WHY IS GOD’S SPIRIT CALLED HIS HOLY SPIRIT?

The subject of God’s spirit has long been a subject of unending controversy. So many theories have been contrived by men about the spirit of God. Two major schools of thought however remain predominant. While some believe that the spirit of God is the power of God, most Christians have been made to believe that God’s holy spirit is a person and the third God of a trinity who is self-existed as well as coequal and coeternal with God and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

The important thing, however, is to know what the Bible says about the spirit of God. What does the Bible really say about the spirit of God? In my study of the Bible, I have found out that whenever the spirit of God is used in the Bible, it means either of two things: (I) the essence of God, or (ii) His power which He transmits into His creation by means of His invisible breath to do all His works in them.

In this article, I will show you why God’s essence which includes His feelings, intellect, will/desire and moral consciousness is called His holy spirit. Now let’s look at the Bible.

God is a holy Being by nature (Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:26; Psa. 99:9; Isa. 6:3; John 17:11; Rev. 4:8; 6:10). The Bible uses the word “holy” for everything dedicated or consecrated for the service or worship of the holy God even if the things are inanimate objects. Some of them are:

• holy vessels (1 King 8:4; 1 Chron. 22:19; 2 Chron. 5:5);
• holy instruments (Num. 31:6);
• holy garments (Exod. 28:2,4; 29:29);
• holy day (Exod. 35:2; Neh. 10:31; Isa. 58:13; Col. 2:16);
• holy ground (Exod. 3:5; Acts 7:33);
• holy hill or mountain (Psa. 2:6; 99:9; Isa. 11:9; 27:13; 56:7; 65:25; 66:20; Dan. 9:16,20; etc.);
• holy temple/place (Exod. 26:33,34; 28:35,43; Psa. 5:7; 65:4; 79:1; Mic. 1:2; Acts 6:13; 21:28; Hab. 2:20);
•  holy Sabbath (Exod. 16:23; 20:8; Neh. 9:14);
• holy commandment (2 Pet. 2:21);

These things are called “holy” not because they are sinless. As inanimate things, they are incapable of being sinful or sinless. They are said to be “holy” because they have been set apart for the worship or service of the Holy One. Therefore, in the places where the word “holy” is used in the cited texts, one can safely use the words “consecrated” or “dedicated” and still not offend the meaning.

In the same sense, people or spirits who have dedicated themselves to the service of the Holy One are called “holy” not necessarily because they are sinless but because they have been set apart for the service and worship of God. Examples include:

• holy men or people (Exod. 22:31; Deut. 7:6; 14:2,21; 26:19; 28:9; Isa. 62:12; etc.);
• holy prophets and apostles (Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; Eph. 3:5; 2 Pet. 3:2; Rev. 18:20; 22:6);
• holy children (1 Cor. 7:14);
• holy angels (Matt. 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Acts 10:22; Rev. 14:10).

When Apostle Paul said the children born into a family where one of the partners is a believer are “holy” (1 Cor.7:14), he didn’t mean that they are sinless. He simply meant that they have become acceptable to God by the fact that one of the parents belong to God.

In the same vein, and more importantly, anything connected with the Holy God is called “holy” because it is a part of God. Examples are:

• God’s ”holy arm” (Psa. 98:1; Isa. 52:10);
• God’s holy or “pure eyes” (Hab. 1:13);
• God’s “holy name” (Lev. 20:3; 22:2,32; 1 Chron. 16:10,35; 29:16; Psa. 33:21; 99:3; 103:1; 105:3; 106:47; Isa. 57:15; Ezek. 20:39; etc.);
• God’s “holy promise” (Psa. 105:42);
• God’s “holy covenant” (Luke 1:72);
• God’s “holy spirit” (Psa. 51:11; Isa. 63:10,11).

It is evident from the above that God’s spirit is called His “holy spirit” because it is a part of Him. It is the spirit of the Holy One. The Hebrew Bible, also known by Christians as the Old Testament, which were the scriptures read by the apostles, never viewed the holy spirit of God as anything different from the spirit of God. Neither the holy prophets nor the holy apostles ever viewed the spirit of God either as a distinct person or a third God in a so-called Trinity. The holy spirit of God was, and remains, the spirit of God. It is depicted in the Hebrew scriptures either as the sentient part of God or His power at work in His creation. That is why Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:11 that the holy spirit of God is similar to the human spirit. As the human spirit is not another person from the man, so too is God’s holy spirit not a different person from the Holy God. Just as the Israelites annoyed the spirit of Moses which provoked him to speak rashly with his lips, in the wilderness (Num. 20:3-10; Psa. 106:33), so too they angered the holy spirit of God and caused Him to fight against them (Psa. 78:40; Isa. 63:10). It is undeniable that the spirit of Moses is not another person from Moses. The same way, God’s holy spirit is not another person from the Holy God. It is a part of Him.

Neither the Lord Jesus Christ nor any of the New Testament writers changed this basic concept of God’s holy spirit. It was the religious speculators of the fourth century CE who, due to their lack of scriptural insight and the influence the philosophy of Plato and his followers had on them, made the holy spirit of God another distinct person from God. Their theology does not agree with biblical fact and, therefore, remains a false teaching.

For a deeper understanding of the subject, please read parts 1 and 2 of my article titled “Is the Holy Spirit A Person?”