Who Is the Holy Spirit?

Crucial Questions #13

by R.C. Sproul

The person and work of the Holy Spirit spark much interest these days—but also much confusion. Many do not fully understand who the Spirit is or how He works in our lives. Some people even claim that the Spirit speaks to them apart from the Bible.

In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul cuts through the confusion by going to Scripture. After explaining who the Holy Spirit is, Dr. Sproul briefly sketches His work in this world, from giving new life to unbelievers to sanctifying and empowering God’s people.

The Crucial Questions booklet series by Dr. R.C. Sproul offers succinct answers to important questions often asked by Christians and thoughtful inquirers.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Religion, Ebooks

76 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2019

About the author

Dr. R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Ligonier Ministries began in 1971 as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pa. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and the ministry’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando in 1984, and the ministry was renamed.

Dr. Sproul’s radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Dr. Sproul produced hundreds of lecture series and recorded numerous video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living.

He contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and academic institutions around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and wrote a commentary on that document. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible, previously known as the New Geneva Study Bible.

Dr. Sproul had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Jackson, Miss. He was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Reviews

[Irene Maciá · Rating 5 out of 5]

Segundo libro que leo de la colección Preguntas Esenciales del pastor R.C. Sproul y además sobre un tema por el que llevo bastante tiempo interesándome por varias razones. Primero, casi todos los cristianos conocemos a fondo las figuras de Dios Padre y el Hijo, pero la mayoría todavía ignoran en qué consiste la tercera figura de la Trinidad. Segundo y en adición a esto, por el debate existente entre muchas denominaciones trinitarias y unicitarias. Más concretamente, he querido profundizar en estos asuntos por las diferencias entre evangélicos pentecostales y bautistas, por cómo los Testigos de Jehová definen al Espíritu Santo como "fuerza o energía activa de Dios" y por el descubrimiento de la Renovación Carismática Católica.
Precisamente una de las situaciones descritas anteriormente fueron resueltas en las primeras páginas de este libro y por las que yo tenía confusión: el Espíritu Santo no es una cosa como insinúa el colectivo fundado por Charles Taze Russell, sino una persona. No debo preguntar qué es el Paráclito, sino quién es. Esta persona, y esa es una de las cosas que necesitaba comprender, es quien ejecuta las obras del Padre y el Hijo (como cuando el Señor formó la Creación gracias al movimiento de Su Espíritu) y, sobre todo, nos las hace entender a los demás. Un ejemplo que pone Sproul es que Jesucristo vino a realizar un sacrificio expiatorio por nuestra redención, pero es el Espíritu Santo quien nos hace captar el significado y aceptar esta salvación. Si nos trasladásemos a otra labor cotidiana del creyente, el Espíritu Santo ilumina en el entendimiento de la Palabra de Dios revelada en la Escritura, iluminación que, dicho sea de paso, el autor diferencia de la revelación. En otro punto del libro, Sproul recurre al latín y el griego para ahondar en por qué al Espíritu también se le llama Paráclito, Defensor o Consolador. Él es el procurador de los miembros de la Iglesia y la presencia de Jesucristo entre ellos tras la ascensión del Hijo a la diestra del Padre. Otra de las secciones que me parecen interesantes de esta obra es cuando Sproul advierte sobre el uso de la Biblia con connotaciones mágicas y supersticiosas, lo cual es una ofensa contra la función ejercida por el Espíritu Santo. Algo que era bastante obvio de esperarse en la redacción de este estudio bíblico es el papel protagónico que tomó el Espíritu Santo con su venida sobre los discípulos en Pentecostés, pues es el caso más evidente de las tareas que ejecuta en los cristianos, por ejemplo, concediendo unos dones a los cuales se les llama carismas y que éstos a su vez producen frutos. También se resalta cómo el pastor deja bien claro que no debemos dejarnos llevar por doctrinas que hagan que rebajemos la importancia del Paráclito, desigualándola de los otros dos miembros de la Trinidad o separándola de ella.
Lo único que a Sproul le falta por explicar en el libro y que a mí me hubiera gustado leer es de qué trata exactamente la blasfemia contra el Espíritu Santo, tema que preocupa seriamente a muchos devotos. Aún así, esta obra ya se encuentra bastante completa para responder cuestiones primordiales con una extensión relativamente corta.
Recomiendo este estudio bíblico a cualquiera que desee profundizar en los rasgos básicos del Espíritu Santo.

[Durons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sound bible based exploration of the Holy Spirit.

The exposition of scripture on the nature of the Holy Spirit is simple and straightforward. The examination of the translation of key words from the original Greek and Latin was limited to what was necessary to providing essential insight to the nature of the Holy Spirit.

[Daniel Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Essentially an "understanding the Holy Spirit" 101 book. Very insightful. Sproul transforms your basic knowledge of the spirit into an advanced and insightful state. He backs up everything with scripture. I'm reading his follow up mentioned in the first chapter. Only a hour read!

[Marianna Flamenco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of his critical thinking booklets, this one does not disappoint. It might be small in size, but offers so much content that you could read it over and over again and get great material for a sermon, teaching series or even just to expand your theological knowledge. Great little read, but not for the faint of heart. You will learn a lot!

[Mallory Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It seems so much more exciting to live with a freewheeling openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit rather than practicing the laborious discipline of mastering His Word. This is exceedingly dangerous ground. If we want to do the will of the Father, we need to study the Word of the Father—and leave the magic to the astrologers.”

[Mike Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the Holy Spirit

Loved this overview of the Holy Spirit, what it is and what it is not. This has changed my perspective and how God uses the Holy Spirit to guide and aid us in our Christian walk.

[Oswaldo Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exelente

Realmente lo recomiento, no profundisa el tema y eso te deja una agradable sensación de ir por mas. Creo que es uno de los temas pilares de la iglesia, la importancia de conocer a la tercera persona de la trinidad.

[Rick Colburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read

Thoughtfully written makes knowing and understanding the Holy Spirit easier. I recommend this to anyone wanting to get to know and understand GOD.

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful small book on the Spirit, he walks through him being the third of the Triune God, a life giver, an advocate, a sanctifier, the anointer and the illuminator.

[Ryan Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short introduction to the third person of the Trinity. Many of the topics Sproul has already wrote on in the prior Crucial Questions books are restated.

[Erica Rasmussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I feel like I learned a lot about the Holy Spirit and the Bible in general in this little 6 chapter book. Still blows my mind to think that He dwells in us

[Olivia Ginther]

Helpful little booklet that gave me a lot to think about! Grateful for the Holy Spirit and his presence in my life!

[Gavin Felgate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very grateful that a friend told me about Dr. R. C. Sproul's "Crucial Questions" series of short ebooks that can be downloaded for free.

The title of this one is self-explanatory, but I found this to be a comprehensive guide to Who the Holy Spirit is, and what His purpose is, while highlighting a few potential pitfalls, including not grasping the idea that The Trinity is a "three-in-one" God, and effectively thinking that the Christian faith is polytheistic, which is incorrect.

This book went into great detail about how the Holy Spirit helps us to interpret scripture, as well as warning us of the danger of treating the Bible like a horoscope (the example he gives here is of a coed at university reading a prophecy about Jesus and thinking the Bible was telling her she was going to get married). The book also mentioned how the Holy Spirit gets mentioned as far back as the Old Testament, and highlighted some verse that I'd previously overlooked.

I have one more of these e-books downloaded on my kindle, and will definitely keep reading this series; I found Sproul's writing very engaging.

[Chloe Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.C. Sproul offers a thoughtful and biblically grounded exploration of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. With characteristic clarity, he unpacks complex doctrines, making them accessible to both new believers and seasoned Christians. The book provides a rich Reformed perspective on the Spirit’s role in salvation, sanctification, and the believer’s daily life. While the content is highly edifying, some readers may find it a bit brief for such a profound subject.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This very short book had some good information. However, I was surprised by how much off topic information was included. Those pieces were also good, just not why I was reading the book.

[Jason Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, short book written in the usual RCS fashion.

[Kyle Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and simple introduction.

[OK Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple introduction to the subject of the Holy Spirit. The author gets straight to the point and does a great job sticking to the task at hand. For the size of this treatise, the author thoroughly explains the works of the Holy Spirt well.

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

gute Einführung.

einige Zitate:

One—THE THIRD PERSON
��� One of the primary evidences is that the Bible repeatedly and consistently uses personal pronouns to refer to Him. (p. 10)
→ Furthermore, the New Testament often describes the Holy Spirit as having attributes that are clearly divine. (11)
→ Most importantly, redemption is a Trinitarian work. The Father sent the Son into the world (1 John 4:14). The Son performed all the work that was necessary for our salvation—living a life of perfect obedience and dying to make a perfect satisfaction (Phil. 3:9; 1 Cor. 15:3). But none of these things avail for our benefit until they are applied to us personally. Therefore, the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit into the world to apply salvation to us (John 15:26; Gal. 4:6). The role of the Holy Spirit chiefly and principally in the New Testament is to apply the work of Christ to believers. (12-13)

Two—THE LIFE GIVER
→ Yet, that is clearly what Paul is saying. We are dead on arrival spiritually—not just weak, ailing, critically ill, or comatose. There is no spiritual heartbeat, no spiritual breathing, no spiritual brain-wave activity. We are spiritually stillborn, and so we remain—unless God the Holy Spirit makes us alive. (21)
→ The word or the phrase that Christians used to describe themselves initially was people of “the Way” (Acts 19:9, 23), because they had heard Christ speak about two ways, a narrow way and a broad way (Matt. 7:13–14). The vast majority of people are moving down the wrong road. In fact, we all start on this road, for the broad way is the course of the world. Paul says, “This is the way we all lived at one time” (see Eph. 2:3). To be spiritually dead is to be worldly. It is to buy into and follow slavishly the values and customs of the secular culture.
→ Scripture makes clear that one of the things that God and God alone can do is to bring life out of death and something out of nothing. The next thing that happened in creation was God’s creation of light: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Gen. 1:3). God did not need to turn a switch or rub two sticks together to create a spark to create the light. His sovereign command formed the light. In the same way, His divine power brings life where there is no life. (25)

Three—THE ADVOCATE
→ parakletos; it is the source of the English word paraclete. This word includes a prefix, para-, that means “alongside,” and a root that is a form of the verb kletos, which means “to call.” So, a parakletos was someone who was called to stand alongside another. It usually was applied to an attorney, but not just any attorney. Technically, the parakletos was the family attorney who was on a permanent retainer. Any time a problem arose in the family, the parakletos was on call, and he would come immediately to assist in the struggle. That is the way it is in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. We are part of the family of God, and the family attorney is the Holy Spirit Himself. He is always present to come alongside us and help in times of troubles. (31)
→ His disciples that He was about to leave them. They were going to be without Him in the midst of a hostile world, where they would be hated as He had been hated. Every moment of their lives would be filled with pressure, hostility, and persecution from the world. No one wants to enter that kind of scenario without help. (32)
→ Therefore, the King James Version translators were telling us that the Holy Spirit comes to the people of Christ not to heal their wounds after a battle but to strengthen them before and during a struggle. The idea is that the church operates not so much as a hospital but as an army, and the Holy Spirit comes to empower and strengthen Christians, to ensure victory or conquest. (32–33)

Four—THE SANCTIFIER
→ Among the persons of the Trinity, the Spirit is the principal actor who works for our sanctification, enabling the process by which we are conformed to the image of Christ and made holy. (36)
→ ...

Five—THE ANOINTER
→ Throughout the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is a fleeting presence. He appears from time to time, but His ministry is never described in great detail. The one role He plays repeatedly is that of empowering leaders of Israel for their God-given tasks. These leaders were those who were given the “anointed” tasks of prophet, priest, and king. The Spirit rested on these men, though His presence with them was usually temporary; He anointed them to empower them for specific tasks. (47)
→ Under the Spirit’s inspiration, Joel said that in the last days, God would pour out His Spirit on “all flesh,” that is, on all the people of God. The empowering of the Holy Spirit for ministry would not be limited to isolated individuals or to a small core of people, but every person in the fellowship of God would be so endowed. (58)
→ After that anointing by the Spirit, the disciples were p 62 changed men. They began to preach that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior, and they would not be silenced even by threats of execution. Soon, they began to take the message of the gospel everywhere, just as Jesus had commanded them, and soon it was said of them that they had “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Such is the power of the anointing the Spirit gives to each and every person who trusts in Jesus Christ under the new covenant. (61–62)
→ Martin Luther, the great German Reformer of the sixteenth century, spoke of “the priesthood of all believers.” Some take this to mean that there is to be no distinction in the church between clergy and laity, but that is not what Luther meant. He was saying that the work of the kingdom of God is not given solely to those who have the vocations of preacher, teacher, deacon, or elder. Rather, every Christian is called to participate in the ministry of Christ and in the ministry of the church. That can be intimidating, but with that call comes the gift of the Holy Spirit, who anoints and empowers all of Christ’s people to serve Him. (62)

Six—THE ILLUMINATOR
→ Paul is telling us here that the Holy Spirit searches the depths of God for us. The Spirit acts as a searchlight and shines on the text of Scripture when we read it, giving us the capacity to understand the meaning of it. When this happens, we see the truth of God intensely and sharply. (70)
→ According to Edwards, the primary effect of the Spirit’s work of illumination is to awaken in us a sense of the divine excellence of the things of God. We may be persuaded that Christ is divine and still not grasp the sweetness of that idea. There may not yet be affection for Him in our hearts or souls. The Spirit awakens in us a sensibility to the excellence of the things of God. But He does not operate against the Word of God. The Spirit works in the Word, with the Word, and through the Word. In other words, He takes us to the revelation of God and shows it to us in such a way that He overcomes our natural hostility or bias against the truth of God and shows us the loveliness of it. Just as Ezekiel swallowed the scroll with its bitter words and found them suddenly sweet as honey in his mouth (3:3), so the words of God become sweet to all who view them under the searchlight of the Spirit. (72)

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title caught my interest immediately: "Who is the Holy Spirit" rather than "What is...." It was just an interesting word choice - the "who is" - that gave me pause and caught my interest. So the book focuses on the Holy Spirit’s identity; Dr. R.C. Sproul attempts to answer the question in a Biblically based manner by going back to the Bible. As most would think, The Spirit" is presented as one of the three persons of the Godhead, along with the Father and Son. Sproul continues by presenting some very basic, yet important roles the Spirit carries out, as found in both the Old and New Testaments.

Although the ideas presented are fair and well thought out, in this short work, Sproul attempts to explain some of the most complicated theological concepts in a far too brief manner. Although I enjoyed reading this book, I was still disappointed at its brevity, and the ending left me a bit flat. Regardless, for such a short work, it is well researched and very scholarly written. Sproul certainly brings out some interesting points which does make this a good book for the lay reader especially. Still, at times I still felt I was reading more about "What is" rather than "Who is the Holy Spirit."

[Tyron Miralda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read loved it! Thank you Father for your unspeakable and marvellous gift of The Holy Spirit; I now grasped in a greater light and exploding joy when the Apostle Paul wrote these powerful words in the book of 1 Corinthians 2:6-10:
"However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."

[Sarah Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short 72-page book on the Holy Spirit which is rich in theology and Biblical content. Sproul writes clearly and succinctly explaining the 6 main roles of the Holy Spirit; the third person of the trinity, the life giver, the advocate, the sanctifier, the anointer and the illuminator.

Sproul's arguments are rooted in the Bible and he uses men like Edwards and Augustine to strengthen his points. Sproul also debunks modern uses of the Spirit and brings the reader back to the Bible to test if our over-spiritualized feeling/experiences are true.

I highly recommend this short book. I've never read anything by Sproul and I find him to be a gifted writer, this was an easy read in that is flowed well. The content is meaty and gives you lots to think about.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight forward, applicable, and an affirmation that I needed in direction of study and Biblical interpretation. Loved it!- I just read this work of the late Dr. Sproul intentionally, as I am side studying Who the Holy Spirit is, His efficacy in the justification, sanctification, and that Blessed Hope of glorification in my own walk, conversation, thought and intent of my heart, and to realign my Biblical Worldview. I highly recommend any serious thinking Christian read this one day read [EVERY Christian is to be a serious thinking soul and live with a Biblical Worldview]. Great concise read on Who the Holy Spirit is.

[Kristen Stieffel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This booklet is surprisingly comprehensive for such a brief work. It captures the essentials we need to understand about the Spirit but ends a bit too abruptly, leaving one with a feeling of..."wait, that's it?" Well, of course that's not it. Volumes have been written on the subject. But this book makes for an excellent start. Sproul's writing style is scholarly and at times requires more concentration (and dictionary lookups) than many books written for laypeople, but he offers lots of keen insight in a short space.

[Jared Hamburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good review of the Holy Spirit. It gives some nice overview of the thoughts of different people through time on the function and need of Him. I especially enjoyed reading about the different European philosophical thoughts on the human condition of being born into sin.

With this book only being about 71 pages long, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short review or as a teaching tool as most people are scared off by long books like Systematic Theology by Grudem.

[Isaiah Jesch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the person of the Holy Spirit

This is a very short read, in fact it feels more like an extended introduction or a rough outline than a book. But the content is very good. I am interested in reading his fuller work, cited in this book, for more of Dr. Sproul's thoughts on this topic. Coming from a Pentecostal background personally, I am overly familiar with the particular emphasis of this movement, so I greatly enjoy studying the more balanced approach of the rest of the Christian faith.

[Fire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great look at Who the Holy Spirit is and who He isn't. It covers both angles of various thoughts on who most people think He is, as well as who the Bible says He is. This is a short read, but full of insight and great Biblical based facts on who the Holy Spirit is. I honestly felt like I knew a lot about the Holy Spirit, but after reading this I feel like there is a whole other part of the Holy Spirit that I didn't know about.

This is a great read and I can't recommend it enough. 5 Stars.

[Mimi Davis Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true answer to who is the Holy Spirit

This little book is packed with do much simple truth. I really loved the way that it is presented. We so often accept what is deemed the truth out of habit, even thou we do not have a clear understanding and truth huge told, we are to lazy to study for ourselves. This booklet should be handed out to f every member of God's church. Thank you so very much for sharing and my the power of the Spirit continue to reign over your life. I love you.

[Wesley and Fernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this title the most out of this series so far.

I enjoyed how theological it was throughout, talking about how the Spirit worked in the Old Testament with Moses and the elders and linking that to Pentecost, where all believers are given the Spirit. And while I don't typically enjoy reading philosophy, bringing up Nietzsche and Kierkegaard and talking about their different philosophical outlooks was surprisingly helpful in order to make a point.

I'd happily read this again. It was very informative and, I think, very applicable, which is a tough balance to make.

[Terah Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quick read

I have had this book in my library for a while but just recently decided to read it. For me, the first 2 to 3 chapters were OK...It was basic info I already knew. Once I got to the chapter on the "Advocate" my interest really began to peak. I came away with a new / deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit. Will definitely read this book again.

This is a good book for people seeking basic knowledge about the Holy Spirit, who He is and how He fits into the Holy Trinity.