Why Does Holy Spirit Play Large Role In Christianity

In this paper, I will review Robert Gromacki’s book The Holy Spirit: Who He is, What He Does I will detail what I feel the book is about. I will emphasize various points given by the author that stood out to me. Finally, I will give my personal evaluation of the book.

The Holy Spirit, however, does not have the primary spot in most hearts. “The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,” is the ruler of most individual hearts. Spirits come from two distinct sources. Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ is of God, and every that does otherwise is not of God. The spirit that is contrary to Christ is antichrist, which is in the world today (I John 4:1-3).

The Holy Spirit of God is the active force or power in one’s life, which most certainly includes spiritual formation (Pettit, 2008, p. 46). When Jesus was speaking with his disciples he made it clear – by using the analogy of a vine and branches – that apart from him they could do nothing (John 15:5). Only if one is connected to Christ will they have the ability to bear fruit and the way Jesus empowers those connected to him is through the Holy Spirt that that father will send in his name (John 14:26). The fact is that the triune God dwells in the Christian in and through the Holy Spirit. One sees this when they place multiple passages together to gain a full understanding of this concept. For example, Jesus made it clear that he and the father would come and make their home with the disciple (John 14:23). In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul reminds the Corinthians that their bodies are the very temple of God because the Holy Spirit dwells in them which is similar to what Jesus said would happen when he sent the Holy Spirit after his resurrection and ascension (John 14:17, 16:7).

Unity was also another area of impact influenced by Holy Spirit. Within the body of believers, the Spirit enabled them to share all things and submit to the authority of leadership, and ultimately the authority of God. Chapter 2:44 says that all believers had sold all of their possessions and distributed them to others as they had need. The Holy Spirit clearly provides humility and unity in the hearts of

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and is equal in essence and in power in the Trinity to the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit was originally sent by Jesus after his ascension into heaven, Jesus himself saying that he would send a “helper” after he departed from the earth. This spirit is worshipped just as the Father and the Son are, and also participated in the creation of the world, sustaining and giving life continually to all things, and exhibits the uniqueness and characteristics of the third person in the Trinity. This is the same Holy Spirit that divinely inspired the infallible word of God, and although the canon is now closed, the Holy Spirit still works powerfully and constantly in the life of the church and in believers. The Holy Spirit is the giver of spiritual gifts, which are given at conversion and help the believer become more like their creator. The presence of the Holy Spirit is evident in the life of all true believers, and this Spirit turns cowardly men into mighty warriors for Christ who accomplish actions way beyond their natural ability.

The Spirit is the witness to the adoption of believers into God’s family as a joint heir with Christ (Romans 8:12-16). Wesley describes the Spirit as guiding, rectifying, teaching, purifying and uniting believers together in the will of God through Jesus Christ (Oden, 2012, p.106). The Bible tells us while Jesus has ascended above and is seated at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers here ( Matthew 22:44, Psalm 101:1, Acts 1:5, John 14:17). It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that allows believers to see the truth, and perceive the Spirit himself – “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” John 14:17 (NLT). So it is by the infilling of the Holy Spirit, that one not only experiences works of the Spirit, but confirmation of the Spirit Himself.

The Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of people before, and after the baptism. God bestows upon all the baptized persons the anointing and promise of the Holy Spirit and marks them with a seal that makes the baptized claim the inheritance as God’s children. The Holy spirits also nurtures the life of faith in the hearts of those who are baptized.

There are many different components that can be combined to define Christianity. For example, The life and teachings of Jesus Christ is a element, along with the Church and its mission. But, can any of these events be more prominent than the other? Each factor has its own importance to the overall idea of Christianity; so,can they be ranked? In essence, the revelation of the Church is more important than the basic belief of Christianity .

The Holy Spirit is the one who effectively brings the power from above and leads us in the process of transforming our

The Holy Spirit scolds us, teaches us, guides us and attests of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:3-4 4 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”…1 Timothy 3:16 John 14:25-26: “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the

In John’s gospel, Jesus promises believers that: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” It is through the power of this advocate, the Holy Spirit, that we experience God in the world, nature, relationships, and in the church.

Chris, your post challenges the readers to consider the effects that Christology and faith must be interlace to properly interpret the role that Christ plays in the lives of Christians. However, Theology and Christology were not grave problems in the church, but the western church was not concerned with speculative metaphysical theology as the rationalistic Greek thinkers of the Eastern Church were. Therefore, faith allows the believers to seek the relationship between the human and divine natures of Christ which constitutes the will of Christ. You stated, “Christology from above is very fideistic (pure faith based on nothing) and Christology from below is very Thomistic (faith derived utterly from the parsing of a rational proposition.” I

To start our research, we need to ask a critical question at the very beginning : Who is the Holy Spirit? The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a person. Jesus never referred to “it” when He was talking about the Holy Spirit. In John 14,15 and 16, for example, He spoke of the Holy Spirit as “He” because He is not a force or thing but a person. The point is especially important at a time when pantheistic tendencies are

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is the source of life and creation. The Holy Spirit worked in the lives of men that God placed His Spirit upon such as prophets and kings to perform His service. Therefore, the Holy Spirit was not given universally in the Old Testament but selectively and temporarily for service. However, in the New Testament, the Spirit grants life to God’s people and believers are brought to faith, in Jesus, through the sovereign work of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit plays a very vital role in the lives of each and every believer; He can strengthen us with a strength that we cannot even begin to muster up in ourselves. He can bring us joy that we cannot even begin to find in the things of this world. He can bring peace to our lives more than anything that we can ever find on this earth. “The Holy Spirit which is primarily an energizing process, is also a revealing, refining, consuming, illuminating process, and one by which we are made to glow with love to God, and love to man, and love to souls.”