Aviva Directory » Faith & Spirituality » World Religions » Abrahamic Religions » Christianity » God - Trinity » Holy Spirit - Holy Ghost

Most Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity, after God, the Father and Jesus, the Son, and that He is divine, as in Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each equally God. Many Christian theologians identify the Holy Spirit with the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Breath) of Jewish Scripture, and with the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God), Ruach YHWH (Spirit of Yahweh), and Ruach Hakmah (Spirit of Wisdom). Genesis 1:2 reads, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Many Christians believe that this verse refers to the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is identified with the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, and the Paraclete (Comforter). The Gospels of Matthew and Luke state that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove during his baptism by John the Baptist, and during the Last Supper, Jesus promised his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit. After Christ's resurrection, He instructed his disciples to teach all of the nations, and to baptize them "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The Holy Spirit does not appear for the first time at Pentecost, although He does come with power, filling the apostles with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also said to have inspired the Bible authors, and allowed the apostles and disciples to perform miracles in the days of the Early Church. Many Christians believe that He is also inspires and empower Christians to peform miracles today, although many Christian scholars believe that the gifts of the Spirit were for the apostles alone. Although most Christian denominations and groups believe the Holy Spirit to be an individual and a divine Person, some Christian scholars and denominations believe that the Holy Spirit refers to the will or the spirit of God, the Father.

 

 

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