Read: John 14:25-26; 15:26-27
During this part of the Christian calendar we reflect on the Holy Spirit. Who or what is the Holy Spirit?
Most Christians believe in the Trinity. It is the doctrine that says there is only one God, but this one God is composed of three persons. One of the persons is the Holy Spirit. Of course, this idea is really hard to understand. But we shall discuss this as far as we can understand in some following reflections. Unitarians, as opposed to Trinitarians, do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and God. It is only a force like wind or gravity, or an influence of the one God.
But in the Bible there are indications that the Holy Spirit is a person. The pronoun used for the Holy Spirit is He, not it. So He is not a thing but a person. The Holy Spirit has some attributes or characteristics which are basic to personality. We will mention a few of them.
The Holy Spirit has the ability to think and to know. "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" (1 Corinthians 2:11-12). The Holy Spirit alone knows God's thoughts, and He reveals and makes them clear to people. And He knows also our thoughts. We cannot lie to Him (Acts 5:3, 9).
The Holy Spirit makes decisions and choices. There was an occasion when some prophets and teachers were together for worship and fasting (Acts 13:1-3). Then the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." The Holy Spirit chose Barnabas and Saul to do missionary work. The Holy Spirit also decides on the distribution of gifts and talents. "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines" (1 Corinthians 12:11). It was by the choice and generosity of the Holy Spirit that you have the natural gifts and talents that you possess. And you must use all your talents and gifts for some work God has intended for you to do for His glory.
The Holy Spirit has emotions. The Holy Spirit has feelings, both positive and negative. Paul says "I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me" (Romans 15:30). Here it is mentioned that the Spirit has the emotion of love. Paul enjoins the Ephesian Christians "And do not grieve the Spirit of God" (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit can feel grief, too.
What does all this imply in our personal Christian life? We can bond and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. In one of Paul's benedictions he included "...and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 12:14). God is ever present and active in us through the Holy Spirit. We will have much more to say about the Holy Spirit in the reflections to follow.
Prayer: Thank you, O God, for your gift of the Holy Spirit. Help us to welcome Him always that He may come to accomplish your will in us. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen.
The Holy Spirit, A Person
By: Pastor Jose V. Velasco
During this part of the Christian calendar we reflect on the Holy Spirit. Who or what is the Holy Spirit?
Most Christians believe in the Trinity. It is the doctrine that says there is only one God, but this one God is composed of three persons. One of the persons is the Holy Spirit. Of course, this idea is really hard to understand. But we shall discuss this as far as we can understand in some following reflections. Unitarians, as opposed to Trinitarians, do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and God. It is only a force like wind or gravity, or an influence of the one God.
But in the Bible there are indications that the Holy Spirit is a person. The pronoun used for the Holy Spirit is He, not it. So He is not a thing but a person. The Holy Spirit has some attributes or characteristics which are basic to personality. We will mention a few of them.
The Holy Spirit has the ability to think and to know. "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" (1 Corinthians 2:11-12). The Holy Spirit alone knows God's thoughts, and He reveals and makes them clear to people. And He knows also our thoughts. We cannot lie to Him (Acts 5:3, 9).
The Holy Spirit makes decisions and choices. There was an occasion when some prophets and teachers were together for worship and fasting (Acts 13:1-3). Then the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." The Holy Spirit chose Barnabas and Saul to do missionary work. The Holy Spirit also decides on the distribution of gifts and talents. "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines" (1 Corinthians 12:11). It was by the choice and generosity of the Holy Spirit that you have the natural gifts and talents that you possess. And you must use all your talents and gifts for some work God has intended for you to do for His glory.
The Holy Spirit has emotions. The Holy Spirit has feelings, both positive and negative. Paul says "I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me" (Romans 15:30). Here it is mentioned that the Spirit has the emotion of love. Paul enjoins the Ephesian Christians "And do not grieve the Spirit of God" (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit can feel grief, too.
What does all this imply in our personal Christian life? We can bond and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. In one of Paul's benedictions he included "...and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 12:14). God is ever present and active in us through the Holy Spirit. We will have much more to say about the Holy Spirit in the reflections to follow.
Prayer: Thank you, O God, for your gift of the Holy Spirit. Help us to welcome Him always that He may come to accomplish your will in us. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen.
The Holy Spirit, A Person
By: Pastor Jose V. Velasco