The Holy Spirit and Spirituality

The Divinity of the Holy Spirit

Lesson #3 for January 21, 2017

Scriptures: [Acts 5:1-4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Isaiah 63:10-14; Titus 3:4-7; Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 1:2][1].

1.    This lesson will be a careful Bible study on the nature and work of the Holy Spirit.

2.    What defines divinity? Some people call the main church service, the divine service. Is that appropriate? How would you determine if an individual is divine or not? God the Father is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament and in the New Testament; His Divinity is simply assumed. Although we know that Jesus was the main Leader of the children of Israel in the Old Testament, (Luke 24:44; John 5:39-40; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4)[2] the Jewish people, even now, believe it was the Father, that is, the One God, Yahweh. What does that mean? How can we believe in One God while at the same time talk about Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3.    Although the divinity of Jesus prior to His coming to this earth has been hotly debated for thousands of years, His divinity is clearly spelled out in the New Testament both in the Gospels and the Epistles.

4.    So, that leaves us with a discussion about the Holy Spirit. Where would you look in Scripture for evidence that the Holy Spirit is divine? We do not have any direct biblical statement simply asserting that the Holy Spirit is divine. His divinity is portrayed in more subtle ways. So, let us see if we can determine exactly what the Scripture does teach; but, at the same time, not go beyond what the Bible teaches. How do you read Genesis 1:1-2[3]?

5.    It is important in this study to carefully do our research and not to let any preconceived idea that we may have overshadow what the Scriptures say.

6.    Some of what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit may be difficult to grasp. Let us see what we can do with it.

7.    Read Acts 5:1-4[4]. In his dealing with Ananias as described in Acts 5[5], Peter clearly equated God and the Holy Spirit. In his brief discussion with Ananias regarding his attempt at stealing from God, he first mentioned that Ananias had lied to the Holy Spirit, and then, he followed up by saying he had lied to God. In a sort of parallelism in these verses, Peter clearly believed and strongly implied that the Holy Spirit is equal to God.

8.    As a side note to our main discussion, why was there such a harsh punishment for those two early Christians? The new church was just beginning. If the actions of Ananias and Sapphira had just been ignored or if it appeared that God did not know that they had lied, others would have been tempted to lie as well. And the ability of God to read the thoughts and minds of men and women would have been in question.

9.    Is it true that the Members of the Godhead are the only Beings in the universe that can read peoples’ minds? Can the Devil read our minds? Can he plant ideas in our minds? How does he do that? Can God plant ideas in our m inds? Does He?

The adversary of souls is not permitted to read the thoughts of men; but he is a keen observer, and he marks the words and actions, and skillfully adapts his temptations accordingly. If all would labor to repress sinful thoughts and feelings, giving them no expression in words or acts, Satan would be defeated; for he would not know how to prepare his specious temptations to meet their cases. But how often do professed Christians, by their lack of self-control, open the door to the adversary of souls!—Ellen G. White, Historical Sketches 146.2 (1886); RH, March 22, 1887, par. 5; 1SM 122-123; 2MCP 658.3.

10.    In considering this case, we must remember that the early Christians were living a kind of communal life. They lived together; they worked together; they learned together; and they ate together. They studied together in the temple. Acts 4:32[6] suggests that the unity that was present among them was a direct result of the work of the Holy Spirit.

11.    Many people at that point were making significant contributions to the group. How would those people later have regarded Ananias and Sapphira when they discovered that they had lied about the price they received for their property? Would that have promoted the oneness that was felt in that early church community?

12.    God needed to take this early attempt at deceit very seriously. Would you say that God was too severe? And even arbitrary? Try to imagine how Ananias and Sapphira themselves would have felt, mingling with the Christian community, knowing that they had lied to Peter and the rest of the group. Ananias and Sapphira not only held back a portion of the money, but also they lied about it. Was that a punishment sent by God? Or, did the stress of realizing that they had been found out lead to heart attacks or strokes? The fact that it happened right there on the spot makes it look like God was directly involved in one way or another. One Jewish physician who does not believe in the Bible discussed this story at a medical meeting and claimed that this was a known medical condition. People die of the sudden shock to their nervous system. One possibility is that this experience in the early church was to remind people that Jesus Christ who was the God of the Old Testament needed to strike people dead in order to prove that He had not changed and was the same God (Malachi 3:6[7]) in the times of the New Testament. A much better explanation is that God needed to act to prevent the devastating effect it would have had on the fellowship and cohesiveness of the early church.

13.    There are certain characteristics that we have come to attribute to God alone. Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 and Isaiah 40:13-14. If the Holy Spirit knows the secret purposes of God, He is clearly omniscient, and that is a characteristic of God alone.

14.    Read Psalm 139:7[8], KJV, NASB95. If the Holy Spirit is able to be everywhere present, He is described as omnipresent. That is also a divine characteristic.

15.    Read [Hebrews 9:14; 1 Timothy 6:16].[9] If only God is eternal/immortal and if the Holy Spirit is eternal, then the Holy Spirit must be God. How does God communicate with human beings? Through the Holy Spirit.

16.    Read Luke 1:26,35[10]. Notice that “the Holy Spirit” and “the power of the most High” are parallel constructions. While we have no idea how the Holy Spirit actually impregnated Mary with the divine Son to whom she gave birth, it was certainly one of the greatest miracles of all time. Certainly, no one but God could have done what happened there!

17.    In Romans 15:19[11], Paul said that mighty signs and wonders performed by the power of the Spirit of God have taken place.

18.    Read [Matthew 12:31-32 ; Mark 3:28-29][12]. Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit so unforgivable? Is it because He is divine? Is the “Spirit of truth” the same as the Holy Spirit?

19.    Read John 3:5-8[13]. Perhaps the second most important work the Holy Spirit does or has done-second after giving us the Bible-is to change human hearts and minds. That is called a new spiritual birth. So, what does the Spirit actually do in the new birth? Can we clearly see God’s hand at work? An individual must actually give the Holy Spirit permission to work with his/her mind in order for such a transformation to take place. The Holy Spirit is the only One who can actually make such a change in us; but, He will never force us to do it. We must give Him permission.

20.    What other kinds of evidence does the Bible give us concerning the divinity of the Holy Spirit? Read [Isaiah 63:10-14; compare that with Numbers 14:11 and Deuteronomy 32:12.][14] We know that Christ was the Leader of the children of Israel through the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4) God Himself (Father? Or, Son?) stated that He guided the children of Israel through those experiences. (Numbers 14:11; Deuteronomy 32:12) But, Isaiah 63:10[15] tells us that by their sinning, the people made His Holy Spirit sad. That suggests that the Holy Spirit was at work along with the Father and the Son in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land. Clearly, all the Members of the Godhead work in unison. They never oppose each other.

21.    Read [2 Samuel 23:2; compare it with 23:3][16]. Verse 2 says: “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me.” (NASB) The following verse says: “The God of Israel said ... to me.” (NASB) This is a clear example of Hebrew parallelism in which the Spirit of the Lord is equated with the God of Israel. Doesn’t that mean that the Holy Spirit is God? And is divine?

22.    Read [1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20].[17] In these verses we are told that we are to be God’s temple, and the Holy Spirit is to live in us. Once again, the Holy Spirit is equated with God. Which Member of the Godhead can actually dwell in us?

23.    Read [1 Corinthians 12:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28][18]. In these two verses, we see that God’s Spirit is the One who gives gifts to the church. Later, we are told that those gifts come from God. Once again, we see the parallelism between Holy Spirit and God.

24.    Isaiah 63:10[19] suggests that the children of Israel made God’s Holy Spirit sad. Could we make the same mistake? Read Ephesians 4:30[20]. The same is applied to the Christian church.

25.    Think of all the miracles that the Holy Spirit has performed in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Now imagine yourself visiting God’s throne room in heaven, the control center and heart of the universe. All the angels are gathered around the throne of God. (Daniel 7:9-10[21]) What questions might they ask you as a representative of the human race and of God’s remnant church just over 172 years after the Great Disappointment?

26.    Read Titus 3:4-7[22] (GNB). Notice that it is the Holy Spirit who gives us new birth and new life by “washing us.” This is a clear reference to baptism. Paul went on to say: “God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that by His grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.” Clearly, these actions are possible only if the Holy Spirit is divine.

27.    Read [Isaiah 6:8-10 and Acts 28:25-27][23]. Isaiah quoted the words of God; but, in quoting Isaiah, Paul attributed the words to the Holy Spirit. Paul clearly saw the Holy Spirit as God. Do you think that Paul’s comments were just a coincidence?

28.    Read [2 Peter 1:21 and 2 Timothy 3:16][24]. Once again, we notice that 2 Peter says it was the Holy Spirit who gave us the Scriptures while 2 Timothy says it was God. Is it possible that either of these men were confused? Peter and Paul may have both been confined in the Mamertine Prison in Rome when these words were written.

29.    Read [John 2:19 and 10:18].[25] How do these verses compare with Romans 8:11[26]? In what sense did the Spirit of God raise Jesus from the dead?

When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ’s tomb, saying, Thy Father calls Thee, the Saviour came forth from the grave by the life that was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His words, “I lay down My life, that I might take it again.... I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” Now was fulfilled the prophecy He had spoken to the priests and rulers, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [John 10:17, 18; 2:19][27].—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 785.2.

30.    Does the Holy Spirit still have the power to raise people from the dead? Aren’t we depending upon that power if we succumb to death before the second coming?

31.    One way to decide whether or not the Holy Spirit is divine is to try to determine what would happen if He had not been there or is not there. We have seen that He gives new birth to believers, He dwells in us and fills us, and He renews our thinking and changes our characters. He even has the power to raise people from the dead. And He can transform us to become holy followers of God. If He were not divine, could He do any of those things?

32.    Read [1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; and Matthew 28:18-19][28]. These are three verses in the New Testament which clearly equate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Another reference which some people use is 1 John 5:7-8[29]. Why do some versions not have most of verse 7-except in a footnote?

33.    The Latin words equivalent to: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,” crept into the Latin Vulgate somewhere around 300 to 400 A.D. Those words were not written by John; they are not in the original Greek. Thus, modern translations leave them out.

34.    The Bible clearly suggests that the Holy Spirit plays an important part in preparing the Christian for baptism. He is a proper object of worship and the One who is described as dwelling in our minds and hearts. What does it mean to have God dwelling in you?

35.    We have put together some fairly compelling evidence from Scripture to suggest that the Holy Spirit is fully divine. Nevertheless, we should not make the mistake of thinking that we fully understand everything that we need to know about the Holy Spirit. He is still a divine mystery.

It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is. Christ tells us that the Spirit is the Comforter, “the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father.” It is plainly declared regarding the Holy Spirit that, in His work of guiding men into all truth, “He shall not speak of Himself.” John 15:26; 16:13.

The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles 51.3-52.1. [Bold type is added.]

36.    Let us not make the mistake of speculating beyond what we have seen in this lesson. Are you convinced that Christ is fully divine and has existed for all eternity, even before His coming to this earth? Are you convinced that the Holy Spirit is fully divine?

The Holy Spirit, who is to fill us, is not some vague influence or mystic force. He is a divine Person, to be received with deep humility, veneration, and obedience. Therefore it is not a question of our having more of Him, but of His having more of us-yes, all there is of us.—LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Coming of the Comforter 159. [Bold type is added.]

We have been brought together as a school, and we need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds, that the Lord God is our keeper, and helper. He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.—Ellen G. White, Ms 66, 1899, p. 4. (Talk to Avondale School, April 15, 1899.)

37.    Have you personally felt the workings of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you appreciate all that He does? As far as possible, are you willing to cooperate with Him in making the changes necessary to prepare yourself for the kingdom to come?

38.    Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20[30] again. The earthly tabernacle constructed at the foot of Mount Sinai and the most holy place of the temple built by Solomon contained the Shekinah-the visible presence of God. Is it true that God’s Holy Spirit wants to transform your mind into a most holy dwelling place for Himself? The Holy Spirit is not some force to be used; He is not some miraculous power into which we can tap. He is a divine Member of the Godhead whom we should worship and thank daily. We are not to use the Holy Spirit. When we fully understand all He wants to do for us, we should love to be used by Him.

39.    Are you convinced that the Holy Spirit is all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent, and eternal? (1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Psalm 104:30; 139:7; Hebrews 9:14)[31]

40.    Read [Matthew 28:18-19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; and Genesis 1:1-2][32]. Maybe, by default, we assume that God the Father is the primary God of the Old Testament. That is actually incorrect. Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-4[33]. That same Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who led Israel through the wilderness is featured in the four Gospels. But, which Member of the Godhead is foremost in the book of Acts? Is it not the Holy Spirit?

41.    When the Holy Spirit is mentioned, what comes to your mind?

42.    Have you personally experienced what it is like to try to live a good life even a holy life without the Holy Spirit? How much different are things when we fully cooperate with the Holy Spirit?

43.    Read Romans 15:19[34]. Didn’t Paul think that everything that he had accomplished was done with the help of the Holy Spirit?

44.    What are the characteristics of God? What makes God, God? Clearly, They are eternal. As hard as it is for us to wrap our minds around the idea, we believe that all three Members of the Godhead have existed from eternity past and will be there for eternity future.

45.    There are some prominent theologians even among Adventists who believe that the future is “open,” that is, they think there are some things that not even God can know before they happen. That idea is alien to the Bible.

46.    If we were to take a very human example: God the Father might be referred to as the Chief Executive Officer of the Godhead. Jesus might be referred is it to as the Chief Operating Officer; He is the one who has related to angels, becoming an Angel to the angels, and becoming a Human to humans.

47.    But, the Holy Spirit working with the angels is the One who carries out many of the functions of the Godhead, functioning like the Project Manager for the Godhead.

48.    Think of your life and what you have been through in the past. Now consider the powers and abilities that we have discussed that belong to the Holy Spirit. What would you like the Holy Spirit to do for you right now?

© 2016, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.    Info@theox.org

1-Acts 5:1 But there was a man named Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira sold some property that belonged to them. 2 But with his wife's agreement he kept part of the money for himself and turned the rest over to the apostles. 3 Peter said to him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan take control of you and make you lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the money you received for the property? 4 Before you sold the property, it belonged to you; and after you sold it, the money was yours. Why, then, did you decide to do such a thing? You have not lied to people—you have lied to God!”

1 Corinthians 2:10 But[a] it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes. 11 It is only our own spirit within us that knows all about us; in the same way, only God's Spirit knows all about God.

Isaiah 63:10 but they rebelled against him and made his holy spirit sad. So the LORD became their enemy and fought against them.

11 But then they[a] remembered the past, the days of Moses, the servant of the LORD, and they asked, “Where now is the LORD, who saved the leaders of his people from the sea? Where is the LORD, who gave his spirit to Moses? 12-13 Where is the LORD, who by his power did great things through Moses, dividing the waters of the sea and leading his people through the deep water, to win everlasting fame for himself?”

Led by the LORD, they were as sure-footed as wild horses, and never stumbled. 14 As cattle are led into a fertile valley, so the LORD gave his people rest. He led his people and brought honor to his name.

Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, 5 he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us. 6 God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.

Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you.

1 Peter 1:2 You were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made a holy people by his Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be purified by his blood.

May grace and peace be yours in full measure.

2-Luke 24:44 Then he said to them, “These are the very things I told you about while I was still with you: everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.”

John 5:39 You study the Scriptures, because you think that in them you will find eternal life. And these very Scriptures speak about me! 40 Yet you are not willing to come to me in order to have life.

1 Corinthians 10:I want you to remember, my friends, what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the protection of the cloud, and all passed safely through the Red Sea. 2 In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All ate the same spiritual bread 4 and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself.

3-Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, when God created the universe, 2 the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God[b] was moving over the water.

4-Acts 5:1 But there was a man named Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira sold some property that belonged to them. 2 But with his wife's agreement he kept part of the money for himself and turned the rest over to the apostles. 3 Peter said to him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan take control of you and make you lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the money you received for the property? 4 Before you sold the property, it belonged to you; and after you sold it, the money was yours. Why, then, did you decide to do such a thing? You have not lied to people—you have lied to God!”

5-Acts 5:1But there was a man named Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira sold some property that belonged to them. 2 But with his wife's agreement he kept part of the money for himself and turned the rest over to the apostles. 3 Peter said to him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan take control of you and make you lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping part of the money you received for the property? 4 Before you sold the property, it belonged to you; and after you sold it, the money was yours. Why, then, did you decide to do such a thing? You have not lied to people—you have lied to God!” 5 As soon as Ananias heard this, he fell down dead; and all who heard about it were terrified. 6 The young men came in, wrapped up his body, carried him out, and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, was this the full amount you and your husband received for your property?”

“Yes,” she answered, “the full amount.”

9 So Peter said to her, “Why did you and your husband decide to put the Lord's Spirit to the test? The men who buried your husband are at the door right now, and they will carry you out too!” 10 At once she fell down at his feet and died. The young men came in and saw that she was dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 The whole church and all the others who heard of this were terrified.

Miracles and Wonders

12 Many miracles and wonders were being performed among the people by the apostles. All the believers met together in Solomon's Porch. 13 Nobody outside the group dared join them, even though the people spoke highly of them. 14 But more and more people were added to the group—a crowd of men and women who believed in the Lord. 15 As a result of what the apostles were doing, sick people were carried out into the streets and placed on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 And crowds of people came in from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing those who were sick or who had evil spirits in them; and they were all healed.

The Apostles Are Persecuted

17 Then the High Priest and all his companions, members of the local party of the Sadducees, became extremely jealous of the apostles; so they decided to take action. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But that night an angel of the Lord opened the prison gates, led the apostles out, and said to them, 20 “Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new life.” 21 The apostles obeyed, and at dawn they entered the Temple and started teaching.

The High Priest and his companions called together all the Jewish elders for a full meeting of the Council; then they sent orders to the prison to have the apostles brought before them. 22 But when the officials arrived, they did not find the apostles in prison, so they returned to the Council and reported, 23 “When we arrived at the jail, we found it locked up tight and all the guards on watch at the gates; but when we opened the gates, we found no one inside!” 24 When the chief priests and the officer in charge of the Temple guards heard this, they wondered what had happened to the apostles. 25 Then a man came in and said to them, “Listen! The men you put in prison are in the Temple teaching the people!” 26 So the officer went off with his men and brought the apostles back. They did not use force, however, because they were afraid that the people might stone them.

27 They brought the apostles in, made them stand before the Council, and the High Priest questioned them. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name of this man,” he said; “but see what you have done! You have spread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

29 Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God, not men. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from death, after you had killed him by nailing him to a cross. 31 God raised him to his right side as Leader and Savior, to give the people of Israel the opportunity to repent and have their sins forgiven. 32 We are witnesses to these things—we and the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to those who obey him.”

33 When the members of the Council heard this, they were so furious that they wanted to have the apostles put to death. 34 But one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law and was highly respected by all the people, stood up in the Council. He ordered the apostles to be taken out for a while, 35 and then he said to the Council, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to these men. 36 You remember that Theudas appeared some time ago, claiming to be somebody great, and about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, all his followers were scattered, and his movement died out. 37 After that, Judas the Galilean appeared during the time of the census; he drew a crowd after him, but he also was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 And so in this case, I tell you, do not take any action against these men. Leave them alone! If what they have planned and done is of human origin, it will disappear, 39 but if it comes from God, you cannot possibly defeat them. You could find yourselves fighting against God!”

The Council followed Gamaliel's advice. 40 They called the apostles in, had them whipped, and ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus; and then they set them free. 41 As the apostles left the Council, they were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus. 42 And every day in the Temple and in people's homes they continued to teach and preach the Good News about Jesus the Messiah.

6-Acts 4:32 The group of believers was one in mind and heart. None of them said that any of their belongings were their own, but they all shared with one another everything they had.

7-Malachi 3:6 “I am the LORD, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost.

8-Psalm 139:7 KJV Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

9-Hebrews 9:14 Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

1 Timothy 6:16 He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

10-Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.

11-Romans 15:19 by the power of miracles and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. And so, in traveling all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have proclaimed fully the Good News about Christ.

12-Matthew 12:31 For this reason I tell you: people can be forgiven any sin and any evil thing they say;[a] but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who says something against the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says something against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven—now or ever.

Mark 3:28 “I assure you that people can be forgiven all their sins and all the evil things they may say.[a] 29 But whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, because he has committed an eternal sin.”

13-John 3:5 “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.[a] 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

14-Isaiah 63:10 but they rebelled against him and made his holy spirit sad. So the LORD became their enemy and fought against them.

11 But then they[a] remembered the past, the days of Moses, the servant of the LORD, and they asked, “Where now is the LORD, who saved the leaders of his people from the sea? Where is the LORD, who gave his spirit to Moses? 12-13 Where is the LORD, who by his power did great things through Moses, dividing the waters of the sea and leading his people through the deep water, to win everlasting fame for himself?”

Led by the LORD, they were as sure-footed as wild horses, and never stumbled. 14 As cattle are led into a fertile valley, so the LORD gave his people rest. He led his people and brought

Numbers 14:11 The LORD said to Moses, “How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them?

Deuteronomy 32: 12 The LORD alone led his people

without the help of a foreign god.

15-Isaiah 63:10 but they rebelled against him and made his holy spirit sad. So the LORD became their enemy and fought against them.

16-2 Samuel 23:2 The spirit of the LORD speaks through me;

his message is on my lips.

3 The God of Israel has spoken;

the protector of Israel said to me:

“The king who rules with justice,

who rules in obedience to God,

17-1 Corinthians 3:16 Surely you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; 20 he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.

18-1 Corinthians 12:11 But it is one and the same Spirit who does all this; as he wishes, he gives a different gift to each person.

1 Corinthians 12:28 In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues.

19-Isaiah 63:10 but they rebelled against him and made his holy spirit sad. So the LORD became their enemy and fought against them.

20-Ephesians 4:30 And do not make God's Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God's mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free.

21-Daniel 7:9 While I was looking, thrones were put in place. One who had been living forever sat down on one of the thrones. His clothes were white as snow, and his hair was like pure wool. His throne, mounted on fiery wheels, was blazing with fire, 10 and a stream of fire was pouring out from it. There were many thousands of people there to serve him, and millions of people stood before him. The court began its session, and the books were opened.

22-Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, 5 he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us. 6 God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.

23-Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the Lord say, “Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?”

I answered, “I will go! Send me!”

9 So he told me to go and give the people this message: “No matter how much you listen, you will not understand. No matter how much you look, you will not know what is happening.” 10 Then he said to me, “Make the minds of these people dull, their ears deaf, and their eyes blind, so that they cannot see or hear or understand. If they did, they might turn to me and be healed.”

Acts 28:25 So they left, disagreeing among themselves, after Paul had said this one thing: “How well the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your ancestors! 26 For he said,

‘Go and say to this people:

You will listen and listen, but not understand;

you will look and look, but not see,

27 because this people's minds are dull,

and they have stopped up their ears

and closed their eyes.

Otherwise, their eyes would see,

their ears would hear,

their minds would understand,

and they would turn to me, says God,

and I would heal them.’”

24-2 Peter 1:21 For no prophetic message ever came just from the human will, but people were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful[a] for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living,

25-John 2:19 Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will build it again.”

John 10:18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”

26-Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you.

27-John 10:17 “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. 18 18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”

2:19 Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will build it again.”

28-1 Peter 1:2 You were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made a holy people by his Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be purified by his blood.

May grace and peace be yours in full measure.

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Matthew 28:18 Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

29-1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

30-1 Corinthians 6:19 Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; 20 he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.

31-1 Corinthians 2:10 But[a] it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes. 11 It is only our own spirit within us that knows all about us; in the same way, only God's Spirit knows all about God.

Psalm 104:30 But when you give them breath,[a] they are created;

you give new life to the earth.

139:7 Where could I go to escape from you?

Where could I get away from your presence?

Hebrews 9:14 Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

32-Matthew 28:18 Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

1 Peter 1:2 You were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made a holy people by his Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be purified by his blood.

May grace and peace be yours in full measure.

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Genesis 1:In the beginning, when God created the universe,[a] 2 the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God[b] was moving over the water.

33-1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

34-Romans 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Table of Contents

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

6-

7-

8-

9-

10-

11-

12-

13-

14-

15-

16-