2: The Personality of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit
/ By Randall Johnson

Does it matter if the Holy Spirit is a person or not? It absolutely matters, for three reasons:

1) The testimony of Scripture is that He is a person,

2) The testimony of Scripture to the Triune personality of God demands that He is a person equal in every attribute to the Father and the Son,

3) Like the Father and the Son, we can relate to Him.

Charles Ryrie, in his book The Holy Spirit, has provided a very helpful marshalling of Biblical evidence to the personality of the Holy Spirit:

He Has the Attributes of Personality:

Intellect (the ability to think)

^{1 Corinthians 2:10}these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

^{1 Corinthians 2:13}This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

^{Romans 8:27}And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Emotion (the ability to feel)

^{Ephesians 4:30}And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

^{Romans 15:30}I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Will (the ability to choose)

^{1 Corinthians 12:11}All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

^{Acts 16:7}When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

He Does the Actions of Personality

Teaching (John 14:26)
Testifying (John 15:26; Romans 8:16)
Guiding (Romans 8:14)
Convincing (John 16:7-8)
Restraining (Genesis 6:3)
Commanding (Acts 8:29)
Performing miracles (Acts 8:39)
Calling to service (Acts 13:2)
Interceding (Romans 8:26)

He Has the Ascriptions of Personality

He is Obeyed (Acts 10:19-21)
He is Lied to (Acts 5:3)
He is Resisted (Acts 7:51)
He is Grieved (Ephesians 4:30)
He is Blasphemed (Matthew 12:31) – This is also a proof of His deity
He can be Despised (Hebrews 10:29)

Because He is a person, you and I can relate to Him. Have you ever talked to Him? You can. Do you love Him? You can. Do you see Him working in and through you? He will.

About the Author Randall Johnson

A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.

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