Come Holy Spirit: “The Person of the Holy Spirit” (John 14)

Yesterday, we began a five week teaching series on the Holy Spirit. Most people understand the idea of God the Father, and they can grasp the idea of God the Son in the person of Jesus. However, many of us struggle to really understand the person of the Holy Spirit? Who is he, how do we interact with him, and what does he do in this world and in our lives?

The stream of Christianity we most often associate with the Holy Spirit is Pentecostalism, however Jesus promised he would send the Holy Spirit to every Christian everywhere. So how does this work? First, we are all people of the Pentecost. Jesus said in John 14 that after he goes away, he would send “another advocate to help [us] and be with [us] forever” (v16). The words another advocate are allos parakletos in the biblical Greek language. Allos is a word that means another, but it specifically means “another of the same kind.” Jesus is saying that when he goes away, he will send another who is also divine who will help us and be with us.

So, how should we think about this advocate, otherwise known as the Holy Spirit? First, it is important to understand that the Holy Spirit is a person. He is not some “force” that provides us power to use for our own ends. He is a person, and because of this, he is relational. Originally, in relationship with the other persons of the Trinity, but now in relationship with us. In fact, he lives in us.

Second, the Holy Spirit is not a portion of God as a whole, he is fully God in and of himself. He contains all the attributes of God, is active in creation, imparted Scripture to us, is the agent of the new birth, and he is the agent of the resurrection. The Holy Spirit is God — full stop.

Finally, just like God the Father and God the Son are distinct persons, the Holy Spirit is a distinct person. We can say that each of the three persons of the Trinity are God. But the Father is not the Son or the Spirit, the Son is not the Spirit or the Father, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. They are distinct persons.

Why does this matter. I do believe it is important to have a solid understanding, or theology, of the Holy Spirit. Much harm has been done in churches who have an incorrect understanding of how God empowers and indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit. A correct understanding is critical. However, many people stop here — they have a correct understanding of the Holy Spirit, but they do not understand how to have a relationship with him.

My goal in this teaching series is not that you only understand the Holy Spirit, like a spectator understands baseball from the stands. But my hope is that you take your place in the starting lineup and enter into a deeper relationship with the Holy Sprit.

Come Holy Spirit!