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Hi to all my Forum Friends,

In the discussion begun by our professed atheist Friend, Jennifer, titled "What If Their God Can 'Whup' Your God?" -- Crusty, who tells us he is a Christian -- but, wants nothing to do with Christians or any church, has decided to play rhetorical word games regarding the Holy Spirit.  First he asks another forum member, "So, Gingee, you know the Holy Spirit isn't a ghost, right?"

And, I tell Crusty, "You have posted this same comment several times in other discussions.  I am just curious; what point are you attempting to make?  Gingee, like most of we Christians, did refer to the Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity.  Yet, there are some churches who still refer to Him as the Holy Ghost -- which by the Greek language of the Bible could also be correct.  But, since Gingee refers to the Holy Spirit -- what is your point?"

Crusty, keeping his word game going, asks me, "So you think the Holy Spirit is a ghostly being?  You don't understand the Trinity at all.  So how about it, Bill?  Holy Spirit - ghostly being?  Yes, or no?"

Crusty, the Holy Spirit is God!  The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity.   The Trinity, i.e., the Triune God, is one God manifested (revealed) in three distinct, separate Persons:  Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  All are God.  All share the same attributes, three of which are omniscience (all knowing), omnipotence (all powerful), and omnipresence (all places present).

Is the Holy Spirit a ghost?  No.  He is divine preexisting deity, God.  God is spirit and is worshiped in spirit. John 4:24, "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."   Of the three, only Jesus Christ took on a human body.   He did this to be like His brethren, Christian believers, in all respects -- that He might be our High Priest.   Hebrews 2:17, "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

So, why do some churches refer to Him as the Holy Ghost?  In the Blue Letter Bible web site FAQ section, Don Stewart gives a  good explanation:


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Is There A Difference Between The Holy Spirit And The Holy Ghost?

http://www.blueletterbible.org...t/stewart.cfm?id=434


When we read the Bible in the King James Version we find the Spirit of God variously referred to as the "Holy Spirit" and the "Holy Ghost."  Is there a reason that these two different designations are used?  Is it speaking of two different personalities or is it referring to two different aspects of the one Spirit?

Actually, these verses refer to the one Holy Spirit.  There is no theological reason why the Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost.  The reason for the difference is found in the story behind the translation of the King James Bible.  When the King James Version was translated it was done by different committees.  One of the committees consistently translated the Greek words "hagion pneuma" as "Holy Spirit" while the other committee translated it as "Holy Ghost."  When the translation was completed these  differences remained.  Thus, you have the Spirit of God referred to as both the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost.

Corrected:  Modern translations have corrected this inconsistency and have uniformly translated the phrase "hagion pneuma" as Holy Spirit.

 

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What are the ministries of the Holy Spirit?   At the moment of conversion, when we have, by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ -- believed and received His "free gift" of salvation -- things begin to happen within us.

First, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within each believer at the moment of believing, i.e., the Holy Spirit indwells us -- our bodies become the temple of God.  1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

In other words, each believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit and declared clean with the imputed, attributed, righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:13, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation -- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."

And, the believer is sealed for life.  Ephesians 4:30, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

What is our day of redemption?  It is the day we either die in this mortal body or are raptured from this mortal body.  In other words, as long as we are in this mortal body, the believer cannot be snatched from the hand of God -- for we are sealed in Him.

John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."

And, that NO ONE also includes the believer himself.  As believers, we are sealed in Christ -- and no one, not even the believer, can snatch the believer from the hand of God.  Why?  Because we are sealed with and by the Holy Spirit.

What else does the Holy Spirit do for all believers?   He teaches us (John 14:26).  He guides us in all truth (John 16:13).  And, He convicts us when we are disobedient to God (John 16:7-11).  Believers have the world greatest Teacher and Guide living within us.

So, Crusty, what is the ministry of the Holy Spirit among believers?   He indwells us, He seals us, He teaches us, He guides us, and He convicts us.  With Him in us -- and with the promise of Jesus Christ that NO ONE can snatch us from His hand or from the Fathers' hand -- man, how could we have more eternal security in Christ?


This is why I say that a believer cannot lose his/her salvation.  This is why I believe "once saved, always saved" -- for we have God Himself living within us, sealing us for the day of our redemption.  And, neither Satan, nor anyone, nor anything -- is powerful enough to snatch us away from Him.  Praise God!

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

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Last edited by Bill Gray
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