And Account the Long Suffering of Our Lord Is Salvation - Part 1182

Quite by accident, I stumbled upon a doctrinal statement that suggested the Holy Ghost (or in this particular denomination's terminology the Holy Spirit) is the third person of the trinity (or a tri-une God, or God in three persons). My concern is that nowhere in the scriptures is there any suggestion that the Holy Spirit is a "person." Indeed, the word "Spirit" in Holy Spirit in and of itself suggests that the Holy Spirit is in fact "spirit" and not another "person".

To this end, the example of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness may offer further clarity. Luke 4:1 states: "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." In this scripture, Jesus is not being led by "another person" but the Spirit -- the Holy Ghost -- which we know from scriptural accounts had overshadowed Mary in order that she would bring forth a son.

"And they shall call His name Jesus." (Matthew 1:21-23)

Jesus confirmed this in the temple when He declared: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 49:8-9; Isaiah 61:1-2; Daniel 9:24)

Not another person upon Jesus, or another person standing beside Jesus, but the one and only Spirit of the Lord who breathed into man in the beginning and was now clothed in a sin-prone flesh so that He could bring us salvation.

God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... and the Word was made flesh." (John 1:1-18)

"To with God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation." (II Corinthians 5:19)

"For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus] all the fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, by Him." (Colossians 1:19-20)

The same Spirit or Holy Ghost that was upon Simeon, a just and devout man from Jerusalem -- who revealed earlier to Simeon that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

The same Spirit or Holy Ghost that Jesus in sharing with Nicodemus about being born again when one is old said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee -- except a man be born of water AND the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, "Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:4-8)

This is why Jesus said, "I and My Father are one." (John 10:30; John 14:26; John 15:26) This is why after Jesus was taken up, Jesus through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2)

Again, not another "person" but the same Spirit which leads and guides us into all truth and knowledge. His Spirit. The Holy Ghost. His name is Jesus!

"One body, and One Spirit -- even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name. (John 1:10-14)

This is why no man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared. (John 1:18)

And if this is not sufficient scriptural evidence to clarify that the Holy Spirit is not a person, then ask yourself this question. When you asked Jesus into your heart to become Lord of your life, did you receive His Spirit or another person?

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him and He in us because He hath given us of His Spirit." (I John 4:12-13)

The same Spirit to which Jesus said, "At that day, ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you." (John 14:20)

No greater love hath no man than the same God who created us in the beginning loved us enough to shed His precious holy blood on a cross for you and I. Abide in Jesus today. Study His Word for your edification and understanding.

Stand in the offering plate.