With the massive rise in New Age mysticism and the belief in a person’s conscious ability to direct an invisible energy source for healing, enlightenment, and spiritual transformation, it is no wonder that some Christians view the Holy Spirit as a force rather than a holy being. This confusion is compounded by the fact that the secular world teaches that self is all that really matters (Eckman 2004, 5), and so surely the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit should be available to be manipulated, mastered, and channelled by humanity to satisfy their own aspirations and will. Yet, Scripture contends that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a force, a holy being rather than some impersonal entity.
Torrey (1974, 1) notes that it is imperative for people to decide whether the Holy Spirit is “merely some mysterious and wonderful power that we in our weakness and ignorance are somehow to get hold of and use, or whether the Holy Spirit is a real Person, infinitely holy, infinitely wise, infinitely mighty and infinitely tender who is to get hold of and use us.” Scripture teaches that the Holy Spirt is part of the trinity, co-equal with God and Jesus (1 Pe 1:1–2; 2 Cor 1:21–22; 1 John 5:7). At Jesus’s baptism Father, Son and Spirit are simultaneously present (Cottrell 2007, 43) all distinguished in form, separate unique persons, yet also inextricably one. The Holy Spirit is not God’s power or influence, but rather a distinct, divine person, a spiritual being, who lives in perfect unity with the Father and the Son (Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14). The Spirit knows God’s thoughts (1 Cor 2:11), is immortal (Heb 9:14), ever present (Ps 139:7–10) and a creative genius (Gen 1:2). A mere force could never be considered to be co-equal to God and Jesus, and so to reduce the third person of the Godhead to some “cosmic force” smacks of a grave misunderstanding of the doctrine of the trinity.
The great commission tasks believers to share the gospel with others, make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:18–20). Jesus the baptizer, baptizes new believers into a relationship with a person, the Holy Spirit (Horton 1976, 166). It is the Holy Spirit who Jesus offers as a proxy for himself. In John 14:16 the Holy Spirit is called by Jesus the allos parakletos—“another helper.” Cottrell (2007, 31) notes how this Greek phrase specifically refers to persons, and when translated correctly means “someone else to stand by you” or one who “constantly stands by one’s side.” The Holy Spirit is promised by Jesus to be the one who would come alongside Christ’s followers, someone just like Jesus, who would teach, support and guide believers on their journey towards salvation. A force simply could not encompass the fullness and the beauty of the role of the “allos parakletos” for humanity.
Torrey (1974, 3) notes that any entity that thinks, feels and wills is a person. A force does not have a personality that exhibits self-awareness, emotion, and intelligence. The Holy Spirit in contrast is one who knows (Rom 8:27), feels (Isa 63:10), and chooses (1 Cor 12:11). Throughout Scripture, the Holy Spirit commands (Acts 8:29), speaks (Rom 8:26), convicts (Gen 6:3), teaches (Luke 12:12), empowers (Acts 1:8) guides and illuminates (Rom 8:14). The Spirit prays for us (Rom 8:26), comforts us (John 16:7), gives us life (John 6:63), and sets the promise of salvation in eternity before us (Eph 1:13). Could an inanimate force really accomplish such things?
Lastly, a force would not be able to love us like God does. In Romans 8:2 the Holy Spirit is called the life-giving Spirit who imparts life to believers by convicting us of our sin and need for a saviour, Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who is sent by God into this dark world of sin, who patiently seeks out the lost, patiently follows us, convicts us of our utter ruin and need of a saviour, and then reveals the very one whom we need, Jesus Christ our saviour, to us (Torrey 1974, 70). The Holy Spirit sets us free from the bondage of sin and death (2 Cor 3:17), gives us hope (Rom 15:13) and pours God’s love into our hearts (Rom 5:5). When the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts (Gal 4:6) he gently transforms us into Christlikeness through the washing of rebirth and renewal (Titus 3:5) perfecting God’s love in us (1 John 4:12) and ensuring our adoption as beloved children of God.
So, the next time a New Ager friend comments on the wonder of being able to “tap” into an ambiguous, impersonal, universal force; remind them of the Holy Spirit, an ever present, holy and relational person, who feels, loves, knows and ensures that you will always be encompassed by God’s steadfast love in this life and the one to come.
Works Cited
Cottrell, Jack. 2007. “The person of the Holy Spirit”. Chapter 1 in What the bible says about the Holy Spirit: Power from on High. What the Bible says Series. Joplin, MO: College Press.
Eckman, James P. 2004. The truth about Worldviews: A Biblical Understanding of Worldview alternatives. Wheaton, IL :Crossway Books.
Horton, Stanley M. 1976. What the Bible says about the Holy Spirit. Springfield: Gospel Publishing House.
Torrey, Reuben A. 1974 . The person and work of the Holy Spirit. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishers.
Short Bio:Yvonne Roberg is married to Christian Roberg and a mother of their two young adult children, Thomas and Catherine. She works as a physiotherapist in Johannesburg, treating spinal, sport and musculoskeletal injuries. She is a local preacher in the Methodist Church and a lecturer at SATS. She is currently completing her MTh at SATS, focusing on divine healing in light of the eschatology in the epistle of James. She is passionate about the Word of God, and the hope and healing that it offers humanity. When she isn’t reading, cooking, and writing she is off walking her Border Collie, Maya.
