Who is the Holy Spirit: Pneumatology, Acts, Trinity, and more!

Okay, okay, okay. Here is the thing. Before we work through a comprehensive timeline of the person of the Holy Spirit, His character, and what He gives to His church, we must note something. It is all about the personhood of the Holy Spirit & His relationship with you!

Personhood of the Holy Spirit + you!

The Hebrew language functions with the use of two pronouns: he and she. When we study both the Old and New Testament, when the Holy Spirit is referenced, the pronoun “He” is used, not “it.” This reflects the teaching of Scripture that the Spirit is not an impersonal force or a mere attribute of God’s power, but a person. The fact that the Holy Spirit has a will, knowledge, and affections reveals His personhood (John 16:4–11; Eph. 4:30).

This personhood of the Holy Spirit, this personhood of YHWH reveals that the Lord wants intimacy with YOU. Relationship with YOU! That YOU would be ONE with Christ. This is who God is and this is why He created you, that you would know Him, this is Jesus’ definition of eternal life (John 17:3).

If you are reading this, you are LIVING in the most accessible era to the presence of God, ever. EVER. Because of Christs finished birth, life, death, and resurrection over 2k years ago. Those of us alive after Acts 2 have permission by Creator God to be ONE with Him. To be unified in an unbreakable covenant with God of the Universe.

One of our mothers of the faith, Melissa Helser, so beautifully exclaimed: “the Holy Spirit is the crescendo of the cross.” And if that is not the truth of the Gospel! (Listen to her podcast on Friendship with the Holy Spirit!)

Jesus Christ was sent by the Father. When Christ finished His work on Earth and ascended into Heaven, He was seated and the right hand of the Father. Because of this, He was able to send His promised Holy Spirit to be poured out and fill His people who call on His name. So that we can be made ONE with Him. This is the truth of the Gospel. Without the Holy Spirit we could not be in relationship with Jesus. Without Jesus we could not know the Father.

Take a few moments and meditate on these lyrics:

“Men of old they longed for you, now we get to be with you.

From the top to the bottom the veil was torn.

This is what Moses longed for,

This is what David longed for,

This is what Jesus longed for!”
UR Prayer Set 11.20.23

Listen to that spontaneous moment on Youtube HERE!

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Quick Definitions Before Reading On

Trinity: This word is not used in scripture but is used to better understand the complexity of God. “From the beginning of creation in Genesis to the end of times in Revelation, God refers to Himself as “us” or “our” and thus describes the doctrine of the Trinity. The word trinity comes from “tri” meaning three and “unity” meaning one. God is three distinct individuals – God the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit – in one true God. These Bible verses and Scriptures about the trinity will help you have a better understanding of who God is. It can be a difficult concept to grasp, yet we can believe God’s word and know that while His ways are higher than ours, we can trust in Him!” -Bible Dictionary

Pneumatology: the study of the Holy Spirit; theology of the Holy Spirit

Deity: Referring to God; specifically the one God of Christianity; can be used to describe other gods in other religions

Omniscience: All knowing

Omnipresence: There is nowhere God is not

Omnipotence: All powerful

Regeneration: “only found in Matthew 19:28 and Titus 3:5 . This word literally means a “new birth.” The Greek word so rendered (palingenesia) is used by classical writers with reference to the changes produced by the return of spring. In Matthew 19:28 the word is equivalent to the “restitution of all things” ( Acts 3:21 ). In Titus 3:5 it denotes that change of heart elsewhere spoken of as a passing from death to life ( 1 John 3:14 ); becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ); being born again ( John 3:5 ); a renewal of the mind ( Romans 12:2 ); a resurrection from the dead ( Ephesians 2:6 ); a being quickened ( Ephesians 2:1 Ephesians 2:5 ).

This change is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. It originates not with man but with God ( John 1:12 John 1:13 ; 1 John 2:29 ; 1 John 5:1 1 John 5:4 ).” -Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Sanctification: “The Greek word translated “sanctification” (hagiasmos [aJgiasmov”]) means “holiness.” To sanctify, therefore, means “to make holy.” In one sense only God is holy ( Isa 6:3 ). God is separate, distinct, other. No human being or thing shares the holiness of God’s essential nature. There is one God. Yet Scripture speaks about holy things. Moreover, God calls human beings to be holy — as holy as he is holy ( Lev 11:44 ; Matt 5:48 ; 1 Peter 1:15-16 ). Another word for a holy person is “saint” (hagios [a&gio”]), meaning a sanctified one. The opposite of sanctified is “profane” ( Lev 10:10 ).” -Bible Dictionary

Alright, let’s get into who exactly the Holy Spirit is! The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and is of the same essence. Yet He is also distinct from them. Scripture describes the Holy Spirit in personal terms, not as an impersonal force. The Bible says that He teaches, guides, comforts and intercedes (John 14:26; Romans 8:14; John 14:26; Romans 8:26). He possesses emotions, intellect and will (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 2:10–14; 1 Corinthians 12:11). The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and gave counsel to the church at Jerusalem (Acts 8:29; 15:28). He was sinned against and lied to (Acts 5:3, 4).

The Scriptures also attest to the deity of the Holy Spirit. He is spoken of as God and is identified with the title of Jehovah (Acts 5:1–4; Isaiah 6:8–9 with Acts 28:25; Jeremiah 31:31– 34; with Hebrews 10:15). Christians who are indwelt by the Spirit are indwelt by God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Ephesians 2:22). The Holy Spirit possesses the attributes of deity, such as omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and eternality (1 Corinthians 2:10–11; Psalm 139:7; Zechariah 4:6; Hebrews 9:14). He does works only God can do, such as creating, regenerating and sanctifying (Genesis 1:2; John 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). He is equally associated with the other members of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

The work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament differed somewhat from His work in the New Testament. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit by the believer was not permanent in every case in the OT(Psalm 51:11). The Spirit had a ministry of restraining sin and in the creation of the world (Genesis 6:3; Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 40:12).

The Holy Spirit today, as in the New Testament, plays a major role in the application of salvation to the individual. It is the Spirit who brings conviction to the unbeliever and causes him to see the truth of the Gospel in a clear light (John 16:8–11). Those who respond to this conviction and place their faith in Jesus Christ receive eternal life and a new nature (John 3:3–7; Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit unites the believer with Christ and places him in the body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13). He also unites the believer with Christ in His death, enabling him to live victoriously over sin (Romans 6:1–10). The Holy Spirit guides the believer who yields to God and submits himself to God’s Word (Romans 12: 1, 2; Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16). When these conditions are met, the believer lives in the power of the Spirit and produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 22, 23)

The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). While the child of God may sin and grieve the Spirit, the Spirit will never leave the true believer (Ephesians 4:30). Absence of the Holy Spirit is the mark of the unsaved (Romans 8:9; Jude 1:19). The Holy Spirit seals the believer (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). This ministry guarantees the security of the believer “until the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30) The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts or abilities for service to every believer (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4). In the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Spirit will be in God’s people and the Spirit will be upon the King (Jeremiah 31:33; Isaiah 11: 2–3.)

Activities of the Holy Spirit in Acts

If you aren’t already, follow along with our Acts collection. As this Holy Spirit study fits perfectly in with:

Intro to the New Testament Book of Acts
Acts 1
Acts 2: What Happened in the Upper Room?

Swipe through the six slides to get a comprehensive list of every passage in the book of Acts that mentions the Holy Spirit by name and reveals the activity (or working/ what He would do) in chronological order.

This gives us as believers a clear and concise view of what the Holy Spirit does specifically in the early church and what we can expect Him to do in our lives and churches today!