The following is excerpted from R.A. Torrey’s article The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit, available as one of the many free text commentaries at the Blue Letter Bible.
One of the most characteristic and distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith is that of the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship. If the Holy Spirit is a divine person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith and our love, and we do not know and recognize Him as such, then we are robbing a divine Being of the adoration and love and confidence which are His due.
The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is also of the highest importance from the practical standpoint. If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit; but if we think of Him in the Biblical way as a divine Person, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, “How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?” Is there no difference between the thought of the worm using God to thrash the mountain, or God using the worm to thrash the mountain? The former conception is low and heathenish, not differing essentially from the thought of the African fetich worshipper who uses his god to do his will. The latter conception is lofty and Christian. If we think of the Holy Spirit merely as a power or influence, our thought will be, “How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?”; but if we think of Him as a divine Person, our thought will be, “How can the Holy Spirit get more of me?” The former conception leads to self-exaltation; the latter conception to self-humiliation, self-emptyings and self-renunciation. If we think of the Holy Spirit merely as a Divine power or influence and then imagine that we have received the Holy Spirit, there will be the temptation to feel as if we belonged to a superior order of Christians. A woman once came to me to ask a question and began by saying, “Before I ask the question, I want you to understand that I am a Holy Ghost woman.” The words and the manner of uttering them made me shudder. I could not believe that they were true. But if we think of the Holy Spirit in the Biblical way as a divine Being of infinite majesty, condescending to dwell in our hearts and take possession of our lives, it will put us in the dust, and make us walk very softly before God.
It is of the highest importance from an experimental standpoint that we know the Holy Spirit as a person. Many can testify of the blessing that has come into their own lives from coming to know the Holy Spirit, as an ever-present, livings divine Friend and Helper.
There are four lines of proof in the Bible that the Holy Spirit is a person. We will outline these four proofs in the the next few blog posts!
Ray Waldren says
February 21, 2013 at 2:46 pmGood stuff. It seems that most Christians relegate the Third Person of the Trinity to the status of ‘auditor’ of all things God is doing, rather than the ‘I AM’ who is actually doing it.
I fear that only the Penetcostals will pick up on this and relate to your blog; but that’s OK…there’s only 600 million of us!
Mark Hayes says
February 21, 2013 at 3:41 pmHallelujah for the godly wisdom of Mr R. Torrey.
He writes “But if we think of the Holy Spirit in the Biblical way as a divine Being of infinite majesty, condescending to dwell in our hearts and take possession of our lives, it will put us in the dust, and make us walk very softly before God”
God found Jacob, His Israel [people] in the desert and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness, yet the Spirit of the LORD had mercy on Jacob. The LORD hovered over Jacob, keeping him in the pupil of his eye, leading him and instructing him as he went. Deuteronomy 32:9-11
This is a picture which reminds us of God’s ‘agent’ in the beginning of creation, where the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genesis 1:2.
God is Spirit, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. As by His mercy the LORD found Jacob in the wilderness, a desolate empty place where wild beasts were howling so when God draws a person to Jesus Christ, it is when the man also is in a place of desolation and emptyiness in the heart, where the soul is howling in anguish at its’ enmity with God. This was my experience.
Yet God’s message had been sent to me, carried by another saved by grace. The LORD in His mercy found me and in the same act of mercy given to Jacob He began to lead me and instruct me. He did this from afar, keeping me in the pupil of his eye, until in repentance I was brought on my knees, in tears before the Lord Jesus Christ confessing my sin.
From that time the Spirit of Grace had filled me with God’s Holy Spirit.
I know Him as my God, my Helper, the Counsellor, the Spirit of Truth. I owe God a debt forever, yet it is a debt that I can never repay because the Lord Jesus paid it all, and I could repay nothing.
As the eagle is a bird of majesty hovering over her young Deuteronomy 32:11, so the Holy Spirit is our God of Divine being and majesty, firstly hovering over a man until conviction of sin and belief in Jesus Christ is wrought in the heart, and then keeping God’s child sealed and hid in the Spirit of Grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise God that He not only hovers over me now but that the Holy Spirit dwells within me. This will be forever. John 14:16
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Thank you Chris
Blessings in Christ,
Mark Hayes
NZ
Carol says
February 23, 2013 at 4:45 amChris & Mark & Donna,
I enjoyed reading your posts. Understanding the Holy Spirit is somehow neglected training in many churches! Yet without that understanding, we have no power for our lives and service to our Lord. How sad that so many of us struggle against the very being deposited into us as our power source and constant companion of loving aid.
Chris, I look forward to your next blog – I want to know more and learn to live it out.
In Him,
Carol
US
Donna Sharp says
February 23, 2013 at 3:13 amWell said both R.A. & Mark Hayes.The Promise Fullfilled 🙂
The Holy Spirit dwelling in me is the most wonderful prophecy ever fullfilled in my life by my Christ and Savior.
It is one of the most wonderful things that could have ever happened to me. He’s my best friend & My Daddy & My Savior what a great thing that is….I ask him to refill me with himself daily, give me more I say 🙂
He changed me from the inside out. He taught me boundries, self control, insite, wisdom, and the LOVE of My Father “YHWH” and the LOVE of My Savior My King Christ….
He constantly guides in the path in which I should go LOVINGLY, GENTLY, STERNLY SOMETIMES, as a father would when you first learn to walk.
All who are parents remember the gentle leading you gave when your children walked, you allowed them some leeway but nudged them gently to keep them on a clear path away from danger, sometimes with just one finger….
He is that still small voice that guides me to park here, talk this way, listen your hearing wrong, listen your hearing right, say this,dont say that.
He comforts me in my times of despair, He corrects me when I get misguided, He Loves on me in my times of worship…
He will always be with me so I AM NEVER ALONE!!! Trust me when I tell you to KNOW I AM NEVER ALONE for FOR ETERNITY is “AWESOME” My Daddy is in me, with me, and I am one with HIm and Christ.
To know we are and can be one with them is the most precious gift….
Father for that I am forever, eternally greatful. Amen. I pray all my brothers and sisters come to know you “Holy Spirit” in a way that you become their best friend too !
Be Blessed, Be Loved, BELIEVE