I just don’t understand what is so hard to grasp. The Bible completely supports my interpretation, while your stance has no Scriptural support. So tell us how you justify an extra-Scriptural view of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
OK....
Well..When Jesus was 'physically' on earth He had asked people to believe in Him and follow. Jesus said to His disciples that He was going to leave and go back to where He came from, Heaven as is written....in John 3:13; 6:38.....But He would not leave us without a Helper; he called Him 'the comforter', (another like himself).
Further... written In Jn.14:16 ...Jesus says to the disciples,... “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you 'another' Comforter, that 'HE' may abide with you for ever.”.....further.... John 16:13-14 tells us....“ when 'HE', the Spirit of truth, has come, 'HE' will guide you into all truth; for 'HE' will not 'speak' on His own authority, but whatever 'HE" 'hears' 'HE' will speak; and "HE' will 'tell you' things to come.... “He' will glorify Me, for 'HE' will 'take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
This is activily engaged with the believer.... The Spirit 'hears' things from Jesus; this is a 'person-al communication' (in the same manner as Christ did with the Father in John 3.32; 7.16, 8.38, 12.49),.. and the Spirit delivers it to man which is 'also person-al active communication'. The main way is through the Scriptures.
Then you consider that the Holy Spirit is the 'executor of God’s nature'..... He is the source of the new birth and 'brings out 'the nature of Christ' in the individual believer'..... He conforms us to the nature of Jesus, who is God as well as 'the ultimate human'...... He reveals the nature of God by 'transforming believers to be like him'.... His indwelling 'restores the image of God in man' that became damaged by the fall, now we can reflect God’s moral qualities and characteristics as He intended. All these qualities are reflective of Jesus Christ who was seen in the 'flesh'.
Eph 1:13... “In Him"..... you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were 'sealed' with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
> 1 Cor. 12:13-14 “For by 'one Spirit' we were all baptized into 'one body' whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-- and have all been made to drink into 'one Spirit'. For in fact the body is not one member but many.” We are put in 'the spiritual body of Christ' (the church) and we partake of the Holy Spirit who now resides in us, 'literally'.
Rom 8:9 “But you are not in the flesh 'but in the Spirit', if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
Re: “I just don’t understand what is so hard to grasp. The Bible completely supports my interpretation, while your stance has no Scriptural support. So tell us how you justify an extra-Scriptural view of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost.“
Okay. You’ve completely lost me now. I just got home a little bit ago and I’ve been reading all the posts back and forth, and, I thought for a minute that I understood what you were saying.
But, with what you said to caww above, I’m now not so sure.
I thought you objected the term “person” in reference to the Holy Spirit because you thought the typical dictionary definition of the word “person” has to refer to a human being. Therefore, in your mind that diminishes who God is. Also, you said the word “person” in reference to God is never used in the Bible.
I was willing to meet you halfway and agree that using the word “person” is somewhat a diminishment of all that God is. But, so would the term, “being” that you used earlier. In fact, any human word used to describe God is not going to capture all that God is.
The point is, the terms “Father”, “Son”, “being”, or “person” are all human metaphors for God - none of them quantify all that God is. But, they are useful to us human beings in trying to grasp a little of who God is.
I thought we we’re all agreeing that God has autonomy, has character, has a will, loves, forgives, can communicate, reasons - all these attributes are what make God, and us, individuals - beings.
That is in fact what theologians mean when they use the word “person” in reference to God - they don’t mean He is a human being - they just mean that the Holy Spirit is a person in the sense of autonomy, will, communicate, etc.
But, if using the word “person” bothers you and you would rather use “being” - great - I can get with you on that.
Now, though, I’m not sure at all what you’re saying. Other than using the word “person” rather than “being” - what caww saying that is so “non-Biblical”?