1. HE IS A PERSON. As surely as Christ is a Person, the Holy Spirit is a Person. Only the WILFULLY BLIND, the DUPES of false teachers, and the lamentably IGNORANT can declare that Scripture teaches otherwise.
2. HE IS A DIVINE PERSON, or to speak more definitely, HE IS GOD. He is spoken of as the THIRD PERSON IN THE TRINITY. As far as I am aware ONLY those who deny the Deity of Christ deny the Deity of the Holy Spirit.
3. HE PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER AND THE SON. The truth is set forth in the so-called Nicene Creed in the following words :—-
" I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified."
Another says, " He is distinct from the Father; for He is said to proceed from the Father. He is distinct from the Son; for He is sent by the Son. He cannot be less than the Son although sent by the Son, for as our Lord teaches us that while all manner of sin committed against Himself may be forgiven, yet blasphemy against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven neither in this world, nor in the world to come."
The Holy Spirit is the One - whose special duty it is to lead us into the truth (John 14,26: 16,13-14). These misguided teachers INSULT THEIR TEACHER by calling Him IT not HIM; and dishonouring the only trustworthy teacher of Scripture, they are left to the fanciful, immature, and perverted conclusions of their own fanciful, immature, and perverted minds. " Can you speak of the intelligence, or of the love, or of the will of a power or emanation ?
Can you speak of a power or emanation or anything impersonal, creating and quickening that which it creates; striving with the obstinate and convicting them of their error; performing miracles; addressing others in express words; appointing officers;
commanding and forbidding; renewing that which was lapsed; interceding, teaching, comforting, and guiding into truth, diffusing love and filial tenderness in the heart; witnessing with those who witness; approving with those who approve, and inviting with those who invite, and revealing the blessedness of those unseen ?
Can you speak of a mere abstract power being vexed, grieved, blasphemed, lied against, tempted, insulted ? Can you speak of an impersonal essence as Himself ? You can so speak at times in poetry but you cannot in prose. And these passages do not occur in the poetical parts of the Bible."
The Person of the Holy Spirit
INTRODUCTION. - English word Spirit
" The English word ' SPIRIT' is from the Latin ' SPIRITUS,' meaning, ' breath, wind, air, life, soul,' which in turn is from the verb ' SPIRO,' meaning ' to breathe.'
The equivalent Hebrew word has a perfectly analogous use. Its primary sense is WIND, AIR IN MOTION.
The equivalent Creek word, PN-EUMA, has also the same use and signifies, BREATH, OR AIR IN MOTION."
In thinking of the Holy Spirit three things should be kept clearly in mind :—
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