The Holy Spirit

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: John 14:12-18

I. Why study the Holy Spirit?

A. He is God, Acts 5:3-4

B. He plays a role in our salvation

C. The Spirit performs many duties in regards to our salvation that we will discuss in a future lesson.

D. He is active in the New Testament

E. Jesus often spoke of the Spirit and His role in the continuing work of the apostles, revelation, and salvation. If we want to understand the New Testament, we must understand what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit.

F. That we may grow in our love for the Spirit

G. The Spirit is God and so we should love Him like the Father and the Son. Sometimes we do not consider love for the Holy Spirit for He seems so mysterious and distant. Perhaps we have allowed misunderstanding and speculation regarding the Holy Spirit to prevent us from learning about the Spirit; thus our love and adoration for the Spirit is lacking.

H. Clear up misunderstandings

II. Common Misunderstandings

A. Sources

B. False teaching

C. False teachers will often emphasize and embellish the difficult things of scriptures; speaking in ignorance of the things they cannot know. Some use the mystery of the Spirit to draw in the ignorant and gullible.

D. Mysticism

E. Many are drawn to the Spirit because of the mystery; it is like a secret that only they know. In a later lesson we will notice how many who are drawn to the Holy Spirit doctrines have very little Bible knowledge for Bible study is not as exciting to them as a mysterious moving of the Spirit.

F. Little truth taught on the subject

G. Preachers and Bible class teachers often avoid the subject because of the speculation and false teaching that surrounds it. Some things require much time and diligent study to comprehend, but our effort is rewarded with an understanding of God’s will.

H. The Holy Spirit is a personality

I. Not an impersonal “it”

J. We refer to the Father and Son as “Him” but often to the Spirit as “It.” The Spirit is a personality just like the Father and the Son.

K. Separate from the Father and the Son

L. As we studied before, the Spirit is a separate being. Matthew 3:13-16 – The three personalities are present. Ascribed characteristics of personality (bulletin) Works as a personality (bulletin)

M. Creative power

N. Creation of the world – Genesis 1:2 “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Creation of man – Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Reminds us of God breathing life into Adam) Creation of the spiritual man – John 3:5 “Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

O. The Holy Spirit is not the word of God

P. “The word is the Spirit and the Spirit is the word.” Though the Spirit inspired the Bible, the Spirit is not the word of God. If we want to be precise, Jesus is called the Word in John 1. There are things that the Spirit accomplishes through the word but let us not erroneously say “The Spirit is the Word.”

III. Names of the Holy Spirit

A. Holy Spirit

B. (O.T.) Psalm 51:11 “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”(N.T.) Acts 2:38 “You shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” This name describes the holiness which truly describes God alone. Though we strive to be holy, only God is holy.

C. Why “Spirit” since the Father and Son are also spiritual beings?

D. Often the Father was perceived in physical terms: sitting on His throne, the hand of God, and other characteristics we can relate to as humans. Of course, Jesus appears in the O.T. as God coming as a man and we relate to Him as the Son of Man. The Holy Spirit is generally associated with the power of God; the will of the Father and Son in action. The Holy Spirit is also associated with inspiration and leading; things we associate more with spiritual influence than physical manifestation.

E. Holy “Ghost” (describe origin and usage)

F. Holy Ghost is a term used in the King James Version. A ghost, in that time, denoted a spirit being as opposed to a physical person. However, the common use of ghost to describe the spirit of a departed person that supposedly returns to earth, as in our ghost stories, gives an erroneous idea of this person in the Godhead and so other terms are preferable.

G. The Spirit

H. The Spirit of God - Occurs about 12 times in the New Testament My Spirit - Used by God of His own Spirit, such as, “I will pour out My Spirit” from Joel 2 and Acts 2. Do not rely on the capital “S” since the context really determines whether the word spirit found alone refers to the Holy Spirit or man’s spirit.

I. The Finger of God

J. Used by the magicians in Exodus 8:19 in describing the miracles of Moses. Luke 11:20 (Jesus speaking) “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

K. Helper

L. Jesus uses this term to describe the Spirit and His role in helping the apostles in their work after Jesus ascends back to the Father, John 14:15-18. He would help the apostles remember what Jesus taught them, John 14:26. The Spirit would inspire the apostles as they taught and wrote the message of the gospel.

IV. Conclusion: The Spirit is active in creation, inspiration, and salvation. Future lessons will explore the relationship of the Holy Spirit and the Christian and the spiritual gifts of the Spirit.