Lesson  2  April 17, 2002

Understanding the Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit

 

The Person of the Spirit: Who Is the Holy Spirit?

1.  The Personality of the Holy Spirit: The Spirit is a Person

 

 

a.  Reasons Why the Holy Spirit is a Person

 

1.  The Spirit has the Attributes or Characteristics of Personality:

a.   Intellect   

1 Cor. 2:10-13

Rom. 8:27

Isa. 11:2

b.  Emotion

Ephesians 4:30;

Hebrews 10:29;

James 4:5

c.  Will [makes choices]

1 Corinthians 12:11;

 

2.  The Spirit Performs the Actions of a Personality:

a.  He teaches.    John 14:26;    John 16:13-15

b.  He testifies or bears witness.   John 15:26;   Romans 8:16

c.  He guides or leads.     Romans 8:14

d.  He commands and directs people.     Acts 8:39

e.  He convinces [convicts].     John 16:7-8

f.   He restrains.   Genesis 6:3;  2 Thes. 2:6-7

g.  He intercedes in prayer.     Romans 8:26

 

3.  The Spirit Receives Ascriptions of Personality.

a.  He can be obeyed.     Acts 16:6-11

b.  He can be lied to.       Acts 5:3

c.  He can be resisted.     Acts 7:51

d.  He can be blasphemed.   Matthew 12:31

e.  He can be grieved.     Eph. 4:30

f.  He can be quenched.   1 Thes. 5:19

 

4.  The Spirit receives the Accidence of Personality ("the rudiments or basics of grammar point to personality").

 

The Greek word for Spirit is pneuma which fundamentally means "breath, wind."

Pneuma is a neuter gender word and would normally require a neuter gender pronoun according to a rule of Greek grammar called concord.

Masculine pronouns are used of the Spirit in  John 15:26; 16:7, 8, 13, and 14.

 

Conclusion is that Scripture considers the Holy Spirit a person.