Care should be taken in interpreting passages which use "spirit" in order to see if it simply a spirit in view (which could be man's spirit, a spiritual being (angel), or an emotion (i.e., "a spirit of fear").
What Scripture certainly teaches is that God the Spirit is not an "it," but a He.
Here is a passage in which the Trinity is clearly laid out:
John 14:15-18
King James Version (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Here we see...
1. The Unity of the Son and the Spirit, the Comforter;
2. The promise of Eternal Indwelling of the Spirit...and Christ (v.18);
3. A distinction between the Father (v.16) and the Son, and the Spirit (the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth).
Next affirmation of the Trinity:
John 14:19-23
King James Version (KJV)
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Here we see...
1. What will take place will take place at a future date (hence is not occurring at the time of this teaching), v.20;
2. The unity (at that future date) of the believer's unity with God, which is a result of the Reconciliation that God was in Christ accomplishing (v.20);
3. Christ promises to manifest Himself to those who believes and keeps His commandments (v.21);
4. When the Spirit is sent, and Christ comes, Christ states both He and the Father will indwell the believer (make Their abode with them) v.23.
In other words, Christ is saying that when the Spirit of Truth comes, it is equable to saying that the father, Son, and Holy Ghost will come to the believer (indwell them), which is a constant theme of Christ's teachings, as well as seen as promised by God in Prophecy.
Now let's see Christ verify without controversy that the Spirit is not an "it," but that He is God:
John 14:26
King James Version (KJV)
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
The indwelling of God is, again, a common theme in the New Testament. In this passage Christ defines that this indwelling will begin when the Spirit of Truth arrives, and that this indwelling will be the Eternal Indwelling of God, whereby we can say without debate we are indwelt by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and we simply look at what Scripture teaches elsewhere to see that Unity.
For example:
Acts 20:24-28
King James Version (KJV)
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Now one can debate whether it is the Holy Ghost which shed His blood for the Church, or God Who shed His blood for the Church, either way it makes little difference, because God is One, and though we do see God in Three Persons, they are still One.
During the Incarnation, prior to Christ's death, we do have the distinction of God manifested in flesh, but, that should be viewed as a "veiling" of the Glory of God, which is not exclusive to the Incarnation (see Genesis 18 for another example of God manifesting in flesh). We must also distinguish the difference between Jesus Christ, Who has a point in time when He comes into existence as the man, and the Son, Who is Eternal God Himself, and, as John writes, the Creator.
There are numerous places in the KJV where "it" is used, which is an unfortunate translation issue.
One more passage where we see the Spirit of God and Christ equated as being the same One is seen here:
Romans 8:9-10
King James Version (KJV)
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Sorry, but people calling God "it" is a pet peeve of mine.
Continued...
Nothing in Scripture teaches that the Son of "had a start" at any time, or that He is a created being. On the contrary, numerous times we are shown that the Son of God is God Himself, the Creator.
Here is another passage showing that (I am sure most are familiar with John 1:1-3):
Revelation 1:8-11
King James Version (KJV)
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Few will argue that it is not God in view here, so, when we come to...
Revelation 1:17-18
King James Version (KJV)
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Few would argue that it is not Christ in view, for He it is that liveth, and was dead, and is alive forevermore.
And He is the First and the Last, a familiar name for God:
Isaiah 44:6
King James Version (KJV)
6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Isaiah 48:12
King James Version (KJV)
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, and the First and the Last all make the same statement, and only God is the First and the Last.
True, Jesus was not before the beginning, but...
...the Son of God was.
And is.
And shall always be.
Abraham saw God on the plains of Mamre in Genesis 18...and did not die.
Man cannot see God in His glory and live, but, often did man come into the presence of God when God intervened in the affairs of man. We see this in the Garden, and in numerous places where God appeared to men.
The key, I think, is understanding that God can veil His glory, as He did in Genesis 18, and as He did in the Incarnation. Hebrews testifies this is the case:
Hebrews 10:19-20
King James Version (KJV)
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
The veil of the Tabernacle was a picture of the "veil" men would eventually go through to come into the presence of God. That "veil" is the very Person of Christ. It is through Him, and specifically His death (v.20, "flesh" is often euphemistic of His Death) through which we have entrance, not in figure (parable), but in reality. The "Holiest" in view is in fact Heaven itself, God's Throne.
God bless.
