Week 13: Last week we read how we can quench the Holy Ghost.

A Study on the Holy Ghost

̶ Week 13 of 38 ̶

By David Wilson

The Difference Between Personality and Corporeity

There are those who have difficulty in distinguishing between personality (being a person) and corporeity (having a body). They cannot understand or believe that anything which is invisible and intangible, and which does not have a body, can be a person. The Word throughout the New Testament about the Holy Ghost refers to the Holy Ghost as “He” or “Him.” In a few places, the Holy Ghost is referred to as the Holy Spirit, and in a few places as the spirit of God. But the Holy Ghost is not the spirit of God. The Holy Ghost is a person in His own right. He is the third person in the triune Godhead. There is a dangerous trend in the Pentecostal movement to refer to the Holy Ghost as the Holy Spirit and, even more so, as the spirit of God. When we refer to the Holy Ghost as the Holy Spirit or the spirit of God, we are taking away the person-ship of the Holy Ghost. This should not be done. The Holy Ghost is a person in His own right.

Luke 24:39

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

John 4:24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 1:18

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.

We must believe that the Holy Ghost is a person in the sense that He has all the emotions we have, yet He is not confined to a body such as we are. God is a spirit, thus He is everywhere at the same time. Jesus, when He was on the earth and in his earthly body, was confined in one place at any given time. The Holy Ghost, to perform the Father’s will, must be a spirit. The Holy Ghost ministry is worldwide, so He cannot be confined to a body. But, most certainly, He is a person. The work of the Holy Ghost is partly stated in St. John 16:7-15.

John 16:7-15

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.

⁸ And when He is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁹ Of sin, because they believe not on me;

¹⁰ Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

¹¹ Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

¹² I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye can not bear them now.

¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall He speak: and he will shew you things to come.

¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

¹⁵ All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

(Next week we will read about the part the Holy Ghost has in conversion.

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