TOPIC ONE: PERSONALITY
I. STATEMENT
That the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, nor a mere influence,
but possesses full, distinct personality, is the clear and unmistakable
teaching of Scripture.
NOTE: “A person is that
which, when speaking, says ‘I’; when spoken to, is called ‘thou’; and when
spoken of, is called ‘his’ or ‘him’” (Farr).
II. PROOF
That the Holy Spirit possesses personality the following facts prove:
A. Personal pronouns are used in relation to Him: John 14:16, 17; 15:26; 16:7-14.
NOTE: The Greek noun
for Spirit, literally signifying breath or wind, is pneuma, and is in the neuter. Yet in John 16:14 the masculine
demonstrative pronoun “that one” (ekeinos)
is employed, and in Ephesians 1:14. the masculine relative pronoun who (os) is used.
B. Personal qualities are ascribed to Him:
1. Knowledge, I Corinthians 2:10-13; 12:8.
2. Love, Romans
15:30.
3. Will, I
Corinthians 12:11.
C. Personal acts are attributed to Him:
1. Searches deep things of God, I Corinthians 2:10.
2. Speaks, Acts 13:2;
21:11; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29.
3. Intercedes, Romans 8:26.
4. Testifies, John 15:26.
5. Teaches, John 14:26.
6. Guides, Acts 16:6.
7. Commands and appoints, Acts 13:2, 4; 20:28.
8. Communes, II Corinthians 13:14.
9. Works miracles, Acts 8:39; 10:38.
D. Personal treatments are accorded Him:
1. Grieved and rebelled against, Genesis 6:3; Isaiah 63:10; Acts 7:51; Ephesians
4:30.
2. Done despite to, Hebrews 10:29.
3. Lied unto, Acts 5:3.
TOPIC TWO: DEITY
I. STATEMENT
That the Holy Spirit is a divine person is the clear and unmistakable
teaching of the Scripture.
NOTE: The word person
in relation to the Trinity must not be understood in the exact sense in which
it is applied to human beings. This is true because the Three Persons,
so-called, of the Godhead constitute but one God: Deuteronomy 6:4. As used of
the Trinity, the term person simply means that there are personal distinctions
in the Godhead.
II. PROOF
That the Holy Spirit possesses essential Deity, the following facts
prove:
A. Divine attributes and perfections are ascribed to
Him:
1. Eternity, Hebrews 9:14.
2. Omniscience, John 14:26; 16:12, 13; I Corinthians 2:10.
3. Omnipotence, Luke 1:35
4. Omnipresence, Psalm 139:7-10.
B. Divine works are ascribed to Him:
1. Creation, Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30.
2. Life-giving, Genesis 2:7; John 6:63; Romans 8:2.
3. Prophecy, II Samuel 23:2, 3; II Peter 1:21.
C. The name of the Holy Spirit is coupled in equality
with the names of God and Christ.
1. Apostolic Commission, Matthew 28:19.
2. Apostolic Benediction, II Corinthians 13:14.
3. Administration of the Church, I Corinthians 12:4-6.
NOTE: In Ephesians
4:4-6 the name of the Holy Spirit occurs first and in Romans 15:30 it occurs
second.
D. The Holy Spirit is identified with Jehovah of the
Old Testament: Isaiah 6:8-10 with Acts
28:25-27; Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15-17; Exodus 16:7; Hebrews 3:7-9;
Genesis 1:27; Job 33:4; Psalm 95:8-11.
E. The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed: Matthew 12:31.
F. The Holy Spirit can be worshiped: II Corinthians 13. 14.
G. The Holy Spirit is called God and Lord: Acts 5:3; II Corinthians 3:17, 18.
TOPIC THREE: NAMES
The following are the principal Scriptural names of the Holy Spirit:
1. The Spirit, Psalm 104:30; John 3:6-8; I Corinthians 2:10.
2. The Spirit of God, I Corinthians 3:16.
3. The Spirit of the Lord, Isaiah 11:2; 61:1.
NOTE: When the word
“Lord” in the Old Testament is written in capitals, the meaning is always
“Jehovah”.
4. The Spirit of the Living God, 17 Corinthians 3:3.
5. The Spirit of Christ, Romans 8:9.
6. The Spirit of His Son, Galatians 4:6.
7. The Spirit of Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:19.
8. The Spirit of Jesus, Acts 16:7.
9. The Holy Spirit, Luke 11:13.
NOTE: The word Ghost is
an old English word for Spirit.
10. The Spirit of Burning, Isaiah 4:4.
11. The Spirit of Holiness, Romans 1:4.
12. The Holy Spirit of Promise, Acts 1:4, 5; Ephesians 1:13.
13. The Spirit of Truth, John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13.
14. The Spirit of Life, Romans 8:2.
15. The Spirit of Grace, Hebrews 10:29.
16. The Spirit of Glory, I Peter 4:14.
17. The Eternal Spirit, Hebrews 9:14.
18. The Comforter, John 14:26; 15:26.
NOTE: Another meaning
of the Greek word would be Paraclete literally signifying “one called to the
side”, i. e., for help.
All these names have spiritual significance, and we may know the Holy
Spirit experimentally in the various relationships expressed by His names.
TOPIC FOUR: SYMBOLS
The principal symbols of the Holy Spirit are the Dove, Water, Fire,
Wind, Wine, and Oil.
NOTE: The term “symbol”,
from two Greek words sun, together,
and ballo, to throw, signifies,
literally, something thrown alongside of another, that is, to represent and
explain it. In other words, a symbol is a material emblem portraying and
unfolding a spiritual reality.
I. THE DOVE
The scene at Jesus’ baptism, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him
“like a dove”, shows clearly that the Dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit:
Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32.
The following traits of the Dove in Scripture may be noted:
1. Love, Song of
Songs 5:2; Romans 5:5; 15:30; Galatians 5-22, 23.
2. Purity, Song of
Songs 5:2; 6:9.
NOTE: In Leviticus the
dove is a sacrificial bird and hence clean.
3. Peace, Genesis
8:8-12; Psalm 55:6; Song of Songs 2:12 (R.V. turtle dove); Galatians 5:22.
4. Modesty, Song of Songs 2:14; John 16:13. See also Isaiah 42:1, 2.
5. Harmlessness and Innocence, Matthew 10:16.
NOTE: The dove has no
gall. The Holy Spirit can be grieved, but not angered: Ephesians 4:30.
6. Beauty, Psalm
68:13; Song of Songs, 1.-15; 2-r4-
7. Tenderness and Gentleness, Isaiah 38:14; 59:11.
NOTE: “The dove
possesses a special fondness for a home, Isaiah 60:8, and it is a bird that
instincts the change of seasons, Jeremiah 8:7. See also Song of Songs 2:12”
(Schultz).
II. WATER
Water is a double symbol—of the Word and of the Spirit.
1. As a symbol of the Word it represents cleansing: Psalm 119:9; John 15:3; 17:17, 19; Ephesians 5:26.
2. As a symbol of the Spirit it represents
refreshment, satisfaction, and fullness: Psalm 72:6; Isaiah 41:18; 43:19; 44:3; John 4:14; 7:37-39; Revelation
21:6; 22:17.
NOTE: “This water comes
out of the rock, Psalm 105:41; I Corinthians 10:4; out of the well, John 4:14;
out of the clouds, Acts 2:33; 3:19; out of the Word, Isaiah 55:10, II.
Moreover, it is like a well springing up, John 4:14; like a bucket pouring out,
Numbers 24:7; like clouds showering down, Joel 2:28, 29; Malachi 3:10; Acts
2:33; like rivers flowing, Ezekiel 47; and like the dew silently dropping,
Deuteronomy 33:28; Proverbs 3:20” (Schultz).
III. FIRE
Like water, fire is also a double symbol—of the Word and of the Spirit.
A. As a symbol of the Word it signifies searching and
purification, Jeremiah 23:29.
B. As a symbol of the Spirit it represents three
things, namely:
1. The presence of God, Exodus 3:2-6; I Kings 18:38; Isaiah 63:9-14; Acts 2:3.
2. The power of God (same references as above).
3. The purging of God, Isaiah 4:4; 6:6, 7; Malachi 3:3; Matthew 3:115 Hebrews 12:29.
NOTE: “This symbol does
not so much suggest consumption and combustion as the subtle electric energy.
It is an all-prevailing mighty force, energizing, illuminating, beautifying,
and working all manner of wonders . . . Fire is the great purifying and
cleansing agent in nature. What fire is to the natural world, the Holy Spirit
is to the supernatural world” (Farr).
IV. WIND
This symbol denotes life and activity. It refers particularly to two
aspects of the Spirit’s work in man, namely:
1. Born of the Spirit, Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37:5-10; John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5.
2. Baptized with the Spirit, Matthew 3:11 (in); Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5.
NOTE: Farr says, “This symbol suggests the idea of
universal expansion, life, and activity. Air is everywhere, touching,
penetrating, and sustaining all things. Wind is air in motion; gently, in a
breeze, swiftly, in a gale; and by the circulation of air currents,
healthfulness and purity are carried over the earth. The Holy Spirit is
likewise the source and producer of natural, intellectual, and spiritual life,
purity, and power”.
V. WINE
As a symbol of the Spirit, wine stands for stimulation, exhilaration,
and hence, rejoicing: Psalm 104:15; Proverbs 31:6; Isaiah 55:1; Luke 5:37-39;
John 2:1-11; Acts 2:13; Ephesians 5:18.
NOTE: Farr says, “In
Ephesians 5:18, two possible sources of stimulation are indicated— drunkenness
and Deity; full of wine or full of the Spirit. Satan was called by Augustine Simius Dei, the ape of God, because he counterfeits the work of God. Human
nature needs a stimulus of some kind.
Doubtless, the Holy Spirit was intended to be the only original stimulus
of humanity, but Satan has invented alcohol as a substitute, stealing the
nomenclature of the truth to mask the lie, i. e., aqua vitae, eau de vie”.
VI. OIL
The name Messiah in both Hebrew and Greek signifies the anointed one:
Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:14-18. The key to the meaning of oil as a symbol of the
Spirit is I Samuel 16:13. It signifies:
1. Enduement of gifts for ministry, Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38; I Corinthians 12:7-11.
2. Bestowment of graces for living, Psalm 23:5; Galatians 5:22, 23.
3. Healing for the body, Isaiah 1:6; James 5:14.
4. Illumination and revelation, John 16:12-15; I Corinthians 2:9-16; Ephesians
1:17-18; I John 2:20, 27.
~ end of chapter 7 - part one ~
