The theology, or doctrine, of the Holy Spirit. For the majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit is a person of the Holy Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and is Almighty God.
16
votes
1answer
200 views
What are the theological implications of “filioque”?
Depending on your tradition, the Nicene Creed may or may not say that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as from the Father:
(Greek) τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον - who from the Father ...
15
votes
5answers
221 views
What is Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and how does it differ from water baptism? Do all Christians experience Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
EDIT
A few references to Baptisim of the Holy Spirit, or ...
13
votes
3answers
488 views
If the Holy Spirit is God, and God can not be in the presence of sin, then how can the Holy Spirit dwell in me a sinner?
If we believe in the Trinity, in essense that the Holy Spirit is God, and we believe that God can not be in the presence of sin, then how can the Holy Spirit dwell within me a sinner?
11
votes
4answers
503 views
How do you know that you are reborn of Spirit?
This is by far one of the most profound questions in Christianity today. We have so many different denominations stating many different things. I know that this is a large debate, but go ahead and ...
11
votes
2answers
292 views
Was the Holy Spirit or God (the Godhead), the father of Jesus?
Holy Spirit conceives Jesus
Matthew 1:20 ESV
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear
to take ...
10
votes
3answers
149 views
Spiritual Gifts, how can we understand/ master them?
So I am of the understanding that Spiritual gifts, as mentioned in the book of Acts, persist today. As I understand in my reading from 1st Corinthians, we are all given different spiritual gifts.
...
9
votes
2answers
195 views
How do we know that the Holy Spirit is God?
I know that as Trinitarians, we believe that God exists as one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
That God the Father is God is patently obvious from the ...
8
votes
2answers
328 views
What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus says:
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people,
but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever
speaks a word ...
8
votes
1answer
93 views
How do sola-scriptura adherents reconcile the role of the Holy Spirit as a teacher?
The Bible teaches that one of the many roles of the Holy Spirit is that of a teacher:
Luke 12:11-12 (NIV)
John 14:26 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 2:11-15 (NIV)
Sola-scriptura is the belief that "that ...
7
votes
3answers
157 views
How should we judge the trustworthiness of a given Bible translation?
Given that both the humans who actually penned the Bible and the later humans who translated it all had free will, the issue of Biblical inerrancy is a tricky one.
See also: By what mechanism could ...
7
votes
2answers
85 views
Is the choice of a new Pope inspired by the Holy Spirit?
Are Roman Catholics required to believe that the Cardinals choice of a new Pope is inspired by the Holy Spirit?
If so, how do we explain "bad" popes?
7
votes
4answers
787 views
Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit still active today?
In first Corinthians and other places, there is a lot of talk about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For example:
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one ...
7
votes
1answer
352 views
Christianity and extreme, seizure-like bodily shaking
I've noticed here and there the odd practice of inducing an extreme, seizure-like bodily shaking in oneself, which seems quite strange to me; it's not at all clear what the purpose is. Some people ...
7
votes
2answers
79 views
When did Jesus send the Holy Spirit?
I've always assumed that the Holy Spirit did not make his presence known amongst men until Pentecost. Famously, in Acts 2, the Spirit descends upon the first believers, gives them power of speech, ...
7
votes
1answer
268 views
What is the difference between baptism of the Holy Spirit and receiving the Holy Spirit?
What is the difference between baptism of the Holy Spirit and receiving the Holy Spirit (or being filled with the Holy Spirit)? Do these two mean the same? I am open to the different views given by ...
7
votes
1answer
130 views
Who represented “the Lord” in Exodus 4:24-26, and what's the deal with the foreskin?
In Exodus 4:24-26:
At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely ...
6
votes
2answers
159 views
How do Cessationists view “being filled with the Holy Spirit”
I'm aware that Cessationists do not believe in spiritual gifts. However, how do they view the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit?
Tozer's How to be filled with the holy spirit defines the ...
6
votes
1answer
87 views
Spirit of the Lord Upon David
1 Samuel 16:13 states that:
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his
brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully
upon David.
and in ...
6
votes
6answers
116 views
Is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father?
Is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father? It's a pretty simple question, so I don't really know if there is much I can add to the body.
6
votes
0answers
39 views
What is the difference, if any, between the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives vs. the apostles lives?
I think all Christian denominations will agree as fundamental doctrine that the Holy Spirit was sent to us (the invisible church) after Christ's death on the cross (John 14:16). However, it seems like ...
5
votes
2answers
201 views
Do Christians Regard Speaking in Tongues as Necessary?
I have heard that some Christians consider it the only sure sign of having received the Holy Spirit, which would seem quite important.
If not generally, which groups hold to this belief, and in what ...
5
votes
6answers
489 views
Can the Holy Spirit take control of a person completely?
At any point, can the Holy Spirit take control of a person completely so that the person may act beyond his control? I am trying to understand the Biblical view on this. My understanding is that the ...
5
votes
1answer
706 views
What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Roman Catholic church?
What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Roman Catholic church? When I search online, I mostly find stuff about filioque. But I want to know specifically what he does. What is his role? How does he ...
5
votes
2answers
103 views
Does the Holy Spirit ever choose not to lead?
(Somewhat related to At what level of detail does God lead His children?.)
Here, I am going to make a couple assumptions.
The person has the Holy Spirit inside them.
The person follows the Holy ...
5
votes
1answer
96 views
What are the differences between the spirit of God and spirit of Man?
First, I thought that the spirit Christians get from God is the same as the spirit of God. Recently, I heard a sermon that asserted they are different, but gave no more details. Which verses describe ...
4
votes
2answers
78 views
How did Elizabeth know the name was “John”
The angel of the Lord only spoke to Zechariah about the name of the child to be born. How did she know about the name? Did the Lord reveal this to her or her husband told her? How she know what the ...
4
votes
3answers
175 views
How do we know to refer to the Holy Spirit as He?
Another question really got me to thinking about the Holy Spirit. I thought it better to open a new question rather to divert the focus of that thread. So growing up, I also thought of the 1st ...
4
votes
1answer
115 views
What are the mechanics of interaction with the Holy Spirit?
Context
John 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all ...
4
votes
1answer
87 views
Is the Holy Spirit offered worship at any instance?
This question is similar to this one except that its on Holy Spirit:
All the references where Jesus is offered worship
Is there any reference in the Bible where the Holy Spirit is offered worship?
4
votes
2answers
86 views
Holy Spirit vs Own option
When we are making decisions in church group, rather charismatic people will say things like
I feel we should...
which they sometimes connect to be input of holy guidance like the holy spirit.
...
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Reformed perspective on “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28)
Acts 15 records the Council of Jerusalem, a meeting in about 50AD of early Church leaders regarding whether Gentiles could be Christians without first becoming Jews. "After much discussion" (15:7) ...
3
votes
2answers
169 views
Who sent John the Baptist to baptize with water?
In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, the following account of John the Baptist's introduction of Jesus is given:
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the
...
3
votes
4answers
260 views
How does a Christian justify free thinking?
What types of Christianity promote free thinking or thinking for yourself.
The more I go to church, the more I feel guilty for free thinking and feel I should be passive to let the Holy Spirit Guide ...
3
votes
1answer
72 views
Why is the Holy Spirit often referred as “Ghost”?
Why is the Holy Spirit often referred as the Holy "Ghost"? Does not the term ghost usually used in a negative connotation that relates to "scaring away"?
3
votes
2answers
79 views
Where in Scripture is the Holy Spirit said to be speaking directly?
God the Son speaks in Luke 5:31-32:
Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
...
3
votes
2answers
209 views
Were Annanias and Saphira guilty of the “unforgiveable” sin?
In Acts 5 we are presented with the account of Annanias and Saphira.
Summary
they sold a piece of property, and then determined to lie to the Apostles and the Holy Spirit about its value, and give ...
3
votes
1answer
63 views
How was the gift of the word of knowledge defined by the pioneers of the pentecostal healing revival
I will ask a series of questions concerning individual spiritual gifts (pneumatika/charismata), or manifestations of the Spirit in 1 Cor 12.
This second one is also about the gift of the word (logos) ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
How does music relate to the prophecy of God's mind?
I have been thinking about the 'aesthetic aspect of understanding' and found it surprising, when I noticed the role music had in the Bible. (I still scratch my head a bit and find it pleasurably ...
1
vote
1answer
137 views
Why is it that God the Father is alone capitalised in the third person?
Usually Christians write He, His and Himself with a capital H when referring to God the Father. I'm not aware of this practice for either Jesus or The Holy Spirit.
Why the distinction?
1
vote
1answer
111 views
What was the definition of the spiritual gift of the word of Knowledge in early pentecostalism?
I will ask a series of questions concerning individual spiritual gifts (pneumatika/charismata), or manifestations of the Spirit in 1 Cor 12.
The first questions are about the gift of the word (logos) ...
0
votes
1answer
123 views
Does knowing a spirit's name give special powers in controlling that spirit according to Christian theology?
A while ago I was at a resort with a man who for many years worked as a church painter. He introduced me into some pieces of Christian doctrine.
He told me that the humans' souls, the angels, demons ...
-3
votes
4answers
178 views
How should we think about Jesus' mother being Jewish and his father being the Holy Spirit?
Science says it is impossible for a woman to conceive a child without the sperm of a man.
I have seen Christians just gloss over this, romanticize about it, make it fairy tale or flat out deny it.
...
