Below is a quote from the Spirit-Filled
Life Bible:
"...The Scripture states clearly that the triune Godhead operates coequally,
co-eternally, co-existently, as one unit. But it also has been suggested, and with
validity, that we might view this unity of activity with an eye toward the special
function of each member of the Trinity: the executive is the Father, the architect is the
Son, and the contractor is the Holy Spirit.
"Thus, the Scriptures show the Holy Spirit uniquely and distinctly at work in
these roles: 1) He is the Author of the Old Testament (II Samuel 23:2; Isaiah 59:21,
Jeremiah 1:9; II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:21) and the New Testament (John 14:25, 26; I
Corinthians 2:13; I Thessalonians 4:15; Revelation 1:10, 11; 2:7). 2) He is the Old
Testament Anointer. The Scriptures name no less than sixteen Old Testament leaders in
Israel who received this anointing (Genesis 41:38; Numbers 11:17; 27:18; Judges 3:10;
6:34; 11:29; 14:6, 19; 15:14, 15; I Samuel 10:10; 11:6; 16:13; I Kings 8:12; II Kings
2:15, 16; II Chronicles 15:1; 25:20; Ezekiel 2:2; Daniel 4:9; 5:11; 6:3; Micah 3:8).
"Thus the Holy Spirit, as contractor, anointed the Old Testament prophets Isaiah
and Joel to write -- to prophesy of the day when He would be outpoured and when His gifts
would be exercised in the church, throughout the whole church age (Joel 2:28-32; Acts
2:17021). In Isaiah 28:11, 12, God used Isaiah to tell Judah that He would teach them in a
manner they did not like and that He would give them knowledge through the language of
foreigners as a sign of their unbelief. Centuries later the apostle Paul expands the
intent of this passage, referring it to the gift of speaking in tongues in the church as a
manifestation or sign to unbelievers (I Corinthians 15:21, 22). This sign could be in
languages either known or unknown to human beings (compare I Corinthians 14 with Acts
2:1-11; 10:45, 46).
"In all these respects, we see the Holy Spirit as One who operates in the church
as a definite personality -- a Person given as a gift to the church to assure that the
continued ministry of the resurrected Christ is expressed and verified. The Holy Spirit,
then, has all the characteristics of a person:
- He possesses the attributes of mind (Romans 8:27), will (I Corinthians 12:11), and
feeling (Ephesians 4:30).
- He engages in such activities as revealing (II Peter 1:21), teaching (John 14:26),
witnessing (Hebrews 10:15), interceding (Romans 8:26), speaking (Revelation 2:7),
commanding (Acts 16:6, 7), and testifying (John 15:26).
- He has a relationship with human persons: He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), lied to
(Acts 5:3), and blasphemed (Matthew 12:31, 32).
- The Holy Spirit possesses the divine attributes of the Godhead: He is eternal (Hebrews
9:14), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10), omnipotent (Luke 1:35), and omniscient (I Corinthians
2:10, 11).
- He is referred to by such names as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the
Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit of promise, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of
grace, the Spirit of life, the Spirit of adoption, and the Spirit of holiness.
He is illustrated with such symbols as fire (Acts 2:1, 2), wind (Acts 2:1, 2), water
(John 7:37-39), a seal (Ephesians 1:13), oil (Acts 10:38), and a dove (John 1:32). |
