Pneuma: The Person

Pneuma is the Greek word for "Breath" or "Spirit." 

John 16: 7  "The Holy Spirit is for our benefit."

Place in the Trinity
The Holy Spirit is a member of the trinity.

The concept of the Trinity is a hard concept to understand. The Bible states that there is only one God and then it goes on to tell you three of them.  The Trinity. Tri-Unity. Three parts unified together.

The Trinity was never created. The Trinity always existed. It was around even at the beginning. 

Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 

“Let us make man.” US = plural. Not singular. It’s a first glimpse of the Holy Spirit found in the word “US” 

When Jesus was baptized we saw all three forms together.

Matt. 3:16  After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

The Person of the Spirit
Theologians refer to the Holy Spirit as the 3rd person in the trinity.  I find that fascinating.  The Holy Spirit as a person.  

I would suggest the Holy Spirt is more than just an etherial life force.  The Holy Spirit is a “person” equal in every way with God and Jesus. The Holy Spirit has a emotions and a will, wisdom and insight.

The Story of Nearness
God has always been concerned about Humanity. 

In Genesis 3:8 was read that God loved to takes walk in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. He loved being with his creation.

Well the Old Testament comes to an end and 400 years transpire where God is silent. There are no angels, there are no voices from God, there are no God inspired vision. Nothing. And you’ve got to image people wondering if God is still involved in there lives. By then the belief that God can or God will speak to humanity has just about diminished.

Jesus
But then out of nowhere and angle shows up to a young teenage and says that you are going to give birth to a boy and you are to name him, “Immanuel” meaning “God with Us”

400 years of silence have been broken and God speaks to humanity and says “I’m not going to be a God from afar. I’m going to be “God with You.”

A transition in God’s relationship with humanity took a drastic turn for the good. God comes in the flesh. And for 33 years Jesus lived on earth very much human. 

And then he’s gone. He ascends into heaven.  The disciples and those who followed can only fear the worst.  Before Jesus there was 400 years of silence. Is he no longer interested in us. Does he no longer want to be in relationships with humanity.

Holy Spirit
But just as Jesus is an upgrade in God’ presence. God is no longer far away. He can walk with us.  So when Jesus left this earth it was not a step back in God’s presence but rather a step forward. God’s presence was no longer bound in heaven. It was no longer bound the the presence of a physical human, but it has been upgraded to spirit status.

Just as near as your breath is to yourself so is the 3rd person in the Trinity. He’s that close.

Holy Spirit Aliveness
Powerful things happen because of the Pneuma.

Ezek. 37:4   Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

God says, “I will put my Pnuema in you and you will come to life.”

Let's embrace the Nearness of the Pneuma.  Let's embrace the aliveness of the Pneuma.

Series Post: Intro