Lesson No. 22

Lesson No. 22 The Holy Spirit

This study is considered, according to Christian theology, under the concept of pneumatology. A compound word that comes from the Greek, where the first term is "πνευμα" (pneuma: ["wind, breath or spirit"]). The second term is "λογία" (logía: ["word, study or treatise"]).3 Therefore, scientifically the term pneumatology is used to refer to the study of breathing. While in theology, the term is used to refer to the study of the spirit, in this case, of the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Concept: According to what the Holy Scriptures declare, the Holy Spirit is a personal Being. He is recognized as Divine, and all characteristics and attributes as such are conferred to Him. He dwells in believers who receive His holy baptism, sealing them for salvation, comforting them, guiding them to all truth, and empowering them with His divine power and various spiritual gifts.

The reasons that assist us to believe in the personality of the Holy Spirit consist of the faculty of intellect, which characterizes Him as a person. The Holy Scriptures describe Him as an intelligent Being, who thinks, has feelings and will, which are the main elements of personality. Let us see regarding the subtitles and the content of the following passages:

He can be grieved or saddened: Ephesians chapter 4: verse 30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”.51

He is capable of comforting the believer, teaching and reminding, testifying, and guiding him to all truth. Thus declare the following passages of Scripture:

John chapter 14: verses 15 to 17, 25 and 26: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”.51

John chapter 15: verse 26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me”.51

John chapter 16: verses 13 to 15: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you”.51

He directs and guides believers: Acts chapter 13: verses 1 to 4: “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus”.51

Acts chapter 16: verses 6 and 7: “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not”.51

Acts chapter 20: verses 22 and 23: “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me”.51

Concerning this wonderful activity of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life, let us reflect on the account of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch when the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. (Acts chapter 8: verses 26 to 31 and 35).51

Let us also consider how the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter while he was thinking about the vision of the sheet: While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 21Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? (Acts chapter 10: verses 19 to 21).51

He supplies sanctified believers with different spiritual gifts. As an example of this, consider the following passage:

First Corinthians chapter 12: verse 1 and 4 to 11: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will”.51

These biblical passages provide us with clear evidence that the Holy Spirit is a personal Being, that He is not an active force as some say, because no existing force or energy can possess such faculties, as these are qualities only of an intelligent being, possessed of the attribute of personality.

He possesses the attributes of God the Father in all the fullness and magnitude of His perfection.

However, upon beginning the consideration of this particularity of the Holy Spirit, we need to take into account that, although some of the attributes of God the Father may not appear literally related in the Scriptures to the Son or the Spirit, nevertheless, without the slightest intention of providing a forced interpretation, it is obvious, according to the logic and reasoning that the reading of the Word itself provides us, that they all belong to Him equally, as in the case of goodness attributed to Jesus Christ.

Let us see below the attributes that are conferred to Him:

Spiritual Nature: This attribute of God is evident in the Holy Spirit because His own nature indicates so (Holy Spirit).

Self-existence: Although this divine attribute is not literally conferred upon the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, nevertheless, it is logically attributed to Him, due to the fact that He is eternal, as the next biblical verse declares. And for this, it is inescapable that He has self-existence, due to the same reasonings taken into account in this attribute regarding God the Father.

Eternity: Although the Holy Spirit was biblically known for His specific activities in the era of the Old Testament, in the New Testament He is also recognized as the eternal Spirit, as declared by the following passage:

Hebrews chapter 9: verse 14: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”. 51

Logically, His eternity is attributed, as is the case with Jesus Christ, from the conception of Christian theology, which defines Him as derived from the Father and consubstantial with Him. As we will appreciate in the study concerning the Trinity.

Omnipresence: Psalm 139: verses 7 to 10: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me”.51

Omniscience: First Corinthians chapter 12: verse 8: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit”.51

Isaiah chapter 40: verses 13 and 14: “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith”.51

Omnipotence: This divine attribute can also be conferred to the Holy Spirit, logically, by taking into account the other attributes conferred to Him and His activities in relation to each of them.

Immutability: This attribute can also be logically conferred to the Holy Spirit, since no change in His divine nature is known biblically, neither in the moral order nor in any other aspect.

Goodness: Galatians chapter 5: verses 22 and 23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”.51

Justice: Ephesians chapter 5: verse 9: “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)”.51

Thus also, in Romans chapter 14: verse 17, it says: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.51

Truthfulness: John chapter 14: verses 15 to 17: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you”.51

Our Lord Jesus Christ calls Him the Spirit of truth: But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John chapter 15: verse 26).51

Wisdom: First Corinthians chapter 12: verse 8: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit”.51

Holiness: Evidently, holiness is one of the attributes that the third divine person possesses in all its magnitude. It is clearly revealed in the Scriptures, as His personal identity: "Holy Spirit".

Creator: Logically, it is assumed that the Holy Spirit also participated in the creative activities of the universe, as the Scriptures say, according to Genesis chapter 1: verses 1 and 2: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.51

According to specialists in the language of the original text, the sense of the Hebrew phrase used in this passage indicates that this activity of the Holy Spirit was a covering movement over the entire surface of the planet, providing the necessary heat to achieve order and the formation of life on it.

Savior: Conferred to God the Father, to Jesus Christ the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, in wonderful harmony, according to the following passage from the Scriptures:

Titus chapter 3: verses 4 to 7: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.51

The teachings related to the baptism of the Holy Spirit will be studied in detail in chapter 10 according to the corresponding topic.