God the Holy Spirit

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence,  and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 

• • David pleads not to be cast away from God’s presence and not to have the Holy Spirit taken from him. In parallel Hebrew thought, these are the same reality: God’s presence is His Spirit. In the Old Testament, God’s “presence” (panim / “face”) is the manifestation of His being among His people ( Ex33:14–15 ). If the Spirit is that presence, then He is not separate from God but fully God.

  • Since YHWH declares, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me… besides me there is no savior” ( Isa43:10–11 ), His Spirit cannot be a different god or a lesser being. By necessity, the Spirit shares YHWH’s divine essence. To remove the Spirit is to remove God Himself or call God a liar.

  • David’s request, “Create in me a clean heart”, shows that inner renewal and holiness come through the Spirit’s work.
    This anticipates the New Covenant promise in Ezk 36:26–27, where God says He will put His Spirit within His people to cause them to walk in His ways. Only God can make someone holy; therefore, the Spirit must be God. To grieve or resist the Spirit ( Isa 63:10; Acts 7:51 ) is to set oneself against God. David’s sin had placed him in danger of being alienated from the Spirit , and thus from YHWH Himself. This parallels Paul’s words in Gal 5:17: “The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit.” To be at war with the Spirit is to be at war with God.
    
    

29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 

• Here the Spirit is not only sent forth but is the One who creates and gives life. Yet Scripture testifies that only God Himself can create and give life ( Gen1:1–2; Deut 32:39 ). The connection is explicit in Job 33:4:"The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.". This shows that the Spirit’s creative work is identical to God’s own work, meaning the Spirit is fully God. Conversely, the removal of the Spirit, the withdrawal of God’s presence results in death, decay, and destruction.

• The New Testament carries this truth forward. The Holy Spirit is the bringer of new life not only in creation but in new creation. In Titu 3:5 we read: "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,". Just as the Spirit gave physical life at the beginning, so He now gives spiritual life in baptism, applying Christ’s saving work to the believer. The Spirit’s role as life-giver is consistent and unchanging, from the first creation, to the final renewal.

10 But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.11 Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, 

• The Spirit is a “He,” not an “It”. The text says “He turned to be their enemy” — identifying the Holy Spirit with YHWH Himself, who responds personally to rebellion. To rebel against the Holy Spirit is to rebel against God, a truth that stands in direct opposition to teachings such as those of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and certain Neo-Montanist groups, which reduce the Spirit to a mere force or energy or divine power, landing them in the category of Heretic.

• The Spirit is also shown to be grieved in, “They grieved his Holy Spirit.” Grief is an emotion, it can only be experienced by a person, not by an impersonal force. The grief of the Spirit is followed by righteous anger when it says, “He turned to be their enemy”, showing a moral and relational dimension to the Spirit.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

• Here we see the Trinitarian formula clearly denoting the Holy Spirit as not only a person, but also God. Since, baptism is done “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”, it would make no sense to baptize someone in the name of two persons and then in the name of a mere power or force. The phrasing “of the” and the connecting “and” distinguish the persons while uniting them in one divine Name. The Holy Spirit is therefore fully personal, just as the Father and the Son are.

• Baptism is a  also a divine act: 1 Pet 3:21 states, "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ ". Salvation, forgiveness of sins, and sanctification are God’s prerogatives alone. Since the Holy Spirit is invoked in baptism, the very act of God saving, He must necessarily be fully God, along side the Father and the Son.

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 

• In this passage, the Holy Spirit is unmistakably portrayed as a person. First, Jesus calls Him the Helper (Paraklētos), a term that may also be rendered “Comforter” or “Advocate.” Each of these titles denotes relational and personal activity; comforting, advocating, and helping. These functions cannot be ascribed to an impersonal force. Secondly, Jesus consistently uses the pronoun “He” when speaking of the Spirit. Far from describing a neutral influence, the Lord identifies Him as a distinct person within the Godhead.

• Finally, His actions confirm this: “He will teach you” and “bring to your remembrance.” Teaching requires mind and will; reminding requires intention and relational engagement. These are not mechanical processes but personal acts of one who knows, communicates, and relates. Christ affirms that the Spirit is not merely “God’s power,” but the divine Helper who actively comforts, teaches, and recalls. Both fully personal and fully God.

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

• Here Christ provides one of the most detailed descriptions of the Spirit’s personhood and divinity. Notice that Jesus uses the pronoun “He/His” eight times in just three verses. This is not incidental, it firmly identifies the Spirit as a personal subject. An impersonal force is never spoken of in such a manner. Beyond pronouns, Jesus attributes a series of distinctly personal actions to the Spirit: He guides, speaks, hears, declares, glorifies, and takes. These are acts of mind, will, and relationship, functions proper only to a person, not to an impersonal energy.

• Moreover, the Spirit’s intimate relation to both Father and Son reveals His divinity. He “hears” from the Father, “glorifies” the Son, and shares in “all that the Father has.” This places Him within the divine communion of will and essence. Paul confirms this reality in 1 Cor 2:10–14: “These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God... no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

• The Spirit not only acts personally in these passages, but possesses divine omniscience, searching the depths of God Himself, which no creature could do, confirming the Spirit as both fully personal and fully God.

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 

• Here is the most classical argument of not only the Holy Spirit's personage, but also his divinity. Peter says that Ananias “lied to the Holy Spirit.” Lying is a moral action directed toward a person, not an impersonal force or energy. Secondly, the Holy Spirit reacts to sin in a relational, personal way, which also confirms His personhood.

• Peter immediately equates lying to the Holy Spirit with lying “not to man but to God.” This identification shows that the Spirit is fully divine. As God, the Holy Spirit must be a person, because all biblical references to God use the personal pronoun, He, not It. Reducing God or His Spirit, to an impersonal force would logically contradict Scripture.

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

• The Spirit directly communicates with the disciples, giving instructions. Speaking and issuing commands are acts of a person, not of an impersonal force.

• The Spirit says, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul.” The use of “me” indicates personal identity and authority. If the Spirit were merely a force, the text would likely use impersonal language or refer to Him as “Him” in a subordinate sense. Instead, the Spirit speaks as the Lord Himself, exercising divine prerogative.

• We may also note the Lord the disciples were worshipping speaks through the Spirit. Since the Spirit is identified as the one giving divine commands and exercising authority in the context of the worship, He must necessarily be fully God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

• Here Paul clearly teaches the divinity of the Holy Spirit. He calls Him the “Spirit of God”. Since God is one in essence, the Spirit who proceeds from Him must also share that same divine nature.

• Paul also attributes to the Spirit the act of raising Jesus from the dead, a prerogative of God alone (. Acts 2:24; Rom 10:9 ). Thus, the Spirit performs a divine action.

• The Spirit is said to “dwell in you”. Elsewhere Paul makes this identification explicit: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” ( 1 Cor 3:16 ). Since the temple is the dwelling place of God alone, the Spirit must be fully God to indwell believers as His temple.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

• Here Paul ascribes to the Spirit the capacity to be “grieved.” Emotion and response belong only to persons, not impersonal forces, which affirms the Spirit’s personal reality. 

• Paul also speaks of the Spirit as the one “by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” To “seal” believers until the final redemption is no mere created function; it is a divine work of preservation and salvation, which belongs to God alone. Furthermore, the title “Holy Spirit of God” indicates not separation from God but possession of the same divine essence, for what is “of God” in being and nature must itself be God. 

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

• Here Paul delivers a profound description of the Holy Spirit’s nature and activity. He writes that “the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” To “search” and comprehend all things; including the very depths of God Himself, is nothing short of omniscience, an attribute belonging to God alone. Paul continues: “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” Just as a person’s own spirit uniquely knows the inner life of that person, so the Holy Spirit uniquely knows the mind of God. This intimate knowledge is not possible for a creature; it is possible only because the Spirit is of God’s own essence and therefore truly God. This is echoed in passages that know one can know God's mind except for Himself ( Job 40:13, Isa ( 40:13, 55:8-9 ) ).

• At the same time, Paul distinguishes the Spirit as a distinct person: “We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God.” The Spirit is “from God” in origin, yet remains fully divine, showing both His procession from the Father and His distinct personhood.

• Finally, Paul attributes to the Spirit uniquely personal actions: He “searches,” He “teaches,” and He “interprets spiritual truths.” These are not the actions of an impersonal force or abstract power, but of a divine Person working in intimate union with the Father and the Son.

• Thus in this passage Paul affirms both the personhood and the deity of the Holy Spirit.

11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

• Here Paul leaves no room for thinking of the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force. First, the Spirit is referred to with the personal pronoun “He”, not, “it”, signifying personhood. Second, Paul speaks of the Spirit "willing", an act proper only to a personal agent, not to an impersonal energy. Finally, the Spirit “apportions to each one individually” the spiritual gifts within the Church. This is an active, deliberate, and sovereign function, showing the Spirit’s divine authority, and a personal choice by Him. A mere force or power cannot decide, will, or distribute only a divine Person can. 

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

• Here Paul invokes the one God in three persons. Each person of the Trinity is distinctly named: the Son as the source of grace, the Father as the fountain of love, and the Spirit as the bond of fellowship. Yet all act together in one divine will and purpose: the salvation and communion of the believer.

• We should note especially that fellowship is relational. One cannot have fellowship with an impersonal force or abstract power. To be in fellowship with the Holy Spirit means to be in communion with a divine Person.  Paul not only affirms the Spirit’s divinity, but also His personhood alongside the Father and the Son.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,

• This verse further confirms the personhood of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is explicitly said to "speak", something an impersonal force or abstract energy cannot do. He is portrayed not as a passive influence, but as an active communicator of God’s Word.

• Jesus Himself reinforces this in Jhn 16:13–15: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

• Notice here Christ’s repeated use of the pronoun “He”, not,  “it.” The Spirit listens, speaks, guides, declares, and glorifies, which are personal actions that reveal intelligence and will. Moreover, His role of declaring what belongs to the Son, in harmony with the Father’s will, shows His place within the divine unity of the Trinity. Thus, the Holy Spirit is not merely “the power of God,” but truly a divine Person, speaking and acting in concert with the Father and the Son.