The Holy Spirit as a Person

The Holy Spirit as a Person
Rights (C) Raymond D Lombard


The Holy Spirit as the seal on the believer, as the collateral or guarantee or insurance of his heritage that awaits the believer; the redemption and glorification of his body to be conformed to the image of Christ when He (Jesus Christ) (Rom 8:23.29, Php 3:20-21, Eph 4:30, 1Th 4:13-18, 1Cor 15:50-54).

The Holy Spirit as a person does not exits alone, and can only be appreciated by a study of the triunity of GOD.

The Greek word for spirit is pneuma and is a neuter gender word. A male pronoun is however given to the Holy Spirit (John 14, 17). Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John did it in order to recognize the Holy Spirit as a Person.

The Holy Spirit is a Person, not an 'it' or a "something".

The Holy Spirit has personal characteristics; Intelligence (1Cor 2:1o-11, Eph 1:17); Emotional sense (Eph 4:30, Rom 15:30) and a Self-will (1Cor 12:11).

The Holy Spirit does the work of God; He creates (Gen 1:2), causes rebirth (Joh 3:5-8), raises from the dead (Rom 8:11), Inspires (2Pet 1:21), gives life (Job 33:4), speaks (Act 1:16; 1Peter 1:11), testifies for and glorifies Christ (Joh 15:26; 16:14), convicts of sin (Joh 16:8), teaches (Joh 14:26), comforts and strengthens (Acts 9:31), helps us to pray (Rom 8:26), leads us (Joh 16:13), sanctifies (Rom 15:16; 1Cor 6:11), transforms a sinner into a child of God (Joh 3:5-8)

Jehovah (Yahweh, LORD) of the Old Testament is the Holy Spirit in the New Testament (compare Isa 6:1,5, 8-10 with Act 28:25-27, Jer 31:31-34 with Heb 10:15-17, Ex 17:2-7 Heb 3:7-11).

The Holy Spirit is God (2Sam 23:2-3 Act 5:3-4, 1Cor 3:16, 2Cor 3:17, Eph 2:22, Heb 1:1(a), 2Peter 1:21).

There is only Divine Spirit, the Holy Spirit. He is at the same time the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, as they are one. More ever, as the Father and the Son is God, the spirit of the one or the other is equal to God. For this reason, the Bible states that there is only one Spirit (1Cor 2:11, 13, Eph 2:18, 4-4)

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ is one and the same Person.

God is Spirit (Joh 4:24) is reconciled with the doctrine of the Trinity as follows;

According to the Bible, God is alone 'LORD' (Deut 6 4). That is, God (Elohim, plural noun) is a unit (Echad) consisting of three Persons (Matt 28:19, 2Cor 13:14, Joh 14:16-17). If God the Father is Spirit, then the Son (1Cor 15:45) and the Holy Spirit is also Spirit. Spirituality is thus not an attribution of God, but rather a way of God's perfect and triunal existence.

Rebirth is a unique spiritual experience of a work of the Holy Spirit in the human spirit.

Rebirth is the fountain of Christian experience and walk. (2Cor 5:17). With his life now under guidance of the Spirit, he is able to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit; Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Rebirth is a work of God (Joh 1:13) but in particular the work of the Spirit (John 3:3-7, Tit 3:5). Faith enables the Spirit to bring about rebirth. The Word of God shows man what he must believe and when he responds, allows the Spirit to redeem the person.

Rebirth is an immediate act and not an experience and does not involve any sensation. All experiences will be as a result of the rebirth and new life.

Rebirth is a creation of a divine nature in the reborn person so that it can be said of every true believer, that he became partaker of the divine nature (2Peter 1:4).

Rebirth brings a new life; eternal life.

Eternal life can not be revoked i.e no one can be more than once reborn. Rebirth is the unchangeable purpose of God, by which He called, and justified those to be glorified. (Rom 8:29, 30, Fill 1 6, 2 Tim 1 12)

The indwelling of the Spirit in the hearts of believers is fundamental to the workings of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit dwells only in truly reborn believers; Joh 14:17 He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. But you recognize him, because he lives with you and will be in you.

1Co 6:19 You know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God, don't you? You do not belong to yourselves,

The Holy Spirit is a gift which a believer receives by grace alone (John 7:39(a), Rom 5:5, 2Cor 5:5).

The Holy Spirit is the One who reveals the indwelling of the Father in the believer; 1Jn 3:24 The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he (God) remains in us: he (God) has given us his Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is also the One by whom the indwelling of Christ in the believer is made known (John 14:16,20) It is said of Christ that He definitely lives in the believer (Gal 2:20, Col 1:27, 3:11).

Although the indwelling of the Spirit is a gift, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit permanently.

2Co 5:5 God has prepared us for this and has given us his Spirit as a guarantee.

Eph 1:13-14 You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed in the Messiah, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until God redeems his own possession for his praise and glory.

A Collateral, or otherwise called a warranty, something given as a token of good faith in advance. Its use is also a small portion of the purchase price paid in advance to honor a business make binding agreement.

The earnest of the Spirit inherited in the life of a true born again believer is permanently; "in which He has made us accepted "(Eph 1:6)..." "to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory"(Eph 1:14 ).

What happens when a believer sins?

Sin grieve's the Spirit (Eph 4:30) and causes the power of His indwelling (the Holy Spirit power) to decrease. His indwelling in the life of a truly reborn believer never diminishes.... The Spirit remains permanently resident after rebirth!

The term" sealing by the Holy Spirit" refers to a definite and unique aspect of salvation.

The Holy Spirit is the seal (2Cor 1:22).

The only people who were sealed with the Holy Spirit and is still sealed today, is Jesus (Joh 6:27), and every true reborn believer (Eph 430).

God the Father, as Agent in accordance with the Father's sealing of the Son (Joh 6:27), is the One who seals the believer with the Holy Spirit; 2Co 1:22 And He has sealed us and having given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Eph 1:13 in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise

Truly reborn believers are sealed by the Spirit at the time of their salvation or regeneration. Sealing by the Spirit not an experience after rebirth. Sealing by the Spirit is universally meant for all believers.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal: "The Lord knew those who are His." And, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity!"

The Holy Spirit is the seal or sign of Christ's property rights and protection against sin and / or safekeeping in holiness. Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

Baptism by the Holy Spirit

Baptism by the Holy Spirit places a believer into a new position, namely in Christ himself

Joh 14:9 ..He who has seen Me has seen the Father. And how do you say, Show us the Father?

The believer is in Christ and Christ is in the believer. As a result of this union with Christ, the Father sees the saved person in Christ, as a living part of his own Son, and He loves the believer as He loves His Son.

Eph 1:5-6 having predestined us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He has made us accepted in the One having been loved.

Joh 17:10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them.

Baptism by the Holy Spirit happens together with the rebirth of a believer. Salvation and baptism is therefore simultaneously and it is impossible to be saved without this aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit i.e. "Baptism by the Holy Spirit".

Baptism by the Holy Spirit is dispensational i.e it started only after the day of Pentacost. The baptasim into the body of Christ relates to the Church, and it relates to truly reborne believers after the death, resurrection and accention of Jesus Christ.

1Co 12:13 For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit.