The Holy Spirit (Essential Doctrines Series)

I. The “personhood” of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a personal being just as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is not an impersonal “it” or simply an influence.
A. The Spirit has personal characteristics.


1. He has intelligence (1 Cor.2:10-11).
2. He has emotions (Eph.4:30 – “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit”).
3. He has will (1 Cor.2:11).


B. The Spirit acts in personal ways.


1. He teaches us (John 14:26).
2. He commands (Acts 8:29).
3. He intercedes for us in prayer (Rom.8:26).


C. The Spirit is described in personal terms grammatically. The Greek word for Spirit (pneuma) is neuter in gender, yet the Bible uses masculine pronouns (“He,” “Him”) to refer to the Spirit (John 16:13-14; 15:26; 16:7-8. To be grammatically correct, personal neuter pronouns (“it”) would be expected.

II. The deity of the Holy Spirit

A. He has the names and titles of deity.


1. Yahweh – What the Lord (Yahweh) said in Is.6:8-13 is ascribed to the Holy Spirit in Acts 28:25.
2. Spirit of God (Rom.8:9,14; 1 Cor.2:11; 12:3; Eph.4:30)


B. He possesses incommunicable attributes.


1. Self-existence (Rom.8:2)
2. Omnipresence (Ps.139:7 ff)


C. He performs incommunicable works (no one but God can do them).


1. Creation (Gen.1:2)
2. Resurrection (Rom.8:11)


D. He is equated with deity.


1. Acts 5:3,4 – a lie to Spirit equals lie to God
2. 2 Cor.3:17,18 – “The Lord is the Spirit”