The
Bible provides many ways to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is truly a
person. First, every pronoun used in reference to the Spirit is “he” not “it.”
The original Greek language of the New Testament is explicit in confirming the
person of the Holy Spirit. The word for “Spirit” (pneuma) is neuter and would
naturally take neuter pronouns to have grammatical agreement. Yet, in many
cases, masculine pronouns are found (e.g., John 15:26; 16:13-14).
Grammatically, there is no other way to understand the pronouns of the New
Testament related to the Holy Spirit—He is referred to as a “He,” as a person.Matthew 28:19 teaches us to baptize in the name
of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a collective reference to one
Triune God. Also, we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). The
Spirit can be sinned against (Isaiah 63:10) and lied to (Acts 5:3). We are to
obey Him (Acts 10:19–21) and honor Him (Psalm 51:11).The personhood of the Holy Spirit is also
affirmed by His many works. He was personally involved in creation (Genesis
1:2), empowers God’s people (Zechariah 4:6), guides (Romans 8:14), comforts
(John 14:26), convicts (John 16:8), teaches (John 16:13), restrains sin (Isaiah
59:19), and gives commands (Acts 8:29). Each of these works requires the
involvement of a person rather than a mere force, thing, or idea.The Holy Spirit’s attributes also point to His
personality. The Holy Spirit has life (Romans 8:2), has a will (1 Corinthians
12:11), is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), and
is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7). A mere force could not possess all of these
attributes, but the Holy Spirit does.And the personhood of the Holy Spirit is
affirmed by His role as the third Person of the Godhead. Only a being who is
equal to God (Matthew 28:19) and possesses the attributes of omniscience,
omnipresence, and eternality could be defined as God. In Acts 5:3–4, Peter referred to the Holy Spirit
as God, stating, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that
you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money
you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And
after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of
doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” Paul
likewise referred to the Holy Spirit as God in 2 Corinthians 3:17–18, stating,
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are
being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from
the Lord, who is the Spirit.”The Holy Spirit is a person, as Scripture makes
clear. As such, He is to be revered as God and serves in perfect unity with
Father and Son to lead us in our spiritual lives.
( Courtesy : GotQuestions.org)
