MONDAY JULY 14, 2014 THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON Ellen G. White wrote that “the nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. . . . Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.”—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 52.Nevertheless, she also affirmed that “the Holy Spirit is a person, for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. . . . He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God.”—Ellen G. White, Evangelism, pp. 616, 617. This statement was based on the Bible (Rom. 8:16 and 1 Cor. 2:10, 11). So, although we are limited by our human nature, through the Scriptures we can at least know that the Holy Spirit is a Person and that He is Divine. What Jesus said about the Holy Spirit confirms this conclusion. What are some of the actions of the Holy Spirit that show us He is a Person? See John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7–14. ______________________________ Jesus mentioned several activities the Spirit carries out, all of which imply a personality. Who better than a person can teach us and bring to our remembrance all the things that Christ said (John 14:26)? Or who better than a personal being can testify of Jesus (John 15:26), convict the world (John 16:8), guide us into all truth, and also hear and speak (vs. 13)? Following the teachings of Jesus, the New Testament writers made it clear that the Holy Spirit has the essential characteristics of a person: will (1 Cor. 12:11), intelligence (Acts 15:28, Rom. 8:27), and emotions (Rom. 15:30, Eph. 4:30). Because the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, we must humbly surrender ourselves to His will and guidance. We will invite Him to dwell in our hearts (Rom. 8:9), to transform our lives (Titus 3:5), and to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our characters (Gal. 5:22, 23). On our own, we are helpless; only through His power working in us can we become what we have been promised in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a gift; like most gifts, it can be rejected. How can you make sure, day by day, that you are not turning away from what the Holy Spirit seeks to do in your life?
Posted on: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 12:13:24 +0000
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