The most controversial character in the bible: The Holy Spirit

What can be known in New Testament Scripture about the Holy Spirit?

He is a member of the Godhead. 1 Cor 12:

[7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

[8] For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

[9] To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

[10] To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

[11] But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

We can observe in vs 7, these are manifestations of the Spirit, but in vs 11, this Spirit has a will. We will leave further argumentation that He is a member of the Godhead for another discussion if needed, merely noting here that he has character enough to will.

He is subject to God and or Christ.

Mt 28:

[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Here after his resurrection, Christ said he had been given all Power.

I Cor 15:

[27] For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

God was the only exception.

Jno 16:

[7] Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Christ was to send the Comforter, and could not do so from earth. So it is shown that The Comforter was sent by Christ, and is thus subject to one or both, probably both.

He is not the only messenger: There is a Spirit of Error: 1 Jno 4:

[6] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Vs 2 and 3 of same chapter, show that there is a Spirit of Antichrist, distinct from this spirit of error.

[2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

[3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2 Cor 12:

[7] And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Messenger of Satan.

Mt 18:

[10] Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven

Messenger of God (side note, this is probably where the idea of Guardian Angel came from.)

So everything that comes into our heads, or crosses our mind is not necessarily from the Holy Spirit.

He is a Teacher 2 Cor 2:

[13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

He is not always overt. Acts 19:

[2] He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

In the middle of all the New Testament time miracles, there were believers who were not even sure he existed.2 Cor 3:

[1] Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

[2] Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

[3] Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

[4] And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

Here we see that Christians were the “epistle” of the teachers, known and read of all men. This epistle of Christ was written with the Spirit of the Living God, on the fleshy tables of the heart.

How did God write this epistle? Jer 31:

[33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Probably the same way he gave the old law, but Jer 31:33 is prophecy of New Testament Christianity. These members make up one body, of which Christ is the head. 1 Cor 12:

[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

And other passages.

In 1 Cor 6:

[19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

We see that this body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost. In more detail, we look at 2 Cor 3:

[16] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

[17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Here we consider the phrase “your body,” in 1 Cor 6:19, we can wonder if it is our physical body or not, but 2 Cor 3:17 is very clear, which temple ye are. It is not “bodies” plural, are the temple of the Holy Ghost, but “body” singular, and in the other passage, Which temple, singular, ye, plural, are.

This temple is built up of lively stones 1 Pet 2:

[4] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

[5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Is it surprising then that Christ could say in Mt 18:

[20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

In 1 Cor 12:

[3] Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

We see a test. More rigorously enumerated, we can look at 1 Jno 4:

[1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

[2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

[3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

[4] Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[5] They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

[6] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We should be able to test and try the spirits, and determine if they are godly or not. We should hear God, and those who are of God.

Let us further contemplate Eph 4:

[25] Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

And

[29] Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

[30] And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Here we see how we can avoid grieving the Holy Ghost.

In closing, can this Holy Spirit who writes upon the fleshy tables of the heart in-dwell each lively stone in particular? There are those who require that it can be no other way. I can’t “disallow” it, but we need to allow that the other spirits come and go, but the Holy Spirit in-dwells the Church. To my understanding, the individual stones might, or might not be indwelt. Being careful of the language, we have shown with good mechanics how he indwells the Churches. If there must needs be two or three gathered together, we should be tolerant of those who do not see that each lively stone might itself be indwelt at all times. There are many verses that speak specifically to this theory.