I
The Holy Spirit employs the personal pronoun 'me' of Himself: "As
they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate
to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'"
(Acts 13:2-3).
Again: "While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto
him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee
down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them."
(Acts 10:19-20).
Will
He "wills": "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually
as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:11).
Not as if anyone should think the Spirit wills something different
from the Father and the Son, but this capacity, to will, is His
capacity, as well as the Father and Son.
Grief
He can be 'grieved':
"But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself
against them as an enemy, and He fought against them." (Isaiah 63:10);
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30).
He
Jesus employs a masculine personal pronoun of Him, although 'Spirit' in Greek is grammatically neuter:
However, when He ['ekeinos'], the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide
you into all truth; for He will not speak on H is own authority, but whatever
He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." (John 16:13).
Mind
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know
not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to
the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27).
Intercession is not an office which could productively be
undertaken by an 'impersonal force,' nor is it apparent in what sense an
'impersonal force' could have a mind.
Filled with the Spirit
Jehovah's Witnesses wonder, how can the Holy Spirit dwell within His saints if He is a 'person'? But Jesus Christ is without
controversy no 'impersonal force,' and He dwells within His saints: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20).
Insult
The Holy Spirit can be 'insulted': "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled
the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit
of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29).
Instructor
"You gave them Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water
for their thirst." (Nehemiah 9:20).
Comforter
"But when the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance
all things that I said to you." (John 14:26).
This title, 'Parakletos,' means,
"Comforter...parakletos, lit., 'called to one's side,' i.e., to one's aid...It was used in a court
of justice to denote a legal assistant, counsel for the defense, an advocate;
then, generally, one who pleads another's cause, an intercessor, advocate..."
(Vine's Expository Dictionary)
It was not commonly an office filled by an 'impersonal force.'
Strife
"And the LORD said, 'My Spirit shall not strive with man forever,
for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'"
(Genesis 6:3).
Witnesses
"...Moses or of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the other prophets, who,
lifted in ecstasy above the natural operations of their minds by the impulses
of the Divine Spirit, uttered the things with which they were inspired,
the Spirit making use of them as a flute-player breathes into a flute;..."
(Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians, Chapter 9).
A "flute-player," to whom Athenagoras likens the Holy Spirit, is a personal actor, not an 'impersonal force.'
Opinion
The Holy Spirit holds opinions, which it is not evident an 'impersonal force' can do:
"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well."
(Acts 15:28-29).
Testimony
The Holy Spirit gives testimony, which does not clearly fall
within the competence of an 'impersonal force:'
"Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me."
(Acts 20:23).
Free Spirit
The adjective 'free' is attached to the Holy Spirit:
"Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."
(Psalm 51:11-12).
While it is easy to understand what 'free' or 'willing' means in the case of an agent capable of
freedom, it is unclear what it would mean in the case of an 'impersonal force.'
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