Page 3 - Pneumatology - A Study of the Holy Spirit

Pneumatology
Compiled by Dr. Kris Bjorgen

(Thanks to Rev. Lawrence Chibuye, MA, for his work on a previous course taught at AIU on Pneumatology. Some of his
work has been included in this course.

Introduction to Pneumatology

Connect…

Every believer has the Holy Spirit indwelling in him/her. That is an amazing thought. It is mind-boggling to
know that God has taken up residence in our bodies. Yet He is patient and waiting for each one of us to grant
Him control of our lives, so He can do the astounding things that only God can do with us. Yet, many
believers resist Him and live a life devoid of God’s power. They don’t seem to be much different than others
in the world that are lost.

I’m sure you want your life to count for God! So, let’s study the subject of the Holy Spirit. Let’s find out who
He is and what He does, and potentially what He can do if we yield our lives to Him. Let’s dive in….

The Lesson ...

Introduction
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The word Pneumatology comes from two Greek words, which mean "wind, air, spirit" and "word" -
combining to mean "the study of the Holy Spirit." Pneumatology is the study of God the Holy Spirit, the third
Person of the Trinity. It answers numerous important questions about the Holy Spirit:

Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? When and how do we
receive the Holy Spirit? What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? How can I be filled with the Spirit?
Are the miraculous gifts of the Spirit for today? And on and on…..

Actually, there are dozens of questions we have to be prepared to
answer concerning the person and work of the Holy Spirit. As we see the
rise of the Charismatic movement, whose emphasis is the manifestations
and works of the Holy Spirit, we must be able to give Biblical answers to
the many errant doctrines flying around today. This course will cover an
intensive study of the Holy Spirit both in the Old and New Testaments,
concentrating on answering these and many other questions about the
Holy Spirit.

Many Christians have an unbiblical perception of the Holy Spirit. The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the Holy
Spirit is the power or force from God. Is that Biblical? We will learn in this course that the Holy Spirit is a

1 https://www.gotquestions.org/Pneumatology.html - Used with permission
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