The Narrow Path Ministries

It seems that all the discussions of the trinity surround Christology -- I've never seen a serious discussion of the Holy Spirit as a person of the trinity. There seems to be very little discussion on the internet about this topic -- is that because it's so well established that it's not debatable?

It strikes me odd that an anti-trinitarian would go directly from denying Christ as a person of the trinity to unity, bypassing "binity" altogether. The only reference I could find to folks being "binitarians" is that early Catholic encyclopedias denied HS as person of trinity and instead just a representation of the power or actions of God and not a "person" per se, or to vague references to it being related to the Arminian heresy (I think they may have meant Arian).

Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

That's funny. I was thinking the same thing a few days ago. Here's the link
http://www.wvss.com/forumc/viewtopic.php?t=1215

Maybe my subconscious remembered reading that post -- it does sound familiar now that I read it -- I still haven't seen much of a scriptural argument.

darin-houston wrote: I still haven't seen much of a scriptural argument.

Me neither. The Trinity is made pretty clear to me.

What I meant to say was I'm not sure I see a scriptural argument for the HS as the third person of the Trinity -- I have no reason to hope it's not, but I just haven't looked into it before -- it strikes me as at least reasonable that the HS is not a person, but just the way in which the Father and Son relate to one another and to us. I'm sure there is a good scriptural case to be made, I just don't know what it is.

What I meant to say was I'm not sure I see a scriptural argument for the HS as the third person of the Trinity -- I have no reason to hope it's not, but I just haven't looked into it before -- it strikes me as at least reasonable that the HS is not a person, but just the way in which the Father and Son relate to one another and to us. I'm sure there is a good scriptural case to be made, I just don't know what it is.

There is the mind of the Spirit, The infinite comprehension of the Spirit, The foreknowledge of the Spirit, The power of the Spirit, The love of the Spirit, and The self determining will of the Spirit. Not to mention that Scripture testifies that He creates and gives life He strives with the ungodly, He convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment, He commands and forbids, He appoints ministers in the church, He inspired sacred writers, He speaketh expressly, He saith to the churches, He performs miracles, He caused the virgin Mary to conceive, He works in all saints, He regenerates and seals His people, He teaches and comforts and guides us into all truth, He can be vexed and grieved, He testifies with personal witnesses, He approves with personal counsellors, He invites with personal messengers, He is personally present in a sense which Jesus is personally absent, and He can be personally blasphemed.

Tommorow, I will try to make time to give the Scripture referrences for these.

excellent points, SE.

In Acts 5 (i believe- the story of ananias and sapphira) it is noted that the HS can be lied to. only a person can be lied to-- not a force or a vague representation of something.

TK

There is the mind of the Spirit, The infinite comprehension of the Spirit, The foreknowledge of the Spirit, The power of the Spirit, The love of the Spirit, and The self determining will of the Spirit. etc., etc.,etc.

All of this shows that the Holy Spirit is personal. It does not show that He(or "It") is a third Person of the Deity. If the Holy Spirit is the Persons of the Father and the Son, extending their Persons to various locations throughout the world, then all of the above would apply.

So, is there any example of anyone praying to the Holy Spirit?

None anywhere in the Bible. But there are plenty of examples in modern Christendom. Also in hymns. One example:

Come Holy Spirit, I need Thee.
Come sweet Spirit, I pray.
Come in Thy strength and Thy power.
Come in thine own gentle way.

I can conscientiously sing such a song, knowing that I am addressing the Father and the Son (whom Jesus promised would make their dwelling with the disciples).