Who Is the Holy Spirit?
Overview
In Who is the Holy Spirit, Dr. Sproul addresses this controversial topic by going back to the Bible. He establishes the biblical teaching on the Spirit’s identity—he is one of the three persons of the Godhead, along with the Father and Son—then briefly sketches some of the most basic yet important roles the Spirit carries out. He shows that the Spirit gives new life to unbelievers, then sanctifies, strengthens, teaches, and anoints them for ministry. This booklet provides a basic understanding of the divine person on whom Christians’ very lives depend.
Top Highlights
“But none of these things avail for our benefit until they are applied to us personally. Therefore, the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit into the world to apply salvation to us (John 15:26; Gal. 4:6). The role of the Holy Spirit chiefly and principally in the New Testament is to apply the work of Christ to believers.” (Pages 12–13)
“Therefore, the King James Version translators were telling us that the Holy Spirit comes to the people of Christ not to heal their wounds after a battle but to strengthen them before and during a struggle. The idea is that the church operates not so much as a hospital but as an army, and the Holy Spirit comes to empower and strengthen Christians, to ensure victory or conquest.” (Pages 32–33)
“He is a person who empowers the people of God for the Christian life” (Page 13)
“God is pure being, a being who has His life in and of Himself eternally. A human being is a creature, a being whose very existence from moment to moment depends on the power of the Supreme Being. God’s being is not dependent on anything or derived from anything. He has the power to be in and of Himself.” (Page 7)
“Also, He does things that we associate with personality. He teaches, He inspires, He guides, He leads, He grieves, He convicts us of sin, and more. Impersonal objects do not behave in this manner. Only a person can do these things.” (Page 10)
- Title: Who Is the Holy Spirit?
- Author: R. C. Sproul
- Series: The Crucial Questions Series
- Volume: 13
- Publisher: Reformation Trust
- Print Publication Date: 2012
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Holy Spirit
- ISBNs: 9781567692990, 1567692990
- Resource ID: LLS:WHOISHOLYSPIRIT
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:46:08Z
R. C. Sproul (1939– 2017) was a respected teacher, theologian, pastor. He was the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries where he served as executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.
Sproul held degrees from Westminster College, Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, Free University of Amsterdam, and Whitefield Theological Seminary. He taught at several colleges and seminaries including Reformed Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He served as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, in Sanford, Florida. Sproul’s teaching can be heard daily on the ‘Renewing Your Mind’ radio broadcast which plays in over 40 countries.
Sproul wrote over 70 books and articles including the classic The Holiness of God and several theological articles in Tabletalk magazine.
