CHAPTER 1
Who Is the Holy Spirit
Throughout Biblical history, mankind has questioned Who Is the Holy Spirit? This is a topic that has been discussed by past Biblical Scholars and I believe will be discussed among future Biblical Scholars as well. Several questions have been asked: Who Is the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit and Spiritual Growth, Holy Spirit and the Nine "Fruit of the Spirit", the Silent Active Role the Holy Spirit had in the Old Testament and Conclusion.
Before talking about Who Is the Holy Spirit, I have a question to ask, please be honest with yourself. Have you ever asked yourself, Who Is the Holy Spirit? For me the answer was NO. We all can agree that we heard nothing about the Holy Spirit until Jesus said He going to send a Comforter, we also can agree that the Holy Spirit is the Third member (person) of the Holy Godhead (Trinity) and the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the first and second chapters in the book of Acts. I learned that, "Christ's leaving was necessary for the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was the fruit of Christ's death, which was His going away. His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but His Spirit is everywhere, in all places, at all times, whenever two or three are gathered together in His names. See here the office of the Spirit, first to reprove, or to convince.
The Spirit convicts the world of sin; not merely tell it of it. The Spirit convicts the fact of sin; the fault of sin; the folly of sin and the filth of sin, which becomes hateful to God".
I wanted a clear comprehensible yet spiritual definition that I could understand and could explain to anyone who asked. I found clear understandable definition. Reading from Billy Graham books, The Holy Spirit Activating God's Power in Your Life' is best definition explaining Who Is the Holy Spirit. I believe Billy Graham is one of the greatest Biblical scholar of my generation. "We have learned that the Holy Spirit is a person, and a member of the Holy Trinity. Anyone who fails to recognize this is robbed of his power of joy. Of course a defective view of any member of the Trinity will bring about this result because God is all important. But this is especially true for the Holy Spirit, for it is God the Father who is the source of all blessing, as Jesus is the Son who channels all blessings, as the Holy Spirit works in us to becomes living and operative in our lives".
It was hard for me to understand the Trinity as God tri-personal existence as Father, Son and Holy Spirit-three distinct personal in one God and I wonder if others had a hard understanding. Until one night, I heard a still quiet voice saying to, as along you relying on your human intelligent, you never understand. Ask God to reveal His wisdom and knowledge. I read the following: 1 Peter 1:2; John 1:18; Hebrew 1:8 John 1:4 Acts 5:3-4; and John 16:7-15. As I read these books and verses it began clear to understand the Holy Trinity or Godhead. It was very apparent that the God is the Father and all the fullness of the God is Spirit. Jesus is the Son of God and is all absolute with the manifested and demonstrated in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is recognized as God and all richness of the Godhead working upon Man/Woman, condemning him/her of sin (s) and exposing all believers to all truth (John 16:7-15).
Reading John, Mark and Matthew provide a Biblical historical clarification of 'Who Is the Holy Spirit', as a real person equal in every way with God the Father and God the Son, and He the third member of the Godhead.
John 14:16-18 "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide (remain) with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knowth Him; but ye (you) know Him; for He dwelleth with you.
Matthew 28:18-20, "All power is given unto me, in heaven and earth. Go ye (you) therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and lo, I (Jesus) am with you even unto the end of the world.
Since, I began this studying 'Who Is the Holy Spirit', I asked myself, I wondered how many other Christians wanted to know when did the Holy Spirit actual arrive? Reading the three Gospel and the book of Acts tells when the Holy Spirit manifest and was made known to the world.
It is importance to realize that the (Holy Spirit) Comforter's to come, Christ's departure was essential. Christ bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but the Father, and Son's Spirit is everywhere, in all places, at all times. Remember what Jesus said, whenever two or three are gathered together in His names, He will dwell in the mist.
I did not realized that the Holy Spirit had already make His entrance before the Day of Pentecost. It begins with Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit; Mary, Elizabeth, Zachariah, John and Simeon are filled with the prophetic Holy Spirit. The Spirit descends in the bodily form at Jesus' baptism. According to the three Gospels.
In the book of Acts chapter one and two Luke the author gives a Biblical historical accounts of the arrival of the Holy Spirit, which is also known as the Day of Pentecost.
I found three descriptive, vivid mental pictures of the day of the arrival Holy Spirit (Day of Pentecost). As you read these written words about the Holy Spirit (Day of Pentecost), an overwhelming delightfulness touches one's inners soul.
As you read the written words of John Wesley and Henry Matthew, I pray that an overpowering joyfulness of presence touches the inner core of one's heart as you read their interpretation of the 'Day of Pentecost' or the Day the Holy Spirit arrive.
John Wesley: "The Pentecost of Mt. Sinai, in the Old Testament, and the Pentecost of Jerusalem, in the New Testament, where two grand manifestations happened: one from the mountain, and the other from heaven; the terrible, and the merciful one. They were all on one accord, in one place, minds, and same spirit; the whole hundred and twenty being present. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, filling all those in the house.
There appeared distinct tongues, as of fire that were small flames of fire. This is what the phrase, tongues of fire, means in the language of the seventy. God's touching their tongues as if it were (together with their hearts) with the divine fire: His giving them such words as were active and penetrating even as flaming fire.
The Jewish convert might observe the ceremonies or assert his liberty; the Gentile might disregard them or might attend to them, provided he did not depend upon them. No outward privileges or profession will avail to acceptance with God, without sincere faith in our Lord Jesus.
This plural name of God ... [confirms] our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which is silent in the Old Testament, but is clearly revealed in the New Testament.
Daniel L. Black give his version on the three gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke: There is a statement of Jesus about the Holy Spirit recorded in all three of the synoptic Gospels with slight variations (Matthew 10:20; Mark 13:11 and Luke 12:12).
Jesus told His disciples not to be anxious about what to say in the event they were persecuted, arrested and brought before authorities for trial. Jesus assured them that the Holy Spirit would give them words to say in such a time of crisis.
Throughout the Old Testament, prophetic (inspired) utterance was attributed to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the holy men who spoke. Jesus told His disciples they also would be supernaturally enables by the Holy Spirit to answer their enemies with words of wisdom.
In Mark 12:38, Jesus affirmed that He regard the Old Testament Scriptures as being inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, quoting from Psalm 110, attributed the inspiration of the Psalm to the Holy Spirit by saying, "David himself said by the Holy Ghost".
One of Jesus' most encouraging statements about the about the Holy Spirit is recorded in the Gospel of Luke.
According to the Gospel of Luke, while Jesus was talking to His disciples about the efficacy of prayer and the goodness of God in answering, about prayer,
He said: "If ye (you) then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him"? (Luke 11:13).
The fact that Luke alone recorded this statement of Jesus about the Holy Spirit makes it a special passage for our consideration.
This is because the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is prominent in the Gospel of Luke and in the sequel of the Gospel of Acts. Why did Luke record this particular statement about the Father giving the Holy Spirit to those who ask?
It seems Luke wanted to emphasize God's great desire and willingness to give the Holy Spirit to His (God's) people. And it seem he (Luke) wanted to emphasize the simplicity of asking God in faith and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The book of Acts tells how the Holy Spirit brought a great explosion "on the day of Pentecost". At Pentecost Jesus' promise was made good (Acts 1:4-5). The Spirit came on the apostles as the consequences of Jesus' exaltation (Acts 2:33), and ancient prophecies (Joel 3:38 ff. Psalm 110:1) were realized ..."
Preacher and leaders, such as Stephen (Acts 6:10), Philip (Acts 8:26-40, and Saul (Paul) (Acts 9:17), are described as "full of the Spirit" who led Christian even onward and outward, from Jerusalem to Rome (Acts 1:8)".
Many Biblical scholars claim that the day of Pentecost came ten days later after Jesus ascended, when the baptism with the Holy Spirit occurred (Acts 1:13; & 2:1-4. They were in the upper room or a large house such as the one where the Lord Supper was held (Mark 14:15), the apostles, women who were probably the wives of the apostles, Mary, the mother of Jesus, along with His brothers, were all gathered. Along with Matthias.
There was a violent wind (Acts 2:2). Breath or wind is the symbol of the Spirit of God (Ezekiel 37:9; 14 & John 3:8). The coming of the Spirit was marked by audible (wind) and visible (fire) signs.
Their spirits were in words and in other tongues. The Spirit enabled them to speak in languages they had not previously learned. Two other examples of speaking in tongues are found in (Acts 10:46; &19:6). Another passage deals with this spiritual gift as well (1 Corinthians chapters 12-14).
Many people have been taught that this passage that they receive the gift of speaking in tongues. No, Luke makes it very clear that those who were heard their native language new that they did not speak nor knew their native languages.
While during my Bible study time, I discovered that the Holy Spirit has been here since beginning time, creation and human life. Also the Holy Spirit has always been here but had a silent active role in the Old Testament. I will discussing the Silent Active Role that the Holy Spirit had in the Old Testament in the following chapters.
I believe Paul is the greatest advocate and an expert on subject 'Who Is the Holy Spirit. I will present three diff erent interpretation Paul had on this topic.
1.
"Paul is the great New Testament exponent of the Christian's life as 'living in Spirit' (Romans 8:14-17; & Galatians 4:6). For Paul, Christian's experience originated in the receiving of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:2ff ), who initiated men and women into fellowship of the church (1 Corinthians 12:13); this is the baptism of the Spirit associated with baptism water (Romans 6:3; & Galatians 3:27), and following the usual pattern in Acts (Acts 8:13-17; 10:40-48;18:25; & 19:6).
For Paul the gift of, and subsequent life in, the Spirit had strong ethical dimension, empowering believers to live no longer under the power of the sin (the flesh), but rather in the energy of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). The reason for this equation lies in Paul's apparent linking of the Spirit with the Risen Christ (2 Corinthians 3:16-17), so that having the 'fruit of the Spirit' is identical with living in 'accord with Christ' (Romans 15:5-6), and the Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; & Romans 12:3-8) are practice under the lordship and inspiration of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:3; & 13:1-13".
2.
"This accords with a major theme in Paul, the capacity of the Holy Spirit not only to transform but to bring life out of nothing. After ascribing metaphorical resurrection to those who 'give life to the dead and call into existence the things that do not exist' (Romans 4:17, of Abraham's faith relating to the slaying of Isaac), Paul explicitly ascribes to the Spirit the power of resurrection (Romans 8:11). The Spirit stands in contrast to human capability alone. Dead people cannot raise themselves. Indeed, the physical body will be exchanged for 'spiritual body' (1 Corinthians 15:44), a mode of existence animated, empowered and characterized by the unhindered operation of the Holy Spirit as the agent of new creation and transformation; in this case a transformation unto the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:49). In both initial and on-going references, the Spirit's transformative work can also be described as the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5-7)".
3.
"Paul with his problem and situation theology, described the Christian experiences in terms of the Spirit ("in the Spirit, Romans 8:9), whereas the Synoptic speaks the language of the kingdom. The Spirit is distinct from, yet clearly related to, the risen Jesus and dwells in the Christian (Romans 15:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; and 12:4).
Paul insists that the gospel comes not in word alone, but in the powerful Holy Spirit bringing conviction and joy (1 Thessalonians 5:19), his only reference using the definite article".
Before closing this chapter 1, I wanted to make sure that we all understood the Holy Trinity or Godhead. I found this very helpful in understand the Holy Trinity or Godhead from one of my favorite Biblical Scholar, Andrew Murray. He explain the eight "Channel for the Holy Spirit"
1. God is an ever flowing fountain of pure love and blessedness.
2. Christ is the reservoir wherein the fullness of God was made visible as grace, and has been opened for us.
3. The Holy Spirit is the stream of living water that flows from under the throne of God and of the Lamb.
4. The redeemed, God's believing children, are the channels through which the love of the Father, the grace of Christ, and the powerful operation of the Spirit are brought to the earth, there to be imparted to others.
5. What an impression we gain here of the wonderful partner-ship into which God takes us up, as dispensers of the grace of God! Prayer, when we chiefly pray for ourselves, is but the beginning of the life of prayer.
6. The more surely the channel is connected with the reservoir, the more certainly will the water flow unhindered through it. The more we are occupied in prayer with the fullness of Christ, and with the Spirit who proceeds from him, and the more surely will our lives be happy and strong.
7. Are you truly a channel which is always open, so that the water may flow through you to the thirsty ones in the dry land? Have you offered unreservedly to God, to become a bearer of the energizing operations of the Holy Spirit?
8. Is it not, perhaps, because you have thought only of yourself in prayer that you have experienced so little of the power of prayer? Do understand that the new prayer life into which you have entered in the Lord Jesus can be sustained and strengthened only by the intercession in which you labour for the souls around you, to bring them to know the Lord?
Oh, meditate on this- God an ever flowing fountain of love and blessing, and I his child, a living channel through which every day the Spirit and life can be brought to the earth"
