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Who or what is the Holy Spirit?
- Thread starter retrorich
- Start date
Aqualung
Tasty
It is the third member of the Godhead. It is God just as much as Jesus and The Father are, but it is not Jesus or the Father. Unlike the other two, it does not have a body of flesh and bone, but it is a personage of spirit. It can reside in us (the temple of God), and manisfests the truth to us.
Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
My counselor.
My conscience.
My seal of redemption.
The mind of God.
My witness.
My Prayer Partner
The truth.
My life.
My peace.
My strength.
My sonship.
But most importantly: My freedom!
My conscience.
My seal of redemption.
The mind of God.
My witness.
My Prayer Partner
The truth.
My life.
My peace.
My strength.
My sonship.
But most importantly: My freedom!
the holy spirit is Gods active force
The correct identification of the holy spirit must fit all the scriptures that refer to that spirit. With this viewpoint, it is logical to conclude that the holy spirit is the active force of God. It is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will.Ps. 104:30; 2 Pet. 1:21; Acts 4:31
A comparison of Bible texts that refer to the holy spirit shows that it is spoken of as filling people; they can be baptized with it; and they can be "anointed" with it. (Luke 1:41; Matt. 3:11; Acts 10:38) None of these expressions would be appropriate if the holy spirit were a person.
Jesus also referred to the holy spirit as a "helper" (Greek, pa·ra´kle·tos), and he said that this helper would "teach," "bear witness," "speak," and hear. (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13) It is not unusual in the Scriptures for something to be personified. For example, wisdom is said to have "children." (Luke 7:35) Sin and death are spoken of as being kings. (Rom. 5:14, 21) While some texts say that the spirit "spoke," other passages make clear that this was done through angels or humans. (Acts 4:24, 25; 28:25; Matt. 10:19, 20; compare Acts 20:23 with 21:10, 11.) At 1 John 5:6-8, not only the spirit but also "the water and the blood" are said to bear witness. So, none of the expressions found in these texts in themselves prove that the holy spirit is a person.
The correct identification of the holy spirit must fit all the scriptures that refer to that spirit. With this viewpoint, it is logical to conclude that the holy spirit is the active force of God. It is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will.Ps. 104:30; 2 Pet. 1:21; Acts 4:31
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
The spirit of unconditional love and acceptance.
RAZBERRY
Member
From the King James Version:The Truth said:
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
Joh 14:26 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.
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away,the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2Ti 1:14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
r
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
I hope Lilithu comes by and gives her view of the Holy Spirit to a UU. I really like what she has to say on the subject.
Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
I believe that the Holy Ghost (aka Holy Spirit) is the third person of the Godhead. Like the Father and the Son, He is "God." Unlike them, He is an unembodied spirit. Although this seems to elude most Christians, the fact that He has no corporeal body is the reason the scriptures refer to Him as the "Spirit." If the Father and the Son were incorporeal, too, the Holy Ghost would serve no purpose. As it is, it is through the Holy Ghost that God communicates to man. This is why we are told that we must worship God "in spirit and in truth." We can communicate with God in no other way than through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is, therefore, a sanctifier, a revelator, a teacher and a comforter. While the Father and the Son literally reside "in Heaven" (at least they do if you believe what the Bible says on the subject); thus, they are not physically omnipresent. The Holy Ghost, however, is. His presence can be felt everywhere He may want to be at the same time. He can also manifest Himself in various forms -- such as a dove (as was the case at Jesus' baptism).retrorich said:
Anastasios
Member
There is a third person by the name of The Holy Ghost who according to Christian dogma, despite having a distinct individual personality, is still amalgamated and so completely and eternally fused with the Father and the Son that their merger creates a singleness in three. Now we turn our attention to this question by enquiring whether the Holy Ghost has an ego separate from the God or Jesus, or do they share one single ego? Ego can be described here as the ultimate of consciousness, which in the final analysis, is indivisible and specific to each individual. The same ultimate awareness of ones being as distinct from others gives birth to I, and my and mine, as against he and his and you and yours.
Bringing into focus the three parts of Divinity, we must resolve whether the three have distinct egos of their own or not. If they do not have distinct separate egos, then to attribute to them personages would become inconceivable. Each person, however close he may be to another, has to enjoy a separate individual consciousness of his being.
The official position of most churches is very clear and well defined, claiming that each of the three entities of Gods personage had a distinctly separate personage of its own. So it is not just Three in One it is three persons in one person. The bitter encounter of Jesus with death and all its fateful consequences must have been equally shared by the Holy Ghost. So also, he should have been included in the sacrifice along with Jesus. Again, he must have suffered hell in the company of Jesus and God the Father. If not, then one cannot escape drawing the inevitable conclusion that not only were they three distinct and different persons but also their emotions and faculties relating to head and heart must have been different, separate and insulated from each other.
In trying to further our vision of the Trinity we should attempt to visualize the fact of three persons merging together or existing as merged together eternally as one. So far we have failed to see how they could have merged in their emotions and thought processes.
The only option left, therefore, is a merger in the body. It reminds us of a hydra headed monster on a different scale, mentioned in the Greek mythology, which possessed many heads that grew again when cut off. Of course, man cannot understand the true nature of God and how His attributes function within, but it is very easy and simple to believe in one single entity without specific areas to which certain functions are attributed and confined, like head, heart and kidneys etc. But the scenario of separate individual thoughts and feelings is certainly at variance with the afore mentioned scenario of a single entity. It creates an image of God which is very difficult to believe and conceive for human beings, many of whom have lived long with Christian dogma without questioning it and have somehow shut their eyes to such glaring violations against the human intellect, supposedly created by God himself.
Bringing into focus the three parts of Divinity, we must resolve whether the three have distinct egos of their own or not. If they do not have distinct separate egos, then to attribute to them personages would become inconceivable. Each person, however close he may be to another, has to enjoy a separate individual consciousness of his being.
The official position of most churches is very clear and well defined, claiming that each of the three entities of Gods personage had a distinctly separate personage of its own. So it is not just Three in One it is three persons in one person. The bitter encounter of Jesus with death and all its fateful consequences must have been equally shared by the Holy Ghost. So also, he should have been included in the sacrifice along with Jesus. Again, he must have suffered hell in the company of Jesus and God the Father. If not, then one cannot escape drawing the inevitable conclusion that not only were they three distinct and different persons but also their emotions and faculties relating to head and heart must have been different, separate and insulated from each other.
In trying to further our vision of the Trinity we should attempt to visualize the fact of three persons merging together or existing as merged together eternally as one. So far we have failed to see how they could have merged in their emotions and thought processes.
The only option left, therefore, is a merger in the body. It reminds us of a hydra headed monster on a different scale, mentioned in the Greek mythology, which possessed many heads that grew again when cut off. Of course, man cannot understand the true nature of God and how His attributes function within, but it is very easy and simple to believe in one single entity without specific areas to which certain functions are attributed and confined, like head, heart and kidneys etc. But the scenario of separate individual thoughts and feelings is certainly at variance with the afore mentioned scenario of a single entity. It creates an image of God which is very difficult to believe and conceive for human beings, many of whom have lived long with Christian dogma without questioning it and have somehow shut their eyes to such glaring violations against the human intellect, supposedly created by God himself.
Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
There are some AWESOME scriptures that deal with the Spirit, and it's unfortunate that so many spend so little time researcing how the Spirit indwells the Christian. Everyone of the traits that I listed come from specific scriptures.Here is one of my favorites:
II Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV
Yeah... FREEDOM!
II Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV
Yeah... FREEDOM!
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As I notice that this is your first time on here, I thought I would take the opportunity to Welcome you to Religious Forums;
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Please feel free to ask questions, if you have any. You might like to check out our article with links for our newer members; from there, there is also a link to the forum rules which you ought to look at.
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Michel
A
A. Leaf
Guest
The Holy Spirit: PURE RADIANT BEAUTIFUL FEMININE ENERGY.
List to you heart while meditating on the issue.
Pure Intelligence is that of God and that of You.
List to you heart while meditating on the issue.
Pure Intelligence is that of God and that of You.