Anti-Trinitarians falsely view of the Holy Spirit as a poetic device known as personification!

 

 

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The Holy Spirit is not a Personification of God's power!

A. Definition: "A figure of speech in which a thing, quality or idea is represented as a person. To speak of a thing as having life or personality"

B. Examples we are familiar with:

  1. In reference to "59 Thunderbird Coup, "She sure is a beauty"
  2. Cupid is personification of love.
  3. Expressions like. "The face of the moon"

C. The Bible does use personification widely:

  1. "Oh earth, earth, earth, write this man down childless."
  2. Ps 98:8 "The rivers clap their hands: Let the mountains sing together for Joy.
  3. "I tell you if these become silent, the stones would cry out." Lk 19:37­40
  4. Of wisdom, "She stands and calls on the rooftops" Proverbs 9:1­6
  5. "And I heard the altar say: "Yes, Jehovah God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judicial decisions." Revelation 16:7
  6. "At this he said: "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground." Genesis 4:10
  7. "Look! The wages due the workers who harvested YOUR fields but which are held up by YOU, keep crying out, and the calls for help on the part of the reapers have entered into the ears of Jehovah of armies." James 5:4
  8. wisdom is said to have "children." Luke 7:35
  9. Sin and death are spoken of as kings. Rom 5:14,21

D. Similar false view of the nature of Satan. They view the devil, not as a separate personal evil being, but as the personification of sin and disease. When it says "the Devil prowls around seeking someone to devour", (Jas 4:8) This is personification they would say.

E. Some say the Holy Spirit the personification of the Bible. They do this by constructing a chart like below and show that the two have many of the save qualities. They then conclude that since they have the same qualities, they are the sane thing and rest on this chart as proof.

  1. Similar qualities does not mean two things are the same. Identical twins have many similar qualities but are distinct.
  2. There are several qualities the Holy Spirit has that the word does not. Although the Bible is ascribed functionality that might imply person hood, (speak, convicts, leads, justifies, instructs etc) these terms are not exclusive to person hood but are normal applications of what a book can do. What is never ascribed to the Bible, that is to the Holy Spirit, are emotions, intercedes, searches, the ability to choose, exercise free will, or be worshipped. The many similarities between what the Bible is said to do and what the Holy Spirit is said to do, is because the Bible is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to convict, convert and guide the church.
  3. The Holy Spirit revealed the Bible. He is the revealer. The Bible is the revelation.
  4. The Bible is the "sword of the Spirit", not the Spirit Himself, but the instrument he uses to accomplish His will. Eph 6:17

The Bible is the Sword of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit

work/action

The Bible

2 Cor 3:6

begotten

Jas 1:18

Jn 3:5-8

born again

2 Pe 1:23

1 Cor 6:11

cleanses

Jn 15:2-3

Jn 16:8

convicts

Tit 1:9

Gal 5:22

Faith

Rom 10:17

Neh 9:20

instructs

2 Ti 3:17

1 Cor 6:11

justifies

Gal 2:16; Rom 3:28

Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18

Leads

Ps 43:3; 119:105

Rom 15:13

Power

Heb 1:3; Rom 1:16

1 Pe 1:22

Purifies

1 Pe 1:22-25

1 Pe 3:18; Jn 6:63

Quickens

Ps 119:50

Jn 16:8

reproves

2 Ti 4:2

Acts 7:51

resists

2 Ti 3:8

1 Cor 6:11

sanctifies

Jn 17:13

Tit 3:5

saves

Jas 1:21

Eph 3:16

strengthen

Ps 119:28

1 Cor 2:13

teaches

2 Ti 3:16-17

Jn 15:26

testifies

Jn 5:39

Gal 5:16

walks in

Ps 119:10

Rom 8:16

witnesses

Jn 5:39; 1 Jn 5:6-8

5. Notice that we can construct a similar chart to show Characteristics that the Father shares with the Holy Spirit. The difference is that none of these things can the Bible do!

The Father

The Holy Spirit

The Bible

God the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:24; Ephesians 1:17-20),

yet the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).

Bible cannot raise from dead

God the Father quickens (gives life to) the dead (Romans 4:17; I Timothy 6:13),

yet the Spirit will do so (Romans 8:11).

Bible cannot originate life

The Father adopts us

The Spirit adopts us, which means He is our Father (Romans 8:15-16

Bible cannot adopt us

God the Father is the God of all comfort (paraklesis) who comforts (parakaleo) us in all our tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

The Holy Ghost is our Comforter (John 14:26, Greek parakletos)

Bible cannot function as a lawyer or comforter

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (II Timothy 3:16),

Old Testament prophets were moved by the Holy Ghost (II Peter 1:21).

Bible cannot give itself

Our bodies are temples of God (I Corinthians 3:16-17)

yet they are temples of the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 6:19)

Bible is not our temple

Spirit of the Father will give us words to say in time of persecution (Matthew 10:20),

the Holy Ghost will do so (Mark 13:11).

Bible cannot chose to tell us what to say

 

 Steve Rudd

 

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