The Holy Spirit Is God--The Third Person Of The Trinity

How much more shall

the blood of Christ,

who through the 

eternal Spirit 

offered Himself 

without spot to God,

cleanse your conscience 

from dead works

to serve the 

living God?

Hebrews 9:14

     Defining a being as a person there must be present, even though it be incalculable, personality. It is personality that makes a person distinct from another. Upon our examination of the Holy Spirit there is to be found; personality. The Holy Spirit has a Personality, and that Personality is distinct from the Son, and the Father. This Personality is not to be confused as though it is making the person separate, only to demonstrate it being distinct. All elements of a being must be considered to be able to determine that being is truly a being. We have discussed that Scripture is clear and plain in regard to the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit has the characteristics of a person and has a Personality. The opening Scripture (Hebrews 9:14), states that the Spirit is eternal. To state that the Holy Spirit is eternal is not to admit that it is God for all of us have a spirit that is eternal, that is, as long as we live and is a part of us. Therefore, we must not use a single Scripture or verse to prove a point of Doctrine. Rather we examine the Bible and all that it states in regards to any Doctrine. Luke points out an attribute of the Holy Spirit in this manner: "And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). This being the Christmas season, a time to remember the birth of Jesus Christ that Scripture is apropos, yet we see that the Spirit of God is powerful and will overshadow, in this case, Mary. This powerful Spirit can be attributed to God, but does not give credence to having a personality. What we have learned about the Holy Spirit up to this point is that the Spirit is eternal and all powerful. Furthermore, the Spirit of God is everywhere present: "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence" (Psalm 139:7)? The attributes assigned to the Holy Spirit can be seen to be associated with God, that those attributes are the same as that which is assigned to God. But does the Holy Spirit have a personality? Paul will give us another personality trait: "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in Him? even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (1Corinthians 2:10-11). The Spirit of God then is eternal, all powerful, and has knowledge, and is everywhere present. Luke in his account of Ananias gives us more information in regards to the Third Person of the Trinity for He calls Him God: "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5:3-4). Peter makes it very clear, Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit. Now, if the Holy Spirit be only a power of God then it cannot be lied to as Peter points out that this lie was to God associated both the Holy Spirit and God to be one of the same, so to lie to One is to lie to the Other. This is evidence that the Holy Spirit has Personality and that the Holy Spirit is God. Paul adds more to this Doctrine by admitting the the Lord, that is Jesus Christ, is the Spirit: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit is noted as hovering over the waters in Genesis 1:2 as being creator and God is said to have created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1); and the Son, Jesus Christ is said to be the creator (Colossians 1:16-17). God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all admitted by Scripture to have created the universe. This is of the greatest importance for every Christian as this Doctrine affects them both theologically and practically. All three Persons have their own personality, and yet all three are admitted to be One. Paul gives this account in Ephesians: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called on one hope of your calling" (Ephesians). Paul will crown the hallmark of this Doctrine of the Holy Spirit as being the Third Person of the Trinity by writing: "Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together wit me in prayers to God for me" (Romans 15:30). A clear sign of a being having personality can be shown that they love. Further, Paul places all three Persons of the Trinity in this Verse.

     The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is a living being, a being with His own personality, and yet is God. He is one of the Persons of the Trinity. I will attempt to give a clear and understandable explanation of the Trinity, that is a short and concise explanation as my book called, The Trinity Exposed: true or false? (lulu.com) has a complete and full explanation and takes 190 pages to do so, I will give only that which appertains to the Holy Spirit. Meantime, as was told to blind Bartimeaus when Jesus on entering into Jericho healed him of his blindness, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you" (Mark 10:49b).

Take heed,

     watch and pray;

for you do not know

     when the time is.

                      Mark 13:33

Have Full Assurance In God 

Richard L. Crumb