The importance to the believer of living in a right relationship with the Holy Spirit cannot be over estimated. Just as salvation is through Christ alone, so growth, blessing, victory and power are through the Holy Spirit. We live in the dispensation (a divinely ordered age) of the Spirit. It is, therefore, of supreme importance that we should know the teaching concerning Him.

1. The Holy Spirit is a Person
   The Holy Spirit is a Person and not a mere influence. This can be seen in every text with refers to Him.
   1. The same words, implying personality, which are used of other persons, are used of the Spirit. Two well-known passages sufficiently illustrate this truth:
      • John 14:16,17,26 - "He" and "Him" are used of the Spirit six times in these verses.
      • John 16:7,8,13-15 - "The Comforter," "He is the Spirit of truth"
   2. Human beings are said to perform actions toward the Spirit which imply that He is a Person.
      • Matthew 12:31 - "Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven"
      • Ephesians 4:30 - "Grieve not the Holy Spirit"
      • Hebrews 10:29 - "Done despite unto the Spirit of grace"
   3. The Holy Spirit is said to perform actions which would be impossible for something that is only a mere influence.
      • John 3:6 - "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit"
      • John 14:6 - "He shall teach you all things"
      • Acts 8:29 - "The Spirit said unto Philip"
      • Romans 8:26 - "The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us"
2. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person; in the proper sense, deity
   1. He is called God
      • Jeremiah 31:33-36 - "Saith the Lord"
      • Hebrews 10:15,16 - "The Holy Ghost also is a witness to us"
      • Acts 5:3,4 - "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?... Thou hast... lied... unto God."
   2. The Scriptures ascribe to the Holy Spirit the attributes of God: omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, holiness.
      • Psalm 139:7-10 - "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?"
      • Job 26:13 - "By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens"
      • 1Corinthians 2:9-11 - "The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God"
      • Hebrews 9:14 - "The eternal Spirit"
      • Matthew 28:19 - "Name [not names] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost"
   3. He is represented as performing works possible only to deity.
      All of the passages under the previous heading prove this truth.
      See also:
      • Job 33:4 - "The Spirit of God hath made me"
      • Psalm 104:30 - "Sendeth forth Thy Spirit, they are created"
      • 1Corinthians 6:11 - "Justified... by the Spirit of our God"
      • 2Peter 1:21 - "Moved by the Holy Ghost"
      • Acts 1:16 - "The Holy Ghost... spake"
      • Luke 12:11,12 - "The Holy Ghost shall teach you"
      • 1Corinthians 12:8-11 - "Dividing to every man severally as He will"

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