the holy spirit is deity. god’s characteristics and qualities must be approached with awe,...

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit Is DeityIs Deity

God’s Characteristics and Qualities

• Must be approached with awe, reverence, and praise.– Psalm 148– “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let

not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.” {Ecclesiastes 5:2}

Definitions…

• “…the being perfect in power, wisdom and goodness; whom men worship as Creator and ruler of the universe.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dict. 1973)

• “Divinity, Deity…to denote the Divine nature, power, providence of one, true God…” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

• The usual Greek word for God, as the only true God (Thayer), is equivalent to the Hebrew word ELOHIM (indicating His power and preeminence). It is translated God in Genesis 1:1; 2:3; Jehovah (indicating His uncreated, immutable, eternal, and self-sustained existence); translated Lord in Genesis 2:4.” (Vine’s Dictionary of NT Words)

Definitions…

• God as Supreme; only Divine Being; but they do not distinguish among the different personalities of the Godhead. The Old Testament rarely does.– Exodus 20:2,3– Deuteronomy 6:4,5– Matthew 22:32

Definitions…

Names, Designations and Descriptive Terms

• I AM (Exodus 3:14)

• The Almighty (Genesis 17:1)

• Godhead (Colossians 2:9)

• Godhood

• Deity

• Divinity

• Divine Nature (Acts 17:29)

Deity Attributes

• He is self-existent, eternal, immutable.

• He has universal presence, infinite knowledge, wisdom, and power.

• He is perfectly holy, loving, and good.

• He has perfect hate and severity, infinite authority, and dominion.

• Only God has such attributes; theOnly God has such attributes; theHoly Spirit shares all of these traits!Holy Spirit shares all of these traits!

God Is Self-Existent

• The uncreated Creator of the universe– Psalm 14:1; 2 Peter 3:5

• The workings of God’s material creation testify to His existence– Acts 17:24-29; Romans 1:20

• Divine revelation—the Bible—testifies of His existence, purposes, and will– Psalm 19:7-11

The Bible Reflects God’s Nature

• PerfectPerfect—perfect unity, internal consistency, and accuracy– Isaiah 40:22

• PropheticProphetic—the only prophetically accurate book ever written. It is 100% correct.– Isaiah 53

• PreservedPreserved—by God’s divine promise and providence.– 1 Peter 1:24,25

God Is Eternal• He existed before creation; creation

had a beginning.– Psalm 90:1-4

• From eternity to eternity– Ecclesiastes 7:12

• Greatness of His power– Isaiah 40:12-17

• He has power to perform every work according to His purpose– Matthew 19:26

God Is Perfect in Holiness

• God is holy, set apart from, and above sin. Cannot tolerate wickedness or evil.– Habakkuk 1:13; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5

• Can man claim to have this same type of holiness? Never!– Romans 3:9,23; 1 John 1:8

God Is Perfect in Love and Goodness

• God is love, goodness, mercy, grace, and kindness. Perfect love.– 1 John 4:8

• God manifests His love through both physical and spiritual blessings.– Psalm 63:1-4; Matthew 5:45; Romans 2:4

• This quality of perfect love belongs ONLY to God!

God Is Perfect in Hate and Severity

• God hates—with perfect hatred—all sin, wickedness, and wrongdoing.– Romans 11:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

• Man is sometimes tempted to believe that God is soft, compromising, forgetful, indifferent to, and tolerant of sin.– Psalm 119:104

• Man’s hatred for sin is imperfect and incomplete.

God Has Infinite Authority and Dominion

• God’s authority, dominion, and rule encompass the universe. No one is exempt from His sovereignty.– Psalm 103:19-22

• There is none like Him.– Isaiah 46:9

• God has no origin. His inherent, eternal nature is characteristic only of Himself.

God Is Immutable

• God’s immutable nature stands in stark contrast to the temporary, passing nature of His creation.– Psalm 102:24-28

• He endures; man dies.– Psalm 90:3; Hebrews 9:27

• He remains the same. His essence is unchanging! Constant and unvarying.– James 1:17; Hebrews 6:18

God Has Universal Presence

• The Lord’s eyes are everywhere. Nothing—not even the smallest detail or thought—evades Him!– Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13

• He is omnipresent—He dwells in heaven, and His knowledge and power extend through the universe!– Acts 17:24,25

• His only quality!– 1 Peter 1:12

God Has Infinite Wisdom

• God knows all things. He is the source of all wisdom!– Psalm 147:4,5; Romans 11:33-36

• Man can know only what God chose to reveal to Him!– 1 Corinthians 2:9-13

• God is an expert in all subjects! Heknows all the answers!– Job 38:1-3

God Has Infinite Power

• He spoke the world into existence and sustained it by that same word!– John 1:3; Colossians 1:17

• No power known to, or created by, man can equal God’s power!– Romans 8:31

Concluding Thoughts

• These qualities belong to the only true God—the Supreme Divine Being—Deity!

• When the Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as God, it means He is Deity; He shares all of Deity's traits. He deserves of the same respect and reverence!