MAILBOX: Mystified by the Holy Spirit

Published in God's Message (Pasugo) July 2007

I HAD BEEN a regular viewer of your TV broadcast. I am a former Catholic who left the church because I could no longer understand my stand as a "Christian." I practically studied and fellowshipped with almost all religions starting with the Jehova's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Unification Church, Baptists, Pentacostals, and Mormons ... The Iglesia ni Cristo was never in my mind because of the question on the deity of Christ. After a thorough study, I could no longer defend my faith in the Trinity which is copied from an ancient pagan doctrine of anthromorphism. I now deeply believe that Jesus is truly human. However, I am still confused with the concept of the Holy Spirit. Can you explain to me further what is this Holy Spirit, its role and significance in our Christian lives? Everything is very clear to me now except this aspect.

Oscar Erasquin
oscarerasquin@yahoo.com


Editor's reply:
That you went out of your way to seek the truth shows the intensity of your desire to be saved - and this is actually what God has set as His condition for all men to be saved, that is, to know the truth (I Tim. 2:3-4).

As to your query on what is the Holy Spirit, we give you as an answer this promise made by our Lord Jesus Christ to His true believers:

"But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever i have said to you." (John 14:26, New King James Version)

Christ promised that God would send the Holy Spirit as the Comforter of His people. Christ also said that He Himself would send the Holy Spirit which is also called the Helper and the Spirit of truth (John 15:26). Being sent by God and Christ, the Holy Spirit cannot be God, as what the Trinity stipulates, for the one who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him (John 13:16).

The Holy Spirit is also described in the Bible as the power of God (Acts 1:8) that He sends to help us in our weaknesses and infirmities (Rom. 8:26) and to strengthen us so that we can withstand our many trials in life and still remain rooted to our faith:

"I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love." (Eph. 3:16-18, Today's English Version)

This prayer of Apostle Paul, especially its last few lines, is also our prayer for you and for all others who seek the truth that leads to salvation. May God continue to enlighten you and bless you in your quest to become His true servant.

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