A dictionary definition of the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of God as one of the Trinity,” and “the main body that is the fundamental force of the spiritual life of Christians.” Then, is the Holy Spirit a person or an invisible active force? If it is a person, is it the same person as God or a different one? The Bible gives a clear answer to this. The Holy Spirit is God who has personality, and grants the gifts of the Holy Spirit to God’s people. It is prophesied that the Holy Spirit, who came as the Son Jesus 2,000 years ago, will come again in the last days to give humankind the water of life.
What Is the Holy Spirit?
Some insist that the Holy Spirit is an active force such as electronic waves or energy. However, this is terribly wrong. The Holy Spirit in the Bible grieves the wrongdoing of God’s people (Eph 4:30). He groans, prays, and thinks (Ro 8:26–27). He even speaks (Ac 10:19–20). All these things can be done by beings with thoughts and feelings. It clearly proves that the Holy Spirit is not a mere active force. The Holy Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God, is not different from God. He is God; because God is the Spirit (Jn 4:24).
[T]he Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 1 Co 2:10–11
A man himself knows his own thoughts. Likewise, God Himself knows the thoughts of God. However, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit fully understands all the mysteries of God that only God can know. This would be impossible if the Holy Spirit were a separate being from God. Therefore, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is God Himself as a Spirit.
What Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
When you go to church, you often hear people say, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” “Ask for the Holy Spirit,” and so on. That is why the Holy Spirit is often misunderstood as mere power or gifts of God. However, the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are different. When the Holy Spirit is with us, the power of the Holy Spirit is revealed. We call this power or talent the gifts of the Holy Spirit— gifts that the Holy Spirit gives by His grace. There are different kinds of gifts of the Holy Spirit, and He gives them to each one just as He determines (1 Co 12:4–11). We can understand that the Holy Spirit is not the power itself, but God Himself who gives His gifts so that various abilities can be revealed in each person.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Ac 2:4
The saints of the early Church kept the Day of Pentecost and received the gift of speaking in other tongues, “as the Spirit enabled them.” As the Holy Spirit came upon the saints and worked, the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is speaking in other tongues, was revealed. In addition, there are expressions throughout the Bible that say, “The Holy Spirit was poured out,” and “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Precisely speaking, it refers to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but simply expressed as the Holy Spirit (Ac 2:18, 33). Depending on the context, we need to discern whether the Holy Spirit indicates God in spirit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit and the Son Jesus Are the Same
Two thousand years ago, the Spirit of God, that is, the Holy Spirit, came to this earth in the flesh as a Son. He is the Son Jesus, who was born through the body of Mary (Isa 9:6; Mt 1:18–23). The apostles, who correctly recognized Jesus as God who came to this earth in the flesh, testified that the Holy Spirit and the Son Jesus are the same.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express . . . Christ Jesus, who . . . is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Ro 8:26–27, 34
Apostle Paul said that the Holy Spirit prays for the saints, and he also testified that Jesus prays for the saints. This means that the Holy Spirit and Jesus are the same. Apostle Peter, too, wrote the same thing.
[T]he prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 1 Pe 1:10–11
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Pe 1:20–21
Concerning that the prophets of the Old Testament wrote the prophecies, Peter said that the prophets were moved by the Spirit of Christ and also by the Holy Spirit. This, too, proves that the Holy Spirit and Jesus are the same.
The Holy Spirit Is Second Coming Jesus
In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit also refers to Second Coming Jesus who is the Savior in the Age of the Holy Spirit.
[F]or the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready . . . Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” Rev 19:7–9
Here, the “Lamb” indicates Jesus, and He appears with the bride who did not appear at His first coming. Through this, we can understand that the Lamb here is Second Coming Jesus. Apostle John prophesied that Second Coming Jesus who is the Bridegroom, and His Bride (Wife) would appear in the last days. However, in Revelation 22 which was written by the same person, it is prophesied that the Holy Spirit and the Bride would appear and invite all people to the heavenly wedding banquet.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Rev 22:17
It means that the Savior who gives the water of life in the last days, that is, Second Coming Jesus, is the Holy Spirit. Jesus too prophesied about His second coming as follows.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever . . . I [Jesus] will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Jn 14:16–18
Jesus said that Father would give “another Counselor,” and then said that He Himself would come. This means that Jesus would come a second time as another Counselor. “Another Counselor” indicates the Holy Spirit who is to come.
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Jn 14:26
The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name indicates God the Holy Spirit who will come again after Jesus’ first coming, which refers to Second Coming Jesus, the Savior who will appear in the last age. In this way, Jesus called Himself who would come a second time the Holy Spirit.
What Is the Name of the Holy Spirit?
Jesus, who predicted the end of the world, said that there are not only the names of the Father and the Son but also the name of the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . .” Mt 28:19–20
Father’s name was the name of the Savior in the Age of the Father, and Son’s name was the name of the Savior in the Age of the Son. Since the name of the Holy Spirit was mentioned together with these names, it implies that the name of the Holy Spirit is the name of the Savior in the Age of the Holy Spirit.
In the book of Revelation, the name of the Holy Spirit is prophesied as the new name of Jesus, that is, the name of Second Coming Jesus (Rev 3:12; 2:17). Therefore, the “Holy Spirit” in Matthew 28:19 indicates Second Coming Jesus, the Savior in the Age of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indicates the Spirit of God, but on the other hand, it refers to Second Coming Jesus who is the Savior in the Age of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit, who is God in nature, was with His people and led the work of redemption both in the Age of the Father and in the Age of the Son (2 Sa 23:2; Ac 8:29). In the last Age of the Holy Spirit, He comes to this earth a second time with Jesus’ new name and opens the spring of the water of life for salvation. We can realize the Savior in this age, God the Holy Spirit who is Second Coming Jesus, only through the Bible (Jn 5:39).