An Influence
or A Person?
An age-old debate continues still about the personality of the
Holy Spirit. Many feel He is more of a force than a person. Of course, the
Bible will be regarded as the written standard for faith and practice. As in
all matters, we will strive to agree with the Scripture’s teachings. Agreeing
with God’s conclusions involves accepting the Bible as the authoritative Word
of God, holding it in the highest regard concerning our confidence and observations.
These ideas are greater than mere debates but intended to move us from simply
studying the Word to allowing it to transform our lives, incentivizing gaining
wisdom and discernment based on the Word for daily decisions. Ultimately, agreeing with the
Bible involves trusting divine authority—God’s statements—on matters of life
and salvation.
There are several reasons why there is a tendency to view the
Spirit of God as a force, or an influence, or even an emanation. This subject
requires closer attention to the details God afford us in the Word. To start
with His work seems to be impersonal; that is, it appears to be somewhat
mystical and secretive like a force. He
produces grace, fruit, affords gifts, and other worldly powers to believers,
which are shadowed in a bit of non-specificity and intrigue. Yet theological
and biblical perspectives define the Spirit as a distinct, personal being—the
third person of the Trinity.
Accordingly, His vary names and titles tend to produce the
idea that He is not a Person. For example,
the word “Spirit” means breath or wind or power and thus people conclude in
error that the Spirit is merely an influence rather than a person. Also, the symbols used in reference to the
Spirit seem to encourage us to think of Him as an ordinary influence. When we ponder on the dove (Matt. 3:16),
water (John 7:38, 39), oil (1Sam 16:13) and breath (Job 33:4; John 20:22) imageries,
we can undoubtedly see all of these employed in Scripture to symbolize—represent
or imply—the personage of the Holy Spirit. Such symbols like wind, fire, or
doves are basically poetic descriptions, not literal depictions of the Spirit’s
essence or principle being, which is that of a divine person of the Triune
Godhead. We use symbolic language (sometimes colloquial or conversational) all
the time to convey our meaning and to stress ordinary matters.
Another reason is the fact that the personality of the Holy Spirit
is often missing in the opening acknowledgements in the New Testament
epistles. The Father and the Son may be
mentioned together (Rom.1:7; 1 Cor. 1:1, 4; 2 Cor. 1:1-3; Gal. 1:1-3; Eph.
1:1-3; Phil. 1:2, 6; Col. 1:1-3), but nothing is said of the Spirit in these
instances. Then truthfully the word ‘Spirit’ in the Greek language is a neuter
word, therefore we tend to think of His work or personality as detached and in
a neutral sense. Nonetheless, despite these rather shallow analyses, the
Scriptures even more clearly and predominantly state in many places that the Holy
Spirit acts and reacts with authentic personality. Several examples will
follow.
The Spirit’s unmistakable association with the Father and the
Son intensely signifies His personality. This can be witnessed in the baptismal
formula (Matt. 28:19), and in the apostolic benediction (2Cor. 13:14).
Furthermore, the Spirit’s identification with believers reveals His personality
qualities. He renders decisions and reasons much like a human being would (Acts
15:28), thereby revealing personality like any other person. The Spirit furthermore
has several features of obvious personality ascribed to Him in the Scriptures.
For instance, He has a will (1Cor. 12:11), he has a mind (Rom 8:27), he has
emotions and can be grieved (Eph. 4:30) and is capable of love, joy and peace
and producing these qualities in believers (Gal. 5:22-23; Rom 5:5). Yes, these
are fundamental features—unmistakable evidence—of personhood. Although some folks
emphasize the Holy Spirit far less or interpret Him simply as God’s active
power rather than a distinct person, believers correctly regard the Father,
Son, and Spirit as united in purpose.
Another closely related reason for insisting on the
personality of the Holy Spirit is that He exercises the actions of a person. He
searches (1Cor. 2:10), He speaks (Rev. 2:7), He makes intercessions for
believers (Rom 8:26), He bears testimony (John 15:26), and He forbids or would not
permit Paul’s team to evangelize in parts of Western Eurasia (Acts 16:6-7). All
these activities unmistakably reveal His personal qualities. While metaphors
like wind or fire may suggest an abstract power, the deeper truth is the Spirit
behaves personally, directly, and individually through teaching, comforting, directing,
and interceding.
Another reason relates to His office as the Comforter, which requires
personality to fulfill (John 14:16). He is the believer’s Advocate, and He
takes the place of or represents the Lord Jesus in the believer’s experiences
(John 16:7). He conducts Himself precisely as the Lord Jesus would were He
literally physically among us. There would be no difference! “Another Comforter” (Jn. 14:16) refers to the Holy
Spirit who is like the Lord Jesus… ‘another of the very same kind.’ You
see the promise of "another Comforter"
signifies that Jesus Himself was the first, the original Comforter. And truly Jesus
had been their defender, encourager, He had stood by the disciples teaching and
enlightening them. Now the Spirit has taken up this role on the Lord’s behalf!
We will have such divine accompaniment, resources, and energy as we endeavor
for God’s glory.
Yes, the Holy Spirit
acts as the personal representative of Jesus Christ, continuing His work on earth
accordingly. After Christ’s ascension, the Spirit is sent to dwell within
believers, providing guidance, truth, and empowerment, often described as the “Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9) or the Comforter
(John 14:26). Jesus described the Holy Spirit as the “Comforter”
or Advocate (Jn. 14:16-18, 26)—legal intercessor or defender—one called alongside
to help, acting as a legal counselor, comforter, helper, and legal defender
for us believers. The Holy Spirit would come in Jesus’ name to teach and remind
believers of his teachings, effectively taking his place as the active guide
for disciples. The Holy Spirit, therefore, does not act independently or
separately, but as the active, present reality of Christ within the early churches
and individual believers.
An additional reason pointing to the Spirit’s personality is
the fact that He is susceptible to being treated like a person. He responds in
a manner consistent with personhood. He can be lied to (Acts 5:3), he can be
blasphemed (Matt. 12:31-32), even insulted (Heb. 10:29), and he can be grieved
(Eph. 4:30). Again, the Holy
Spirit possesses attributes of personality, including intellect, will, and
emotions just like any other person. These actions are only possible toward a
person.
The Scriptures tell us two great things, first that there is
only one God. We must always assert this truth. But the Scriptures equally
teach that there are three Persons in that Godhead, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is traditionally recognized as the third
Person of the Trinity or Godhead, coequal and coeternal with God the Father and
God the Son. He is understood as a divine, personal being—not just a
force—possessing attributes of God, such as all knowledge, ubiquity (present everywhere
at the same time—deeply universal), and has all authority, power, dominion and
province (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 139:7-10; Acts 5:3-4; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 2 Cor.
3:17-18; Heb. 9:14). While distinct in role, the Spirit shares the same divine
nature and essence with the Father and Son. Scripture portrays the Spirit as
present at Jesus’ baptism and mentions Him alongside the Father and Son in the
baptismal blueprint in Matthew 28:19. Thus, God the Father is fully God, so is God
the Son and God the Holy Spirit is completely Deity. One essence but three
distinct personalities.
We as Western believers claim the Spirit proceeds from the Son
as well as the Father because the facts of the Bible about the Trinity and the
Spirit lead to this conclusion. In addition, the Spirit is referred to as the
“Spirit of Christ” and the “Spirit of the Son” pointing to a relationship in
which the Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as the Father. In John 15:26, the Lord Jesus make this statement,
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall testify of me”.
In this verse the relationship between the Son and the Spirit mirrors
that of the Father and the Spirit—the Spirit was sent by the Son. Again, consider the fact that Christ promised
He would send the Comforter in John 16:7, and taught the Spirit would come from
the Father also in John 14:16-17, 26.
This is a kind of subordination within the Godhead; the
division of the work between the three personalities. This is a hierarchy where
the Son and Spirit relate to the Father through submission and mission. It is
supremely functional, voluntary, and salvific (Jn. 14:26; 15:26; Gal 4:6). The
Son says that He has come to glorify the Father, and the Spirit’s work is to
glorify the Son. Each one reflects the glory of the other. Thus, we investigate
the mystery of this amazing doctrine of the Trinity: “He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you.”
(John 16:14). This is to me one of the
most amazing and remarkable things about the biblical doctrine of the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit seems to hide, mask, or conceal Himself to reveal or
show the glory of Christ to us. He is always placing the focus on the Lord
Jesus! The Son voluntarily submitted his will, taking a subordinate role to
accomplish salvation, and eventually subjected himself to fulfill the Father’s purpose.
This is why I profoundly believe a solid test as to whether we are subject to
the Spirit’s influence is to ask ourselves, what do we think of Jesus, and what
do we know about, the Son.




