. In animistic thinking, it is "an independent agent, a personal power which like a demon can fall upon a man and take possession of him, enabling him or compelling him to perform manifestations of power" while in dynamistic thought it "appears as an impersonal force which fills a man like a fluid". The apostle Paul writes: “Don’t use foul or abusive language. The Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal shadow, nor an impersonal force. New Living Translation But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. [7] (NIV), 2 Corinthians 13:14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Second Corinthians 3:17-18 refers to the Spirit as “the Lord.” He is just as much God as the Father or the Son and is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Son. The Bible declares that there is only one living God, yet we learn from scripture that He comprises three separate personages. [13] And according to theologian Erik Konsmo, the views "are so dissimilar that the only legitimate connection one can make is with the Greek term πνεῦμα [pneuma, Spirit] itself".[14]. [33] The Spirit (الروح al-Ruh, without the adjective "holy" or "exalted") is described, among other things, as the creative spirit from God by which God enlivened Adam, and which inspired in various ways God's messengers and prophets, including Jesus and Abraham. Ask God to give you the Holy Spirit. Called "the unveiled epiphany of God",[26] the Holy Spirit is the One who empowers the followers of Jesus with spiritual gifts[27][28] and power[29][30] that enables the proclamation of Jesus Christ, and the power that brings conviction of faith. Who is the Holy Spirit? Menzies, William W. and Robert P. "Spirit and Power." One of the places in Scripture where we read about grieving the Holy Spirit is in Ephesians 4:29-32. [14] Some believe that this can be seen in Paul's formulation of the concept of the Holy Spirit that unites Christians in Jesus Christ and love for one another, but Konsmo again thinks that this position is difficult to maintain. 3 He was sinned against and lied to. He is eternal, immutable, righteous, just and loving. (NIV), Matthew 28:19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NIV), John 14:16-17And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as a “force,” or as “power” emanating from God, rather than as God himself. In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson. 2 The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and gave counsel to the church at Jerusalem. [17] The Hebrew terms ruacḥ qodshəka, "thy holy spirit" (רוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ), and ruacḥ qodshō, "his holy spirit" (רוּחַ קָדְשׁוֹ), also occur (when a possessive suffix is added the definite article ha is dropped). [6], The Hebrew Bible contains the term "spirit of God" (ruach hakodesh) in the sense of the might of a unitary God. Learn Religions, Aug. 25, 2020, learnreligions.com/who-is-the-holy-spirit-701504. Likewise, he is all-loving, forgiving, merciful and just. 1. [23][24] Each depiction of the Holy Spirit arose from different historical accounts in the Gospel narratives; the first being at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River where the Holy Spirit was said to descend in the form of a dove as the voice of God the Father spoke as described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke;[23] the second being from the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Pascha where the descent of the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, as tongues of fire as described in the Acts of the Apostles 2:1–31, as promised by Jesus in his farewell discourse, John 14-16. Fairchild, Mary. Clearly it is not a long step from this to the "Holy Spirit" of Christian theology, the "Lord and Giver of life", visibly manifested as tongues of fire at Pentecost and ever since associated – in the Christian as in the Stoic mind – with the ideas of vital fire and beneficent warmth.[16]. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. This site is dedicated in loving memory to Paul E. Smith, who had the passion and vision for this site to give every believer the opportunity to be empowered through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as an agent of divine action or communication. [37], In Baháʼí belief, the Holy Spirit is the conduit through which the wisdom of God becomes directly associated with his messenger, and it has been described variously in different religions such as the burning bush to Moses, the sacred fire to Zoroaster, the dove to Jesus, the angel Gabriel to Muhammad, and the Maid of Heaven to Bahá'u'lláh (founder of the Baháʼí Faith). 1 Thessalonians 1:6You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (NIV), Romans 8:27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity and undoubtedly the least understood member of the Godhead. "Who Is the Holy Spirit?" [39], The Hindu concept of Advaita is linked to the Trinity and has been briefly explained by Raimon Panikkar. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. According to proponents of the History of religions school, the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit cannot be explained from Jewish ideas alone without reference to the Hellenistic religions. The same prohibition applies to any idea of the duality of God (Allah). [20][21][22] Two symbols from the New Testament canon are associated with the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography: a winged dove, and tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit moved the prophets of God with the words of God (2 Peter 1:21). Christians can easily identify with God the Father (Jehovah or Yahweh) and his Son, Jesus Christ. The Baptism Of The Spirit The Holy Spirit baptizes (places) the person into the body of Christ. (NIV), Acts 2:32-33God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. For many of us, this is a difficult concept to grasp. The Holy Spirit, however, without a body and a personal name, seems distant to many, yet he dwells inside every true believer and is a constant companion in the walk of faith. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity — God the Spirit. In Abrahamic religions, the Holy Spirit is an aspect or agent of God, by means of which God communicates with people or acts on them. (NIV), 1 Thessalonians 5:19Quench not the Spirit. Holy Spirit, also called Paraclete or Holy Ghost, in Christian belief, the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Ghost, as he is called in early New Testament texts, is a mystery. [5] The alternative term, "Holy Ghost", comes from Old English translations of spiritus. (NIV), John 16:8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt [Or will expose the guilt of the world] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: (NIV), Romans 8:14Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (NIV), Romans 15:16To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is put in direct opposition to its eternal dual counterpart, Angra Mainyu, who is the source of all wickedness and who leads humanity astray.[42]. He is the most neglected even though He is involved perhaps the most in a believer’s life. He states that the Holy Spirit, as one of the Three Persons of the Trinity of "father, Logos and Holy Spirit", is a bridge builder between Christianity and Hinduism. The Hebrew language phrase ruach ha-kodesh (Hebrew: רוח הקודש, "holy spirit" also transliterated ruacḥ ha-qodesh) is a term used in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish writings to refer to the spirit of YHWH (רוח יהוה). The Holy Spirit is a promise of the great things to come for those who trust God. Until a few decades ago, both Catholic and Protestant churches used the title Holy Ghost. [31], Depiction of the Christian Holy Spirit as a dove, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, in the apse of Saint Peter's Basilica, A depiction of the Trinity consisting of God the Holy Spirit along with God the Father and God the Son, Pentecost icon depicting the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Mary in the form of tongues of flame above their heads, The Holy Spirit (Arabic: روح القدس Ruh al-Qudus, "the Spirit of Holiness") is mentioned four times in the Qur'an,[32] where it acts as an agent of divine action or communication. Since the Hebrew word for the Spirit in the Old Testament means "breath" or "wind," Jesus breathed on his apostles after his resurrection and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Peace is … This is an important point to understand. And, as the third person of the Holy Trinity, He is a person. (NIV), John 16:13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. The Holy Spirit has Emotions, he grieves: Isaiah 63:10Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. Today he acts as Christ's presence on earth, counseling and encouraging Christians as they battle the temptations of the world and the forces of Satan. Who Is the Holy Spirit? 3 Dangerous Errors of the Word of Faith Movement, Jesus Our Hope: A Christmas Devotional Reading, Enjoy the Complete Christmas Story of the Birth of Jesus, Compare Major Beliefs of 7 Christian Denominations, General Biblical Studies, Interdenominational Christian Training Center. There is only one God and He is the third divine person of the Trinity. God is the Father, Jesus is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. And, the Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers, graciously enabling all believers to serve in spiritual ministry. Alan Unterman and Rivka Horowitz, Ruah ha-Kodesh, Encyclopaedia Judaica (CD-ROM Edition, Jerusalem: Judaica Multimedia/Keter, 1997). It also refers to the divine force, quality, and influence of the Most High God, over the universe or over his creatures, in given contexts. [9], According to theologian Rudolf Bultmann, there are two ways to think about the Holy Spirit: "animistic" and "dynamistic". the Spirit is the author of the Scriptures. [12], On the surface, the Holy Spirit appears to have an equivalent in non-Abrahamic Hellenistic mystery religions. [8] Based on the Old Testament, the book of Acts emphasizes the power of ministry aspect of the Holy Spirit. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. In Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. All over the world the Holy Spirit is wooing men to Christ, and He lives in the hearts of believers and helps us each day. (NIV), Luke 10: 21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. He participated in creation with the Father and Son, filled the prophets with the Word of God, assisted Jesus and the apostles in their missions, inspired the men who wrote the Bible, guides the church, and sanctifies believers in their walk with Christ today. Read and share Billy Graham’s challenge for a floundering church. [10] Both kinds of thought appear in Jewish and Christian scripture, but animistic is more typical of the Old Testament whereas dynamistic is more common in the New Testament. No new 'system' has primarily to come of this encounter, but a new and yet old spirit must emerge. 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