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.
Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit who is
from God, that we might
know the things that
have been freely given
to us by God. These
things we also speak,
not in words which
man’s wisdom teaches
but which the Holy Spirit
teaches,
comparing spiritual
things with spiritual.
1Corinthians 2:10–13
There are
several things in those verses that we must speak of and that is we must
compare Scripture with Scripture if we are to understand what God through the
Holy Spirit inspired men to write. Secondly, it is the “Spirit of God” that
that is from God enabling us to know things of God and if we do not have the
Spirit then we cannot know God. As a side note, but an important side note: in
verse 13 the word, “Holy” is not in the NIV or any other translation using the
Critical Text, and this is telling for when one looks at the variance between
the Textus Receptus and the Critical Apparatus we find that there many, many,
texts that do include the word Holy. It seems as though the Critical texts
diminishes God, His Son, and the His Holy Spirit by leaving out those words
that teach us that the Spirit of God, in this case, is Holy. Se must be careful
in our choices for a Bible and ensure that the one we use is based upon good
textual criticism and not on someone’s pocketbook, or presupposition.
Macedonius,
bishop of Constantinople (341 A.D.–360 A.D.) taught that the Holy Spirit was “a
minister and a servant” placing the Holy Spirit on the same level as the
angels. He did not deny the personage of the Holy Spirit, yet he did teach that
the Holy Spirit was a creature subordinate to the Father and the Son. This was
a denial of the deity of the Holy Spirit. His views were as harmful as that of
Arius as was Arius’ views of Jesus Christ. Is this what you believe? Are you
confused as to who, and what, is the Holy Spirit? Is it possible that the Holy
Spirit is a person in the Trinity? How can this be? Let me return to an example
I used in the past: The sun, the ray of the sun, and the power of the sun. The
sun represents the Godhead, and the Father is the one by which we address the
other persons of the Godhead. The Son, is represented by the ray of the sun,
the Godhead, and is sent forth by the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the power
produced by the ray, and sent from the sun, or the Father. All three, Father,
sun, Son, ray, and Holy Spirit, power of the sun, are all of the same essence.
All are one and yet each has purpose in the economy of God. Upon examination by
the ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. the views of Macedonius
were condemned. The Creed of Constantinople, our Nicene Creed which was recited
at the third Council of Toledo in 589 A.D. the words: “That proceedeth from the
Father and the Son were added (filioque) therefore the relationship of the Holy
Spirit between the Father and the Son was established and included into the
articles of the Christian faith. The Western Churches, have since insisted upon
the true deity of the Holy Spirit and the personality of the Holy Spirit as
being then coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son.
This then is some of the history behind our acceptance of the Holy Spirit as
God.
As we study
this subject we must admit that the Greek word πνεύμα, pneuma or the Hebrew
word חוך, ruwach, are used in different senses, both literal and figurative in
the Holy Scriptures. A proper meaning of those words is wind, and as any
invisible power, immaterial, invisible agents, as the soul and angels; then as
God Himself Who is said to be a Spirit, which then expresses his nature as
being immaterial and an intelligent being. Finally, the word express the Third
Person of the Trinity is called; “The Spirit” by way of his imminence, and as
He is the power or efficiency of God, whereby God is directly exercised, and to
express the Holy Spirit’s relation to the other Persons of the Trinity. As the
words Father, and Son, are terms the express relation, so to the same terms
used to express the relation of the Holy Spirit to both the Father and the Son.
Jesus, the Logos, the Word of God is the revealer or image of God, ant the Holy
Spirit is His breath and power. By calling the Holy Spirit Holy it is indicated
both His nature, and the cause of holiness in all creatures, or He is the
Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom, and Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God,
Sprit of Peace, or Love, and of Glory.
Next blog I
will then examine His personality and proof of His personality. Think upon
this: When God sent to His chosen the Holy Spirit, it was God Himself that
resides in you and empowers you to live according to His commands and
requirements. This is exhilarating to think that God, the creator, the Savior,
and His power all given to you and me; does this not drive you to your knees in
humbleness and repentance?
Grace to you and peace
From God
the Father
And our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who gave
Himself
For our sins, that He might
Deliver us
from this
Present evil age, according
To the will
of our God
And Father, to whom be glory
Forever and
ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:3–5
Read Today His Word: and Be Blessed
Richard L. Crumb
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