The Most Misunderstood
Member of the Triune God
The Holy Spirit
1. The Spirit is a person, not a
mere personification.
A. Personal titles are given to Him in the
Scriptures.
B. The Holy Spirit is said to have the
personal characteristics of persons
attached to Him.
C. The Holy Spirit can be treated as a
Person.
2. The Holy Spirit is God.
A. The Holy Spirit is shown to be God by
the divine attributes ascribed to Him.
B. The Spirit is shown to be God by the
divine works which are ascribed to God
only.
C. The Spirit is shown to be God by what
the Bible writers said.
Acts 5:3-4
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it
that Satan has so filled your heart that
you have lied to the Holy Spirit and
have kept for yourself some of the
money you received for the land?
4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was
sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the
money at your disposal? What made
you think of doing such a thing? You
have not lied just to human beings but
to God.”
Isaiah 6 & Acts 28
• Acts 28: 25-26 - “The Holy Spirit spoke
the truth to your ancestors when he
said through Isaiah the prophet: “‘Go to
this people and say, ’You will be ever
hearing but never understanding . . .’”
• Isaiah 6:8-9 - Then I heard the voice of
the Lord saying, . . . “Go and tell this
people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never
understanding. . .”
The Holy Spirit . . .
1. . . . convicts unbelievers of their sin
and convinces them of their need of the
Savior.
2. . . . regenerates those who believe.
3. . . . sanctifies those who believe.
4. . . . comforts those who believe.
John 16:8
When the Holy Spirit comes,
(which He now has) he will convict
(convince) the world regarding sin
and righteousness and judgment
…
The Holy Spirit . . .
1. . . . convicts unbelievers of their sin
and convinces them of their need of the
Savior.
2. . . . regenerates those who believe.
3. . . . sanctifies those who believe.
4. . . . comforts those who believe.
• generate = to give life
• Regenerate = to bring back to life
• Regeneration is the work of God
whereby a spiritually dead person
becomes a spiritually alive person.
Ephesians 2:1-5
As for you, you were dead in your
transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used
to live when you followed the ways of this
world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the
air, the spirit who is now at work in those
who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived
among them at one time, gratifying the
cravings of our flesh and following its
desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were
by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because
of his great love for us, God, who is rich in
mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even
when we were dead in transgressions.
What about EBC?
• Some pastors,
churches, and
Christians would say,
“Regeneration comes
first and that leads to
us having the ability to
believe.”
• Other pastors,
churches, and
Christians would say,
“Believing comes first
and leads to a person
having the ability to be
regenerated.”
The Holy Spirit . . .
1. . . . convicts unbelievers of their sin
and convinces them of their need of the
Savior.
2. . . . regenerates those who believe.
3. . . . sanctifies those who believe.
4. . . . comforts those who believe.
“setting us apart for God and His purposes”
Colossians 1:16
Ephesians 2:10
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 2:13
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, who
with unveiled
faces contemplate
the Lord’s glory,
are being
transformed into
his image with
ever-increasing
glory, which
comes from the
Lord, who is the
Spirit.
2 Corinthians
3:18
metamorpheo
Past Performance is Not Necessarily Indicative of Future Results
Romans 12:1-2
The Holy Spirit . . .
1. . . . convicts unbelievers of their sin
and convinces them of their need of the
Savior.
2. . . . regenerates those who believe.
3. . . . sanctifies those who believe.
4. . . . comforts those who believe.
• I will not leave you as orphans; I
will come to you in another form.
(John 14:18)
• I tell you the truth: It is for your
good that I am going away. Unless
I go away, the Counselor (the Holy
Spirit) will not come to you; but if I
go, I will send him to you. (John
16:7)
John 14:16
I will ask the Father, and he will give you
another Counselor to be with you
forever.
• Counselor - paralketos /para = beside +
kaleoo + call / one who comes along
side to assist
• Another - allos - another of the same
kind (not heteros)
Article of Faith
“We believe in the Holy Spirit
who came forth from God to
convince the world of sin, of
righteousness and of judgment,
and to regenerate, sanctify and
comfort those who believe in
Jesus Christ.”