Born again – Part 3

Other Names For The Holy Spirit Cont’

SPIRIT of truth (Jn 14:17; 15:26; 1 Jn 5:6); Spirit of life (Rom 8:2); Spirit of holiness (Rom 1:4); The Spirit (Rom 8:11); His Spirit (Rom 8:11); Spirit of the living God (2 Cor 3:3); The Spirit that bears witness (1 Jn 5:6); Holy Spirit of promise (Eph 1:13); Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:19); Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29); “Paraclete” (Jn 16:7); The Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4); “Advocate” (1 Jn 2:1); Spirit of life from God (Rev 11:11).

• The Doctrine Of The Holy Spirit: An overview
“And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)

It is essential that believers recognise the importance of the Holy Spirit in God’s redemptive purpose. Many Christians have no idea what difference it would make, if there were no Holy Spirit in this world. Without the Holy Spirit, there would be no creation, no universe, no human race (Gen 1:2; Job 33:4). Without the Holy Spirit, there would be no Bible (2 Pet 1:21), no New Testament (John 14:26; 15:26-27; 1 Cor 2:10-14), no power to proclaim the gospel (Acts 1:8). Without the Holy, Spirit there would be no faith, no new birth, no holiness, no Christians at all in the world. This article explores some of the basic teachings about the Holy Spirit.

The Person of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the Scripture, the Spirit is revealed as a person with an individuality all His own (2 Cor 3:17-18; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:2). He is a divine person like the Father and Son. Thus, we may never think of the Holy Spirit as a mere influence or power. He has personal characteristics, for He speaks (Acts 1:16; 10:19; 11:12; 16:6,7; 28:25; 20:23), thinks (Rom 8:27), prays (Rom 8:26,27), feels (Rom15: 30), wills (1 Cor 12:1), is grieved (Isaiah 63:10; Eph 4:30; 1 Thes 5:19), and has the capacity to love and to enjoy fellowship. He was sent by the Father to bring believers into the intimate presence and fellowship of Jesus (John 14:16-18, 26). In the light of these truths, we should treat Him as a person and regard Him as the infinite living God within our hearts, worthy of our worship, love and surrender.

The Spirit in the Old Testament: An overview
Revelation about the Holy Spirit in the OT

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see vision. 29And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29)

The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of the eternal triune God. Although His full power was not revealed to God’s people until the ministry of Jesus and later, at Pentecost (see Acts 2), there are OT passages that refer to Him and His work. This article examines the OT teaching about the Holy Spirit.

Term Used. The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is ruah, a word that is sometimes translated as “wind” and “breath.” Thus, the OT references to the breath of life from God or a wind from God (e.g., Gen 2:7; Ezek 37:9-10, 14) can also refer to the work of God’s Spirit.

The work of the Spirit in the Old Testament. The Bible describes various activities of the Holy Spirit during the OT times. (1) The Holy Spirit had an active role in creation.
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