Is the Holy Spirit a "person"?

P

Prober

Give Us This Day...
Messages
1,258
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
Arizona
Is the Holy Spirit a "person" - a distinct intelligence similar to the Father and Jesus?
 
Hey Prober! Nice to see (read) you again!

Yes, well no, well...

If you equate the HS to the Shekinah, then yes...maybe. If you buy the idea that there was no HS until Pentecost then it can't be the Shekinah. If you're thinking of the HS as the agency by which God communicates with humans I guess you could anthropomorphise it as a "person." Don't you see any syncretic connections between the idea of a three-person godhead and pagan and eastern ideas about the three "modes of movement", ie. cardinal, mutable, fixed...etc.? And don't forget that three modes in four elements is twelve. Three crosses, each with four arms is twelve. Twelve apostles, zodiacle regions, tribes, eggs...etc.

Chris
 
The qualifications for a person are that they have 1. A mind 2. their own will 3. and emotions, as personal human beings we all have these qualities all of these are qualities. Also a quality of being personal is that one has life. A person is identified as a self-conscious being, cognizant of its own existence and the existence of others who also have a self-identity. A will indicates the ability to think, to reason, a choice to act, having desire these are things we associate with self consciousness which is exclusive to Persons. All of these qualities the Holy Spirit has, just as the Son and Father. We find the Holy Spirit is the executive of the Father. He is co-creator of the universe, The author of divine Scripture, the generator of Christ’s humanity, the regenerator of the believer and the distributor of eternal life.

According to scripture.. The Holy Spirit is very much a person. :)
 
Prober said:
Is the Holy Spirit a "person" - a distinct intelligence similar to the Father and Jesus?
Click to expand...

Welcome Prober.

Yes, according to scripture, the Holy Spirit is a distinct entity. Genesis is quite clear on this. Then the Holy Spirit's individualism is brought up again in the NT, particularly by Jesus before His ascention.

There is absolutely no doubt by most Christians that the Holy Spirit exists on its own merit.

v/r

Q
 
I need help here on this 'person' concept.
There is absolutely no doubt by most Christians that the Holy Spirit exists on its own merit.
Click to expand...
Seperate entity, I understand that argument...
qualifications for a person are that they have 1. A mind 2. their own will 3. and emotions,
Click to expand...
Wh no mention of arms, legs, eyes? Of course there are persons which may or may not have these, and I am not saying they are any less of a person. But our pets express their mind, will, and emotions...are they 'persons'?

Seems the responses are indicating that the Holy Spirit and G-d are definitely anthropomorhic three dimensional beings that have physical characteristics similar to that of human persons?
 
I've been wondering...

The traditional view of the Christian Godhead is the Trinity, consisting of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit, and these Three are One in essence, but three distinct Persons.

But I'm having trouble distinguishing God the Father with God the Holy Spirit. Does it not say throughout the Bible that God is Sprit anyway? If so, why should there be a distiction between the first and third persons of the Godhead? Maybe God is a Binity, rather a Trinity.

Any thoughts about this?
 
God is a single Being. He exists simultaneously and eternally as a communion of three persons.

The Father is the Source, or the eternal. The Son is the Word, and the Holy Spirit is the essence. They are of a single nature.

Kind of like (forgive the crudety of this concept), a battery. There is the battery, then there is the current that drives or conducts the energy of that battery, and there is the resultant kinetic energy displayed at the other end (e.g. the motor that moves which results in action).

What part of the "battery" can be isolated? Three distinct parts of the same whole. Can't have the battery with no current, there is no resulting kinetic energy. Can't have kinetic energy with out the battery and the subsequent current. Can't have the current without a source and a resultant kinetic energy affect.

One must have all three in order to see the whole...

The photograph of a magnetisphere could also be used. There is the polars, and the fields, and the effects displayed by those fields.

The Father is the Source, the Son is the expression of that Source, and the Holy Spirit is the affect/results of the expression of that Source.


Again, I apologize for the analogy, it's the best I can come up with that people can literally observe.:eek:

v/r

Q
 
How about someone making the the argument for the Trinity, and in particular the personhood of the HS, straight from the Bible? Which specific texts support the Trinity concept? Anyone?

Chris
 
Prober said:
Is the Holy Spirit a "person" - a distinct intelligence similar to the Father and Jesus?
Click to expand...

i believe God is ONE person. if you say Lord, God, father, son, holy ghost, jehova, Jesus, emmanuel...you get the same person. GOD

there ya have it. the same old oneity & twoity & threeity beliefs.

so what do you think?
 
the holy spirit is the holy spirit. i think by "person" maybe you are asking does the holy spirit have feelings, personality, thought, etc.. if so, then yes.

the holy spirit came to those god found righteous and through the holy spirit they proclaimed jesus christ before he was even born; such as david.

the holy spirit came to jesus like a dove from heaven when john baptized him.

the only sin not forgiven is the blasphemy of the holy spirit.

as christians, we are not to grieve the holy spirit.

when jesus returned back to glory to the father he promised the comforter, holy spirit, would come in his place.

it is through the holy spirit that the good news is spread.

as you can see the holy spirit serves a distinct purpose and has distinct characteristics, yet all three; god the father, jesus the son, and the holy spirit are one.
 
China Cat Sunflower said:
How about someone making the the argument for the Trinity, and in particular the personhood of the HS, straight from the Bible? Which specific texts support the Trinity concept? Anyone?

Chris
Click to expand...

I just did, five posts ago...you should take to reading what is said...
 
Prober said:
Is the Holy Spirit a "person" - a distinct intelligence similar to the Father and Jesus?
Click to expand...
Namaste Prober, come on back and clarify.

If you are asking "person" arms, head, eyes....I'm going out on a 'limb' here and saying in my view, no. Spirit is not a person, spirit is spirit.

Now a distinct intelligence, as if if you ask Jesus or the Holy Spirit or G-d something in prayer, are you going to get a different answer or are you connecting with all three?

I'm thinking connecting with all three...

Q- I think your analogies lead one down a better road than getting lost in gender and 'persons' when we are discussing the allness..

But also I believe our China Cat Sunflower was looking for something to sink his teeth into....some chapter and verse regarding Trinity and Holy Spirit personage. I don't see where it appeared...I can't point to it....if anyone would like to help...
 
Thanks Q!

What do you think Jesus meant when he said that unless he went away the Spirit wouldn't come? What was different about that Spirit than the one which had been available to guide and instruct people since the genesis?

Chris
 
China Cat Sunflower said:
Thanks Q!

What do you think Jesus meant when he said that unless he went away the Spirit wouldn't come? What was different about that Spirit than the one which had been available to guide and instruct people since the genesis?

Chris
Click to expand...

There was only one time that "man" witnessed all three together, and it was overwhelming to them. That was the aftermath of the Baptism of Jesus. Some said they heard the voice of God, others heard thunder so loud it likely ruptured their eardrums.

In short, it was too much to have all three parts of God in one place, for man to literally survive!

We are warned time and time again, that to see the truth of God's fullness is instant death for a man (I take that to mean our corporial bodies can't handle it). I have to laugh and consider the plight of Gowain (the knight), who perchance looked into the holy graile...For his efforts, his reward was instant death. But I don't think he cared much for this life to begin with. He got his reward...He saw God, with no blinders on.

However that is only a ficticious tale...isn't it?;)

my 2c

v/r

Q

Christ had to leave, so that the Holy Spirit could come (still here to this day), into the world, while Christ prepared a place for his "bride", people...very jewish.
 
China Cat Sunflower said:
Thanks Q!

What do you think Jesus meant when he said that unless he went away the Spirit wouldn't come? What was different about that Spirit than the one which had been available to guide and instruct people since the genesis?

Chris
Click to expand...

I would like to address this even though it wasnt asked of me..

John 14:15-17 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you

This means to me that this world cannot comprehend the Spirit.. that Jesus is the bridge between the world and The Spirit.. and while Jesus is not able to be on the earth.. The Spirit is the bridge between the world and Jesus along the same line Jesus is the brige between us and the Father.. you can visualize the triangle on this.

I think that Jesus saying that the Spirit will abide with us forever could quelch the thought that Jesus and the Spirit cant abide in the same place.. since Jesus will someday be seen by us all. :)
 
Good answers Q and Faithful. I just love John 14.

I can't say I know the answer to China Cat's question, but what I always thought was that Jesus was referring to the fact that His death and resurrection would change our relationship with the Holy Spirit, that we would be able to recognize the voice of the Spirit directly through our baptism.

lunamoth
 
Faithfulservant said:
I would like to address this even though it wasnt asked of me..

John 14:15-17 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you

This means to me that this world cannot comprehend the Spirit.. that Jesus is the bridge between the world and The Spirit.. and while Jesus is not able to be on the earth.. The Spirit is the bridge between the world and Jesus along the same line Jesus is the brige between us and the Father.. you can visualize the triangle on this.

I think that Jesus saying that the Spirit will abide with us forever could quelch the thought that Jesus and the Spirit cant abide in the same place.. since Jesus will someday be seen by us all. :)
Click to expand...

Hey thanks FS, and you too Q and Luna! I wonder if Prober will return to take this up and give us his view?

Chris
 
China Cat Sunflower said:
Hey thanks FS, and you too Q and Luna! I wonder if Prober will return to take this up and give us his view?

Chris
Click to expand...

Yes, I have not seen him back lately.

So what do you think China Cat?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top