Who or What is the Holy Spirit?

adrian009 said:

The Holy Spirit forms an essential aspect of the theology of Christianity, best known as one of the three parts of the Christian Triune God. However the Holy Spirit forms part of the theology of other Abrahamic Faiths and can also form part of the world view of Dharmic Faiths. There is a rich tapestry of ideas and concepts concerning the Holy Spirit and this thread is an opportunity towards achieving a better understanding.

What are the origins of some of these differing concepts?

What are the inconsistencies and contradictions?

Why would one or more of these concepts be true, and others not?

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In Islam it refers to Angel Gabriel, prophet Jesus have been powered and supported by Angel Gabriel.

Faithofchristian said:

You know I would be in question what spirit do you have exactly, If your claiming to have that very Spirit which gave bible, scriptures, how is it that you don't know?

Whats wrong with this picture?

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According to Scripture we're all at different stages of growth.

"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:11-14

"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:1-3

JesusBeliever said:

According to Scripture we're all at different stages of growth.

"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:11-14

"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:1-3

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That all depends as to which growth your referring to?

adrian009 said:

The Holy Spirit forms an essential aspect of the theology of Christianity, best known as one of the three parts of the Christian Triune God. However the Holy Spirit forms part of the theology of other Abrahamic Faiths and can also form part of the world view of Dharmic Faiths. There is a rich tapestry of ideas and concepts concerning the Holy Spirit and this thread is an opportunity towards achieving a better understanding.

What are the origins of some of these differing concepts?

What are the inconsistencies and contradictions?

Why would one or more of these concepts be true, and others not?

Click to expand...

The Holy Spirit is the mother aspect of God.
Out of the womb of the Holy Spirit all things are born.

adrian009 said:

The Holy Spirit forms an essential aspect of the theology of Christianity, best known as one of the three parts of the Christian Triune God. However the Holy Spirit forms part of the theology of other Abrahamic Faiths and can also form part of the world view of Dharmic Faiths. There is a rich tapestry of ideas and concepts concerning the Holy Spirit and this thread is an opportunity towards achieving a better understanding.

What are the origins of some of these differing concepts?

What are the inconsistencies and contradictions?

Why would one or more of these concepts be true, and others not?

Click to expand...

adrian009,
There are thousands of wrong beliefs, that is the reason that the truth is spoken of as, The Way, Acts 9:2, 19:9,23, 22:4. That is also the reason the walking in the truth means that you are waking on the straight and narrow road that leads to everlasting life, while the vast majority are walking on the broad road leading to destruction, Matthew 7:13,14.
The Holy Spirit is Jehovah God, The Almighty, in action. This is the reason that The Holy Spirit is sometimes spoken of as He, John 14:16, 26, 16:7.
Since God is a spirit, He does not need to touch anything with His Hands, as we do, to get things done, He does millions of things at the same time, with His Holy Spirit, that accomplishes anything and everything, that He sends it to do.
Just about everything that we can know about the Holy Spirit is taught in 1Corinthians, in chapters 12-14. Here the Scriptures mention many things that athe Holy Spirit does, but it mentions that it is the same Spirit, that accomplishes what God sends it to do. The Holy Spirit is the most powerful thing in existence, because it comes from the Omnipotent God, Jehovah!!!
There is no such thing as a Trinity!! The Holy Spirit is God’s power, Jesus is God’s son, whom God created, Revelation 3:14, Colossians 1:15, John 6:57.

12jtartar said:

There is no such thing as a Trinity!! The Holy Spirit is God’s power,

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Yep, I lie to electricity all the time, I tell it, 'you can turn on the TV, I've paid for you this month'!

Acts 5:3 (ESV Strong's) 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

djhwoodwerks said:

Yep, I lie to electricity all the time, I tell it, 'you can turn on the TV, I've paid for you this month'!

Acts 5:3 (ESV Strong's) 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

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How does your TV and electric bill fit in the discussion?

Gerry said:

How does your TV and electric bill fit in the discussion?

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12jtartar said:

There is no such thing as a Trinity!! The Holy Spirit is God’s power,

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Because 12jtartar says that the Holy Spirit is God's "power". If the Holy Spirit is just God's power, or active force, it couldn't be lied to, but the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit WAS lied to.

Acts 5:3 (ESV Strong's) 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

So, the Holy Spirit is more than just "power".

djhwoodwerks said:

Because 12jtartar says that the Holy Spirit is God's "power". If the Holy Spirit is just God's power, or active force, it couldn't be lied to, but the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit WAS lied to.

Acts 5:3 (ESV Strong's) 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

So, the Holy Spirit is more than just "power".

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I must respectfully disagree with your rigid interpretation.
The holy spirit can be described as a power, imo.

Webster dictionary definition:
1a (1) :ability to act or produce an effect
The Holy Spirit has the ability to act or produce an effect.
The Spirit is a power that works in unsaved persons to lead them to God, the father. Once saved, the Spirit will continue working to help in making the person more like Jesus. When the Spirit convicts, a person still can choose not to follow. This is what I think Peter was referring to.
Ananias was convicted to be truthful and chose not to. I can't imagine Ananias, or any believer, will 'have a discussion' with God and actually lie. It makes no sense. Plus there is no evidence that he spoke a lie. He just chose to do his own selfish desire instead of follow what the Spirit was convicting him to do.

Jesus brought the kingdom of His Father to the earth. How?
By connecting us to our Father in heaven through the Holy Spirit.

God bless.

Gerry said:

Ananias was convicted to be truthful and chose not to.

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That would be rejection, not lying.

Gerry said:

Plus there is no evidence that he spoke a lie.

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Acts 5:1-2 (ESV Strong's) 1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 5:7-9 (ESV Strong's) 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?

adrian009 said:

So how do you know it is the Holy Spirit residing in you?

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I believe first because it was promised and second because f fulfilled prophecy and third because things that would not have normally increased in me ie love, joy , peace patience have increased.

Faithofchristian said:

Alot of Christians will confess of having the Holy Spirit, but then if you ask them to explain certain things in the bible, they have no clue.
Now Waite your saying you have the Holy Spirit which gave the scriptures of the bible, but yet you don't have a clue of what things mean in the bible.
What's wrong with this picture?

That's like asking your mechanic that works on your car, about something on your car, but yet he doesn't have a clue about it.
Then why is he working on your car.

You know I would be in question what spirit do you have exactly, If your claiming to have that very Spirit which gave bible, scriptures, how is it that you don't know?

Whats wrong with this picture?

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I believe my wife fits into that category. I believe the Holy Spirit can only work in a person to the extent that the person allows it. It is one thing to give tacit permission and another to actually consciously allow the Holy Spirit to work. For all intents and purposes the person seems like any other sinner without Jesus but as far as Jesus is concerned as long as the heart is right then He forgives the rest.

FearGod said:

In Islam it refers to Angel Gabriel, prophet Jesus have been powered and supported by Angel Gabriel.

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I believe I never saw that in the Qu'ran. The Qu'ran does say that Jesus has a Spirit. That isn't as explicit as it should be but then the Qu'ran seldom is when it comes to Jesus.

Muffled said:

I believe I never saw that in the Qu'ran. The Qu'ran does say that Jesus has a Spirit. That isn't as explicit as it should be but then the Qu'ran seldom is when it comes to Jesus.

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You may read here

Gerry said:

I must respectfully disagree with your rigid interpretation.
The holy spirit can be described as a power, imo.

Webster dictionary definition:
1a (1) :ability to act or produce an effect
The Holy Spirit has the ability to act or produce an effect.

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12jtartar say's the Holy Spirit is "God's power", and in that sense, it doesn't have the "ability to act", it can only do or produce what God wants done.

FearGod said:

You may read here

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I believe in holding on to the truth. Opinions tend to vary.

djhwoodwerks said:

12jtartar say's the Holy Spirit is "God's power", and in that sense, it doesn't have the "ability to act", it can only do or produce what God wants done.

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The Paraclete is God so of course it can only act as God and of course it is powerful. However God's attributes are not limited to actions or power.