Person of the Spirit
The person of the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force but a divine person who thinks, wills, speaks, and acts. In orthodox Christian doctrine, the Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.
At a Glance
The person of the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force but a divine person who thinks, wills, speaks, and acts. In orthodox Christian doctrine, the Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.
Description
The person of the Spirit is the biblical and theological truth that the Holy Spirit is fully personal and fully divine, not an impersonal energy, force, or mere expression of God’s activity. Scripture describes the Spirit with personal attributes and actions: he speaks, teaches, guides, intercedes, bears witness, and gives gifts according to his will; he may also be resisted or grieved. These features support the church’s historic confession that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, distinct from the Father and the Son yet sharing the one divine nature. While some passages use figurative images for the Spirit’s work, orthodox interpretation maintains that such imagery does not lessen his true personhood.