THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A PERSON

A lthough Paul does not directly address the question of the personality of the Holy Spirit, several matching data give us the certainty that the apostle understood the Holy Spirit in personal terms; closely related to the Father and the Son and yet different from them.

First, we must recognize that the most frequent mentions of the Holy Spirit, allude to Him in terms of action (it is true to the Holy Spirit, allude to Him in terms of action (that is, the Spirit is the agent of the activity of God.) It is also true that this language does not necessarily imply personality. However, a still superficial reading of the passages in which Paul refers to the Spirit (or Holy Spirit) shows how often the action finds a personal expression. " For example, the conversion of the Thessalonians is produced by the sanctifying work of the Spirit (2 Thess 2:13; d. 1 Cor 6:11; Rom 15:16), and the same also happens with the joy that accompanies it (1 Thess 1: 6 d. Rom 15:13) Revelation comes from the Spirit (1 Cor 2:10; Eph.3: 5); and Paul's preaching is accompanied by the power of the Spirit (I Thess 1: 5). Prophetic and tongues are the direct result of speaking by the Spirit (1 Cor 12: 3; 14: 2, 16). The Romans are to die every sinful practice through the Spirit (Rom 8:13). Paul expresses his desire that the Ephesians be strengthened by the Spirit of God ( Eph. 3:16). Believers serve by the Spirit (Phil. 3: 3), love by the Spirit (Col. 1: 8), are sealed by the Spirit ( Eph. 1:13), and walk and live by the Spirit (Gal. 5: 16, 25). Finally, believers are saved "by washing by the Holy Spirit whom God poured on them" (Titus 3: 5).

On the one hand, a passage such as the latter may suggest action brings to mind the idea of ​​personality, nor does the imagery of "washing" by the Spirit. On the other hand, if we analyze them carefully, most of these passages imply or presuppose the personality of the Holy Spirit, and that the terminology of the outpouring is simply imagery. This is especially evident in passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:11 in which God "washes, sanctifies and justifies" through the double action of the "name [authority] of the Lord Jesus Christ" and "the Spirit of our God."

The argument is that, what Paul says of the Spirit in terms of action, is analogous to what he affirms in many texts about Christ. The implication is evident: it is difficult to observe the great shortage of impersonal images that Paul uses in his letters. E n contrast to Lucas, rarely speaks the apostle of being filled with the Spirit; their primary language alludes to God who "puts his E spíritu within you." "or" receiving "or" have "~ spíritu.24 None of these images involves personality, but also suggest the impersonal, like so many other images ( wind, fire, etc.).

And I made that Paul understands the Spirit as a person is confirmed, secondly, by the fact that the E spíritu is the subject of a lot of verbs that require a personal agent. The Spirit searches all things (1 Cor 2:10), knows the mind of the Lord (1 Cor 2:11), teaches the content of the Gospel to believers (1 Cor 2:13), dwells among believers or within of them (1 Cor 3:16; Rom 8:11; 2 Tim 1:14), do all these things (1 Cor 12:11), give life to those who believe (2 Cor 3: 6), cry out in our hearts (Gal 4: 6), guides us in the ways of the Lord (Gal 5:18; Rom 8:14), testifies to our spirit (Rom 8:16), has desires that oppose the flesh (Gal 5 : 17), helps us in our weakness (Rom 8:26), intercedes for us (Rom 8: 26-27), makes all things cooperate for our good (Rom 8:28), 25 strengthens believers ( ~ f 3:16), and be sad with our sin (Eph. 4:30). Moreover, the fruit of the abode of the E spíritu are the personal attributes of God (Gal 5: 22-23).