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The HOLY SPIRIT
How would you like it if someone called you an IT ? Quite degrading, even offensive I would venture to suggest! And demeaning to your unique personality. Why, we are all individual persons, 'special', a 'one off' creation, a fully orbed being, with unique attributes. Just ask any teenager!
And yet, some dare to treat the Holy Spirit in just that way … as an influence, or an IT
This is the third denial commonplace amongst the beliefs of most of the Cults
denial of the deity of Jesus that he was / is God
denial of the pre-existence of Jesus that he is eternal as God is
denial of the PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
that he is only an influence, a power, or an “it”
God is a Spirit John 4:24 even the Father of Spirits Hebrews 12:9 a real divine person, and scripture reveals that the Holy Spirit is precisely the same - the third member of the divine Godhead, with all the attributes of a person. Knowable as any other personality, though invisible and incorporeal !
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty 2 Corinthians 3:17
HE is referred to principally as the personal pronoun HE, HIM, HIMSELF,
as in John 14:15,16, 26, 16:7-14 15:26, 27
In John 16:13, 14 HE is referred to x 9 times in these 2 verses alone
Romans 8:16, 26 is corrected by other translations to Himself
Romans 8:1-16 Then Holy Spirit is mentioned 15 times in these 16 verses !
From the third verse in the Bible … and the Spirit of God moved upon the waters … to the fifth last verse in the Bible … the Spirit and the bride say come … He is seen in operation.
He is mentioned some 90 times in the Old Testament, and 260 times in the New, with 18 titles given to Him.
In the book of Acts alone the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is mentioned 51 times.
This book should be re-named the ACTS of the HOLY SPIRIT as He fills the scene of its 28 chapters. eg Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Sounds like a person to me, personally directing His workers
Only a 'person' has personal qualities, which are attributed to the Holy Spirit :
mind Romans 8:27 1 Corinthians 2:10-13
will 1 Corinthians 12:11
emotions Romans 8;26, 27, 15:30 Colossians 1:8
Only a 'person' has personal feelings, which are attributed to the Holy Spirit :
He can be grieved Ephesians 4:30
He can be insulted Hebrews 10:29
He can be lied to Acts 5:3
He can be blasphemed Matthew 12:31- 32 the 1 unforgiveable sin !
He can be resisted Acts 7:51
He can be tempted Acts 6:9
He can be vexed Isaiah 63:10
He can be quenched 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Wow
With all of these personal qualities, surely HE is not an just an 'influence'.
Many believers are robbed of a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit because they consider Him to be an impersonal force, influence, power or energy.
When He is regarded as such, by observation :
Worship is hindered true worship is a personal spiritual activity
A personal relationship is hindered. God desires to have a personal relationship with each one of us.
God Himself comes in and dwells within us through the person of the Holy Spirit. It would be impossible to have a relationship with an impersonal force !
We should know the Holy Spirit as a friend, helper, comforter, advocate and indweller.
In this way, we honour Him. The believer has more than an 'influence' living within him, he has the person of the Holy Spirit within.
The experience of countless men and women down through the centuries testify likewise and have demonstrated such a personal and life-changing indwelling experience. Consider Smith Wigglesworth, A B Simpson, Samuel Chadwick, Oswald Chambers, Charles Finney, Hagin, A W Tozer, Katherine Kulman, Bishop Ryle, John Wesley, Spurgeon, Luther, Jan Hus … the list is endless, men and women of God who knew the Holy Spirit on a personal basis, and who demonstrated his presence and gifts remarkably.
Personally, I believe that some people are just offended by any manifestations that are outside their norm, or that they cant explain, or that they would be uncomfortable in displaying themselves. And that's evidently where some are 'put off', and “throw the baby out with the bathwater” including the bath, tap and then they disconnect the water supply and its flow !
But any one around children know only too well how they can upset the whole décor, and express themselves in whatever way they think fit, and with volume when it suits them.
In life, Gods big children can do likewise, which can and does offend some, who dont like the status-quo upset in any way.
Probably why Paul wrote some 29 chapters to the church at Corinth, correcting some exuberance's. They had the Holy Spirit moving amongst them, but there was some mess created around the fringes, which needed attention. People are people irrespective of age.
Do we stop driving cars because some have accidents, and even drive off the road ?
Do we stop drinking because some drink too much and become offensive ?
Do we stop eating because some eat to excess and become obese ?
How absurd, and yet some diminish the Holy Spirit because some may to our view, manifest in personal ways that differ from our upbringing and perception. Tough !
The Holy Spirit is a divine person. He is GOD Himself indwelling the redeemed and working within the believer to fulfil the will of God It is the blessed and glorious privilege of all believers to have the conscious joy and knowledge of the Holy Spirit within.
To me, the frequent and memorable occasions of 'quickening' that He brings to my scripture reading is an evidence of His presence, personality and guidance that I cherish.
We all need a personal pentecostal experience, that He alone can bring !
He brings with Him HIS GIFTS 1 Corinthians 12 especially
He brings with Him HIS FRUIT Love, Joy, Peace, etc Galatians 5:22
Without Him the tree is barren of lasting fruit, dry, cold and lifeless.
Without Him its just our own efforts and our own works, our own natural understanding.
Without Him we drift back to Law and pollute GRACE.
OH what the Cults and those who deny His personality miss out on !
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. John 6: 63, 64
I am indebted to, and have incorporated some excerpts in the above from
Kevin J Conner THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 1980
what a wonderful and excellent compilation, so succinct and easy to read.
Thank you so much Kevin |
