The question of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of utmost importance, and it has highly practical implications. “If He is a divine person, and we think of Him as an impersonal influence, we are robbing a divine person of the deference, honor, and love that is His due.”-LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Coming of … Continue reading –>
Read John 14:6 and John 17:17. What is the meaning of truth in these passages? In the Gospel of John, the word truth is a key term. Our contemporary understanding of truth often is very abstract and theoretical. In the Western world it has been shaped by Greek philosophy. However, in the Bible, and particularly … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “The Personality of the Holy Spirit” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the … Continue reading –>
A challenge we face in understanding the Holy Spirit is that we can imagine God as a Father in a somewhat tangible way. Many also have a concrete picture of Jesus, as He is described in the Gospels. He took our human nature and appeared to us in human form. The Holy Spirit, however, is … Continue reading –>
As you read the following texts, ask yourself if they sound as if they are talking about an impersonal force or about a divine Person. Rom. 8:14-16, Romans 8:27; Rom. 15:30; 1 Cor. 2:10; Acts 8:29; Acts 10:19-20; Acts 28:25. Can an impersonal force intercede in our behalf? Does an impersonal spirit or power have … Continue reading –>
Read John 16:13-14; John 15:26-27; and John 14:17, John 14:26. What very personal characteristics does Jesus attribute to the Holy Spirit in these passages? What does it mean to you that Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as a helper or comforter (parakletos)? According to Jesus, the Holy Spirit guides, speaks, hears, discloses, and glorifies (John … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: John 16:13-14; Rom. 8:14-16; Rom. 15:13; John 14:6; John 17:17; Rom. 5:5. Memory Text: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26, NASB). Because the … Continue reading –>
As we have seen this week, the biblical evidence for the divinity of the Holy Spirit is very convincing. The Holy Spirit is God. But remember: in thinking about the Holy Spirit, we are dealing with a divine mystery. We reiterate the point: just as we cannot fully explain God and His nature, we have … Continue reading –>
