Holy Ghost Talk For 8 Year Old Baptism? The 135 Top Answers

Invite class members to watch and discuss the “Patterns of Light” videos, a three-part series starring Elder David A. Bednar. These videos help service members understand how the Holy Spirit communicates with us. Use the LDS media library to access the videos.

In Part One, “The Light of Christ,” Elder David A. Bednar discusses how we receive and perceive light from God. The first part discusses the qualities of light and how the light of Christ affects all men and women everywhere (see D&C 50:24). How does Elder Bednar describe the difference between light and darkness? (You may want to explain that light chases darkness, darkness cannot overcome light, light is warm, and darkness is cold.) Is your testimony your own source of light? What increases the light in your life? What is the light of Christ? Discuss that it is more than conscience and natural behavior. It is the influence of God that encourages us and invites us to greater light. How can you bring light into your life?

The second part of this series, “Recognizing Light,” explains how we recognize divine light and recognize divine influence through our own thoughts. In part two, Elder Bednar discusses recognizing and acting on light from God. Help service workers understand and apply this gospel principle. What covenants did we make at baptism? Explain that sometimes in our lives we wonder whether inspiration comes from ourselves or from God. How does Elder Bednar explain how to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost?

In part three, Elder Bednar explains the patterns of light through which God communicates with us and how those patterns lead to the spirit of revelation. Discuss Elder Bednar’s three planes of light—specifically, a light switch, a sunrise, and step by step in the mist. Discuss how each of these three planes of light illustrates how God communicates with us through the spirit of revelation. Reflect on where you are in your life in terms of light patterns in God’s communication with you.

If the class is large enough, divide the students into small groups of two or four people. Invite members of each group to share experiences where they have felt inspired by the Holy Ghost. After the military members have discussed in their groups, invite some of them to share their experiences with the class. You might also want to share an experience you’ve had.

If you have time, discuss the following questions: What methods does the Holy Ghost use to communicate with our hearts or to inspire our minds? How do we feel when we have the Spirit with us? How can the Holy Ghost clarify what we should do with our lives? Why is it important to always have the Spirit with us?

“Why Do We Need the Gift of the Holy Ghost?” Freund, May 2017

Image Friend Magazine, 2017/5. May

As part of Heavenly Father’s plan for happiness, He has given us the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost helps us avoid temptation and keep us clean from sin.

The Holy Spirit warns us so that we can protect ourselves from danger. He comforts us and guides us through challenges.

We must follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost to walk safely through life.

All this will work for good to the saints, and for evil to sinners and the ungodly.

noun

the Spirit of God: Wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

the presence of God as part of a person’s religious experience: I felt the Holy Spirit in the room with me guiding and guiding me in prayer.

You’ve probably heard people say, “I’m feeling the Spirit strongly right now.”

Maybe you feel something at this moment too. But is there something wrong with you if you don’t?

Short answer: not at all.

Because people experience the influence of the Holy Spirit differently. That’s the wonderful thing about the messages of the Holy Spirit: They are made just for you.

For some people, the Holy Ghost can cause them to feel overwhelmed with emotion and moved to tears. For others, tears rarely or never come. And that’s okay. For them, the Holy Ghost can inspire a subtle sense of gratitude, peace, awe, or love (see Galatians 5:22–23).

The scriptures also describe the Holy Ghost as a “burning” in the bosom (see Doctrine and Covenants 9:8–9). But the intensity or degree of this “burn” can be different for everyone. Sometimes it’s like a small glowing ember instead of a raging bonfire.

Or perhaps you have heard the Holy Ghost described as “a still, still voice” (see Doctrine and Covenants 85:6). And you immediately thought, “But I didn’t HEAR a voice. Is something wrong with me?”

Again not at all. This biblical description does not necessarily mean that we all hear a literal voice. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “The Spirit speaks words that we feel. These feelings are gentle, a nudge to act, to do something, to say something, to react in a certain way.”1

The point is, each of us will experience the Holy Spirit differently. And to varying degrees. What matters is that we live worthy of receiving it and knowing it when it comes. As we do so, we will begin to notice that His influence in our lives is far greater than we expected.

Remarks

1. Ronald A. Rasband, “Let the Holy Spirit Guide,” Apr. 2017 general conference.

The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead. He is a spirit personality without a body of flesh and bones. He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.

roles of the Holy Spirit

Working in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost performs multiple functions to help us live righteously and receive the blessings of the gospel.

He “testifies of the Father and of the Son” (2 Nephi 31:18) and reveals and teaches “the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5). Only through the power of the Holy Ghost can we have a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Its communication with our spirit carries far more certainty than any communication we can receive through our natural senses.

As we strive to stay on the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy Ghost can guide our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual dangers.

Through him we can receive the gifts of the Spirit for our benefit and for the benefit of those we love and serve (see Doctrine and Covenants 46:9–11).

He is the Comforter (John 14:26). Just as the soothing voice of a loving parent can soothe a crying child, the whispers of the Spirit can calm our fears, soothe the nagging worries of our lives, and comfort us when we grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill us “with hope and perfect love” and “teach [us] the peaceful things of the kingdom” (Moroni 8:26; Doctrine and Covenants 36:2).

Through His power we are sanctified as we repent, receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, and remain true to our covenants (see Mosiah 5:1–6; 3 Nephi 27:20; Moses 6:64–68).

He is the Holy Spirit of promise (see Ephesians 1:13; Doctrine and Covenants 132:7–18–19–26). In that capacity, he affirms that the priesthood ordinances we have received and the covenants we have made are acceptable to God. This approval depends on our continued loyalty.

“Many people cry when they feel the Spirit, but I don’t. Is something wrong with me?” New era, July 2013, 27

Crying is not the only—or even the most common—manifestation of the spirit feeling. President Howard W. Hunter (1907–1995) said: “I worry when strong emotions or free-flowing tears seem to be equated with the presence of the Spirit. Certainly the Spirit of the Lord can produce strong emotional feelings, including tears, but this outward manifestation should not be confused with the presence of the Spirit itself” (in Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service [2004], p. 99).

The Spirit of God brings peace and clarity to your heart and mind, as well as other positive emotions such as love, joy, gentleness, and patience (see D&C 6:15, 23; 11:12–14; Galatians 5:22–23). When you experience such things, you can be sure to feel the Spirit whether your feelings make you cry or not.

Elizabeth Gonzalez Torres

FamilyShare – [email protected]

Prayer helps us to transmit to God all the positive, negative and challenging situations and feelings that arise in our life. In fact, we can thank him through prayer and ask him for help or solutions to difficult problems.

However, recognizing God’s guidance, help, or comfort is more difficult than just bowing your head and praying. This is partly because God uses many different means to contact us—He can reach us through another person, a picture, a sentence, a feeling, or even a dream.

If you feel like God is communicating with you through your dreams, here are four ways to discover His message:

1. Keep records of recurring dreams

Even if you think your recurring dreams aren’t important, they often leave lasting feelings in your heart. Don’t ignore these feelings. Analyze them instead. Write these feelings and descriptions of the dreams in a journal. After a while, search your journal and see if you can find a common phrase, person, or picture that gives you an answer to a recent (or perhaps future) prayer.

Remember, there are no coincidences with God. Don’t hesitate to record dreams and analyze them for spiritual messages.

2. Pay attention to the symbolism in your dreams

The world is full of symbols. There are many that you probably don’t recognize, but if you look closely, they’ve always been there. God often uses symbolism to give you the answers you are looking for. Therefore, you must write down even the most insignificant part of your dreams, because that one part could be the key to finding out what the dream means and what God is trying to tell you.

Searching for symbols is not the same as discovering God’s secret code, because God is trying to speak in a way that makes sense to you. Sometimes it is necessary to focus on the ordinary details of your dreams in order to know what God is trying to tell you.

3. Pay attention to the messages you hear in your dreams

On more than one occasion your dreams may reveal some important messages that you have not noticed due to lack of attention or disbelief. The message may be considered unimportant given the simplicity or clarity.

However, you should never underestimate this advice as God may have used your dream to answer a question you asked. While it is true that not all dreams are a solution or answer to your challenges, many of them can be a source of comfort and/or strength at a difficult time in your life.

So if your heart is telling you to listen to this simple yet powerful message from your dream, don’t hesitate to do so.

4. Pray and please

Just as God allows you to communicate with Him for help, comfort, or advice, He also allows you to pray to know if your dreams are answering your prayers. Asking Him if that particular memorable dream you had is part of the message He has for you is undoubtedly the most effective way to find out if God is trying to tell you something.

Finally, remember that as the son or daughter of God, God will always try to keep in touch with you and show you the great love He has for you.

Elizabeth González Torres, FamilyShare

As missionaries, when we felt good about teaching investigators, we learned to stop and say, “How are you feeling right now? That special feeling you have is the Holty ghost telling you these things are true.”

We need to identify those moments when spiritual promptings are being felt so that they are never ignored or become commonplace. I continue to learn to identify the Spirit by reading the scriptures and comparing them to my own life. I learn more from articles and stories in Church publications and from other members’ talks and testimonies about how they have been guided or influenced. I then try to recognize similar promptings in my life.

I have the feeling that there are no “coincidences” in our lives, but rather quiet moments of orientation. We must follow the good impulses we are feeling lest we become desensitized to the mind by ignoring it.

I also write down the special experiences and the times when I ignored a prompting. The latter often leads to a renewed commitment to listening. By keeping a journal of spiritual experiences, I recognize them more quickly next time and keep myself open to more. I also affirm them in my mind and heart and have them available as examples in moments of discouragement. -Sylvia G. Calkins, Laurel, Md.

How we did it:

Others can help us

Family, friends, and our spiritual guides can help us recognize spiritual promptings. This kind of counsel has helped me convince myself that all members of the Church can enjoy personal revelation. Peace and true joy come with the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and Satan cannot use these two spiritual feelings to deceive us. -David S. Fowler, Ogden, Utah

Good thoughts, feelings

Often the promptings of the Spirit come to us in ways “we don’t think about.” The Lord gives us promptings to help ourselves and bless others. Any time a good thought or warm feeling enters our hearts and minds, it can come from the Lord. Promptings are consistent with gospel principles and common sense. The best way to recognize a prompting is through prayer. After we pray, the Lord will answer us with clear thoughts or through the scriptures and messages of Church leaders. – Henry D. Koch, Fordland, MO.

Respond to sudden ideas

If a sudden idea pops into your head, don’t ignore or postpone it. One day I was asked to visit some new neighbors and spread the gospel. This intuition lasted for three or four weeks, so I picked up some roses to bring them and introduced myself. We talked about churches and they said representatives from another church were there that day and my neighbor asked them to leave and not come back. He said he wished I had come earlier. I sent the missionaries to them and they were baptized into the Church. – Supora Thaxton, Northridge, California.

Private time helps

Privacy and some undisturbed meditation time are valuable. Once, after receiving no response to several requests for needed family history information, I prayed and pondered the problem. In my mind I felt compelled to write to the courthouse in Winterhaven, California. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote the letter. Within a few days, the information I needed came in the mail. – Martha Nally, Phoenix, Ariz.

Keep the commandments

In 1 Nephi 17:45, Nephi rebuked Laman and Lemuel because they were quick to commit wrongdoing. Nephi said an angel spoke to his brethren in a small, small voice, but they lost feeling and could not feel his words. In reversing this, the first key is to be slow with nausea and keep the commandments. Then, when the Lord speaks to us in a small, small voice, we can feel it in our hearts and minds. – Pamela Thornson, Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Obey the will of the Lord

First, we must earnestly strive to obey the will of the Lord. He won’t tell us if we don’t listen. Second, we need to be prayerful and remember to ask if it’s true. As stated in Doctrine and Covenants 9:8, “Your bosom will burn within you.” Third, the Lord can cause us to do things that “seem” illogical. Remember, even Joseph Smith faced opposition from others. After all, the Lord sends promptings only when they are necessary. Some situations require stronger promptings than others. The Lord knows each of us well and how much knowledge we need. – Joanne M. Linnabary, Rives Junction, Mich.

Anxious urge or feeling

Most of the promptings I have received relate to serving others—with family history, food storage, and callings. The promptings come as an anxious urge or nagging feeling, a thought or a strong impression that speaks to me. If I ignore it and the prompt comes up again, I feel like I’m fighting with my conscience, knowing it’s time to act. When I finally act on it, I can recognize it as a spiritual prompting because a sense of peace follows. – Christine O. Thomas, Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Come as quiet thoughts

For me, spiritual promptings were not persistent or strong, but silent thoughts that only come as ideas. Once when I was teaching a Primary class, an alternate was scheduled to take my place while I attended teacher development. The Saturday night before, I felt I should prepare my class but felt it was unnecessary. The next morning the person assigned to teach my class had an emergency and my class had to be merged with another class. Since then, I’ve tried to be more aware of these promptings and act on them. – Jacqueline Bly, Magrath, Alberta

“Sudden Ideas”

The following quote from Joseph Smith helped me: “A person can benefit by discerning the first glimpse of the spirit of revelation; for example, when you feel pure intelligence pouring into you, give you many sudden ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find that it will be fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) the things presented to you by the Spirit of God will come to pass; and so, as you learn and understand the Spirit of God, you grow into the principle of revelation until you are made perfect in Christ Jesus.” – Garry Weiss, Cincinnati, Ohio

Feel better instantly

When trying to figure out what the right thing is, I list a number of things I could and should do. I prayerfully consider each item to determine the only thing necessary. When I discover what God wants me to work on, I immediately feel better. It’s crucial that I go through with it without hesitation, otherwise the opportunity will pass and the inspiration will fade. – Dean O. Smith, Saint Cloud, Florida.

How the checklist works:

1 Recognize that it can come as an idea, thought, or feeling.

2 Realize that it will harmonize with the gospel and common sense.

3 Remember that if you don’t act on it, it may go away.

4 Expect feelings of peace and joy to follow.

WRITE US:

March 12 “How family home evening can bring families closer together.”

March 19 “How to Develop Confidence and Independence.”

March 26 “How to improve your quality of life.”

April 2 “How to save important records.”

April 16 “How to make time for exercise.”

April 23 “How to create a useful garden, especially when space is limited.”

April 30 “How to Make Mother’s Day Unforgettable for Your Mom.”

May 7 “How to grow old with a pleasant, positive attitude.”

May 14 “How to Prepare for Natural or Financial Disasters.”

May 21 “How to Involve Non-Member Friends in a Healthy and Positive Graduation Ceremony.”

May 28 “How to help your kids entertain themselves this summer.”

Have you had good experiences or practical successes in one of the subjects mentioned above? Share them with our readers in about 100-150 words. Write the “how-to” editor, Church News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. Entries may be edited or partially edited and will not be returned. Material must be received at least 12 days prior to release date.

New Testament term

In Christian theology, Holy Spirit baptism, also known as Holy Spirit baptism or Holy Spirit baptism, was interpreted differently by different Christian denominations and traditions due to different doctrines of salvation and ecclesiology. It is often associated with initiation into the Christian church, bestowal of spiritual gifts, and qualification for Christian service. The baptism of the Spirit has been variously defined as part of the sacraments of initiation into the Church, as synonymous with rebirth, as synonymous with Christian perfection qualifying a person for Christian life and service. The term baptism with the Holy Spirit comes from the New Testament and is accepted as a theological concept by all Christian traditions.

Before the 18th century, most denominations believed that Christians received the baptism of the Holy Spirit either at conversion and regeneration or through rites of Christian initiation such as water baptism and confirmation. Methodism, which emerged in the mid-18th century (including the holiness movement), affirmed the possibility of full sanctification as a second work of grace, which it teaches is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.[1][2] In the 20th century, as Pentecostal churches that identified the baptism of the Holy Spirit with glossolalia proliferated, the belief that this was an experience distinct from Christian initiation gained prominence.[3]

Biblical description [ edit ]

Old Covenant Background[edit]

In Christian theology, the work of the Holy Spirit under the Old Covenant is considered less extensive than under the New Covenant instituted on the day of Pentecost. The spirit was limited to certain chosen individuals such as high priests and prophets. Often referred to in rabbinic writings as the “Spirit of Prophecy,” the Holy Spirit was intimately associated with prophecy and divine inspiration. It was expected that in the coming Messianic age, God would pour out His Spirit upon all Israel, which would become a nation of prophets.[9]

Canonical Gospels[ edit ]

While the exact phrase “baptism with the Holy Spirit” is not found in the New Testament, two forms of the phrase that use the verb “to baptize” are found in the canonical gospels, from the Greek word baptizein, meaning “to immerse” or “to immerse.” “ means “.[10] Concerning baptism, John the Baptist contrasted his water baptism for the remission of sins with that of Jesus. In Mark 1 and John 1 the Baptist proclaims that Jesus “shall baptize with (the) Holy Spirit”; while in Matthew 3 and Luke 3 he will “baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.”[12]

Jesus is considered the first person to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus during his baptism and anointed him with power.[14] After that, Jesus began his ministry and showed his power by casting out demons, healing the sick, and teaching with authority.[16]

Acts of the Apostles[edit]

El Greco’s depiction of Pentecost with tongues of fire and a dove, representing the descent of the Holy Spirit (c. 1600)

The phrase “baptized in the Holy Spirit” occurs twice in Acts, first in Acts 1:4-5[17] and second in Acts 11:16.[18] In Acts, different terminology is used to refer to the baptism of the Spirit, such as “fulfilled.”[19] “Baptized in the Spirit” indicates an outward immersion in the reality of the Holy Spirit, while “spirited” indicates an inward diffusion. Both terms address the totality of receiving the spirit.[20] The baptism with the Holy Spirit is described in various places as “poured out”, “falling”, “coming” Spirit.[22] “Pour out” suggests abundance and reflects John 3:34,[23] “God gives the Spirit without limit.” Another expression, “Come,” refers to a statement made by Jesus in Luke 24:49: “I send the promise of my Father upon you. But abide in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” The language of “come on” and “clothed with” indicates the possession and endowment of the Holy Spirit.[20][24]

The narrative of Acts begins after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The risen Jesus instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and promised: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the world”.[25] After his ascension, he was given authority to pour out the Holy Spirit.

In the New Testament, the messianic expectations of early Judaism were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts.[26] The Christian community was gathering in Jerusalem, when a roar was heard from heaven like a rushing wind, and tongues like tongues of flame lay upon all. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues, praising God in strange tongues in a wonderful way. A crowd gathered and was addressed by the apostle Peter, who explained that the event was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2: “And in the last days it shall come to pass, God declaring that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and thy sons and thy daughters shall prophesy”. He then explained how the Spirit was poured out, related Jesus’ ministry and suffering, and then proclaimed his resurrection and enthronement at the right hand of God. In response, the crowd asked Peter what they should do. He answered , that they should repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter ended his discourse by stating that the promise is “to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, all whom the Lord our God is calling.”

The baptism in the Holy Spirit occurs elsewhere in Acts. The gospel had been preached in Samaria and the apostles Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem. The new believers had been baptized with water, but the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on them. The Samaritans received the Holy Spirit when Peter and John laid hands on them.[27] The apostle Paul was also filled with the Holy Spirit when Ananias of Damascus laid his hands on him, and afterwards Paul was baptized with water.[28]

Later in Acts, Peter preached the gospel to the household of Cornelius the Centurion, a Gentile. As he was preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles and they began to speak in tongues. The Jewish believers with Peter marveled, and the household was baptized with water.[29] When the apostle Paul was in Ephesus, he found disciples there and discovered that they did not know of the existence of the Holy Spirit and had only received the baptism of John the Baptist. After baptizing them in Jesus’ name, Paul laid his hands on them and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.[30]

history [edit]

Early Christianity[edit]

In the early church, the laying on of hands on newly baptized people to bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit was the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation. In the Eastern Church, confirmation continued to be celebrated immediately after water baptism. The two rites were separated in the Western Church.[31] According to Pentecostal historian H. Vinson Synan, “The basic Pentecostal premise that one can receive later outpourings of the Spirit after initiation/conversion can be traced clearly in Christian history to the beginnings of the rite of confirmation in the Western churches.”

Reformation period and Puritanism (16th and 17th centuries) [ edit ]

Huldrych Zwingli, a leading Protestant reformer in Switzerland, taught three different baptisms: water baptism, didactic baptism (after he was enlightened on the Christian religion), and baptism of the Spirit. While full baptism encompassed all three, Zwingli emphasized that outer water baptisms and doctrinal baptism could not bring salvation. Only inner baptism in the Spirit could save, because it gave faith. According to Zwingli, the three baptisms could be given separately; The baptism of the Spirit could be first or last in the order.

Many Puritans believed that the conversion experience was followed by a later and distinct experience of the Holy Spirit. This experience was marked by the assurance of one’s own salvation. The English Puritan Thomas Goodwin equated this experience with the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the “seal of the Spirit” referred to in Ephesians 1.

Early Methodism and the Holiness Movement (18th and 19th centuries) [ edit ]

Synan traces the influence of Catholic and Anglican mystical traditions on John Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection, or complete sanctification, from which the Pentecostal belief in Spirit baptism developed. Additionally, theologian James Dunn notes that early Methodist beliefs can be directly related to the Puritan doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

Wesley taught that while new birth was the beginning of the Christian life, “inborn sin” remained and had to be removed by Christian perfection, which he believed had immediate and gradual aspects.[37] John Fletcher, Wesley’s designated successor, called Christian perfection a “baptism in the Holy Spirit.”[1] On this subject, Fletcher wrote:

Finally, if we want to attain the full power of godliness, and be peaceful like the Prince of Peace, and merciful like our heavenly Father, let us proceed to the perfection and glory of Christianity; let us enter into the full dispensation of the Spirit. Until we live in the Pentecostal glory of the Church: until we are baptized with the Holy Spirit: until the spirit of burning and the fire of divine love have melted us down and we are truly poured into the softest form of the gospel: until we say with Paul “We have received the Spirit of love, and of power, and of a sound mind;” until then we shall be carnal rather than spiritual believers.

In America in the mid-19th century, the Wesleyan Holiness movement, which had adherents both inside and outside of Mainline Methodism, began to teach that all sanctification was less of a process and emphasized the momentary aspect of Wesley’s teaching, into which one passes Faith came at a certain point in time.[40] This second blessing (or the second work of grace), as it was commonly called, enabled Christians to be delivered from the power of sin. Among adherents of the holiness movement, baptism in the Holy Spirit was synonymous with sanctification of the second blessing.

John Wesley’s Checks to Antinomianism later became a standard for Pentecostal holiness teachers.

Keswick Higher Life Movement (19th century) [ edit ]

After his conversion in 1821, Presbyterian minister and revivalist Charles Grandison Finney experienced what he called “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” accompanied by “unutterable praise.” Finney and other Reformed writers known as the Oberlin Perfectionists agreed that there was a life-changing experience after conversion, but unlike their Wesleyan counterparts on holiness, they viewed it as an ongoing process, enabling believers to devote oneself entirely to the service of Christ. Similarly, the English Higher Life movement taught that the second blessing was an “endowment of power”. According to this view, the baptism of the Spirit gave Christians the ability to be witnesses of the gospel and to perform Christian service. Wesleyan teachers emphasized purity, while Oberlin and advocates of the higher life emphasized power as the ultimate outcome of Spirit baptism.

20th Century[ edit ]

In the early 1890s, R.C. Horner, a Canadian holiness evangelist, introduced a theological distinction that would be important to the development of Pentecostalism. He argued in his books Pentecost (1891) and Bible Doctrine (1909) that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was not equivalent to the second blessing, but was actually a third work of grace after salvation and sanctification, empowering the believer to minister. Charles Fox Parham built on this doctrinal foundation when he identified speaking in tongues as the Scriptural evidence of Spirit baptism.

Views [ edit ]

The different views on Spirit baptism held in Christian traditions can be divided into three main groups. These are the baptism of the Spirit as a sacramental initiation (Orthodox and Catholic churches), regeneration (Reformed tradition), and empowerment for witness and vocation (Pentecostals and Charismatics).

Sacramental initiation[edit]

Eastern Orthodoxy[ edit ]

Eastern Orthodox Churches believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is conferred with water baptism. The person is anointed with oil (chrisma) immediately after baptism. According to Cyril of Jerusalem:

This holy ointment is no longer a simple ointment, nor (so to speak) common, after the invocation, but the gift of Christ; and through the presence of His Deity it works the Holy Spirit in us. It is applied symbolically to your forehead and other senses, and while your body is anointed with visible ointment, your soul is sanctified by the Holy and Life-giving Spirit.

Catholicism[ edit ]

The Catholic Church teaches that baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist—the sacraments of Christian initiation—are the foundation of the Christian life.[46] The Christian life is based on baptism. It is “the gateway to the life of the Spirit” and “indeed signifies and effects the birth of water and the Spirit.”[47] The anointing after baptism (Chrismation in the Eastern Churches) signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit and heralds a second anointing, later transmitted for confirmation, which completes the baptismal anointing.[48]

Confirmation is therefore necessary for the fulfillment of the grace of baptism.[49] At Confirmation, Catholics receive “the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, such as was once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.”[50] For the candidate, it increases the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, discernment, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, godliness, and fear of God), unites more deeply with Christ and the Church, and gives strength to confess and defend Christ’s faith.[51] The rite of confirmation has a missionary orientation, and many liturgical texts remind the initiate that the gift of the Holy Spirit is to be used in the service of the church and the world.

Those in the charismatic movement, including the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, teach an experiential baptism of the Holy Spirit, much like Pentecostals, defining it as the “sovereign action of God which normally occurs when one with a disposition for devotion and docility for a pray new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.”[53] The consensus of Catholic theologians teaches that this “baptism in the Holy Spirit unleashes the Holy Spirit already present in us, reviving the graces we have received in the sacrament of baptism.”[53] At the same time, “the baptism of the Spirit not only reignites the graces already given to Christians through the sacraments—it is also a new, fresh experience of the Holy Spirit, who equips and inspires people for ministry, for the mission, for discipleship and for life.”[54] Rev. Brenton Cordeiro teaches that those who receive baptism with the Holy Spirit, “testify that the experience brought them to a new awareness of the reality and presence of Jesus Christ in their lives [and] a new hunger for the word of God, the sacraments, and were filled with a renewed desire for holiness.”[53]

Irvingism[ edit ]

The New Apostolic Church, an Irvingian Church, believes that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second step after Holy Water Baptism. It is also referred to as Sacred Sealing. It is a sacrament whereby the believer receives the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands and the prayer of an apostle. The death of water and the Spirit, begun in Holy Water Baptism, is completed by Holy Sealing.[55]

regeneration [edit]

The main position on Spirit baptism among Reformed churches, Dispensationalists, and many Baptists is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs concurrently with the new birth, when those who believe in Jesus Christ receive the Holy Spirit and are incorporated into the Body of Christ.

sanctification [ edit ]

Methodism (including the Holiness movement) [ edit ]

Within Methodism (including the holiness movement) the baptism of the Holy Spirit was often associated with a sanctified life. The United Methodist Church has a sacramental view of baptism and confirmation in which the believer receives or is strengthened by the Holy Spirit.[60] At the same time, the United Methodist Creed affirms Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection (aka complete sanctification), the second work of grace:

Complete sanctification is a state of perfect love, righteousness, and true holiness that every born-again believer can attain by being set free from the power of sin, by loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving His loves neighbor as himself . Through faith in Jesus Christ, this gracious gift can be received gradually and immediately in this life and should be earnestly sought by every child of God.

In the holiness movement inside and outside of Mainline Methodism, full sanctification is emphasized as a specific experience associated with the baptism with the Holy Spirit:[1][2]

2.9 FULL SANCTIFICATION Just as all justified believers are sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; 1:30), so all can be sanctified through Christ (Eph. 5:25, 26; Heb. 13:12). Complete sanctification follows regeneration as circumcision follows birth. It is designed to enable us to “love the Lord your God with all our heart” (Deuteronomy 30:6). Through this circumcision “without hands” the “body of the sins of the flesh” is laid aside (Col. 2:11). Love is made perfect (1 John 4:17); Holiness is perfected (2 Corinthians 7:1). 2.9.1 Relationship to regeneration. Complete sanctification follows regeneration (John 17:9-17) and is effected by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16. 17: I Pet. 1:2; Rom 15:16). It is for all believers (John 17:20; 1 Thess. 4:2, 7; 5:23, 24) and is an instantaneous experience received by faith (Acts 2:1-4; 15: 8, 9). . It cleanses the heart of the recipient from all sin (1 John 1:7, 9; Acts 15:8, 9), sets him apart, and endows him with the power to accomplish all that he is called to do (Luke 24: 49 ; Acts 1:8). 2.9.2 Evidence of Experience. Those who teach that some special phenomena, such as speaking in unknown tongues, are a testimony of the baptism of the Spirit expose themselves and their listeners to the danger of dangerous fanaticism. Perhaps no wiser advice has been given in this matter than that of John Wesley, who wrote long before the modern “tongues” movement arose: “The reason for a thousand mistakes is to fail deeply to consider that love is the highest gift of God – humble, gentle, patient love – that all visions, revelations, manifestations, whatever, are small things compared to love. It would be good that you should be thoroughly aware of it. The heaven of heavens is love. There is nothing higher in religion, there is effect, nothing else. If you are looking for anything other than more love, you are missing the mark, you are leaving the royal path. And when you ask others, “Have you received this or that blessing?”, if you mean anything but more love you, you mean wrong, you lead them out of the way and put them on a wrong track, then put it in your heart Firmly state that from the moment God has saved you from all sin you are to aim for nothing but more of that love described in the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. You cannot go higher until you are carried into Abraham’s bosom.” “Teaching, Pilgrim Holiness Church[2]

According to the Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene, sanctification is a post-regenerative work of God “converting believers into the image of Christ” and made possible through “first sanctification” (which occurs simultaneously with regeneration and justification). perfect sanctification and “the continuing perfecting work of the Holy Spirit, culminating in glorification.”[62] Complete sanctification (as opposed to initial sanctification) is an act of God by which a believer is freed from original sin and can make a full dedication to God:

It is brought about by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or infilling with the Holy Spirit, and includes in a single experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the constant indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and ministry. [62]

Since the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Methodism is synonymous with complete sanctification, some Methodist associations that have not allowed the charismatic movement, such as the Immanuel Missionary Church, condemn Pentecostal doctrine:[63]

The modern so-called tongues is unbiblical and cannot be interpreted as a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “A wicked and adulterous generation is looking for a sign.” To believe or teach that speaking in an unknown tongue is evidence of a work of grace in the heart is therefore biblical for the following reasons: the word “unknown” is not in the original Greek, and the word “tongue” comes from Greek word “glossa” which means language. None of the gifts can be taken as a witness to the baptism of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Paul admonished that all speech in the church should be for edification. Therefore such speech which is not edifying will not be permitted in our houses of worship. —General Standards, Immanuel Missionary Church[63]

empowerment [edit]

Classic Pentecostalism[edit]

In classical Pentecostalism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is understood as a separate and distinct experience that occurs sometime after the new birth. Influenced by the holiness movement, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was viewed by early Pentecostals as the third work of grace after regeneration (first work of grace) and complete sanctification (second work of grace).[3][64] The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an empowering one Experience that equips Spirit-filled believers for witness and service. From this derives the belief that all spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament are to be striven for and exercised in order to build up the church. Pentecostals believe that Spirit baptism is accompanied by the physical evidence of tongues (Glossolalia).[65]

According to the Pentecostal interpretation of the Bible, John 20:22 shows that Jesus’ disciples were already born again before the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost. They then cite biblical examples in Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 to show that in the New Testament it was customary for the baptism of the Spirit to take place after conversion. Following the biblical pattern, they argue, Christians today should also pray for that baptism that will lead to greater power for service and witness.

On the subject of Spirit baptism, Donald Gee wrote of Pentecostal Christians:

With them, it was not just an intellectual assent to an article in a creed that defined an orthodox doctrine about the Holy Spirit. Nor were they satisfied with entertaining the vague notion that the Holy Ghost had in some way been bestowed on them at conversion. They joyfully and gratefully recognized His gracious workings in their regeneration and sanctification, but their own personal reception of the Holy Spirit was a most vivid experience. They knew when it was coming, where it was coming, and how it was coming. Nothing reveals this more than Paul’s haunting question to certain disciples, whom he immediately sensed were spiritually lacking in a vital part of their Christian heritage: ‘Have you received the Holy Spirit?’ (Acts 19:2). The challenge was the experience, not the teaching. How significant! An Ephesian “Pentecost” quickly filled their need, and it was an experience as vivid as any others had received – “They spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

In the Pentecostal experience, the baptism in the Spirit can be quite dramatic, as illustrated by William Durham’s account of his baptism in the Spirit:

I was overwhelmed by the tremendous power and sank under it. For three hours He worked wonderfully in me. My body was worked on in sections, section by section. And even the skin on my face twitched and shook, and finally I felt my lower jaw begin to tremble in a strange way. This went on for some time until finally my throat started to widen and I felt my vocal organs being pulled into a different shape, so to speak. O how strange and wonderful it was! and how blessed it was to be so in the hands of God. And finally I felt my tongue begin to move and my lips make strange sounds that were not in my head.

The Apostolic Faith Mission on Azusa Street, now considered the birthplace of Pentecostalism

In some accounts of Spirit baptism, Pentecostals report receiving visions, such as the account by Azusa Street participant Lucy Leatherman:

As I was searching for the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Los Angeles, I praised and praised God and saw my Savior in heaven after Sister Ferrell [sic] laid hands on me. And while I was praising I got closer and closer and I was so small. Little by little I slipped into the wound on His side, and He was not only in me, but I in Him, and there I found that rest which surpasses all understanding, and He said to me: You are in the bosom of the Father. He said I was clothed and in the secret place of the Most High. But I said Father I want the gift of the Holy Spirit and the heavens opened and I was overshadowed and such power came over me and went through me. He said: Praise me, and when I did, angels came and ministered to me. I was passive in His hands working on my vocal cords and I realized they were going to lose me. I started praising him in an unknown language.

Charismatic Movement[edit]

The Charismatic Movement is an interdenominational revival that has influenced mainstream denominations of Christianity, including Lutheranism, Catholicism, Moravianism, Anglicanism, Methodism, and Reformed Christianity, among others.[70][71][72] They differ from Pentecostals because they tend to allow differing viewpoints as to whether Spirit baptism occurs after conversion and whether speaking in tongues is always a sign of receiving baptism.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal believes there is another experience of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.[73] Rev. Brenton Cordeiro explains that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the “sovereign action of God which ordinarily occurs when one with a disposition for devotion and docility prays for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.”[ 53 ] As stated by Rev. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, “Baptism in the Spirit is not a sacrament, but it is connected with a sacrament… with the sacraments of Christian initiation. The baptism of the Spirit realizes and in a way renews Christian initiation.”[74] The consensus of Catholic theologians teaches that “the baptism in the Holy Spirit unleashes the Holy Spirit already present in us, reviving the graces we receive in the sacrament of baptism received.”[53] At the same time, “the baptism of the Holy Spirit kindles not only the graces already bestowed upon Christians through the sacraments—it is also a new, fresh experience of the Holy Spirit, preparing individuals for ministry, equips and inspires for mission, for discipleship, and for life.”[54] Rev. Brenton Cordeiro teaches that those who have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost “testify that the experience has given them a new awareness of the reality and presence of Jesus Christ has brought into their lives [as well as] a new hunger for the word of God, the sacraments and were met by a renewed desire for holiness e fulfilled.”[53]

Neo-Charismatic Movement[ edit ]

In den 1980er Jahren entstand eine weitere Erneuerungsbewegung namens „Dritte Welle des Heiligen Geistes“ (die erste Welle war die Pfingstbewegung und die zweite Welle die charismatische Bewegung). Charismatiker der dritten Welle betonen, dass die Verkündigung des Evangeliums nach dem Muster des Neuen Testaments von „Zeichen und Wundern“ begleitet werden sollte. Sie glauben, dass alle Christen bei der Bekehrung mit dem Heiligen Geist getauft werden und ziehen es vor, nachfolgende Erfahrungen als „Erfüllung“ mit dem Heiligen Geist zu bezeichnen. John Wimber und die Vineyard-Kirchen sind am prominentesten mit diesem Label verbunden.

Mormonism[ edit ]

In der Bewegung der Heiligen der Letzten Tage bezieht sich die „Taufe mit Feuer und mit dem Heiligen Geist“ auf die Erfahrung von jemandem, der sich der Verordnung der Firmung mit dem Handauflegen unterzieht, um die Gabe des Heiligen Geistes zu empfangen. Sie folgt auf die Wassertaufe und ist wesentlich für die Errettung. Die Gabe des Heiligen Geistes ist das Vorrecht, Inspiration, göttliche Manifestationen, Führung, geistige Gaben und andere Segnungen vom Heiligen Geist zu empfangen (siehe Gaben des Geistes im Mormonismus). Es beginnt der lebenslange Prozess der Heiligung.

Bibelstellen [Bearbeiten]

See also[edit]

Notes [edit]

References[ edit ]

Further reading[edit]

The third person of the Trinity in Trinitarian Christianity.

This article is about the Christian perspective of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit in other religions, see Holy Spirit

For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Spirit, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity,[1] a triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity himself is God.[2][3][4] Non-Trinitarian Christians who reject the doctrine of the Trinity differ significantly from mainstream Christianity in their belief in the Holy Spirit. In Christian theology, pneumatology is the study of the Holy Spirit. Because of Christianity’s historical relationship with Judaism, theologians often identify the Holy Spirit with the concept of Ruach Hakodesh in Jewish Scripture, on the theory that Jesus (who was a Jew) expanded upon these Jewish concepts. Similar names and ideas are Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God), Ruach YHWH (Spirit of Yahweh), and Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit).[5][6] In the New Testament it is identified with the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete, and the Holy Spirit.[7][8][9]

The New Testament describes a close relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus during His mortal life and ministry.[10] The Gospels of Matthew and Luke and the Nicene Creed state that Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary.”[11] The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove during his baptism, and in his farewell speech after the Last Supper, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples after his departure.[12][13]

The Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Lord, the giver of life” in the Nicene Creed, which encapsulates several key beliefs of many Christian denominations. The Holy Spirit’s involvement in the tripartite nature of conversion is evident in Jesus’ final post-Resurrection instruction to His disciples at the end of Matthew:[14] “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Holy Spirit.”[15] Since the first century, Christians have also called on God with the trinitarian formula “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” in prayer, absolution and blessing.[16] [17] In Acts, the advent of the Holy Spirit takes place fifty days after Christ’s resurrection and is celebrated in Christendom with the feast of Pentecost.[18]

Etymology and usage[edit]

The Greek Koine word pneûma (πνεῦμα, pneuma) occurs about 385 times in the New Testament, with some scholars distinguishing between three and nine occurrences.[19] Pneuma appears 105 times in the four canonical gospels, 69 times in Acts, 161 times in Paul’s epistles, and 50 times elsewhere.[19] These usages vary: in 133 cases it refers to “spirit” and in 153 cases it refers to “spiritual”. The Holy Spirit is referred to about 93 times,[19] sometimes under the name pneuma and sometimes explicitly as pneûma tò Hagion (Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον). (In some cases it is also used simply generically to mean wind or life.[19]) It was commonly translated in the Vulgate as Spiritus and Spiritus Sanctus.

The English terms “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” are complete synonyms: one derives from the Old English gast and the other from the Latin loanword spiritus. Like Pneuma, they both refer to the breath, to its animating power, and to the soul. The Old English term is shared by all other Germanic languages ​​(compare e.g. the German spirit) and is older; The King James Bible typically uses “Holy Spirit”. From the 20th century, translations overwhelmingly favor “Holy Spirit”, partly because the common English term “ghost” increasingly refers only to the spirit of a dead person.[20][21][22]

names [edit]

Hebrew Bible[ edit ]

Source:[5]

וְר֣וּחַ קָדְשׁ֑וֹ ( Ruah qadesov ) – His Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10) [23]

) – His Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10) וְר֣וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ ( Ruah qadseḵa ) – Your Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:11) [24]

) – Your Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:11) וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים ( Ruah Elohim ) – Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2) [25]

) – Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2) נִשְׁמַת־ר֨וּחַ חַיִּ֜ים ( Nismat Ruah hayyim ) – The breath of the life spirit (Genesis 7:22) [26]

) – The breath of the spirit of life (Genesis 7:22) ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה ( Ruah YHWH ) – Spirit of YHWH (Isaiah 11:2) [27]

) – Spirit of YHWH (Isaiah 11:2) ר֧וּחַ חָכְמָ֣ה וּבִינָ֗ה ( Ruach hakmah ubinah ) – Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Isaiah 11:2) [27]

) – Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Isaiah 11:2) ר֤וּחַ עֵצָה֙ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה ( Ruah esah ugeburah ) – Spirit of counsel and power (Isaiah 11:2) [27]

) – Spirit of counsel and power (Isaiah 11:2) ר֥וּחַ דַּ֖עַת וְיִרְאַ֥ת יְהוָֽה (Ruah daat weyirat YHWH) – Spirit of knowledge[28] and fear of YHWH (Isaiah 11:2)[27]

New Testament[edit]

πνεύματος ἁγίου ( Pneumatos Hagiou ) – Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18) [29]

) – Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18) πνεύματι θεοῦ ( Pneumati Theou ) – Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) [30]

) – Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) ὁ παράκλητος ( Ho Paraclētos ) – The Comforter, cf. Paraclete John 14:26 (John 16:7) [31]

) – The Comforter, cf. Paraclete John 14:26 (John 16:7) πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ( Pneuma tēs Alētheias ) – Spirit of truth (John 16:13) [32]

) – Spirit of truth (John 16:13) Πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ (Pneuma Christou) – Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11)[33]

Depending on the context:

πνεῦμα ( pneuma ) – spirit (John 3:8) [34]

) – Spirit (John 3:8) Πνεύματος (Pneumatos) – Spirit (John 3:8)

Biblical account[ edit ]

Old Testament[edit]

What the Hebrew Bible calls “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Elohim” is called “Holy Spirit” (ruacḥ ha-kodesh) in the Talmud and Midrash. Although the phrase “Holy Spirit” in Ps. 51:11 and in Isa. 63:10-11 it had not quite acquired the meaning given to it in rabbinic literature, where it is synonymous with the expression “Spirit of the Lord”. In Gen.1:2, God’s Spirit hovered over the form of inanimate matter, thereby making creation possible.[35][36] Although the Ruach Ha-Kodesh can be named in place of God, it was designed as something special; and like all earthly things that come from heaven, the Ruach Ha-Kodesh is composed of light and fire.[36] The most characteristic sign of the presence of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh is the gift of prophecy. The use of the word “ruach” (Hebrew: “breath” or “wind”) in the phrase ruach ha-kodesh seems to indicate that Jewish authorities believed that the Holy Spirit was some kind of medium of communication, like the wind. The spirit sometimes speaks in a male voice and sometimes in a female voice; the word ruacḥ is both masculine and feminine.[36]

New Testament[edit]

The term “Holy Spirit” appears at least 90 times in the New Testament.[7] The holiness of the Holy Spirit for Christians is affirmed in all three Synoptic Gospels[37] which proclaim that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin.[38] The Holy Spirit’s participation in the Trinity is suggested in Jesus’ final post-Resurrection instruction to His disciples at the end of Matthew 28:19:[39] “Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.[15]

Synoptic Gospels[ edit ]

The Annunciation, by the Holy Spirit as a Dove, by Philippe de Champaigne, 1644.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned by all three authors of the Synoptic Gospels. Most references are from the author of Luke’s Gospel; this emphasis is continued by the same author in Acts.

The Holy Spirit does not simply appear for the first time at Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, but is present in the Gospel of Luke (in 1-2) before Jesus was born.[7] In Luke 1:15, John the Baptist is said to have been “filled with the Holy Spirit” before birth,[40] and the Holy Spirit came upon the Virgin Mary in Luke 1:35.[41][7] In Luke 3:16[42] John the Baptist explains that Jesus did not baptize with water but with the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus during his baptism in the Jordan.[7] In Luke 11:13[43] Jesus assured that God the Father “would give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”[7]

Mark 13:11 specifically refers to the power of the Holy Spirit to work through Jesus’ disciples in times of need, saying: “Do not worry beforehand what you will speak, but what will be given you in the hour that you talks for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”[44] Matthew 10:20[45] refers to the same act of speaking by the disciples, but uses the term “the Spirit of your Father.”[46]

Acts of the Apostles[edit]

Acts has sometimes been called the “Book of the Holy Spirit” or the “Acts of the Apostles.”[47][48] Of the approximately seventy occurrences of the word pneuma in Acts, fifty-five refer to the Holy Spirit.[48]

From the beginning, in Acts 1:2,[49] the reader is reminded that the ministry of Jesus while on earth was accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit and that the “deeds of the apostles” continue to be the deeds of Jesus and are also facilitated by the Holy Spirit.[48] Acts presents the Holy Spirit as the “principle of life” of the early church and gives five separate and dramatic examples of His outpouring upon the believers in Acts 2:1-4,[50] 4:28-31,[51] 8:15 before -17,[52] 10:44,[53] and 19:6.[54][47]

References to the Holy Spirit appear throughout Acts, for example in Acts 1:5 and 8[55], where it says at the beginning: “For it is true that John baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. …You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you”, which points to the fulfillment of John the Baptist’s prophecy in Luke 3:16,[42] “he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”.[56]

Johannine literature[ edit ]

Three different terms are used in the Johannine Scriptures, namely, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, and Paraclete.[9] The “Spirit of truth” is used in John 14:17,[57] 15:26,[58] and 16:13.[59][7] First John then contrasts this with the “spirit of error” in 1 John 4:6.[60][7] 1 John 4:1-6 provides for the division between spirits “professing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” and those who erroneously deny it—an indication that they are evil spirits.[ 61]

In John 14:26[62] Jesus says: “But the Comforter, [also] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything”. The identity of the “Comforter” has been the subject of debate among theologians, who have put forward several theories on the subject.[63]

Pauline Epistles[edit]

The Holy Spirit plays a key role in Paul’s epistles; and the pneumatology of the apostle Paul is so closely related to his theology and christology as to be almost inseparable from them.[8]

The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, which was probably the first of Paul’s letters, introduces a characterization of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:6[64] and 1 Thessalonians 4:8[65] which is reflected throughout his [66 ] In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Paul refers to the imitation of Christ (and himself) and says: “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, speaking the word in great tribulation with the joy of the Holy One Spirit” whose source is identified at 1 Thessalonians 4:8 as “God giving you His Holy Spirit.”[66][67][68]

These two themes of receiving the Spirit “like Christ” and God as the source of the Spirit persist in the Pauline epistles as characterizing Christians’ relationship with God.[66] For Paul, following Christ includes being willing to be formed by the Holy Spirit, as in Romans 8:4 and 8:11: “But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, who raises Christ Jesus hath raised from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit which dwells in you.”[69][67]

First Thessalonians also refers to the power of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:5,[70] a theme found in other Pauline letters as well.[71]

In the Apocrypha[ edit ]

The view that the Holy Spirit is responsible for Mary’s pregnancy as found in the Synoptic Gospels[72] differs from that in the apocryphal Gospel of the Hebrews, accepted as canonical by the fourth-century Nazarenes, and in which Jesus of the saint Spirit speaks of as his mother and thus as feminine.[73] Some held femininity incompatible with the idea that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit; according to the apocryphal Gospel of Philip, for example

Some say, “Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” You are wrong. They don’t know what they’re saying. When did a woman ever get pregnant by a woman?[74]

Jesus and the Holy Spirit[edit] [13] Illustration from the Maesta of In the farewell speech Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples after his departure, Illustration from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308–1311.

The New Testament describes a close relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus during His mortal life and ministry.[10] The Apostles’ Creed repeats what is said in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew and states that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.[11]

Specific New Testament references to the interaction of Jesus and the Holy Spirit during His mortal life and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit during His ministry include:[10][11][75]

“Spirit without measure” was given to Jesus at John 3:34, referring to the Word (Rhema) spoken by Jesus being the Word of God.[76]

In his farewell speech to his disciples, Jesus promised that after he left he would “send the Holy Spirit” to them, in John 15:26, which says: “Whom I will send to you of the Father, the Spirit of truth .. . shall testify of me”.[58][12][13]

Mainstream Doctrines[ edit ]

Veni Creator Spiritus Problems playing this file? See media help.

The theology of spirits is called pneumatology. The Holy Spirit is referred to in the Nicene Creed as the Lord and Giver of Life.[84] He is the Creator Spirit who was present before the creation of the universe, and by His power all things in Jesus Christ were created by God the Father.[84] Christian hymns such as “Veni Creator Spiritus” (“Come, Creator Spirit”) reflect this belief.[84]

In early Christianity, the concept of salvation was closely associated with the invocation of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit”,[16][17] and since the first century Christians have called God “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” in prayer, baptism , communion, exorcism, hymn singing, sermon, confession, absolution and blessing.[16][17] This is reflected in the saying: “Before there was a ‘doctrine’ of the Trinity, Christian prayer invoked the Holy Trinity. “[16]

For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and is God Almighty.[2][3][85] As such he is personally and also fully God, equal in status and coeternal with God, the Father and Son of God.[2][3][85] It differs from the Father and the Son in that it proceeds from the Father (and, according to Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant accounts, from the Father and the Son) as described in the Nicene Creed.[3] The triune God thus manifests as three Persons (Greek hypostases),[86] in one divine being (Greek: Ousia),[4] called the Deity (from Old English: Deity), the divine essence of God.[87]

In the New Testament, Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary while she retained her virginity.[88] The Holy Spirit descended bodily on Jesus as a dove at the time of His baptism, and a voice was heard from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”[89][90] He is the Holy One who Helper,[91] the Comforter,[92] the Giver of Grace, He who leads men to the Father and the Son.[84]

The Holy Spirit is credited with inspiring believers and allowing them to interpret all Scripture and leading prophets in both the Old and New Testaments.[93] Christians receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit through His mercy and grace.[94]

God the Holy Spirit[edit]

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity includes the concept of God the Holy Spirit along with God the Son and God the Father.[95][96] Theologian Vladimir Lossky has argued that while God the Son manifested Himself in the act of incarnation as the Son of God, the same did not take place for God the Holy Spirit, who was not revealed.[97] [failed verification] as in 1 Corinthians 6:19,[98] God the Spirit continues to dwell in believers.[96]

Similarly, the Latin treatise De Trinitate (On the Trinity) by St. Augustine of Hippo affirms: “For as the Father is God, and the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, what no one doubts as to substance, however, we say not that the supreme trinity is itself three gods, but one god… But position and state and places and times are not actually said to be in God, but metaphorically and by similes… And in relation to action (or creation) can it is perhaps best to say of God alone, for God alone creates, and He Himself is not created, nor is He subject to passions, so far as it pertains to that substance whereby He is God… Thus the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty, but not three almighty ones, but one almighty… So whatever is spoken of God in relation to himself is both individually spoken of spoken to each person, that is, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as well as together of the Trinity itself, nr not in the plural but in the singular.”[99]

In Christian theology, the Holy Spirit is believed to exercise certain divine functions in the life of the Christian or the church. The work of the Holy Spirit is seen as an essential part of introducing man to the Christian faith.[100] The new believer is “born again of the Spirit.”[101] The Holy Spirit makes the Christian life possible by indwelling individual believers and empowering them to live righteously and faithfully.[100] The Holy Spirit also functions as a comforter or paraclete, someone who intercedes or supports or acts as an intercessor, especially in times of trial. And he acts to convince the unsaved person both of the sinfulness of his actions and of his moral standing as a sinner before God.[102] Another ability of the Holy Spirit is the inspiration and interpretation of Scripture. The Holy Spirit both inspires the writing of the scriptures and interprets them for Christians and the church.[103]

Procession of the Holy Spirit[edit]

In John 15:26, Jesus says of the Holy Spirit: “But when the Helper comes that I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.”[ 104] 325 ended the First Council of Nicaea, as the first ecumenical council, proclaimed its creed with the words “and in the Holy Spirit”. In 381, the First Council of Constantinople, as the second ecumenical council, expanded the creed and stated that the Holy Spirit “goes forth from the Father” (ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον). This sentence is based on John 15:26 (ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται). In 451, the Council of Chalcedon, the fourth ecumenical council, reaffirmed the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. At the same time, the issue of the procession of the Holy Spirit was raised by various Christian theologians with different views and different terminology, thus initiating the debate centered on the filioque clause.

In 589, the Third Council of Toledo officially adopted the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son (a Patre et Filio procedere) in its third canon. Over the next few centuries, two distinct schools of thought gradually emerged, Eastern and Western. Eastern theologians taught that the Holy Spirit emanates only from the Father (term referred to as Monoprocessionism), while Western theologians taught that the Holy Spirit emanates from the Father and the Son (term referred to as Filioquism). Debate and controversy between two sides became a major point of difference within Christian pneumatology, including its historical role in setting the stage for the Great Schism of 1054.

Fruit and Gifts of the Spirit[ edit ]

The “fruit of the Holy Spirit”[109] consists of “permanent dispositions”[109] (similar in this respect to the enduring character of the sacraments), virtuous qualities brought forth in the Christian by the work of the Holy Spirit.[110] Galatians 5:22-23 lists nine aspects and says:[110]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.[111]

In the Epistle to the Galatians, these nine characteristics contrast with the “works of the flesh” and emphasize the positive manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s work in believers.[110]

The “gifts of the Holy Spirit”[109] are distinct from the fruitage of the Spirit and consist of specific abilities bestowed upon the individual Christian.[100] They are often known by the Greek word for gift, charisma, from which the term charismatic is derived. There is no universally agreed exhaustive list of gifts, and different Christian denominations use different lists, often referring to 1 Corinthians,[112] Romans 12,[113] and Ephesians 4.[114][115] Pentecostal churches and the charismatic movement teach that the lack of supernatural gifts is due to the neglect of the Holy Spirit and His work by the major denominations.[115] Believers who believe in the relevance of the supernatural gifts sometimes speak of a baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit that the Christian must experience in order to receive these gifts.[116] However, many Christian denominations hold that baptism in the Holy Spirit is identical with conversion and that all Christians are, by definition, baptized in the Holy Spirit.

The “seven gifts of the Holy Spirit”[109] poured out upon a believer at baptism and are traditionally derived from Isaiah 11:1-2,[117] although the New Testament does not refer to Isaiah 11:1-2 for reference of these gifts.[115][118] These 7 gifts are: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude (Fortitude), Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of God.[115][118] This is the view of the Catholic Church[109][118] and many other mainstream Christian groups.[115]

Denomination variations[ edit ]

Christian denominations have doctrinal differences in their beliefs regarding the Holy Spirit. A well-known example is the Filioque controversy over the Holy Spirit – one of the main differences between the teachings of the main Western Churches and various Eastern Christian denominations (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East).[119][120]

The Filioque debate revolves around whether the Nicene Creed should say that the Spirit “proceeds from the Father” and then come to an end, as the Creed was originally adopted in Greek (and thereafter followed by the Eastern Church), or whether it should say “of the Father and the Son,” as later translated into Latin and adopted by the Western Church, filioque being Latin for “and of the Son.”[121]

Towards the end of the 20th century there were discussions about removing Filioque in the Nicene Creed from Anglican prayer books in line with the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox approaches, but these have not yet reached a definitive conclusion.[122]

The majority of mainstream Protestantism holds similar views on the theology of the Holy Spirit as the Roman Catholic Church, but there are significant belief differences between Pentecostalism and the rest of Protestantism.[2][123] Pentecostalism focuses on “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” and draws on Acts 1:5, which refers to “now ye shall baptize with the Holy Spirit.”[124] The more recent charismatic movements focus on the “gifts of the Spirit” (such as healing, prophecy, etc.) and take 1 Corinthians 12 as their scriptural basis, but often differ from Pentecostal movements.[125]

Non-Trinitarian views of the Holy Spirit differ significantly from mainstream Christian doctrine.

Catholicism[ edit ]

The Holy Spirit was a theme in at least two papal encyclicals:

The subject of the Holy Spirit is dealt with extensively in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as “I believe in the Holy Spirit” in sections 683 to 747.

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians [ edit ]

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians do not view the Holy Spirit as an actual person separate from God the Father, but as God’s eternal “energy” or “active force” used to accomplish His will in creation and redemption. [126][127]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[ edit ]

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) believe that the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personality of spirit without a body of flesh and bones.[128] He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.[129] Latter-day Saints believe in a kind of social trinitarianism and subordinationism, meaning that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are understood as united in will and purpose, but not in substance.[130] The Holy Spirit is believed to be subordinate to the Father and the Son and to work under their direction. The Holy Spirit, like all intelligent beings, is believed to be fundamentally eternal, uncreated, and self-existent.[131]

The LDS Church teaches that the influence of the Holy Ghost can be received before baptism, but the gift or constant companionship of the Holy Ghost—which occurs through the laying on of hands of a duly ordained priesthood holder with a line of authority traced back to Christ by Peter—is only after of baptism when a person is confirmed.[132] Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church, taught: “One can baptize a sandbag just as well as one,” he said, “if it is not done with a view to having sins forgiven and receiving the Holy Ghost. Baptism with water is only half a baptism and is useless without the other half, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.”[133]

Symbolism and art[ edit ]

Symbolism [edit]

The Holy Spirit as a dove on a postage stamp from the Faroe Islands

The Holy Spirit is often referred to with metaphors and symbols, both in doctrine and in the Bible. Theologically, these symbols are a key to understanding the Holy Spirit and His actions, and not just artistic representations.[85][134]

Water – signifies the working of the Holy Spirit at baptism so that they are “drenched with one Spirit” such that “by one Spirit [believers] were all baptized.” [135] So the Spirit is also personally the living water that wells up from the crucified Christ [136] as its source and wells up in Christians to eternal life. [134] [137] The Catechism of the Catholic Church, pos. 1137, regards the water of life in the Book of Revelation [138] as “one of the most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit”. [139]

In the same way, the Spirit is also personally the living water that wells up from the crucified Christ as its source and wells up in Christians to eternal life. The , article 1137, considers the reference to the water of life in the book of Revelation to be “one of the most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit.” Anointing – The symbolism of the blessing with oil also means the Holy Spirit, even to the point of being synonymous with the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Spirit is referred to as his “anointing.” [140] In some denominations, anointing is practiced at Confirmation; (“Chrismation” in the Eastern Churches). Its full power can only be grasped in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that of Jesus. The title “Christ” (Hebrew “Messiah”) means the “anointed one” by God’s Spirit. [134] [137]

In some denominations, anointing is practiced at Confirmation; (“Chrismation” in the Eastern Churches). Its full power can only be grasped in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that of Jesus. The title “Christ” (in Hebrew) means “the anointed one” by God’s Spirit. Fire – symbolizes the transformative energy of the actions of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit rested on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire. [134] [137]

Cloud and Light – The Spirit comes upon the Virgin Mary and “overshadows” her so that she may conceive and give birth to Jesus. On the Mount of Transfiguration the Spirit came in the “cloud and overshadowed” Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John, and “a voice came out of the cloud and said: ‘This is my Son, my chosen one; listen to him!’” [137] [141]

The Dove – When Christ ascends from the waters of his baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove and dwells with him. [134] [137] [142]

Wind – The spirit is likened to “the wind blowing where it will”[143] and described as “a sound from heaven like the rushing of a mighty wind.”[144][134]

Art and architecture[edit]

Stained glass in Ascension Church (Johnstown, Ohio) depicting fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit as a dove in The Annunciation by Rubens, 1628.

The Holy Spirit has been represented in Christian art in both the Eastern and Western Churches through a variety of depictions.[145][146][147] The depictions range from almost identical figures representing the three persons of the Holy Trinity to a dove and a flame.

The Holy Spirit is often represented as a dove, based on the account that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove when he was baptized in the Jordan.[148] In many paintings of the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit is represented in the form of a dove descending on Mary on rays of light while the Archangel Gabriel announces the coming of Jesus Christ to Mary. A dove can also be seen on the ear of Saint Gregory the Great – as recorded by his secretary – or other authors of Church Fathers dictating their works to them. The dove also parallels the one that brought the olive branch to Noah after the Flood as a symbol of peace.[148]

The book of Acts describes the Holy Spirit descending upon the apostles at Pentecost in the form of wind and tongues of fire resting over the heads of the apostles. Based on the imagery in this account, the Holy Spirit is sometimes symbolized by a flame of fire.[149]

Ancient Celtic Christians represented the Holy Spirit as a goose named Ah Geadh-Glas, meaning wild goose.[150] A goose was chosen rather than the traditional pigeon because geese were perceived as freer than their pigeon counterparts.

Fine arts[edit]

Cathedrals of the Holy Spirit[ edit ]

See also[edit]

References[ edit ]

Sources[edit]

Explore the doctrine of the Trinity with your kids with this Celtic Trinity Knot activity. Discover how God is a dynamic community of loving relationships between Father, Son, Spirit and us!

My daughter has enjoyed her math class at home this year. She learns her sense of numbers, addition and subtraction. After taking a Trinity lesson sent by our youth pastor this week, she thought she was very clever when she realized that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3…. not 1.

“I don’t understand mom. How can God be one and three?” she asks very skeptically.

“Oh, my love! This is the beautiful mystery in the heart of God. Isn’t that exciting?”

How do you explain the Trinity to children?

I want my children to have a deep relationship with God, and an important part of that relationship is encouraging them to grow in their understanding of who God is. We believe in a gracious and loving God revealed to us as ONE God made up of THREE distinct PERSONS – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It’s a puzzle that Christian thinkers have been trying to understand for thousands of years, and I’m sure they will for many more years to come!

God is an exciting mystery!

I think the first step is to admit that the Trinity is a mystery that we cannot fully understand. No metaphor or explanation can capture all that God is. The images we turn to and explanations always fall short.

And that’s okay! It’s exciting and wonderful! God is greater than all of us. Even if we have questions, we can still believe and trust in His revelation through the Bible and in Jesus.

What is the doctrine of the Trinity?

The doctrine of the Trinity tells us that there is ONE GOD made up of THREE distinct PERSONS existing as a community of devotion and loving relationships with one another. That’s one of the reasons we say, “God is LOVE.” (Describing God as LOVE is my favorite way of understanding the Trinity. Check out the children’s lesson at the bottom of this post!)

1. There is ONE God

Unlike other religions practiced at the time, Jews in the Old and New Testaments were monotheistic. They believed that there is only one God. Following the words of Deuteronomy 6:4, Jesus affirmed:

The most important [commandment], Jesus answered, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:29-30 RSV).

Paul said the same thing: “There is no god but one” (1 Corinthians 8:4 RSV) and in Ephesians 4:6 (RSV) “one God and Father of all”.

2. God consists of THREE different persons

The Bible reveals that God is the Father (Ephesians 4:6, 1 John 3:1), God is the Son/Word (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 5:20; John 3:16 , Colossians 1:15) , and God is the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 4:30).

It also reveals that each member of the Trinity is different from one another. We see all three linked together in Scripture, for example commanding us to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19 NIV) and finding in the blessing “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV).

Not only that, we see how each person relates and interacts with one another. The Father sends the Son (Word) into the world (John 3:6). Jesus often talks about His Father (John 17:5; John 5:19) and prays to Him (John 17:20-26; Matthew 11:25-26; John 12:27-28). The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus as a dove at His baptism (Luke 3:22), and later Jesus promises to send that same Spirit from the Father to His disciples (John 15:26).

3. Every person is equal, 100% God and shares the same divine nature

The doctrine of the Trinity also helps us understand some other important truths about God.

Each Person of the Trinity is believed to be fully God. God is not a God cut in three like a cake.

God. God is not a God cut in three like a cake. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are not three attributes of God or just different roles.

The Trinity is not three gods united into one.

Each member of the Trinity is different, but 100% God. They are all the same. And they all share the same divine nature.

4 Analogies and Illustrations of the Trinity

We often use metaphor or analogy to try to grapple with the mystery of the Trinity. Many of them do a great job of shedding light on some important aspects of God, but they can also lead us astray. Rather than throwing them away, I think finding out how each analogy or illustration helps us better understand the Trinity and how God is different is a valuable lesson for our children. Then I will share an activity using the Celtic Trinity Knot to explain the Trinity to children along with the love that exists between each of their persons and us.

1. The Trinity is like an egg or an apple

The Trinity is like an egg. Just as ONE egg has THREE distinct parts – the shell, the albumen, the yoke – ONE God has THREE distinct persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Similarly, we often hear the Trinity compared to an apple. AN apple has three distinct parts – the skin, the flesh and the core.

Explaining the Trinity with an egg is a great way to help our kids understand that ONE thing can be THREE different things! But how is God different from an egg or an apple? An apple suggests that the members of the Trinity are just three different parts of God. They are not the same and do not have the same nature. The skin is a different material than the seed and flesh. It’s not 100% the apple and the parts aren’t the same. Look how much smaller the seed is! (This is called the heresy of partialism)

2. The Trinity is like water

The Trinity is like water (H₂O), which can exist in three different states: liquid, gas, and solid. When we get a glass of water from the tap, it’s a liquid. But when frozen, it turns into ice (solid) or vapor (gas) when cooked.

Another excellent way to demonstrate THREE IN ONE. This also shows how each state of water can be different but is actually made of the same material (H₂0). Our water glass consists of 100% water – just like ice and steam. Why isn’t God like water? Water cannot be solid, liquid and gaseous at the same time. This indicates that God is changing His “manner” so that He is sometimes the Father, sometimes the Son, and sometimes the Holy Spirit. But we know from the Bible that God exists as ONE God and THREE persons at the same time! (This is called the modalism heresy)

3. The Trinity is like a shamrock

The Trinity is like a three leaf clover where THREE different cloves come together to form ONE leaf.

This metaphor dates from the fifth century and is attributed to St. Patrick, a missionary who served in Ireland. I love using things we find in creation to talk about God – here showing God as ONE and THREE. It also shows us how each carnation is equal and of the same nature as the others. How is God different from a three-leaf clover? This is similar to our apple and egg analogy. Each of the three cloves is “part” of the shamrock, but not fully the “leaf” without the other. We know that God is not divided into three parts (the Son is not 1/3 God, the Spirit 1/3 God, or the Father 1/3 God) and each Person of the Trinity is fully God on his own. (Another Heresy of Partialism)

4. The Trinity is like a man

The Trinity is like a man who is father, husband and son.

This analogy is something our children can relate to. Dad is her father, her mother’s husband and her grandma’s son. We call God the Father and the Son, so the terminology makes sense. Why isn’t God like her father? Your father cannot be father, husband and son to the same person at the same time. This is similar to the water analogy – God is not a part-time Father, Son and Spirit. He’s always all three. (Another heresy of modalism)

How to explain the Trinity to children using the Celtic Trinity Knot

In 1 John 4:16 we learn that “God is love.” That’s more than saying that God loves – although he certainly is! John is talking about something special about God’s very nature. Within the Trinity is an eternal relationship of love that flows between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is indeed love!

Lesson: The Trinity for Children

spiritual gifts

For the charisms listed in the New Testament, see Gift of the Spirit

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit is an enumeration of seven spiritual gifts first found in the Book of Isaiah[1] and widely commented on by Patristic authors[2]. They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, godliness, and fear of God.[3]

Book of Isaiah[edit]

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Folio from Walter’s manuscript W.171 (15th century)

The seven gifts are found in the book of Isaiah[4] 11:1-2, a passage that refers to the characteristics of a messianic figure empowered by the “Spirit of the Lord.”[5]

The Greek and Hebrew versions of the Bible differ slightly in the listing of the gifts. In the Hebrew version (the Masoretic text), the “Spirit of the Lord” is described in terms of six attributes: wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, and “glory of the Lord.” The last attribute (honor of the Lord) is mentioned twice.[6] In the earliest Greek translation (the Septuagint), the first mention of godliness is translated “spirit of […] piety” (πνεῦμα […] εὐσεβείας).[7]

Verse Hebrew

Masoretic[8] English

New international version[9] Greek

Septuagint[10] Latin

Vulgate[11] 11.1 א וְיָצָא חֹטֶר, מִגֵּזַע יִשָׁי; וְנֵצֶר, מִשָּׁרָשָׁיו יִפְרֶה. ‎ A sprout will come out of the stump of Jesse;

from its roots a branch will bear fruit. και εξελευσεται ραβδος εκ της ριζης ιεσσαι

και ανθος εκ της ριζης αναβησεται et egredietur virga de radice Iesse

et flos de radice eius ascendet 11.2 ב וְנָחָה עָלָיו, רוּחַ יְהוָה–רוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה,

רוּחַ עֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה, רוּחַ דַּעַת, וְיִרְאַת יְהוָה. ‎ The Spirit of the LORD will rest upon him –

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and power,

the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord – και αναπαυσεται επ’ αυτον πνευμα του θεου

πνευμα σοφιας και συνεσεως

πνευμα βουλης και ισχυος

πνευμα γνωσεως και ευσεβειας et requiescet super eum spiritus Domini

Spiritus sapientiae and intellectus

spiritus consilii and fortitudinis

spiritus scientiae and pietatis 11.3 ‎ and he shall delight in the fear of the LORD. εμπλησει αυτον πνευμα φοβου θεου et replebit eum spiritus timoris Domini

The names of the seven gifts mentioned in the Greek translation were then translated into Latin as follows:

sapientia intellectus consilium fortitudo cognitiō (or scientia as in the scripture above) pietas timor Domini.

In Christianity[edit]

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are one of several lists of virtues, vices, and blessings in Christian devotional literature that follow a scheme of seven.[12] Others are the seven deadly sins, the seven virtues, the seven last words of the cross, the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes.[13]

The seven gifts were often represented as doves in medieval texts and are particularly prominent in depictions of the Tree of Jesse, which depicts Jesus’ genealogy. For St. Thomas Aquinas, the dove, by its qualities, signifies every gift of the Holy Spirit.[14]

Catholicism[ edit ]

Although the New Testament does not refer to Isaiah 11:1-2 regarding these gifts,[15][16] according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “these gifts complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them.”[17 ] initiates receive at Baptism and are strengthened at Confirmation so that the truths of faith may be proclaimed. “Receiving the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the fulfillment of the grace of baptism” because “through the sacrament of Confirmation [the baptized] are bound more completely to the Church and enriched with a special power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, as true witnesses of Christ, they have a greater obligation to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”[18]

Anglican Communion[ edit ]

Catholic teaching is echoed by the Anglican Church, which teaches that “the transmission of the gifts of the Spirit is conjoined with baptism, and with confirmation and ordination.”[3] Confirmation completes baptism since it occurs through the laying on of hands by the bishop that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are bestowed.[19]

The seven gifts[ edit ]

wisdom [edit]

Wisdom is considered the first and greatest of gifts. It acts on both the intellect and the will.[20] According to St. Bernard, it illuminates the mind and instills an attraction to the divine. Adolphe Tanquerey OP explained the difference between the gift of wisdom and that of understanding: “The latter is a view of the mind, the former an experience of the heart; one is light, the other love, and so they unite and complete each other.”[21] A wise and loving heart is the culmination of the theological virtue of charity.

understand [edit]

Understanding helps one relate all truths to one’s supernatural purpose; it further enlightens the understanding of Scripture; and it helps us to understand the meaning of religious rituals. This gift strengthens discernment through prayer, scripture, and the sacraments. All of this gives a person a deep appreciation of God’s providence.[22]

advice [edit]

Advice acts as a kind of supernatural intuition to enable a person to make quick and correct judgments, especially in difficult situations. It perfects the cardinal virtue of prudence. While prudence works in harmony with reason enlightened by faith, the gift of counsel works under the direction of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the will of God.[23]

steadfastness[ edit ]

Bravery is often identified with courage, but Aquinas also includes perseverance. Joseph J. Rickaby describes it as a willingness to stand up for what is right in the eyes of God, even if it means accepting rejection, abuse, or physical harm. The gift of fortitude gives people the spiritual strength needed to do good and endure evil.[24] It is the fulfillment of the cardinal virtue of the same name.

knowledge [edit]

The gift of knowledge, as far as humanly possible, allows one to see things from God’s perspective. It “allows us to perceive the greatness of God and his love for his creatures” through creation.[25]

piety[ edit ]

Piety aligns with reverence. A reverent person acknowledges their total trust in God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. Thomas Aquinas says that piety perfects the virtue of religion, which is an aspect of the virtue of justice, by attributing to God what is due to God.[26] In a series of lectures on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis said piety is a recognition of “our belonging to God, our deep communion with him, a relationship that gives meaning to our whole lives and keeps us committed in communion with him, ourselves in the most difficult and troubled moments.” Francis continues: “Piety is not just external religiosity; It is this genuine religious spirit that leads us to turn to the Father as His children and to grow in our love for others, seeing them as our brothers and sisters.”[27]

fear of god [edit]

Fear of God is related to wonder (or awe). With the gift of godliness one becomes aware of the glory and majesty of God. During a general audience in June 2014, Pope Francis said it was “not submissive fear, but a joyful awareness of the greatness of God and a grateful knowledge that only in him can our hearts find true peace”.[28] A man of wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all his desires. Aquinas describes this gift as fear of separation from God. He describes the gift as “childlike fear,” like a child’s fear of offending his father, rather than “submissive fear,” that is, fear of punishment. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It is the fulfillment of the theological virtue of hope.

Thomas Aquinas: Relation to the virtues

In Summa Theologiae I.II, q. 68, a1, Saint Thomas Aquinas says that four of these gifts (wisdom, understanding, knowledge and counsel) direct the intellect, while the other three gifts (valor, piety and fear of God) direct the will to God.[ 29]

In some respects the gifts are similar to the virtues, but an essential difference is that the virtues work under the impulse of human reason (impelled by grace), while the gifts work under the impulse of the Holy Spirit; The former can be used if desired, but the latter, according to Aquinas, only works if the Holy Spirit desires it. In the case of bravery, the gift has the same name in Latin and English as the virtue to which it is related, but from which it must be distinguished.

In Summa Theologiae II.II Thomas Aquinas asserts the following correspondences between the seven heavenly virtues and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:[30]

The gift of wisdom corresponds to the virtue of charity.

The gifts of insight and knowledge correspond to the virtue of faith.

The gift of advice (right judgment) corresponds to the virtue of prudence.

The gift of fortitude corresponds to the virtue of courage.

The gift of fear of God corresponds to the virtue of hope.

The gift of reverence corresponds to the virtue of justice.

No gift is directly attributed to the virtue of temperance; but the gift of fear can be taken as such, since fear drives one to limit oneself from forbidden pleasures.

Rev. Brian Shanley contrasts the gifts with the virtues thus: “What the gifts do beyond the theological virtues (which they presuppose) is to make the agent sensitive to the special promptings of the Holy Spirit by actively practicing the life of the virtues ; the gifts are necessary for the perfect working of the virtues, especially in the face of our human frailty and in difficult situations.”[31]

Augustine: Relation to the Beatitudes[ edit ]

Saint Augustine made a connection between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12).

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, reflecting the fear of the Lord, as the “poor in spirit” are the humble and godly.

, reflects the fear of the Lord, since the “poor in spirit” are the humble and godly. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted, equals the gift of knowledge, for Augustine’s knowledge of God brings both a heightened awareness of personal sin and, to some degree, sadness at the abandonment of practices and activities that divide one From God.

, corresponds to the gift of knowledge, since for Augustine knowledge of God brings with it both a heightened awareness of personal sin and, to some degree, sadness at abandoning practices and activities that separate one from God. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land, refers to piety.

, refers to piety. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied, referring to bravery.

, refers to bravery. Blessed are the merciful, for they are shown mercy demonstrating the gift of counsel.

demonstrates the gift of advice. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, the gift of understanding.

, the gift of understanding. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God, wisdom.

, wisdom. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[32]

See also[edit]