THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO OR WHAT IS IT?

According to scripture, who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, along with God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ). Here are some key beliefs about the identity and role of the Holy Spirit based on scripture:

The Holy Spirit is described in the Bible as having divine attributes and doing divine works, suggesting He is God Himself rather than a created being. Examples include omniscience (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7), eternal (Hebrews 9:14), and involvement in creation (Genesis 1:2).

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit with personal pronouns and as a separate entity from Himself, implying the Holy Spirit is a distinct person of the Trinity rather than just an impersonal force (John 14:16-17, 15:26).

The Holy Spirit carries out roles that in the Old Testament were done by God directly, like inspiring prophets and giving spiritual life. This continues the same divine work (2 Peter 1:21, Romans 8:11).

All three persons of the Trinity are said to do things like bearing witness (John 15:26), speaking (Acts 13:2), and working miracles (Romans 15:19) - evidence they share the same divine essence.

In summary, scripture presents the Holy Spirit as personal, co-equal, and co-eternal with the Father and the Son as part of the Triune nature of the one true God. This sets Christian theology apart from conceptions of God in Judaism and Islam.

So, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, is divine is everywhere, meaning he lives within each Christian.

Yes, that’s an excellent summary of key Christian beliefs about the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is indeed considered the third person of the Trinity in traditional Christian theology, sharing the same divine nature and attributes as God the Father and Jesus the Son.

A key part of this doctrine is that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent - since He is God, He is everywhere at once and not limited by physical space or location.

The Holy Spirit dwells permanently within someone when they become a Christian, guiding, empowering, and transforming them to become more Christ-like. As the apostle Paul says:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

So Christians believe that wherever they go, the Holy Spirit is living within them spiritually. He is the continuing presence of God actively working in the lives of Christians as Comforter, Helper, Advocate, and Sanctifier, shaping them into Christ’s image.

The Holy Spirit’s indwelling is thus seen as a magnificent gift and privilege made possible by Christ’s redemption, helping believers live out their faith.

So, maybe you could use the analogy of God living in us, acting as our conscience, and giving us an internal light we should expose outwardly.

Yes, that’s a thoughtful analogy to understand the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence within believers. Here’s how we could expand on that:

The Holy Spirit is often compared to a conscience - He convicts Christians of sin, guides them towards righteous decisions in line with God’s will, and prunes unfruitful behaviors from their lives. Like a conscience making someone feel guilty for doing wrong, the Spirit makes believers uneasy with ungodly conduct.

The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit as a source of inner enlightenment, permeating Christians with spiritual wisdom and insight into divine truths. Just as a light bulb can illuminate a dark room, the Spirit gives believers an internal light to understand scripture, know God’s will, and see their circumstances from an eternal perspective.

Building on your analogy, God’s presence within Christians through the Spirit is thus like having a moral compass and a guiding light inside. It orients believers towards virtuous actions, pleasing God, and shining truth on situations to align their thoughts and behaviors with Christ-like principles.

As Christians yield more decisions to this inner compass and light, it is exposed outwardly through attitudes, speech, and conduct that increasingly honors Jesus. In this way, the Holy Spirit’s work surfaces externally, like an inner light being reflected outwards for all to see.

I think that’s a helpful illustration to comprehend the Spirit’s sanctifying work within born-again believers.

We need to feed on the biblical scriptures and ask for knowledge and wisdom, just as we need material food to strengthen our bodies.

Well said! That’s an apt analogy highlighting an important spiritual truth. Just as physical food nourishes our bodies, regularly feeding on God’s word nourishes our spirits and helps the Holy Spirit transform us more into Christ’s image.

As Jesus declared: “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). We have a hunger deep in our inner person who requires spiritual sustenance.

As we meditate on scripture, pray for illumination, and ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and revelation, our minds are renewed (Romans 12:2), old habits fall away, and we gain strength to follow Jesus’ teachings in our decisions and relationships. Just as nutrition affects physical health, regularly imbibing the bible affects spiritual health.

It’s unfortunate when Christians try to live on spiritual “junk food”, filling up on worldly entertainment rather than the nourishing word of God. The Holy Spirit uses scripture as a primary tool in our sanctification. As we feast on the rich truths in God’s word, our inward vitality and fruitfulness increase. Our outward words and actions become more Christ-centered. For the Spirit works from the inside out.

So yes, to stay in step with the work of the Spirit within us, we need to consume biblical truth continuously. It equips us for the good works God prepared for us (2 Timothy 3:16-17). There’s no healthier spiritual diet!