02032019 The Holy Spirit - His Divinity

INTRODUCTION

The Deity Of The Holy Spirit

INTRODUCTION

1. At this point in our study, we are simply trying to understand who or what the Holy Spirit is...

what the Holy Spirit is...

a. Our last study concluded that the Holy Spirit is a personal being, and not some impersonal force or power

and not some impersonal force or power

b. We noted that His personality is manifested by:

1) His works

2) His characteristics

3) His slights and injuries which He can suffer

2. But what else can we learn from the Scriptures concerning His nature?

In this lesson...

a. We shall present evidence that illustrates His deity

b. We shall try to reconcile the concept of the Holy Spirit as deity with the Biblical teaching that there is only one God

with the Biblical teaching that there is only one God

[Let's begin by noting the evidence that...]

I. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A DIVINE BEING

A. HIS "ATTRIBUTES" REVEAL HIS DIVINE NATURE...

1. He is "omniscient" (knows all things) -

2. He is "omnipresent" (everywhere) -

3. He is called the "eternal" Spirit -

B. HIS "WORKS" REVEAL HIS DIVINE NATURE...

1. He was involved in the "creation" of the world - ; cf.

also

2. He was involved in the "working of miracles" - ; :

19

3. He was involved in the "redemption" of man -

4. He is involved in the "regeneration" of man - ;

[All this supports thinking of the Holy Spirit as deity. In fact, Peter

spoke of the Holy Spirit and God interchangeably in ,. This

makes sense only if the Holy Spirit is indeed God! But if the Holy

Spirit is a personal, divine being...

- Does this mean the Bible teaches a polytheism?

- Are there three Gods, or only one God?

- What relationship does the Holy Spirit maintain with the Father and

with Jesus Christ?

These questions that have challenged the minds of men throughout the ages. I don't pretend to set the issue at rest in one simple lesson.

ages. I don't pretend to set the issue at rest in one simple lesson.

But here are some thoughts on the subject...]

II. FOUR DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF GOD

A. TRITHEISM...

1. This view holds that there are three gods

2. That is, that the "Father" is a god, the "Son" (Jesus) is a

god, and the "Holy Spirit" is a god - three separate and

distinct gods

3. This is truly polytheism (a belief in more than one god)

4. Mormons hold to a slight variation of this view, in that they

do not limit it to just three gods, but believe there many more

gods

B. ARIANISM...

1. Named after Arius, who lived in Alexandria in the fourth century A.D. and taught this view

century A.D. and taught this view

2. According to Arius...

a. God the Father existed from eternity

b. Jesus (God the Son) was created in time by the Father

c. The Holy Spirit is a creation of the Son (therefore, a creature of a creature)

creature of a creature)

3. Members of The Watchtower Society (who call themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses") hold similar views, believing that...

"Jehovah's Witnesses") hold similar views, believing that...

a. Jesus is a created being

b. The Holy Spirit is just an impersonal force sent by God to accomplish His purpose

accomplish His purpose

C. SABELLIANISM...

1. Named after Sabellius, who lived in the third century A.D.

2. This view holds that God is one person...

a. Who has manifested Himself in three different ways or three

different modes

b. Not simultaneously, but successively; for example...

1) At one moment God presents Himself as Creator (or Father)

2) At another moment, as Redeemer (or Son)

3) Then again, as Revealer (or Holy Spirit)

3. This view is held by many modern theologians, and by those who

emphasize baptism in the name of Jesus "only" (United Pentecostal Church)

Pentecostal Church)

D. TRINITARIANISM...

1. This is the doctrine of the trinity

a. The word trinity comes from the Latin "trinitas"

b. From another Latin word, trinus, which means "threefold"

c. Meaning a triad, or "group of three", suggesting both unity and diversity

and diversity

2. This view holds that God is one God...

a. But that the one God exists eternally in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

(Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

b. That in this one God there is both unity and diversity:

1) The unity consists, not in the unity of purpose only, but

in one common nature, in the sameness of "Godhood"

2) The diversity is seen in that the Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit are distinguishable

3. The doctrine of the trinity can be stated in three propositions

a. First, God is one God

b. Second, the Son is fully God and is distinct from God the Father and God the Spirit

Father and God the Spirit

1) There is nothing in concept of God (deity), no quality, no attribute, which the Son does not possess

no attribute, which the Son does not possess

2) Yet He is not the same person as the Father or the Spirit

c. Third, the Spirit is fully God, is distinct from the Father and the Son, and is personal

and the Son, and is personal

a) The Spirit is not a created being or energy from God, but is deity

is deity

b) He is different in His "person" and "mission" from the Father and the Son

Father and the Son

4. This is the view held by most Catholics and Protestants today

[Which of these four views is correct? Is the Holy Spirit...

- a god (Tritheism)?

- a creature or force emanating from God (Arianism)?

- God in just another form, but not in any way distinct from the

Father or Son (Sabellianism)?

- God, but a distinct personality from the Father and Son who together make up the One True God (Trinitarianism)?

together make up the One True God (Trinitarianism)?

Not Tritheism for that is polytheistic, and the Bible teaches "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!" () Let's consider, then...]

Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!" () Let's consider,

then...]

III. WHAT THE BIBLE REVEALS ABOUT GOD

A. THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT ARE DISTINGUISHABLE...

1. All were present, but in different forms, at Jesus' baptism

-

2. In His teaching about the Holy Spirit, Jesus clearly makes a distinction...

distinction...

a. "I (Jesus) will pray the Father, and He will give you another (note: another, not the same) Helper (Holy Spirit), that He may abide with you forever." -

another (note: another, not the same) Helper (Holy Spirit),

that He may abide with you forever." -

b. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My (Jesus') name..." -

in My (Jesus') name..." -

c. "But when the Helper (Holy Spirit) comes, whom I (Jesus) shall send to you from the Father..." -

shall send to you from the Father..." -

3. A distinction is made in the command to baptize people in the name "of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" -

name "of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" - Mt

28:19

4. Paul makes a distinction in his benediction in

a. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ..."

b. "...and the love of God..."

c. "...and the communion of the Holy Spirit..."

5. John refers to "both the Father and the Son" -

a. Note the use of the word "both", which implies two

b. How can you have "both" if they are exactly one and the same thing?

thing?

-- This evidence rules out "Sabellianism" (or the "oneness" doctrine of the UPC)

doctrine of the UPC)

B. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT EACH POSSESS DEITY...

1. The Father is clearly God (deity) -

2. The Son is also God (deity) - cf. ,; ; Ro

9:5; ; ; ;

3. The Holy Spirit also possesses deity (as noted earlier)

-- This evidence makes "Arianism" untenable (or the view propagated by The Watchtower Society, i.e., "JWs")

propagated by The Watchtower Society, i.e., "JWs")

C. THE TRINITARIAN VIEW IS SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE...

1. Suggested by a Hebrew name for God (Elohim) used throughout the O T -

O T -

a. The word "elohim" is plural in form, not singular

b. The plurality of "personality" in one God is implied in the plural pronouns "us" and "our" in

plural pronouns "us" and "our" in

2. Even the covenant name of God (YHWH, Jehovah or Yahweh), is used at times to show a plurality of "personalities" in the one

used at times to show a plurality of "personalities" in the one

God

a. Bear in mind that this name can only be applied to the one true God - ;

true God - ;

b. Yet notice that this name is used in prophecy to refer to Jesus - ()

Jesus - ()

c. In at least two passages, when YHWH speaks, He says YHWH sent him!

sent him!

1) Notice carefully, and

2) This indicates a plurality of personalities (i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)!

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)!

3. The only way I know to be true to all of the Biblical evidence for the nature of God is to draw the conclusion suggested by the words in

for the nature of God is to draw the conclusion suggested by

the words in

a. There is one God - "The LORD (YHWH, or Jehovah)..."

b. But within this "Godhead" are three distinct personalities - "...our God (Elohim, suggesting plurality of some sort)"

- "...our God (Elohim, suggesting plurality of some sort)"

c. These three distinct personalities are one in substance, essence, purpose - "the LORD (YHWH) is one (in the sense of being united)"

essence, purpose - "the LORD (YHWH) is one (in the sense of

being united)"

d. Yes, "Jehovah, our Elohim, is united Jehovah"!

CONCLUSION

1. Admittedly, trying to comprehend the nature of God is difficult...

a. It is like trying to comprehend the infinite reaches of the universe

universe

b. With our finite minds, both are impossible

2. For those who accept the Bible as inspired of God, we must...

a. Let the Bible reveal the nature of God

1) Accept what it reveals by faith

2) Even when we cannot comprehend it

b. Avoid developing a concept of God (and the Holy Spirit)

1) Through humanistic and rationalistic thinking

2) Twisting the Scriptures to fit such concepts

3. I understand the Bible to reveal the Holy Spirit as...

a. A distinct personality, possessing all the attributes of deity

b. Yet one in essence, substance, and purpose with the Father and the Son

Son

4. A member of what is called the "Godhead"; truly a "mind-boggling" concept!

Trinity is the theological term applied to God to indicate His perpetual existence as three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) who nevertheless remain one indivisible God. The concept of a Triune God is more than difficult to comprehend—it’s impossible to comprehend, for the simple reason that we have nothing in our world that has a corresponding existence. Humans, the most complex creatures we know of, exist as single persons, not as unified multiples.

concept!

egg. A chicken egg consists of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white, yet it is altogether one egg. The three parts create a unified whole. The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into “parts.”

There is something else that should boggle our minds as well: the love

H20. different states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas). The illustration typically uses water as the example: water exists as a solid (ice), a liquid, and a gas (water vapor). No matter what physical state water is in, it is still water.

I am a son, a father, a husband - still fall apart because I am just one person with different roles…

In his short book Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, published in 1884, Edwin Abbott writes of a Square living in Flatland, a land of only two dimensions. In a life-changing encounter, the Square receives a visit from the Sphere, who lives in Spaceland, a realm of three dimensions. Even though the Square cannot imagine more than two dimensions (he has nothing in his world to relate), he accepts the word of the Sphere and the existence of a third dimension. However, when he attempts to relay his newfound knowledge to the other inhabitants of Flatland, the Square is treated as a lunatic and locked in jail. In a way, the Square’s plight in Flatland is similar to ours. We cannot understand the concept of a Triune Being any more than the Square could fathom the Sphere. But we accept the Word of God, and by faith we understand that God exists in a realm and in a manner beyond our experience. The egg, the apple, the shamrock, the states of matter, and various geometric shapes are as close as we can come to illustrating the Trinity. We cannot completely understand God’s existence. An infinite God cannot be fully delineated in a finite illustration.