Holy Spirit

Among all the Christian doctrines, the nature of the Holy Spirit is among the most difficult to understand, and one that is commonly misconstrued.

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.

Most of Christianity believes in the Trinity, but a slim minority holds to a much older belief, one that hearkens back to the earliest Christians.

God's Holy Spirit typically refers to the mind of God and Christ, which is added to our human spirit to create a sound mind by which we witness of God.

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

The Father and the Son are two separate personalities, with the Father having pre-eminence. The Bible contains no evidence of a third person in the God family.

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.

There are varieties of spirit, motivating people to 'go with the flow' and conform to a sheep-like mob psychology. Satan's spirit encourages sinfulness.

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. . .

Theologians, misapplying grammatical gender and personification, falsely deduce a phantom third person, propped up by a spurious insertion (I John 5:7-8).

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 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:. . .

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. . .

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. . .

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.

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 . . .

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?

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

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. . .

Spirit is an invisible force, the effects of which are clear by its manifestations. Spirit can be discerned by thinking through and evaluating its effects.

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.

The Bible frequently uses the symbol of fruit. Here is an in-depth look at what it means to bear fruit, and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Paul's use of the presence-absence dichotomy clarified that absence does not materially affect the Work of God because the same Holy Spirit is always present.

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 . . .

Pentecost's 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 prepared, giving us the power to overcome, build character, and attain membershi. . .

Jesus Christ's promise of the Helper is often used by Trinitarians as a proof text, yet Christ warns the disciples His language is figurative. The Advocate, Helper, and Holy Spirit are alternate terms for Himself. God the Father and Jesus Christ make their. . .

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. . .

John Ritenbaugh refutes the erroneous belief that glossolalia (or speaking in tongues) constitutes a sign or condition of having received God's Holy Spirit. The dramatic manifestations in Acts 2 (cloven tongues of fire, rushing wind, and the miracle of spe. . .

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. . .

Jesus Christ and God the Father are one in spirit and purpose, purposing to draw us toward that same kind of unity that currently exists between them.

Pentecost is known for its stupendous signs, particularly the display of power in Acts 2. David Grabbe shows that Pentecost teaches us of another, more personal witness: our own display of Christ's way of life in us.

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. . .