Page 9 - Pneumatology - Student Textbook

Study Section 2: The Holy Spirit is a Person

2.1 Connect

Personhood is demonstrated in various ways. Even animals exhibit some forms of
personhood. The ability to communicate is a trait of a person. The emotions such as anger,
joy, or depression all indicate that you are a person and not a vegetable. People do things.
They go places, and plan events. They meet others and enjoy fellowship. These activities
distinguish people from the plant kingdom and to some extent, from the animal kingdom. A
person has a mind, will, and emotions and those components make him a unique individual who is living
and directing his life.

Today, we will see that the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit is a person in that He displays all of the
characteristics of a person that only a living individual displays. Some religious faiths claim He is not a
person, but a force. Nothing could be farther from the truth. So, let’s see the multiple ways that
demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is truly a person.

2.2 Objectives

1. The student should realize that when the Bible references the Holy Spirit, the pronoun used in
place of His name is always “He.”

2. The student should be able to list how the Holy Spirit displays elements of personality.

3. The student should be able to demonstrate how the Holy Spirit ‘s actions prove his personhood.

4. The student should develop the conviction that the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity and
while a person, is co-equal with God.

2.3 The Holy Spirit is a Person

The Holy Spirit is described in the Scriptures as a person who demonstrates the traits and
attributes of a person.

Proving the deity of the Holy Spirit is equivalent to proving that the Holy Spirit is a person.
Personality is one of the perfections or characteristics of God. As Ryrie points out,

Not only is the Spirit a Person, but He is a unique Person, for He is God. Proofs of personality are not
necessarily proofs of Deity; but proofs of Deity are also proofs of His personality. If God is a Person, and if
the Spirit is also God, then He is a Person also (Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology, p. 334).

The Holy Spirit is identified by personal pronouns

John 16:13-14 But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all
truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will

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