12. The Holy Spirit

1. In the previous booklet on The Father and The Son, you learned that though Jesus Christ and God are one in harmony and aim of purpose, they are not equal in power, authority, or position. We held our study strictly to God, the Father, and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we are going to go into detail on God’s Holy Spirit. It is very important that you look up every Bible verse presented in this section of the course. Only in this way will you be assured that what we proclaim as truth is backed up by the Bible. By doing this you will learn what the Holy Spirit is and how it works in the lives of those whom God is calling during this Gospel Age. We hope that what is presented in these pages will make you stronger as you walk with God, through the assurance that comes with a deep knowledge of how God’s Spirit operates.

2. In John 4:23 it is written that true worshippers do so in “spirit and truth.” God accepts no other kind of worship. We have an obligation to God to break away from all that is not proven by Scripture so that we may be able to worship in a pure and honest way. All forms of worship not backed by God’s Word are vain. “But in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of man” (Matt. 15:9). May God bless you and guide you by His Holy Spirit as you study these pages. We promise if you have an open mind, you will be richly rewarded.

3. In most modern Bible translations the words Holy Ghost do not appear. The reason for this is both clear and simple. The words Holy Ghost are not found in the ancient Bible manuscripts from which Bibles were translated. In other words, the original writers of the Bible, such as the Apostles, did not once use the word Ghost in their writings. The words Holy Ghost have been used by those who translated the Bible from the Greek and Hebrew into the various languages. Most modern Bible translations have corrected this problem by using the proper word Spirit, instead of Ghost. By using th e word Ghost, such as in the King James Version, the false image of a personality is created. By using Holy Spirit, the true meaning will become clear.

4. The word Spirit, as used in the Old Testament, comes from the Hebrew word ruach. In the New Testament the word spirit comes from the Greek word pneuma. One definition for ruach and pneuma (or spirit) is found in the Encyclopedia Britannica. According to this source, the common meaning of these two words is the “blowing of the wind.” It goes on to state that the Hebrew word ruach denotes divine activity, and thus did not mean a personality, or a living being. The Jewish Masoretic Text of the Old Testament is in full agreement with the definition as provided by this Encyclopedia. According to the dictionary in the back of the Masoretic text, we find that ruach is “a designation for the divine inspiration.” According to Young’s Concordance to the Bible, the root meaning of ruach and pneuma is wind. So far we have learned that “ruach” and “pneuma”, which is God’s Holy Spirit, mean “divine activity”…a “blowing of the wind” or “divine inspiration.” Please keep this definition in mind as we continue with our study. We will learn not only why God’s Spirit, His divine activity, is likened to the blowing of the wind, but how it operates in the hearts of those who are being called by God.

5. When God speaks to us through the Bible of heavenly things, He uses those things in our earthly realm which are the closest in nature or appearance. Since we have never been to heaven, we cannot fully appreciate how things appear there, so God has chosen things familiar to us on this planet to describe things in heaven. The first chapter of Ezekiel offers many good examples of this. In describing four living creatures in heaven, God says that their appearance “was like burning coals of fire.” Please notice that God does not say these four creatures WERE burning coals of fire, but rather that they appeared like such. We who live on the earth have never seen these four creatures, so it would do no good for God to describe them in heavenly language. Most of us have seen burning coals. Since God chose this term to describe how these four heavenly creatures appear, we can be sure it was the best way to convey to us just what they are like. Please read the whole first chapter of Ezekiel, because it gives many other good examples of heavenly things described by earthly examples. In describing His Spirit, God uses the same kind of language as presented in Ezekiel to draw mental pictures of something we have not seen. In the following pages we will show you how this works.

6. God’s Spirit operates in different ways as is clearly shown in the Old Testament. Various words are used to describe ruach or Spirit. Different shades of meaning are attached to these words. No matter how God’s Spirit is described, it still represents His invisible power or influence. In the Old testament ruach is trans-lated blast four times - breath 28 times - mind 6 times - wind and windy 91 times. We will go into several of these meanings of God’s Spirit.

7. “And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together” (Exodus 15:8). The word blast as used in this verse comes from the Hebrew word ruach. In this verse God’s Spirit, His influence, is likened to a blast. This verse presents a picture for us of God’s invisible power at work. Young’s Concordance gives a further meaning for this word blast, as wind. It carries the same meaning as the word blast which is found in 2 Kings 19:7: “Behold, I will send a blast upon him.” This usage of the word blast or wind is a perfect example of God describing for us an aspect of His Spirit which we have never seen. We can never fully understand what God’s Spirit, operating as an invisible powerful force, is like. By using things in the earthly realm like the wind, God presents a picture of natural forces to which we can compare His Spirit. This comparison helps us to better understand how God’s Spirit works.

8. The first place the word Spirit is found in the Bible is Genesis 1:2: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Here we see God’s Spirit, His influence and invisible power, at work during the preparation of the earth for mankind. Other Bible verses clearly show God’s Spirit, as used in the above verse, was His invisible power: “He divides the sea with his power - By His Spirit he has garnished the heavens” (Job 26:12, 13). See also Psalm 104:30.

9. In Job 34:14,15 we read of the two things needed for a person to live, i.e., spirit (ruach), and breath (neshamah). These verses show that if God were to remove these two things from a person, that person would cease to live. According to Gen. 2:7, Adam did not become “a living soul” until God first breathed into him “the breath of life.” The spirit that is in man is his life force, given by God and which sustains man’s life. The first breath is what starts his spirit, or life force, working. In Job 27:3 we see how this principal operates: “All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils.” Picture in your mind a man who is found who has stopped breathing, and to all intents and purposes is dead. The other man, through artificial respiration, breathes into the man his own breath. The spirit or life force is restarted in the man and he awakens. Though this may not be a perfect illustration, it shows that the spirit that is in each of us is an invisible power or life force.

10. Did you know that this same spirit, or life force, that is in us is also in all other living creatures? Eccl. 3:19, 20 states that man has no preeminence over the beast, “They all have but one breath.” Read also Gen. 6:17; 7:15, 22. Eccl. 3:21, 22 shows that at death, who can say that the spirit of man “goes upward” while the spirit of the beast “goes downward?” After a man dies, verse 22 points out, he cannot see “what shall be after him.” The reason he cannot see anything after death is explained in Eccl. 9:5, 6,10: “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything - there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.” Read also Psalm 104:29. Eccl. 12:7 shows that after a man dies, he returns to the dust and the spirit returns to God “who gave it.” Yes, we come forth from the womb, the breath of life awakens our spirit or life force, but there comes a time for each of us to die, at which time our spirit or life force is taken back by God.

1. As we have already learned, the word Spirit as used in the Old Testament comes from the Hebrew word ruach and from the Greek word pneuma in the New Testament. The root meaning for both of these words is wind. They both represent God’s influence or this invisible power that He sends forth to accomplish his work.

2. In the New Testament God’s Spirit is called “The Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11), “The Spirit of Christ” (Rom. 8:9), “The Comforter” (John 15:26), “The Spirit of Truth” (1 John 4:6). The Scriptures also teach that we can be “baptized” with the Holy Spirit, be “filled with” it, and that it can be “poured upon” us (Acts 6:1-5).

3. There is another Spirit mentioned throughout the Bible, completely opposite to the terms stated above. This opposite Spirit is called “The Spirit of Fear” (2 Tim. 1:7), “The Spirit of Error” (1 John 4:6), “The Spirit of Bondage” (Rom. 8:15), “The Spirit of Anti-Christ” (1 John 4:3). This Spirit is the influence that comes from Satan. It represents his invisible power sent out by him in various forms to deceive, weaken, or corrupt those who desire to walk in the ways of Jehovah, the True God. Satan’s Spirit would take us away from God if we allow him to do so. God’s Spirit, on the other hand, through its various forms, draws us close to God and strengthens us so we can always abide in His Son. It brings enlightenment and a clear understanding to our minds and hearts, and thus we are able to truly understand His Word and to walk in the spirit of the Lord’s Word, The Truth.

4. The hearts and minds of mankind are the battleground on which the Holy Spirit of light, love, justice, truth, and holiness fights against the Spirit of Satan, i.e., sin, darkness, error, hatred, envy, and strife. Our greatest weapon against Satan’s attack is by the prayer of faith and study of God’s Word. Through study we gain a clear understanding of how God’s Spirit or influence works in our lives and on our behalf. Through earnest prayer we are able to summon as much of God’s Spirit as is needed to put up the fight for the truth. The Lord has supplied us with a wonderful armor which is shown to us in Ephesians 6.

5. In Phil. 2:6 we read that the same mind which was in Christ must also be in us. Rom. 8:9 says that as Christians we must have “the Spirit of Christ.” But how do we obtain this same spirit or mind that our Lord Jesus had? Jesus said, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” The mind of Christ is developed in us when we learn of him. In Matt. 11:28 we find the only time Jesus described Himself, and He uses the words “meek and lowly!” It is important above all else that we be teachable and humble of heart. Jesus also said, “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). Yes, it is through a study of God’s Word, the Bible, where the words of Jesus and the Apostles are recorded so that we can grow in our understanding of our God. By making Jesus’ words our own, we begin to develop His mind and spirit within us. It is understood that we cannot grow in the mind of Christ unless we are “IN Christ” as born-again, new creatures in Him. We become like our Lord Jesus only after we have begun to “abide in him” (see John 15) and begin to really know Him in a personal way. In order to have eternal life, John 17:3 says that we must take in knowing both of God and of His Son Jesus. The word knowing means an intimacy, and not just knowing about Jesus. We must go as little children before God’s throne and pray for the guidance of His Spirit to direct our hearts and minds as we study the Bible. We are promised by God in Ephesians 1:17, 18 that He will give us the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,” and that the eyes of our understanding will be enlightened. In 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 we are told that God’s Spirit reveals everything we need to know of God. We can rely on God’s Spirit because it is the “Spirit of Truth.” We need to always beware for there is another spirit at work in the world which we have already mentioned, the spirit of the wicked one, Satan. In 1 John 4:6 it is called the “Spirit of Error.” The Spirit of Error is not Satan but it is attached to him, being his powerful influence, even as the Spirit of God is His influence, and when we grieve the Holy Spirit of God, we are grieving Him.

6. When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, he made this announ-cement to her: “(The) Holy Spirit shall come upon you and (the) power of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). We should note that the Holy Spirit as a person did not come to Mary, Gabriel did. Since the Bible tells us that Mary conceived through the power of the Highest, which is the power of God, we can see that this is not another personality as some believe. Jesus was called the Son of God, but never the Son of the Holy Spirit.

7. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we find the angel of the Lord comforting Jesus. Why can we not find the Holy Spirit as a personality manifesting himself as such even once? Would it not be His office to comfort our Lord in His agony, as he is called the Comforter? On the resurrection morning we find the angels present. Why, if the Holy Spirit is a person did he not manifest Himself in Jesus’ time of need? While we find the Spirit of God everywhere in the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, as the eternal power of the personal God, why can we not find a single reference in the Scriptures where the Holy Spirit appears as an individual?

8. From what we have studied, we have learned that having the “Spirit of Christ” means much more than just having a good feeling through searching the scriptures. God’s Spirit guides us as we study the Bible prayerfully. The Spirit also “bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:16). How do we really know if the Spirit is bearing witness with our Spirit?

9. Many people do not even know what is meant by the expression “witness of the Spirit.” There are some people who are more full of assurance that believe their happy feelings are evidence that the Spirit is bearing witness with their spirit. When all men speak well of them and they are healthy and financially prosperous, they look upon these things as proof that the Spirit is bearing witness with their spirit. They praise the Lord to all their friends and tell them how much God has given them. But then severe ill health comes or another calamity, and they suddenly feel as though they had fallen from grace. These were all along deceived by an unreliable “witness.” Losing the witness of their feelings which they falsely consider the witness of the Spirit, many of these either reject God or go through life with a feeling that God has rejected them. The Bible tells us facts of truths, and we are wise not to rely on feelings but on these truths alone.

10. Problems dealing with the witness of the Spirit as the one listed above are cleared up when we recognize the true nature of God’s Spirit and the fact that it is the power or influence coming from God. By understanding the true witness of the Spirit, our faith becomes strong, for it is based on knowledge that comes from God’s Word. This kind of faith will never fail us, no matter how bad our health or economic situation becomes.

11. In order to understand if we have the witness of the Spirit, we must go to God’s Word and be willing to lay aside our own feelings, since many times our personal feelings deceive us into believing something that is not true or not believing something that is true. For instance, we may feel like the Lord does not really love us. But His word says otherwise. So shall we believe our feelings or the truth of the Lord’s Word? On the other hand, we may feel like we are bound to get to heaven when the Lord’s Word says only those who overcome, through Christ, and are faithful to the end of their walk will be so rewarded.

12. According to Romans 8:16, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit “that we are the children of God.” Not everyone who claims to be a child of God really is. We can only claim this title if the witness of God’s Spirit supports our claim. If God’s influence and power is truly working in our lives, then we will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit that will show we are the children of God. To be a child means that one must also be taught. This instruction sometimes comes in the form of chastisement; “Whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you be without chastisement, then are you bastards and not sons” (Heb. 12:8). Yes, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit through disciplines and chastisements. These are evidences of our Father’s love for us. Through these things we will come forth better Christians, mature in the faith. These chastisements, over a period of time, remove the dross from our flesh such as malice, anger, hatred and selfishness, just to name a few, and encourage the growth of the fruit of the Spirit, parts of which are love, joy, peace, meekness and patience. (Read Gal. 5:16-26.) Whoever can recognize such chastisements in progress may know of his continued acceptance with God, because he or she has this witness of the Spirit. As we grow and walk in the fruit of the Spirit, we will find ourselves becoming more separate from the world and all it has to offer. Our hopes, our aims, our disposition become different than the world’s. “If you were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19), and “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away and all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).

13. We have just listed several of the ways that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. We see then that the Bible teaches God’s Spirit is an invisible power likened to the wind that operates in different ways. God’s influence in our lives bears witness with our spirit that we are His children. This is only one of the ways that the Spirit operates.

 14. “But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are holy, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 6:11). According to Young’s Concordance, the word sanctified means to “separate - set apart.” We are sanctified or set apart by God through His Son by being justified not on our own merit or by human works but “in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God.” “Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures;” believing this in our hearts and making confession with our lips (see Romans 10:10), we are accepted of God and stand justified through the merit of the precious blood of Jesus, having the faith that Christ did indeed pay the full price for our sins. Please note in the above verse that we must not only be sanctified in the name of Jesus, but also by the Spirit of God. When we become justified by our faith in Jesus, we can begin to do the works acceptable to the Father, through the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor. 1:30). The power which enables us to live up to full devotion to God is by the Holy Spirit. Here again we must keep in mind that faith by itself is not enough to keep us justified or made right with God. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Read also James 2:1-25 and James 2:17. We are not saved by our works, but if we have real faith, it will display itself by works. The Apostle Paul states in Eph. 5:26 that “Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word.” The Bible clearly teaches that God’s Holy Spirit, operating through the Word of his truth, shall produce in us cleansing, justification, sanctification. Jesus knew this and thus he prayed, “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth” (Jn.17:17).

15. From this short study on sanctification, we have seen that God’s Spirit is not a personality or third god of the trinity, but rather is His power and influence that works in the believer and through the pages of the Bible. The Sanctification we have in Christ is not separate from the Spirit of God, nor separate from the Word of God. All three of these are needed by any who desire to please God and do His will.

1. In the following paragraphs we will confine our remarks to questions illustrating the results of our beliefs about the Holy Spirit contrary to the theories of Trinitarians. The following questions should prove to any who are open-minded that the Holy Spirit is God’s invisible power and influence and not a third person of a Godhead.

2. We find the angels are ministering spirits, and we all believe them to be individual personalities because they appeared as such, yet we do not find a single instance where the Holy Spirit appeared as a person. If the Holy Spirit were a person, how could Jesus breathe the Holy Spirit on His disciples? (John 20:22). We are told to “quench not the Holy Spirit…” (1 Thes. 5:19). Can we “quench” a person?

3. Jesus, speaking of His second coming, said that He would come with His angels. If a person, why is not the Holy Spirit mentioned as coming with Him? If the Holy Spirit is a person, other than Jehovah or Jesus, why do the Scriptures say that “the Lord is that Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17)? If the Holy Spirit is a separate person, should we not conclude that the Holy Spirit is greater than Jesus, because without the Spirit Jesus could do nothing by Himself? As an evidence of its presence, why was it necessary for the Holy Spirit to appear in one case as a dove and in another as cloven tongues of fire instead of as a person? When we understand the Holy Spirit as being the power and spirit belonging to and coming from God and His Son, all Scripture becomes harmonious.

4. Jesus, in all His heavenly glory, appeared as such to Paul on the road to Damascus. Why do we never find the Holy Spirit appearing anywhere as a person? The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was “brought forth” by God as the “Only Begotten,” and “first creation;” why is no reference made anywhere to the creation of the Holy Spirit? In the Book of Revelation we find God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the angels all are personalities. Why, if a third person, do we not find the Holy Spirit represented here?

5. We hope you will review the Scriptures that pertain to this very important subject. We have proven from the Scriptures beyond any doubt the following statements.

a. The Holy Spirit is never spoken of as a person.
b. Because God is Holy, His Spirit is also Holy.
c. The Holy Spirit is not a separate created Being.
d. As God has always existed, so the Holy Spirit always existed.
e. The following things which are said about the Holy Spirit could never be applied to a person:
The Holy Spirit was “poured out,”
The Holy Spirit could be “quenched,”
The Holy Spirit was “given” to many at one time.