Welcome back to week 16. Today we will begin the first of three weeks considering the topic of pneumatology. As is our practice we will define our new term, first. Pneumatology simply means the study of the Holy Spirit. Pneumatology comes from the Greek word, “pneuma,” meaning “breath,” “wind,” or “spirit,” plus “logy,” meaning the study of something.

When considering the Holy Spirit there is much confusion over His nature (and function). It is important we have a correct understanding of both since the Holy Spirit is part of the Triune God Whom we are supposed to worship. Thus, we will seek to shed some light on the topic today.

The Holy Spirit is God, and the third person of the Holy Trinity (Acts 5:3-4; Matt. 3:16; 2 Cor. 3:17; 13:14; Heb. 3:7-9; 1 Pt. 1:11). The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, energy, or influence. He possesses the same characteristics and attributes as God the Father and God the Son; omnipresence, a mind, emotions, a will, the ability to think, and to be grieved by our sin.^[1]

The Holy Spirit, like the other members of the Trinity is eternal. In fact, He was not only present at the creation; He also had a part in it (Heb. 9:14; John 1:1-3; 2). The Holy Spirit was the Author of Scripture. The Holy Spirit literally breathed out the inspiration of every one of the 66 books of Scripture to the human agent (2 Pt. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16). 

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is actually Jesus’ replacement on earth (John 16:7; Acts 9:31). The Holy Spirit is also God’s seal of salvation that He places within His children. The redeemed should be very thankful that the Holy Spirit resides within them because it means that God has claimed them for His own. The Holy Spirit is a down payment whom assures us of our inheritance which is our future glorification in Christ (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30). The Holy Spirit is literally a witness of the truth to the saved, the lost, and God that the redeemed are His children, and that all the works which were done by Christ and His disciples are true (Rom. 8:16; Heb. 2:4; 10:15; 1 John 4:13).

 A believer receives the seal of the Holy Spirit at the moment he repents and submits to Christ as Lord and Savior (i.e. at salvation).^[2] Receiving the Holy Spirit at salvation is also called “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” it happens only one time in a believer’s life and is permanent. Being baptized in the Spirit is not when an impersonal force of energy, erroneously attributed to the Holy Spirit, knocks people over or make them act foolishly (Eph. 4:5; John 14:16). Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something far better, eternally better, than that manufactured nonsense. Being baptized into the Holy Spirit is being once-for-all brought into the family of God! This is something every undeserving believer receives at the moment of salvation; an eternal seat at the marriage table of the Lamb! We ought to be thanking the Holy Spirit for His permanent and progressive working in us. The Holy Spirit is God in us.

We hope our short time considering pneumatology this week was helpful. Lord willing, next week we will consider week two of pneumatology and the role the Holy Spirit plays in the believer’s life and counseling process. Until then may our Lord bless you and keep you.

^[1] Gen 1:2; 6:3; Num.11:19; Ps. 139:7; Is.63:10; Matt.3:16; Luke 1:35; John 3:34; 13:16; 14:16; 15:16; Acts 1:8, 16; 5:3-4, 30-32; 7:51; 10:38; 16:6-7; Rom. 1:4; 5:5, 12; 8:9, 11, 26; 1 Cor.12:11; 2 Cor.3:6, 18; 13:14; Gal.5:17; Eph.5:18; 1 Thess.5:19; 2 Thess.2:13-14;  2 Tim.2:25; Heb.9:14; 1 Pet.4:14; 2 Pet.1:21; 1 John 2.   

^[2] 1 Cor. 12:13; John 3:5-16; Rom. 5:5. The converse is also true; no Holy Spirit –no salvation. cf. Rom. 8:9.