Spiritual gifts part 28: 1 passage + 3 authors = Trinity
Pastor-Teacher
John Farley
Sunday,
September 19, 2010
Spiritual Gifts Part 28: 1 passage + 3 authors = the Trinity!
The Doctrine of Spiritual Gifts
Point 2. The Giver of the Gifts: The Person and Work of God the Holy Spirit.
The Personhood and Deity of the Holy Spirit
You will be armed not only to defend the deity of the Holy Spirit, but also the fact that He is a distinct Person.
The Holy Spirit is a Person, distinct from God the Father and God the Son in personality, and yet equal to them in deity.
To be a person means to possess intellect, sensibility (feelings), and will.
Intellect directs.
Sensibility desires.
Will decides.
A person has intelligence.
The Holy Spirit has intelligence.
He knows and searches the things of God, 1Co 2:10-11.
He teaches people, 1Co 2:13.
And He possesses a mind, Rom 8:27.
Rom 8:27
He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
(2) A person has sensibility.
The Holy Spirit has sensibility.
He can be grieved by the bad decisions of believers, Eph 4:30.
Eph 4:30
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
He possesses joy, 1Th 1:6, and love, Rom 15:30.
1Th 1:6
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
Rom 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
(3) People possess a will.
The Holy Spirit has a will.
He uses His sovereign will to distribute spiritual gifts to the Body of Christ, 1Co 12:11.
1 Cor 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
He directs the activities of Christians, Act 16:6-12.
(4) He also exhibits the actions of a person.
He convicts of sin, Joh 16:8.
He guides us into truth by hearing, speaking and showing, Joh 16:13.
The Holy Spirit broke the rules of Greek grammar to make the point that He is a Person!
Personhood =
Intellect +
Sensibility +
Will.
In Joh 16:7-15, the Holy Spirit:
Visits people
Is sent on a mission
Convicts people
Reasons and wills
In Joh 16:7-15, the Holy Spirit also:
Guides people
Speaks
Knows all truth
He performs miracles, Act 8:39.
He performs miracles, Act 8:39.
He intercedes, Rom 8:26.
(5) He is given treatment that would only be given to a person.
He is One to be obeyed, Act 10:19-21.
He can be lied to, Act 5:3.
He can be resisted, Act 7:51.
He can be grieved, Eph 4:30
Eph 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
He can be blasphemed,
Mat 12:31.
Matt 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.”
He can be insulted, Heb 10:29.
Heb 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
In Act 10:19-20, the Holy Spirit talks, issues a command, and sends men to Peter.
The Holy Spirit not only speaks to these men, Act 13:2. He also knows their name, assigns work, and functions as an executive.
The Holy Spirit also gives directions, Act 13:4. This demonstrates both intellect and will.
In Act 15:28, the Holy Spirit makes a judgment (sensibility) and issues a policy (will and intellect).
In Act 16:6-7, the Holy Spirit issues commands and prohibitions.
diamarturomai = to attest or protest earnestly; it means to testify or witness.