Holy Spirit
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The Holy Spirit, also known as Holy Ghost or Spirit of God, is a spiritual entity in the Christian Trinity and giver of spiritual gifts.
[edit] Holy Spirit as part of God
The first reference to the Spirit of God comes in the first chapter of the Bible:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.However, the first instance of the Holy Ghost as on par with either God or Jesus comes in the divine commission of the Apostles after the ascension of Jesus:
- -Genesis 1:1-2, New International Version
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in h eaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."The inclusion of the Holy Ghost as a separate "person" within the Trinity has caused some debate over the years as to how God can be both simultaneously three and one at the same time.
- -Mathew 28:16-20, New International Version
[edit] Gifts of the Spirit
One of the Spirit's most important roles is as giver of miracles, such as healings, prophecy, and speaking in tongues.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.These "gifts of the Spirit" make up an important part of Charismatic Christianity, which states that these are an important part of practicing Christianity as a whole. Many denominations recognize these as potential gifts that can be received from God, but not all recognize them as necessary, or even as always coming from God.
- -1 Corinthians 12:4,8-11, New International Version
[edit] See also
- Agape, the idealized Christian love
- Glossolalia, or speaking in tongues
