The Watchtower Society teaches that the "Holy Spirit" is not a person but God's active force. It is argued that in the same way that water is not a person, so "holy spirit" is also not a person. On the other hand most Christians believe that the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit has both personality and Deity. The only way we are going to know the truth, is to find out, What does the Bible really teach about the Holy Spirit?
1. Does the Holy Spirit have personality, i.e., does the Holy Spirit possess these three qualities: emotion, intellect and a will?
a. The Holy Spirit can:
Talk and direct: Acts 8:29; 10:19, 20; 13:2-4
Forbid: Acts 16:6, 7
Teach: John 14:26; 16:13
Comfort: John 14:16, 18; Galatians 5:22, 23
Author prophecy: 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Peter 1:11
Give gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
b. The Holy Spirit has:
A Will: 1 Corinthians 12:11
A Mind and Thoughts: Romans 8:27
An Intellect 1 Corinthians 2:11
Love: Romans 15:30
Fellowship 2 Corinthians 13:14
Feelings: Ephesians 4:30
c. The Holy Spirit can be:
Tempted: Hebrews 10:29; Acts 5:9
Lied to: Acts 5:3, 4
Vexed: Isaiah 63:10
Despised: Hebrews 10:29
2. Though the Watchtower Society denies the personality of the
Holy Spirit in their publications, what does the New World
translation (NWT) teach about the Holy Spirit? [Although the
Society would prefer to refer to the Holy Spirit as just "holy
spirit," the translators have been forced to put "the"
before the name.]
John 14:26; 16:13; Isaiah 63:10; Hebrews 10:29
Answer:
a. "But the helper, _________ holy spirit, ....that
__________ will teach you all things...." John 14:26
b. "However, when that __________ arrives, _________ spirit
of the truth, ________ will guide you into all the truth, for
________ will not speak of __________ _____________ impulse, but
what things __________ hears, _________ will speak, and
__________ will declare to you the things coming." John 16:13
c. "But they themselves rebelled and made his holy spirit
___________ hurt." Isaiah 63:10
d. "....and who has outraged __________ spirit."
Hebrews 10:29
3. Does the Holy Spirit actually speak directions to the
congregation of believers to guide in the work?
Acts 13:2
Answer: "As they were publicly ministering to Jehovah and
fasting, _______ _____________ ______________ said: "Of all
persons set Barnabus and Saul apart for ________ for the work to
which _______ have called them."
Acts 13:2.
When one begins to make a study of what the Bible reveals of the Holy Spirit, it is very obvious that the Holy Spirit is a personality. An active force such as water or electricity can not teach, guide, speak, declare, or feel hurt or outraged! Note also above how the NWT even translates the Spirit as "He" instead of the impersonal "It!"
4. What is the name of the Spirit?
Matthew 28:19
Answer: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all nations, baptizing them in the ____________ of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit." Matthew 28:19
Note the word Name is singular! Also that three persons are named, because there are three separate distinct Persons! There are also other Bible verses where the Holy Spirit is called "Jehovah" or the "Spirit of Jehovah."
5. Did Jesus ever regard the Holy Spirit as being another Person
such as Himself?
John 14:16; 16:7
Answer: "And I will request the Father and he will give
you _____________ helper to be with you forever." John 14:16
"....For if I do not go away, the helper will by no means
come to you; but if I do go my way, I will send _________ to you."
John 16:7
Jesus spoke of the Holy spirit as being "another helper" or another "paraclete." The Kingdom Interlinear (K.I.T.) translates this word literally as "paraclete," which the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines as Advocate. This is the same Greek word used in 1 John 2:1, which speaks of Jesus Christ being an "Advocate with the Father."
6. Can a person be filled by the Holy Spirit?
Acts 2:4
Answer: "And they all became ___________ with holy spirit and started to speak with different tongues, just as ______ spirit _______ _____________________ them to make utterance." Acts 2:4
Just as evil spirits can take possession of a person, so people can be filled by the Holy Spirit, to become "born-again" Christians. John 3:3-8
7. Does the Bible ever speak of the Holy Spirit as God?
Acts 5:3,4; Job 33:4; Hebrews 9:14; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Isaiah 48:16;
Matthew 12:31.
Answer:
a. "Ananias, why has Satan emboldened you to play false to
the ______ ____________ ______________....? .... You have played
false, not to men, but ________ _____________." Acts 5:3, 4
b. KJV: "The Spirit of God hath _________ me,..."
Job 33:4
NWT: "God's own spirit ___________ me,..." Job 33:4
c. "How much more will the blood of the Christ, who
through an everlasting ___________ offered himself without
blemish to God...." Hebrews 9:14.
The same word in Greek which is translated "eternal" or
"everlasting" is used in 1 Timothy 1:17, to describe
the only God.
d. "Now _______________ is that ______________...."
2 Corinthians 3:17
"And now the Lord ________________, even His Spirit..."
Isaiah 48:16
e. "On this account I say to you, every sort of sin and ________________ will be forgiven men, but the _______________________ ___________________ the ________________ will not be forgiven." Matthew 12:31
This last text alone proves the Deity of the Holy Spirit, for one can only blaspheme against a Person Who is Divine or God!
8. Although the evidence is overwhelming that the Holy Spirit
is a Person with the attributes of personality, and that this
Person is Divine and like Jesus Christ is in essence, God,
what Bible text further shows that the Holy Spirit takes His
place with the Father and Son, in the Godhead, working for
the salvation of mankind?
2 Corinthians 13:14
Answer: The grace of the __________ ____________ Christ, and
the love of ______________, and the communion of the
_____________ _________________, be with you all. Amen." 2
Corinthians 13:14 KJV
This text may also be read in the NWT.