1Corinthians 2:10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
There are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit. Some view the Holy Spirit as a mystical force. Others see the Holy Spirit as an impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ. What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? Simply put, the Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will.
The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4. In these verses Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” It is a clear declaration that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God. We can also know that the Holy Spirit is God because He possesses the characteristics of God. For example, His omnipresence is seen in Psalm 139:7-8, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Then in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27). He makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can truly function as the Comforter and Counselor that Jesus promised He would be (John 14:16, 26; 15:26).
Recently, Ligonier Teaching Fellows Drs. Sinclair Ferguson and Burk Parsons joined Ligonier President Chris Larson to discuss the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Watch now as they look to God’s Word and consider the important role that the Spirit plays in our salvation and in our everyday lives as Christians.
You can access the recording below.
We encourage you to share this video with your family and friends.
Recognizing the Holy Spirit’s Work Today : O. Palmer-Robertson ( 7 minute read )
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.
This little poem for children by Christina G. Rossetti captures at once something of the wonder of the wind, as well as the concreteness of its work. The wind is never seen but is clearly known by its work.
Comments