tha the Holy Spirit has emotions?
For example in Ephesians 4:30 we are admonished, " Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God ". Grief is an emotion, and emotions cannot be experienced by a force ( an impersonal force ). Grief is something someone feels. The Holy Spirit feels the emotion of grief when believers sin.
In the context of Ephesians, such sins include lying ( v 25 ), anger (v 26 ), stealing ( v 28 ), laziness ( v 28, and speaking words that are unkind ( v 29 ).
2007-10-07 14:59:38 · 16 answers · asked by Nina, BaC 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Holy Spirit of God...sorry for typo
2007-10-07 15:01:03 · update #1
Great point. The Holy Spirit is not a 'force' but a person.
Scripture describes the Holy Spirit as having personal characteristics.
The Spirit lives (Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 3:16).
The Spirit speaks (Acts 8:29; 10:19; 11:12; 21:11; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:7; etc.).
The Spirit sometimes uses the personal pronoun "I" (Acts 10:20; 13:2).
The Spirit may be spoken to, tested, grieved, insulted or blasphemed (Acts 5:3, 9; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 10:29; Matthew 12:31).
The Spirit guides, intercedes, calls and commissions (Romans 8:14, 26; Acts 13:2; 20:28).
Romans 8:27 refers to the "mind" of the Spirit. He makes judgments—a decision "seemed good" to the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28). The Spirit "knows" and "determines" (1 Corinthians 2:11; 12:11). This is not an impersonal power.
Jesus called the Holy Spirit the parakletos—translated as the Comforter, the Advocate or the Counselor. "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Like Jesus, the disciples’ first Counselor, the Holy Spirit teaches, testifies, convicts, guides and reveals truth (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8, 13-14). These are personal roles.
2007-10-07 15:06:17 · answer #1 · answered by rejoiceinthelord 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
There are many misconceptions on the identity of the Holy Spirit. Some view the Holy Spirit as a mystical force. Others understand the Holy Spirit as the impersonal power God makes available to followers of Christ. What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? Simply put - the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a Person, a Being with a mind, emotions, and a will.
The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures including Acts 5:3-4. In this verse Peter confronts Ananias as to why he had lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” It is a clear declaration that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God. We can also know that the Holy Spirit is God because He possesses the attributes or characteristics of God. For example, the fact that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent is seen in Psalm 139:7-8, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” Then in 1 Corinthians 2:10, we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit. “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”
We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a Person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27). The Holy Spirit makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit is God, the third “Person” of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can truly function as the Comforter and Counselor that Jesus promised He would be (John 14:16,26; 15:26).
Recommended Resource: The Holy Spirit by Charles Ryrie.
2007-10-07 22:54:10 · answer #2 · answered by Freedom 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, the Holy Spirit has emotions. He can even be grieved. Furthermore, He does things that only a "person" can do, such as teach, guide, comfort, and all of the other things Jesus said He would send Him to the earth to do for His disciples.
The Holy Spirit can even be lied to, as in the case of Ananias and Saphira in the book of Acts. What's more, is that the Apostles who stood in judgment of the couple said that in lying to the Holy Spirit, they were lying to God Himself, which goes to show that the Holy Spirit is, indeed part of the triune God. (Acts 5: 1-4)
Really, the only ones who reject any of this that is so plain in Scripture, are the Jehovah's Witnesses. And it is only their corrupt Bible Version, the New World Translation that calls the Holy Spirit an "it" rather than "He".
This is the first big problem I came up against after I left my parents' JW home and started searching for the real truth of God's word. I was appauled that the NWT was the only one to use "it" regarding the Holy Spirit. And it showed me that the Watch Tower was outright lying when it always said that there was no difference between their NWT and other Bibles.
2007-10-08 10:48:21 · answer #3 · answered by Simon Peter 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure I understand your question. Do you think the words "active force" means the Holy Spirit is impersonal (and therefore wouldn't feel emotion)? Need to see who is using this phrase and in what context. Anyone who really does believe the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force is probably trying to develop some kind of generic philosophy out of Christianity, a project going on since at least the 17th-18th century.
2007-10-07 22:02:52 · answer #4 · answered by James R 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I've always understood the descriptions in these passages to have been written to give an understanding of the Holy Spirit in more human terms for human understanding, but you've raised a good question. I'm going to dig into this a little more later.
2007-10-08 14:31:31 · answer #5 · answered by Rob 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The HOly Spirit is a person and the HOly SPirit is a person of the Godhead. TITLE. BLessed trinity.
BUt the HOly Spirit is very active in our lives, as a force of power that will lead and guide us in all things. God is a pwoerful, almighty God. Yes The HOly Spirit is a person and can expeerience emotions, etc. But, the Holy Spirit is power and has a force that is not to be recconed with.
The HOly Spirit can bring you to your knees in prayer, confession, etc, to elad you in truth and away from error, very powerful. But is a person not just an inbisble power of force. WE cannot see the HOly SPirit, but we can feel HIm, and yes thru the winds, the breath of God. OH, so much on this subject. Just never deny the Spirit of God, HE is very real.... and denying HIm leads to death.
2007-10-08 09:44:16 · answer #6 · answered by full gospel shirley 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Scriptures clearly teach that the Holy Spirit is NOT a person, but an impersonal thing or quality. Here are two obvious lines of reasoning...
1. People are NOT filled with other people; they are filled with impersonal QUALITIES:
(Luke 1:41) Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit
(Luke 2:40) filled with wisdom
(Luke 4:28) became filled with anger
(Luke 5:26) they became filled with fear
(Luke 6:11) they became filled with madness
(Acts 3:10) they became filled with astonishment
(Acts 5:17) Sadducees, rose and became filled with jealousy
(Acts 19:29) the city became filled with confusion
2. Logical connections
Here the impersonal thing Holy Spirit is connected with the impersonal thing "power":
(Acts 10:38) God anointed him with holy spirit and power
Here the impersonal thing Holy Spirit is connected with the impersonal thing "joy":
(Acts 13:52) the disciples continued to be filled with joy and holy spirit
The Scriptures apply anthroporphic qualities to many impersonal things. Trinitarians are required to believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, but literally *ALL* of their so-called "proofs" that the Holy Spirit is a person fail in the light of the entire bible. Here are lines of reasoning that expose the unscripturality of the arguments which pretend that the Holy Spirit is a person.
Comparing these two Scriptures (which describe the identical event) helps explain that the Holy Spirit can be thought of as "God's finger".
(Luke 11:20) If it is by means of God's finger I expel the demons, the kingdom of God has really overtaken YOU. . .
(Matthew 12:28) If it is by means of God’s spirit that I expel the demons, the kingdom of God has really overtaken YOU.
Can a person's finger be "hurt" (or "grieved")? Obviously.
(Isaiah 63:10) They themselves rebelled and made his holy spirit [or "God's finger"] feel hurt
(Ephesians 4:30) Also, do not be grieving God's holy spirit [or "God's finger"]
The Scriptures often personify impersonal things or qualities:
(Luke 7:35) wisdom is proved righteous by all its children
(Romans 5:14) death ruled as king
(Romans 5:21) sin ruled as king
Referring to the "mind" or governing principles of an inanimate thing does not make it a person; neither does referring to a thing's "heart" or core make it a person:
(Matthew 12:40) the heart of the earth
(Exodus 15:8) the heart of the sea
(2 Samuel 18:14) the heart of the big tree
(Deuteronomy 4:11, footnote) the heart of the heavens
The Scriptures clarify that actual PERSONS spoke ON BEHALF OF the Holy Spirit:
(Acts 4:25) holy spirit said by the mouth of our forefather David...
(Acts 28:25) The holy spirit aptly spoke through Isaiah the prophet
(Matthew 10:20) it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you
Other nonpersons 'testify' or 'bear witness':
(1 John 5:7,8) there are three witness bearers, the spirit and the water and the blood
Arguments pretending that a person can "fill" another person are based on pagan witchcraft and Babylonish mysticism. The Scriptures consistently show that only nonpersonal qualities can "fill" a person. Jehovah's Witnesses are unlikely to trade their Scriptural true worship for witchcraft and Trinitarian false worship; apostasy such as trinitarianism was foretold in the bible.
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) We request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason... the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed
(2 Peter 2:1) there will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects
Finally, if trinitarians are true Christians, why do they ignore Christ's command that each Christian must preach?
(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.
(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded
Learn more:
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_07.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_08.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20020515/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20050422/article_02.htm
2007-10-08 14:37:27 · answer #7 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Don't forget:
Ananias was one of the members of the church at Jerusalem, who conspired with his wife Sapphira to deceive the Christian brothers, and who fell down and immediately died after he had uttered the falsehood (Acts 5:5).
What did St. Peter say to Ananias? "You have lied to the Holy Spirit. You have not lied to men, but to God."
The Holy Spirit IS God. A Personage of Spirit.
2007-10-07 22:03:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
A few days ago I was grieving that the power company cut my electricity off. I am the one feeling grieving emotions, not the electricity that came from the electric company. I felt that way because I missed having electricity at home.
2007-10-07 22:19:05 · answer #9 · answered by Aeon Enigma 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those who refer to the Holy Spirit as a "Force" are simply wrong. Unbiblical, to say the least. As you rightly pointed out, the Holy Spirit is a member (i.e. one of three 'persons') of the Trinity.
2007-10-07 22:04:49 · answer #10 · answered by Steve C 1 · 4⤊ 1⤋