Holy Spirit -02- Who is the Holy Spirit?

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Notice that the question is who, rather than what, is the Holy Spirit. Our God is one God. This was the rallying cry of ancient Israel among the idolatrous peoples around them. "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah" (Deuteronomy 6:4) . Yet somehow this One is a triunity-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (1 John 5:7). The Word was made flesh and dwelt among men-the Son of God (John 1:1-5) .

We may not know how one is three and three are one, but neither can we know how the Father was in the Son and the Son in the Father, and the two are one (John 17:21). For that matter, we cannot know fully, perhaps, how husband and wife are one (Genesis 2:24), but we can accept what we do not know by faith when God says it. "For we walk by faith" (2 Corinthians 5:7) . A distinguished Bible scholar said of this sublime relationship in the Godhead that the Father planned all; the Son executed all; the Spirit finished all- that these distinct offices are so clearly revealed in the Bible they can be apprehended by all people, yet are so profound as to be comprehended by none. In creation this seems clear. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1); yet he created the world by his Word" (John 1:1-2; Hebrews 1:1-3); then, the Spirit "brooded on the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). "By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens" (Job 26:13). This being true in the creation, or generation, of the world, we should expect the same to be true in the re-creation, or regeneration (2 Corinthians 5:17; Matthew 19:28), and we shall find this to be true. This should show us that the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of deity, a person. To this end the words of Jesus are conclusive (Note the personal pronouns). "And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because It seeth him not, neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17) . Compare John 16:7-16.