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Is 'holy spirit' a Person?

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The Watch Tower Society deny the deity, even the personhood of the Holy Spirit. They refer to him as ‘holy spirit,’ in all lower case letters, and often without the essential determiner ‘the’ that indicates personhood.

‘The correct identification of the holy spirit must fit the scriptures that refer to that spirit (note they don’t write ‘him’). With this viewpoint, it is logical to conclude that the holy spirit is the active force of God. It is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will.’ Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p.381

It is important we have a correct understanding of the Holy Spirit. Only those who confess ‘Jesus as Lord’ are saved (Romans 10:9), and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ and mean it except by the Holy Spirit(1 Corinthians 12:3).

Is the Holy Spirit a Person?

There are three things that identify personhood:

Intellect: The faculty of reasoning, objective understanding

Will: The ability to express intention, desire, consent, willingness

Emotion: Instinctive, or intuitive feeling as opposed to reasoning or knowledge

What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit?

Does the Holy Spirit Have an Intellect?

John 14:26 tells is the Holy Spirit is able to teach. (signifying intellect)

Romans 8:26,27 tells us the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. The NWT says, ‘the problem is we do not know what we should pray for as we need to, but the spirit itself pleads for us with unuttered groanings. But the one who searches the hearts knows what the meaning of the spirit is, because it is pleading in harmony with God for the holy ones.’

Greek scholar W E Vines definition of ‘intercession’ shows an active force could not do it:

‘Primarily to fall in with, meet with in order to converse; to make petition, especially to make intercession, plead with a person, either for or against others’ Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol.2, p.267

Does the Holy Spirit Have a Will?

Acts 8:29 shows the Holy Spirit directing Philip (signifying will)

1 Corinthians 12:11 shows the Holy Spirit has a will of his own and can make decisions, Greek Boulomai. Vine defines this, ‘to wish, to will deliberately...the deliberate exercise of the will.’ [ibid, Vol.1 p.299 [a sign of will]

Does the Holy Spirit Have Emotions?

Ephesians 4:3 says the Holy Spirit can be grieved, the Greek word being lupeo. Vine says this, ‘denotes to cause pain, or grief, to distress, grieve.’ ibid, Vol.2, p. 178 [a sign of emotion]

Therefore...

The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit possesses an intellect, a will, and emotions and, according to the test we are applying, is therefore a person. Indeed, the Watch Tower Society actually teaches the Holy Spirit has to be a person when they talk about Satan:

‘Throughout the Scriptures the qualities and actions attributed to him could be attributed only to a person, not to an abstract principle of evil. It is clear that the Jews, and Jesus and his disciples, knew that Satan existed as a person.’ Insight on the Scriptures – Satan

What attributes are they talking about?

‘Can an unintelligent’ force’ carry on a conversation with a person? Also, the Bible calls Satan a manslayer, a liar, a father (in a spiritual sense) and a ruler (John 14:30). Only an intelligent person could fit all these descriptions.’ Awake! 8 December 1973, p.27

The same argument must, then, be applied to the Holy Spirit. Do these verses from John 16 indicate a person or an active force?

‘Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit I am going away. For if I do not go away, the helper will by no means come to you; but if I do go away, I will send him to guide you...However, when that one arrives, the spirit of truth, he will guide you into all the truth [intellect], for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things coming [will]. That one will glorify me [emotion], because he will receive from what is mine and will declare it to you. All the things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said he receives from what is mine and declares it to you.’ John 16:7, 13-15, NWT, emphasis added.

In the same chapter, vv 16,17, the New World Translation goes on to call the helper, the spirit of truth, an it, but the text forces them in the above verses to admit the Holy Spirit is a him, a person.

Is the Holy Spirit God?

In Acts 5:3 we read that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit

In Acts 5:4 Peter declares that Ananias lied to God

Hebrews 3:7-11 – Here the Holy Spirit tells us he was provoked, tested, angered, and was wrathful, saying: They shall not enter my rest.’ The writer is quoting from Psalm 95:7-11 where the Psalmist says of the one who was provoked, ‘for He is our God.’

Both texts above, Hebrews 3 and Psalm 95, are referring to an incident in Numbers 14:23-30. The Numbers text identifies the one grieved as Jehovah. We might also quote from the NWT:

‘But when there is a turning to Jehovah, the veil is taken away. Now Jehovah is the Spirit; and when the spirit and where the sprit of Jehovah is, there is freedom. And all of us, while we with unveiled faces reflect like mirrors the glory of Jehovah, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, exactly as done by Jehovah [the] Spirit.’ 2 Corinthians 3:16-18

The Holy Spirit is not God’s ‘active force, he is Jehovah God. Nothing could be more important than understanding the identity of the God we serve.

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