As Christians, our understanding and definition of the Holy Spirit separates us from other believers using similar terms. A proper understanding is important because it defines us as Christians and helps us understand how to respond to God’s Spirit. In this sense, the truth about the Holy Spirit has definitive and practical value to all of us as Christians. First, a proper understanding of God’s Spirit distinguishes us from other theistic believers. The Christian worldview describes the Holy Spirit as a:
1) Distinct Person within the Triune Godhead,
2) Distinct from the Father and the Son
3) Possessing All the Attributes of Personhood and
4) Possessing All the Attributes of Deity
Other theistic systems describe the Spirit differently, however, and these differences separate them from the Christian worldview:
Religions and Cults Denying the Trinity
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians, Unitarians, the Christian Family Fellowship and the Unification Church (Moonies) teach the Holy Spirit is God’s spirit or God’s active and impersonal force (like radar or electricity), and not an actual person. Some Christadelphians believe one way God uses his Holy Spirit is in the form of his angels.
Christianity disagrees, based on the clear Biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person with personal attributes just like God the Father and Jesus.
The Islamic Faith
Islam teaches the Holy Spirit is an agent of divine action or communication commonly identified with the angel Gabriel who delivered the words of the Koran to Muhammad.
Once again, Christianity disagrees, based on the clear Biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit is a unique person distinct from God, and not an angel of God.
The Bahá’í Faith
Bahá’í believers, recognize the Holy Spirit, also known as the “Most Great Spirit”, as the “bounty of God”. It is usually used to describe the descent of the Spirit of God upon the messengers (prophets) of God, which are known as “Manifestations” of God, and include (among others) Jesus, Muhammad and Bahá’u’lláh. The Holy Spirit is the conduit through which the wisdom of God becomes directly associated with His messenger, and it has been described in different religions as “the burning bush” (when the Spirit appeared to Moses), the “sacred fire” (as recognized by Zoroaster), the “dove” (as the Spirit appeared to Jesus), the “Angel Gabriel” (as He appeared to Muhammad), and the “Holy Maiden” (as the Spirit appeared to Bahá’u’lláh).
Christianity disagrees, based on the clear Biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person with personal attributes of His own and not a mere conduit.
The “Oneness Pentecostal” Faith
Oneness Pentecostals (like Orthodox Christians) believe Jesus had two natures while he was walking the earth. He was both God and man. But Oneness Pentecostals also believe God is now in the “form / mode / manifestation” of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is simply God the Father in another form. They make a careful distinction here: the Holy Spirit is not a coexistent person within the Godhead, along with the Father and the Son, but is instead, God the Father in another “mode”.
Christianity disagrees, based on the clear Biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit presently exists alongside the Father and Jesus as a distinct, divine person within a triune godhead.
The Mormon Faith
Mormonism distinguishes between the “Holy Spirit” and the “Holy Ghost”. The Holy Spirit is understood as God’s presence via an essence filling the immensity of space and enabling God to know what is going on (in this sense, the Spirit is likened to electricity). The Holy Ghost is understood as the third god in the polytheistic Mormon doctrine of the gods. The Holy Ghost is a “spirit man” and can only be at one place at one time.
Christianity disagrees, based on the clear Biblical teaching that there is only one God, yet the Holy Spirit is a distinct person within the Godhead.
The Jewish Faith
Although most Jews consider the Holy Spirit to be a thoroughly Christian concept, the Holy Spirit stems from a Hebrew figure of speech, the “ruah ha-qodesh”. In Jewish usage, however, this concept was never identified with a separate person, but with a Divine power which could fill men, as, for instance, the prophets.
Christianity disagrees, based on the clear Biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person within the Godhead. While there are lots of ideas related to the nature of God and His Holy Spirit, it’s easy to see why Christians would reject some of the common notions that are offered by other theists. The Christian essential truth that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person within the triune Godhead has been affirmed for thousands of years. It is one of many Christian essentials that defines us as believers and demarks us uniquely within the community of religions.
A proper understanding of the Holy Spirit helps to define us as Christians, but there is a second important reason to investigate the nature of the Spirit. A proper understanding of the Holy Spirit actually determines (in large part) how we worship. If the Holy Spirit is a divine person, our worship is going to be radically different than if it is an emanation, influence or force from God. If the Spirit is a mysterious force or wonderful power, then shouldn’t we be learning how to grasp and utilize this power from God? If, on the other hand, the Spirit is a person within the triune nature of God, wouldn’t He be worthy of our praise, adoration and love? There are typically two views of the Holy Spirit related to our relationship with Him:
1. The Holy Spirit is something that we must grasp and utilize
2. The Holy Spirit is God Himself and has the power to grasp and utilize us.
There is a big difference in these two views of the Spirit, and how we come to understand the Holy Spirit’s nature will definitely have an impact on how we live and worship as believers. If the Holy Spirit is a distinct, divine person, the following areas of our Christian life should be impacted:
It Should Impact the Way We Give Thanks
How many times have you offered thanks to God the Father for giving up His Son on the Cross? How many times have you offered thanks to Jesus for dying for our sins? It seems easy for us to offer thanks to these two members of the Godhead, but can you remember the last time you thanked the Holy Spirit for anything? Now that you know a little more about the Spirit, can you see why it would be appropriate to thank the Holy Spirit specifically for His work in your life? Can you see why it might be important to thank the Holy Spirit for being the eternal and infinite Spirit of God who came into this world of sin and darkness to pursue us so patiently? Can you see why it might be important to thank Him for bringing the Word of God to our minds, comforting and helping us to understand all that God has revealed to us in the scriptures and interceding for us? A proper understanding of the nature of the Holy Spirit will change our prayer life.
It Should Impact the Way We Worship
We owe our salvation just as much to the love of the Spirit as we do to the love of the Father and the Son. R. A Torry writes, “But what of the love of the Holy Spirit? He was sent by the Father in answer to the prayer of the Son, leading Him to seek me out in my utter blindness and ruin. He followed me day after day, week after week, and year after year, though I persistently turned a deaf ear to His pleadings, following me through paths of sin where it must have been agony for that holy one to go, until at last I listened. He opened my eyes to see my utter ruin and then revealed Jesus to me as just the Savior who would meet my every need, and then He enabled me to receive this Jesus as my own Savior.” A proper understanding of the love of the Holy Spirit will change the way we worship.
It Should Impact the Way We Relate to God
There are some important truths about the Holy Spirit that simply cannot be ignored if we want to understand the nature of the Triune God of the Bible. If we want to understand the nature of God and understand how he deals with each of us personally and as a family, we need to understand his nature properly. We need to understand that he cares about his children enough to assign important tasks to each member of the Godhead. When we see what God values, we recognize how much He is to be valued. A proper understanding of the role and responsibilities of the Holy Spirit will change the way we relate to God.
There are good reasons to take the time to investigate and understand the nature of the Holy Spirit. A proper understanding of God’s Spirit defines us as Christians and helps us to relate to God in a proper and meaningful way. A proper understanding of God’s Spirit defines us as Christians and helps us to relate to God in a proper and meaningful way. Click To Tweet
For more information about the reliability of the New Testament gospels and the case for Christianity, please read Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. This book teaches readers ten principles of cold-case investigations and applies these strategies to investigate the claims of the gospel authors. The book is accompanied by an eight-session Cold-Case Christianity DVD Set (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.
J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids.
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Kama Wakristo, uelewa wetu na ufafanuzi wa Roho Mtakatifu hututenganisha na waumini wengine wanaotumia maneno kama hayo. Uelewa sahihi ni muhimu kwa sababu unatufafanua kama Wakristo na hutusaidia kuelewa jinsi ya kujibu Roho wa Mungu. Kwa maana hii, ukweli kuhusu Roho Mtakatifu una thamani ya mwisho na ya vitendo kwa sisi sote kama Wakristo. Kwanza, uelewa sahihi wa Roho wa Mungu hututofautisha na waamini wengine wa theisti. "Kristo anaelezea Roho Mtakatifu kama: ""Mtu wa pekee ndani ya Utatu wa Mungu, tofauti na Baba na Mwana, mwenye sifa zote za utu na sifa zote za Mungu"" (Wakristo, Wakristo, Wakristo wa Umoja, Wakristo wa Familia, na Kanisa la Umoja) wanafundisha Roho Mtakatifu ni roho ya Mungu au nguvu ya Mungu inayofanya kazi na isiyo ya kibinafsi (kama rada au umeme) na sio mtu halisi." Baadhi ya Wakristo wa Christadelphian wanaamini njia moja ambayo Mungu hutumia Roho Mtakatifu wake ni katika umbo la malaika zake. Ukristo haukubaliani, kwa msingi wa mafundisho ya wazi ya Biblia kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu tofauti na sifa za kibinafsi kama vile Mungu Baba na Yesu. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika Uislamu, Roho Mtakatifu ni ""wakala wa vitendo vya kimungu au mawasiliano"" ambayo kwa kawaida hutambuliwa na malaika Gabrieli ambaye alitoa maneno ya Qur'ani kwa Muhammad." Kwa mara nyingine tena, Ukristo haukubaliani, kwa msingi wa mafundisho ya wazi ya Biblia kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu wa kipekee tofauti na Mungu, na si malaika wa Mungu. Waumini wa Baha'i, wanamtambua Roho Mtakatifu, anayejulikana pia kama "Roho Mkuu Zaidi", kama "zaidi ya Mungu". "Hii ni kwa sababu ya kuonekana kwa Roho wa Mungu juu ya wajumbe wa Mungu, ambao wanajulikana kama ""Manifestations"" ya Mungu, na ni pamoja na Yesu, Muhammad na Bahá'u'lláh." Roho Mtakatifu ni njia ambayo hekima ya Mungu inahusishwa moja kwa moja na mjumbe wake, na imeelezwa katika dini tofauti kama "mti wa moto unaowaka" (wakati Roho alimtokea Musa), "moto mtakatifu" (kama ilivyotambuliwa na Zoroaster), "pige" (kama Roho alimtokea Yesu), "Malaika Gabriel" (kama alivyotambuliwa kwa Muhammad), na "Bikira Mtakatifu" (kama Roho alimtokea Bahá'u'lláh). Ukristo haukubaliani, kwa msingi wa mafundisho ya wazi ya Biblia kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu tofauti na sifa za kibinafsi zake mwenyewe na si njia tu. "Umoja Pentecostal" Imani Unity Pentecostals (kama Wakristo Othodoksi) kuamini Yesu alikuwa na asili mbili wakati yeye alikuwa kutembea duniani. Alikuwa Mungu na pia mtu. "Wakristo wa Pentekoste wanaamini kwamba Mungu yuko katika ""umbo la Roho Mtakatifu.""" Roho Mtakatifu ni Mungu Baba katika namna nyingine. "Hii ni tofauti ya kipekee: Roho Mtakatifu si mtu aliyepo pamoja ndani ya Uungu, pamoja na Baba na Mwana, lakini badala yake, ni Mungu Baba katika ""mtazamo"" mwingine." Ukristo haukubaliani, kwa msingi wa mafundisho ya wazi ya Biblia kwamba Roho Mtakatifu kwa sasa yupo pamoja na Baba na Yesu kama mtu tofauti, wa kimungu ndani ya mungu wa utatu. Imani ya Mormon Mormonism inatofautisha kati ya <unk>Roho Mtakatifu<unk> na <unk>Roho Mtakatifu<unk>. Roho Mtakatifu hueleweka kama uwepo wa Mungu kupitia kiini kinachojaza upeo wa nafasi na kumwezesha Mungu kujua kinachoendelea (kwa maana hii, Roho hufananishwa na umeme). Roho Mtakatifu anaeleweka kuwa mungu wa tatu katika fundisho la Wamormoni la miungu ya miungu. Roho Mtakatifu ni "mtu wa roho" na anaweza kuwa mahali pamoja tu kwa wakati mmoja. Ukristo haukubaliani, kwa msingi wa mafundisho ya wazi ya Kibiblia kwamba kuna Mungu mmoja tu, lakini Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu tofauti ndani ya Uungu. Ingawa Wayahudi wengi huona Roho Mtakatifu kuwa dhana ya Kikristo kabisa, Roho Mtakatifu hutokana na usemi wa Kiebrania, <unk>ruah ha-qodesh<unk>. Hata hivyo, katika matumizi ya Kiyahudi, wazo hili halikuwahi kutambuliwa na mtu tofauti, bali na nguvu ya kimungu ambayo ingeweza kujaza watu, kama, kwa mfano, manabii. Ukristo haukubaliani, kwa msingi wa mafundisho ya wazi ya Biblia kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu tofauti ndani ya Uungu. Ingawa kuna mawazo mengi yanayohusiana na asili ya Mungu na Roho Mtakatifu wake, ni rahisi kuona kwa nini Wakristo wangekataa baadhi ya dhana za kawaida zinazotolewa na theists wengine. Ukweli wa msingi wa Kikristo kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu tofauti ndani ya Utatu wa Mungu umethibitishwa kwa maelfu ya miaka. Ni mojawapo ya mambo muhimu ya Kikristo ambayo hututambulisha kama waumini na kututambulisha kipekee ndani ya jumuiya ya dini. Uelewa sahihi wa Roho Mtakatifu husaidia kutufahamu kama Wakristo, lakini kuna sababu nyingine muhimu ya kuchunguza asili ya Roho Mtakatifu. Uelewevu sahihi wa Roho Mtakatifu kwa kweli huamua (kwa sehemu kubwa) jinsi tunavyoabudu. Ikiwa Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu wa kimungu, ibada yetu itakuwa tofauti kabisa na ikiwa ni mtiririko, ushawishi au nguvu kutoka kwa Mungu. Ikiwa Roho ni nguvu ya ajabu au nguvu ya ajabu, basi je, hatupaswi kujifunza jinsi ya kuelewa na kutumia nguvu hii kutoka kwa Mungu? Kwa upande mwingine, ikiwa Roho ni mtu ndani ya asili ya utatu ya Mungu, je, hangefaa sifa, ibada na upendo wetu? Kuna maoni mawili ya Roho Mtakatifu kuhusu uhusiano wetu na Yeye: Roho Mtakatifu ni kitu ambacho ni lazima tuitambue na kuitumia. Roho Mtakatifu ni Mungu mwenyewe na ana nguvu ya kutushika na kututumia. Kuna tofauti kubwa katika maoni haya mawili ya Roho Mtakatifu, na jinsi tunavyoelewa asili ya Roho Mtakatifu hakika itakuwa na athari kwa jinsi tunavyoishi na kuabudu kama waumini. "Ikiwa Roho Mtakatifu ni mtu wa kipekee, wa kimungu, maeneo yafuatayo ya maisha yetu ya Kikristo yanapaswa kuathiriwa: ""Inafaa kuathiriwa jinsi tunavyoshukuru"" - ""Umeshukuru mara ngapi kwa Mungu Baba kwa kumtoa Mwanawe msalabani?" Ni mara ngapi umemshukuru Yesu kwa kufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu? Ni rahisi sana kumshukuru Mungu kwa sababu ya mambo haya mawili, lakini je, unaweza kukumbuka mara ya mwisho ulipomshukuru Roho Mtakatifu kwa jambo lolote? Sasa kwa kuwa unajua zaidi juu ya Roho Mtakatifu, unaweza kuona kwa nini ni sahihi kumshukuru Roho Mtakatifu kwa kazi yake katika maisha yako. Je, unaona kwa nini ni muhimu kumshukuru Roho Mtakatifu kwa kuwa Roho wa Mungu wa milele na asiye na kikomo ambaye alikuja katika ulimwengu huu wa dhambi na giza kututafuta kwa subira? Je, unaona ni kwa nini ni muhimu kumshukuru Mungu kwa kutuletea Neno la Mungu akilini mwetu, kutufariji na kutusaidia kuelewa yote ambayo Mungu ametufunulia katika Maandiko na kutuhimiza? Kuelewa kwa usahihi asili ya Roho Mtakatifu kutabadilisha maisha yetu ya sala. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kitabu cha Matendo, ""Tuna deni la wokovu wetu kwa upendo wa Roho kama vile tunavyo deni la wokovu kwa upendo wa Baba na Mwana.""" R. A. Torry anaandika, <unk>Lakini vipi juu ya upendo wa Roho Mtakatifu? Alitumwa na Baba kwa kujibu sala ya Mwana, akimwongoza kunitafuta katika upofu wangu kamili na uharibifu. Alinifuata siku baada ya siku, wiki baada ya wiki, na mwaka baada ya mwaka, ingawa kwa uthabiti niligeuza sikio langu kuwa bubu kwa maombi yake, akinifuata kupitia njia za dhambi ambapo lazima iwe ilikuwa ni uchungu kwa mtakatifu huyo kwenda, mpaka mwishowe nikasikiliza. "Alifungua macho yangu kuona uharibifu wangu kamili na kisha akanifunulia Yesu kama Mkombozi tu ambaye angekidhi kila haja yangu, na kisha akaniwezesha kumpokea Yesu kama Mkombozi wangu mwenyewe. "" - Yohana 3:16 ""Ufahamu sahihi wa upendo wa Roho Mtakatifu utabadilisha njia tunayoabudu." "Kama ni kweli kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ni ""mungu wa kweli,"" ni kweli kwamba kuna mambo muhimu kuhusu Roho Mtakatifu ambayo hayawezi kupuuzwa ikiwa tunataka kuelewa asili ya Mungu wa Utatu wa Biblia." Ikiwa tunataka kuelewa asili ya Mungu na jinsi anavyotutendea sisi binafsi na kama familia, tunahitaji kuelewa asili yake kwa usahihi. Tunahitaji kuelewa kwamba yeye huwahangaikia watoto wake vya kutosha kuwapa kazi muhimu kila mshiriki wa Uungu. Tunapochunguza mambo ambayo Mungu anathamini, tunaona jinsi anavyopaswa kuthaminiwa. Kuelewa vizuri jukumu na majukumu ya Roho Mtakatifu kutabadilisha njia yetu ya kuhusiana na Mungu. Kuna sababu nzuri za kutumia wakati kuchunguza na kuelewa asili ya Roho Mtakatifu. Uelewa sahihi wa Roho wa Mungu hututambulisha kama Wakristo na hutusaidia kuhusiana na Mungu kwa njia sahihi na yenye maana. Uelewa sahihi wa Roho wa Mungu hututambulisha kama Wakristo na hutusaidia kuhusiana na Mungu kwa njia sahihi na yenye maana. Kwa habari zaidi kuhusu uaminifu wa Injili za Agano Jipya na kesi ya Ukristo, tafadhali soma Ukristo wa Kifo cha Baridi: Mtafiti wa Mauaji Anachunguza Madai ya Injili. Kitabu hiki kinawafundisha wasomaji kanuni kumi za uchunguzi wa kesi za baridi na hutumia mikakati hii kuchunguza madai ya waandishi wa injili. Kitabu hiki kina DVD ya Kihistoria ya Kesi ya Baridi (na Mwongozo wa Washiriki) ili kusaidia watu binafsi au vikundi vidogo kuchunguza ushahidi na kufanya kesi. J. Warner Wallace ni Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Mshiriki Mkuu katika Kituo cha Colson kwa ajili ya Christian Worldview, Adj. "Mwanamke huyo ni Profesa wa Uhakikisho wa Kikristo katika Shule ya Theolojia ya Talbot, Chuo Kikuu cha Biola, mwandishi wa ""Kikristo cha Cold-Case,"" ""God's Crime Scene,"" na ""Forensic Faith,"" na muundaji wa Chuo cha Watengenezaji wa Kesi kwa watoto." Kujiandikisha kwa J. Warner's Daily Email