Holy Spirit

In various religions, most notably Christianity, the Holy Spirit (also called the Holy Ghost in Trinitarian Christianity) is a form of God, being the third Person of the Holy Trinity. The word "Spirit" commonly translates the Greek New Testament word pneuma (Greek: ??????).

Christian views of the Holy Spirit

In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit is one person of the Trinity, co-equal with the Father and the Son (Jesus).

Related Topics:
Christianity - Trinity - Jesus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christians believe it is the Holy Spirit who leads people to faith in Jesus and the one who gives them the ability to lead a Christian life. The Spirit dwells inside every true Christian, each one's body being His temple (First Epistle to the Corinthians 3:16). He is depicted as a 'Counsellor' or 'Helper' (paraclete in Greek), guiding them in the way of the truth. The Spirit's action in one's life is believed to produce positive results, known as the Fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit is also believed to give gifts (i.e. abilities) to Christians. These include the charismatic gifts such as prophecy, tongues, healing, and knowledge. (Some Christians, whose view is known as cessationism, believe these gifts were given only in New Testament times.) Christians agree almost universally that certain more mundane "spiritual gifts" are still in effect today, including the gifts of ministry, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy (see, e.g. Romans 12:6-8). In some sects of Christianity, the experience of the Holy Spirit is referred to as being annointed. In the African American Gospel music tradition, the experience of the Holy Spirit is referred to as 'getting happy'.

Related Topics:
First Epistle to the Corinthians - Greek - Charismatic - Prophecy - Tongues - Cessationism - New Testament - Spiritual gifts - Romans - Annointed - African American - Gospel music - Getting happy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christians believe that it is the Holy Spirit whom Jesus mentions as the promised "Comforter" (i.e. "strengthener", "fortifier") in John 14:26. After his resurrection, Christ told his disciples that they would be "baptized with the Holy Ghost", and would receive power from this event (Acts 1:4-8); a promise that was fulfilled in the events recounted in the second chapter of Acts. On the first Pentecost, Jesus' disciples were gathered in Jerusalem when a mighty wind was heard and tongues of fire appeared over their heads. A multilingual crowd heard the disciples speaking, and each of them heard them speaking in his or her native language. The Christian movement called Pentecostalism derives its name from these events.

Related Topics:
John - Resurrection - Baptized - Acts - Pentecost - Jerusalem - Language - Pentecostalism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Pentecostal movement places special emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, and especially on the gifts mentioned above, believing that they are still given today. Many Pentecostals believe in a 'Baptism of the Holy Spirit', in which the Spirit's power is received by the Christian in a new way. Some Pentecostal sects hold that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the one sure sign of Christianity in a person, or conversely, that until a person has experienced this baptism of the Holy Spirit, they cannot be certain of their salvation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

According to dispensationalism, we are now living in the Age of the Spirit. The Old Testament period, under this view, may be called the Age of the Father; the period covered by the Gospels, the Age of the Son; from Pentecost until the second advent of Christ, the Age of the Spirit.

Related Topics:
Dispensationalism - Old Testament - Second advent of Christ

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While most Christians think of the person of the Holy Spirit as being a He or It, Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, and others, believe that the Holy Spirit is a feminine Motherly Being, deriving this from the Hebrew language, rather than Greek or Latin. They also believe that ancient (and modern) Goddesses, and the veneration of Mary by Catholics, are derived from this truth. They sometimes ascribe the name "Sophia" to the Holy Spirit.

Related Topics:
Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists - Hebrew language - Greek - Latin - Goddesses - Mary - Catholics - Sophia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A number of Kabbalists believe that the Holy Spirit and the Shekinah (both of which are feminine words in the Hebrew) are one and the same, though they do not generally believe in her individual Personhood. The late Lois Roden, former president of the Branch organization, began teaching this aspect of the Spirit beginning in 1977. Thus Branch believers see a Family in heaven, whose family image is clearly seen on earth.

Related Topics:
Kabbalists - Shekinah - Lois Roden

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~