God the Holy Spirit
By Norman Manzon
 

The AMC statement* on the Triunity of God concludes with this statement on the Holy Spirit. 

 

Part 3: God the Holy Spirit

 

We believe the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) is a Person. He possesses all the distinct attributes of deity and personality. He does not call attention to Himself and is ever present to glorify and testify of Messiah Yeshua. We believe the Spirit of God is active today, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, seals, and sets the believer apart to a holy life. At the moment of salvation, each believer is baptized with the Spirit into the body of Messiah and at the same moment is permanently indwelt by the Spirit. All believers are complete in Messiah and possess every spiritual blessing. We believe that at salvation the Holy Spirit sovereignly imparts at least one spiritual gift to every believer for the purpose of edifying and equipping the body of Messiah. (Nehemiah 9:20; Psalm 139:7; John 15:26, 16:13-15; Acts 5:4; 1 Corinthians 2:10,11; 12:11; 2 Cor. 13:14) *Full AMC Statement

 

It is important to be able to defend the facts of the personality and deity of the Spirit as the following statement reveals: "The Sacred Name Movement also denies the existence of the Spirit as a person of the Godhead, but describes him only as an impersonal manifestation of the power of God." (The Sacred Name Movement, Pete Koziar, Shofar 2)

"We believe the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) is a Person."

1. The Holy Spirit is a Person

 

a. The Holy Spirit Possesses Intellect. Romans 8:26: the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Intercession requires intellect.

 

b. The Holy Spirit Possesses Emotions. Ephesians 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

 

c. The Holy Spirit Possesses a Will. Luke 2:26: And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. To actively reveal something is an act of the will.

"He possesses all the distinct attributes of deity and personality."

2. The Holy Spirit is God. Acts 13:12: As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them.

 

3. Other Points About the Holy Spirit

"He does not call attention to Himself and is ever present to glorify and testify of Messiah Yeshua."

John 16:13-14: However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will receive of Mine and will announce it to you.

"We believe the Spirit of God is active today, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment."

John 16:8: And when that One comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.

"He regenerates"

John 3:6-7: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.

"seals"

Ephesians 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption.

"and sets the believer apart to a holy life."

Galatians 5:16: I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of flesh.

"At the moment of salvation, each believer is baptized with the Spirit into the body of Messiah"

1 Corinthians 12:13: For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit.

"and at the same moment is permanently indwelt by the Spirit."

John 14:16-17: And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you.

"We believe that at salvation the Holy Spirit sovereignly imparts at least one spiritual gift to every believer for the purpose of edifying and equipping the body of Messiah."

1 Corinthians 12:7-8: And to each hath been given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit; for to one through the Spirit hath been given a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit.

Equality of the Three Persons

We've studied Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One more of our claims needs to be addressed; that of the equality of the three:

 

"[God] is infinite and perfect, eternally existing in three equal persons."

 

In what sense are they equal? They are all equally endowed with all of the attributes of Personhood and Deity. Matthew 28:19: Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit....

 

* If you were blessed by this study, please consider linking to it. Thank you. * 



 

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                              Scriptures used by the author are generally in the New King James or New American Standard translations.
                             Scriptures in quotations by Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum are in the American Standard Version.
                                 Scriptures quoted by others may be in other translations.

 

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