The Holy Spirit

Too many Christians think of the Holy Spirit in impersonal or subpersonal terms. Some people will use the word "it" in reference to the Holy Spirit. He is not a "thing" but a "person" in the Godhead like the Father and the Son. Personal pronouns are repeatedly applied to him (See John 14:16-17) Personal qualities are assigned to him (See 1 Corinthians 12:11) Personal acts are assigned to him (See John 16: 13) It is not possible that a concept and experience of the Spirit might be more obvious and real than that of either God or Christ. The abiding part of man is his spirit, this is his internal, indestructive self, made in the image of God. Man's spiritual self has the attributes of personality (thinking, feeling, and willing.) Just as God has. In fact this is the way God gets at us. He has made possible a relationship, a communion of Spirit, between himself and man at this level, the deepest and most real of all. Any sensitive Christian can reflect upon his own experience of God's Spirit dwelling within him. In this vein I can paraphrase from Galatians 2:20 to read. It is no longer I who live, the Spirit if Christ which is the Spirit of God which is the Holy Spirit living in me. Yes the Spirit can lead up back and up to Christ and God. We are justified, sanctified, sealed and have joy, faith, love, and communion in both Christ and the Spirit. In Brother Paul's writings it is hard to distinguish between Christ, the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit. To live according to the Spirit is the same as to live in Christ and it is from Christ that we are to discern the true pattern of life in the Spirit. Our Lord promised that when the comforter is come, he shall testify of me and when the Spirit comes he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. The Spirit is none other than the Spirit of Christ in oneness with God.