The following are questions frequently asked. It is set apart from other writings by its pure contents and sacred use in worship. Most Catholic and Orthodox Christians have experienced the Holy Spirit more in the sacramental life of the church than in the context of such speculation. It is written, if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. ", Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Paul did not write, “… the Spirit also helps your weakness,” but rather, “the Answer: Of all the gifts given to mankind by God, there is none greater than the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus has just performed a miracle. (see John 3:5; Romans 8:9-10) 2. First, He does a work in the hearts of all people everywhere. It is not an incantation. The Bible clearly explains who the Holy Spirit is and what role He can play in our lives. What do you know about Christianity and the Holy Spirit? In art, the Holy Spirit is commonly represented as a dove. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts to help us be more like Jesus. For believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit works in additional ways. So, to sum up, people who haven’t yet experienced the new birth by receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior do not have the Holy Spirit living within them, although they do have the “breath of life” as a gift from God and they bear the image of God, and on that basis they can already begin to contribute to God’s kingdom activity. The Bible can thus be considered holy. One of these roles is to serve as a helper or comforter. The Bible also does not teach that the Holy Spirit is worthy of worship. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Christian writers have seen in various references to the Spirit of Yahweh in the Hebrew Scriptures an anticipation of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Do you know about Christianity, take the quiz? The fear of Jehovah is pure, lasting forever.” —Psalm 19: 8, 9. The Holy Spirit wants to speak to us, especially by God’s Word. Updates? As such He is an essential companion of every Christian and is the guarantee and means by which we persevere to the point of reaching heaven. Those who do not belong to Christ do not have the Spirit of Christ residing in them (Romans 8:9). The Spirit has many functions, roles, and activities. Question 6: What does the Holy Spirit do? “But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will. What a great question! Christianity is a religion that has been the most popular and most common form of worship, and what is this Holy Spirit. The Eastern and Western churches have since viewed the Holy Spirit as the bond, the fellowship, or the mutual charity between Father and Son; they are absolutely united in the Spirit. There was, however, no explicit belief in a separate divine person in biblical Judaism. If the Holy Spirit lives in us, then are we human and divine? Thus, their bodies are not a temple of the Holy Spirit. The simple answer to this apparent dilemma is that baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and baptism in Jesus’ name are the exact same thing. All Christians have heard of the Holy Spirit but how well do you really know Him? Omissions? Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holy-Spirit. First, the Holy Spirit provides conviction of sin to all people. What is the Latter Rain Movement? How is the Holy Spirit active in our lives today? He states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (the Father), and the Word was God" (John 1:1, HBFV). Clearly, then, the greatest thing we can do for our bodies is to make them into a temple for God’s Spirit. Many of the Christian Faith view God as a Trinity, where God, Jesus, and the Spirit are One, and yet separate; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us power for victory over conscious sin. He is fully equal with God the Father and God the Son. Galatians 5:22- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, … “The commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine. First, the Holy Spirit provides conviction of sin to all people. In fact, the New Testament itself is not entirely clear in this regard. Is praying in tongues a prayer language between a believer and God? The definition that the Holy Spirit was a distinct divine person equal in substance to the Father and the Son and not subordinate to them came at the Council of Constantinople in ce 381, following challenges to its divinity. What is the role of the Holy Spirit? What is praying in tongues? Do you think it’s selfish to pray to have ‘more of the Holy Spirit’? The Holy Spirit also does work among unbelievers. What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Bible readings: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 14:25-27. I grieve the Holy Spirit by not obeying Him. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune Godhead who has perfect knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:11), a mind (Romans 8:27), love (Romans 15:30), and a will (1 Corinthians 12:11). When I realize that I cannot live a life of overcoming sin without the help of the Holy Spirit, it becomes very important to me how I respond to the Holy Spirit … When Jesus took leave of His disciple A disciple is another word for a follower of Christ, one who is learning to be like his Master. What is the Trinity? If we live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, we won’t become high-minded, provoking and envying one another. “Men spoke from God as they were moved by holy spirit.” —2 Peter 1: 21. The Holy Spirit does three things: He teaches us the things we need to know for our salvation ( John 14:26), He guides us into all truth (John 16:13), and He convicts of sin (John 16:7, 8). Christians think that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that if you accept Christ as your redeemer and repent for your sins, you will be saved. The Holy Spirit gives you self-control. Does every Christian have the Holy Spirit? Answers to questions about the Holy Spirit Who do we pray to, the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit? What is the seal of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit interacts with us in His own way—distinct from the Father and the Son: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14). Holy Spirit: One of Three Persons of God The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Do you have to be baptized to be filled with the Holy Spirit? A demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus, and the Lord cast the demon out, healing the man of blindness and muteness. He can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29), lied to (Acts 5:3), resisted (Acts 7:51), and grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spiritis not just a “person,” but He is “divine” person. The apostle Paul reiterated the same truth about the Spirit's indwelling: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? Discussion Questions: 1. He shares the strengths of God the Father and Jesus, such as omniscience, omnipotence, and eternality. Let me explain. I got saved at age 6! Pentecost, during which the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and other disciples (Acts 2), is seen as the fulfillment of that promise. Is the Holy Spirit a "He," "She," or "It," male, female, or neuter? First, Acts 2:4 records, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." Likewise, he is all-loving, forgiving, merciful and just. John 16:8 notes, "And when he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." The Holy Spirit's name describes his chief attribute: He is a perfectly holy and spotless God, free of any sin or darkness. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is our Paraclete? We hear lots of teachings on God the father and God the son, but very few about the divine nature and attributes of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit will give eternal life to believers in Christ. Got Question Suggests in their article, What is the Power of the Holy Spirit, that Romans 8:11 states that “All those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit” but this is a misinterpretation of the scriptures. The Eastern Orthodox Church has stressed the role of the descent of the Spirit upon the worshipping congregation and upon the eucharistic bread and wine in the prayer known as the epiclesis. In this verse Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” And we do this by placing our trust and faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. From the earliest centuries of the Christian church, various groups, discontented with the lack of freedom, active charity, or vitality in the institutional church, have called for a greater sensitivity to the ongoing outpourings of the Holy Spirit; among such movements were the Holiness and Pentecostal movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Each of the persons of the Trinity is God. What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost? The Holy Spirit is much too vast for anyone to have all the answers. Sometimes a small pronoun in the Bible can make a lot of difference. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Bible declares that there is only one living God, yet we learn from scripture that He comprises three separate personages. “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot,’" Acts … So I decided I would share with you a Bible study on who is the Holy Spirit and what He does. Answer: The concept of “blasphemy against the Spirit” is mentioned in Mark 3:22–30 and Matthew 12:22–32. Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, ESV). His work starts when He helps us know that we are sinners and that we need to accept Jesus as our Savior. The Hebrew word ruaḥ (usually translated “spirit”) is often found in texts referring to the free and unhindered activity of God, either in creating or in revitalizing creation, especially in connection with the prophetic word or messianic expectation. 3. Corrections? The bible presents the role of the Holy Spirit as a continuation of the work of God the Father and Jesus, the Son in the lives of the believer. One suggestion of such belief is the promise of another helper, or intercessor (paraclete), that is found in the Gospel According to John. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Question: "What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?" By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers to renew, sanctify, and make us holy. Being “filled” with the Holy Spirit is seen as the corollary of one’s salvation. It does teach, however, that the Father and Jesus Christ are both God. Romans 8:9 is even stronger, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4. The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26), pointing people to the Lord. The relationship of the Holy Spirit to the other persons of the Trinity has been described in the West as proceeding from both the Father and the Son, whereas in the East it has been held that the procession is from the Father through the Son. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the constant resisting of God’s Spirit to the point of not being able to hear His voice. See also Trinity. (Galatians 5:16.) If you want to prove this fact, you can use another scripture but not this one. Question: "What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?" The Holy Spirit is by far the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. I knew I received the Holy Spirit but I’m just now learning to understand Him and really submit to … Saying “I baptize you in Jesus’ name” is not a magic formula. Holy Spirit, also called Paraclete or Holy Ghost, in Christian belief, the third person of the Trinity. Is the work of the Holy Spirit for our own ‘private’ enjoyment or does it have some other purpose? John 16:8 notes, "And when he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. The most succinct statement of this relationship is found in John's gospel. This occurred on the Day of Pentecost when the church first began. Why do I need the Holy Spirit? As mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, outpourings of the Holy Spirit can include healing, prophecy, exorcism, and speaking in tongues. Answer: Believers have the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Comforter who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). 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