Holy Spirit

Among all the Christian doctrines, the nature of the Holy Spirit is among the most difficult to understand—and thus the one that is most easily manipulated and misconstrued. David Maas continues his exposure of historical and contemporary attempts to. . .

Most of Christianity, both presently and historically, believes firmly in the Trinity as the structure of the Godhead, but a slim minority holds to a much older belief, one that hearkens back to the earliest Christians. David Maas analyzes some of the proo. . .

Even theologians admit that the Holy Spirit is a mystery to them. Yet the confusion comes from pagan thought patterns that have affected how Scripture is read.

What is the Holy Spirit? What does it do? Who has it? How does it work? What does it produce?

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that Elohim is a plural noun indicating more than one personality. Elohim could be considered a genus—a God-kind, parallel to human-kind, animal-kind, etc. Jesus Christ, as the second Adam, is the beginning of the spiritual. . .

David Grabbe, reminding us that God's Holy Spirit is an integral part of Pentecost, clarifies some understanding about the term "spirit," a word which has been interpreted into 14 different words throughout the Scriptures. On Pentecost AD, God be. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, responding to a Trinitarian's objection to the word "it" when referring to God's Spirit, systematically analyzes bogus, Neo-Platonic, philosophical underpinnings of the Trinity doctrine, including the equivocal misapplication . . .

The architects of the trinity doctrine admit that it is a 'somewhat unsteady silhouette', requiring assumptions and inferences, but unsupportable by Scripture.

How do we lie to the Holy Spirit? Does this mean that the Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead? What does the "whole counsel of God" say?

John Ritenbaugh identifies spirit as the most important element in the whole salvation process. Spirit (ruach in Hebrew, pneuma in Greek) can be defined as that invisible, immaterial, internal activating agent which impels or creates. There are varieties o. . .

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that the trinity doctrine, never taught by Jesus or the apostles, arrived on the scene 400 years later, derived by a flawed premise and deductive logic. The trinity must be "read into" the scriptures, not "derived . . .

John Ritenbaugh emphasizes that God's Spirit is the essence of God's mind rather than a third person of a trinity. With this Spirit, God opens our minds, dwells in us, and implants or transfers His Family characteristics into us through His Word (Romans 8:. . .

Continuing with the definition of spirit, John Ritenbaugh explains that the preposition 'in'—as in the expressions 'in Christ,' 'in the church,' 'in you," or 'in the spirit'—refer not to literal physical dimensions, but instead our 'concer. . .

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that spirit in the vast majority of biblical contexts refers to the invisible, immaterial, internal activating dimension of the mind. It is repeatedly linked and used synonymously with heart, mind, and thoughts. Spirit (as activa. . .

God's Spirit will never prod us to do anything that is not godly love, and because it a spirit of a sound mind, it will never motivate us to do crazy things.

Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit's function to carry out God's work, including inspiring one to speak the words of God and to resist the power of Satan.

God is working to build a relationship with us, dispensing gifts for overcoming and working out His greater purpose. God's Spirit is 1) an immaterial, invisible force which motivates, impels, and compels; 2) whenever referring to a person clearly identifie. . .

We are intrigued by supernatural power, and many seek to display it. Yet the Scriptures show the activity of the Holy Spirit in ways that are commonly missed.

The receiving of God's Spirit is for God's creative effort in our lives. God's Spirit transforms us from a state of destruction into a state of purity.

John Ritenbaugh observes that for over 50 years the Worldwide Church of God had no confusion about the nature of God, but in 1993, with the publication of the "God is..." booklet, the understanding of God as a family was surreptitiously replaced . . .

God personally handpicks individuals with whom He desires to form a reciprocal relationship. This relationship must be dressed, kept, tended, and maintained.

Acts 5:32 declares that God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him, yet some argue that keeping God's law is not necessary. What is the truth?

David Grabbe, mentioning the typical reaction of subscribers to statements against the trinity doctrine, reminds us that the great false church has had 1,600 years to falsely indoctrinate its congregation with a false explanation of the nature of God's Hol. . .

John Ritenbaugh, relating four Scriptures pertaining to Pentecost (comprising 700 years in fulfillment), suggests that God does not regard time the same way as we do. Spiritual entities, such as word and ideas, are powerful and potentially dangerous if use. . .

God controls the invisible wind—powerful or gentle—making it an ideal symbol for His Spirit. God's breathing life into Adam foreshadowed giving the Holy Spirit.

In this introductory article to a series on the fruit of the Spirit, John Ritenbaugh explains how the Bible approaches fruit symbolically, what it means to bear fruit, and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Charles Whitaker discusses the presence-absence dichotomy in terms of God's indwelling Spirit. Genesis 1:1-5 introduces the presence-absence dichotomy; God's Spirit quickly transforms the chaos of tohu and bohu into an organized and fecund creation. The im. . .

The Apostle John exhorts us to test and discern the spirits, judging between the true and the false, using the scripture as the steady standard of truth.

In discussing the Holy Spirit and the Trinity, John Ritenbaugh reiterates that the Holy Spirit is never venerated as a separate being (Revelation 22:1-3, John 10:30, John 17:3). Spirit (ruach-Hebrew or pneuma-Greek), something never seen, is manifested or . . .

John Ritenbaugh, differentiating Pentecost from the other High Holy Days, suggests that its uniqueness consists of the extra-special gift to God's called-out ones, namely the precious additive of God's Holy Spirit, enabling us to perform the tasks God has . . .

David Grabbe, focusing on Jesus Christ's promise of the Helper (Paracletos) in John 14-16, often used by Trinitarians as a proof text, points out that Christ warns the disciples His language is figurative. The Advocate, Helper, and Holy Spirit are alternat. . .

The five parakletos sayings of Christ prove that the Holy Spirit is the essence, mind, and power of God and Christ in us, providing us assistance and counsel.

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting upon the symbolism of the two goats on this solemn holy day—the sacrificial goat (representing Jesus Christ's sacrifice for our sins) was slain, while the Azazel goat (which we have assumed to be Satan), with the sins of t. . .

John Ritenbaugh, clarifying our worldview with respect to the Israel of God (or the Church) in the context of eschatological (that is, end times) events, declares that our vision of our calling as well as our level of responsibility before the imploding of. . .

Focusing upon Galatians 4:6, John Ritenbaugh reiterates that Jesus Christ constitutes that Spirit that had been designated to dwell within us. There is no third person in a closed trinity. Jesus Christ and God the Father are one in spirit and purpose, purp. . .

In this Pentecost message and the conclusion for the "What Does God Really Want?" series, John Ritenbaugh insists that God's Spirit comes first before anyone is empowered to do anything. God's gifts are in reality tools to do His work. In every s. . .

The blending of paganism with inspired Scripture has degraded and obscured the meaning and glory of what happened in the announcement of Jesus Christ's birth.