THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A PERSON RATHER THAN A "FORCE" According to some cults, the Holy Spirit is neither a person nor God. Rather, the Holy Spirit is God's impersonal "active force" for accomplishing His will in the world. This denial of the Holy Spirit's personality and deity is consistent with those cult's denial of the doctrine of the Trinity. It has been long been recognized that the three primary attributes of personality are mind, emotions and will. A "force" does not have these attributes. If it can be demonstrated that the Spirit has a mind, emotions and a will, the cultic position that the Holy Spirit is an "active force" crumbles like a house of cards. The Holy Spirit has a mind. This is made clear from a number of passages. For example, the Holy Spirit's intellect is seen in 1 Corinthians 2:10, where we are told that "the Spirit searcheth all things" (cf. Isaiah 11:2, Ephesians 1:17). The Greek word for "searches" means to thoroughly investigate a matter. The Holy Spirit -- with His mind -- investigates the things of God and makes these matters known to believers. Note that Jesus once told a group of Jews, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life" (John 5:39). The Lord used the same Greek word there that is used in 1 Corinthians 2:10. Just as the Jews used their minds to search the Scriptures, so the Holy Spirit uses His mind in searching the things of God. We are also told in 1 Corinthians 2:11 that the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God. How can the Spirit "know" the things of God if the Spirit does not have a mind? A "force" does not _know_ things. Thought processes require the presence of a mind. Romans 8:27 tells us that just as the Holy Spirit knows the things of God, so God the Father knows "what is the mind of the Spirit." According to Arndt and Gingrich's highly respected "Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature" (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1957; p.874), the word translated "mind" in this verse means "way of thinking, mind(-set), aim, aspiration, striving." A mere "force" does not have a "way of thinking, mind-set, aim, aspiration," or "striving." The Holy Spirit has emotions. The fact that the Holy Spirit has emotions is clear from a number of passages. For example, in Ephesians 4:30 we are admonished, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." Grief is an emotion, and emotions cannot be experienced by a "force." Grief is something that one _feels_. The Holy Spirit feels the emotion of grief when believers sin. In the context of Ephesians, such sins include lying (verse 25), anger (verse 26), stealing (verse 28), laziness (verse 28) and speaking words that are unkind (verse 29). To illustrate the point, it's noteworthy that the Corinthian believers experienced sorrow after the apostle Paul wrote them a stern letter (2 Corinthians 2:2,5). There we see the same Greek word that is used in Ephesians 4:30 (translated "grieve"). Just as the Corinthian believers experienced sorrow or grief, so the person of the Holy Spirit can experience sorrow or grief. The Holy Spirit has a will. We are told in 1 Corinthians 12:11 that the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts "to every man severally as He will." The phrase "He will" translates from the Greek word "bouletai," which refers to "decisions of the will after previous deliberation" ("Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature" [Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1957; p.146]). The Holy Spirit makes a sovereign choice regarding what spiritual gifts each respective Christian receives. A "force" does not have such a will. It is noteworthy that the same Greek word used to describe the Holy Spirit's will is used to describe Jehovah-God's will in James 1:18. Just as the person of the Father exercises His will, so the person of the Holy Spirit exercises His will. Another key example of the Holy Spirit exercising His will is found in Acts 16:6 ("Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.") Here the Holy Spirit forbids Paul to preach in Asia and then directs him to minister in Europe. The Holy Spirit's works confirm His personality. The Holy Spirit is seen doing many things in Scripture that only a person can do. Indeed, many of His works are similar to the works of both the Father and the son. For example, the Holy Spirit _teaches_ believers (John 14:26), He _testifies_ of Christ (John 15:26), He _guides_ believers (Romans 8:14), He _commissions_ people to service (Acts 13:4), He _issues commands_ (Acts 8:29), He _restrains sin_ (Genesis 6:3), He _intercedes_ or prays (Romans 8:26) and He _speaks_ to people (John 15:26, 2 Peter 1:21). Let us look at three of these in a little more detail. The Holy Spirit testifies. John 15:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit "shall testify" of Christ. The Greek word for "testify" is used to describe the disciples' testifying about Christ in John 15:27. John the Baptist is said to be one who has "bare witness" (synonymous to "testified") to the truth in John 5:33. God the Father "bare them witness" in Acts 15:8. Just as the disciples, John the Baptist and the Father (who are all persons) testified or bore witness, so the Holy Spirit as a person testifies or bears witness about Christ. A "force" cannot bear witness to something; only a person can do that. The Holy Spirit intercedes (prays) for believers. Romans 8:26 tells us, "for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Elsewhere in Scripture we are told that Jesus Christ _intercedes_ (same Greek word) for believers (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). Just as Christ (as a person) intercedes for believers, so the Holy Spirit (as a person) intercedes for believers. A "force" cannot intercede or pray on behalf of another. The Holy Spirit issues commands. Acts 8:29 tells us that it was the Holy Spirit who directed Philip to speak to the Ethiopian eunuch. Acts 13:2 tells us that the Holy Spirit commanded that Paul and Barnabus were to be set apart for missionary work. We likewise see in Acts 13:4 that these two men were "sent forth" by the Holy Spirit. Just as the Spirit sent Paul and his coworkers to certain places, so He also forbade them to go to other places. For example, Acts 16:6 tells us that the Holy Spirit prohibited Paul and Silas from preaching in Asia. A "force" cannot send individuals to certain places and forbid them to go to others. Only a person with a mind and a will can do that. The Holy Spirit can be grieved. As we noted earlier, Ephesians 4:30 tells us not grieve the Holy Spirit by sin. A "force" cannot experience the emotion of grief. Only a person can do so. The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed. One does not think of a "force" (electricity, for example) or a thing (such as a computer) being blasphemed. Normally one thinks of persons being blasphemed. We see from Scripture that God the Father can be blasphemed (Revelation 13:6; 16:9), as well as God the son (Matthew 27:39; Luke 23:39). In like manner, we are told that the Holy Spirit can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:29,30). Now, pay particular attention to Matthew 12:32 "And whosoever speaketh against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Notice that the person of the Son of Man is set in clear contrast to the person of the Holy Spirit. Both are portrayed as persons in this verse. The Holy Spirit can be lied to. According to Acts 5:3, Ananias and Sapphira were guilty of lying to the Holy Spirit. They lost their lives for this grievous offense. One cannot lie to a "force" or to a thing; only a person can be lied to. Can you imagine how people would respond to you if you confessed to lying to the electricity in your house this morning? The Holy Spirit can be obeyed. Scripture portrays believers as obeying the Holy Spirit's commands and instructions. Earlier it was noted how Paul and Barnabus obeyed the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2). Peter also obeyed the Holy Spirit by going to go to the house of Cornelius to share the gospel (Acts 10). A "force" or a thing cannot be obeyed; only a person can be. The Holy Spirit is sent. John 14:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father (cf. John 16:7). One does not "send" an impersonal force. Rather, a person is sent to accomplish some specific task. Just as Jesus was sent by the Father (John 6:38), so too was the Holy Spirit sent by the Father. The Holy Spirit: a person. We have seen that the Holy Spirit speaks of Himself as a person (using the pronouns "I" and "Me"); He is addressed as a person by others; He has all the attributes of personality (mind, emotion and will); He does things that only a person can do (pray and intercede); He is treated by others as only a person can be treated (He can be lied to), and He interacts with others on a personal basis -- including the Father and Son. Very clearly, then, the cultic position that the Holy Spirit is a "force" goes against the clear, consistent testimony of the whole of Scripture.