As with many other Bible doctrines, the clear teaching of the Scriptures about the Holy Spirit has become obscured in people's minds because of erroneous ideas. For example, it is commonly taught and believed that the Holy Spirit (or 'Holy Ghost)') is the third person of a 'trinity'. Many, too, think that the Holy Spirit is possessed by men and women today, as it was in the time of the Apostles. But neither of these views agrees with what the Bible says.

Meaning of 'Spirit
To understand this subject correctly, it is necessary first of all to examine the word 'spirit'—a word which is used many times in both Old and Mew Testaments. The original word in the Old Testament Hebrew is 'Ruach'. Its basic meaning is breath or wind. In the Greek language of the New Testament, the word is 'pneuma' (from which we get our word 'Pneumatic'). It has the same meaning as 'ruach'. Our English word 'spirit' is derived from the Latin verb 'spiro'—to breathe—and so conveys the same basic idea. 'Ruach', 'pneuma' and 'spirit' all have as their primary meaning, breath or wind.

The Spirit of God in Creation
The word 'spirit' is frequently associated with God himself— the 'spirit of God'. The phrase denotes literally the 'breath of God' and, hence, that which emanates or issues forth from Him. Investigation of the passages of Scripture where the words occur leads us to the conclusion that the 'spirit' of God- his breath, effluence, emanation-is the power by which He performs His will, whether by thought, word or deed. We learn that it is by means of God's spirit that this vast universe was created, and is maintained in its state of orderliness. A few quotations will illustrate this point. The book of Genesis records the first act in the chain of events which led to this earth being made a suitable habitation for man. We read: '. . . the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said. Let there be light: and there was light' (Genesis 1.2,3).

Subsequently, the sun, moon and stars were made to appear. On the second day the waters were appointed to their respective places: 'And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so' (Genesis 1.7). The spirit of God, then, caused the seas to be formed and the firmament or heavens to appear, now in describing these very same events. Job declares: 'He divideth the sea with his power ... by his spirit he hath garnished the heavens . . .' (Job 26.12-13). These parallel passages form a convincing proof that 'spirit' is the 'power of God'.

The earth being prepared, the work of populating it began. Again, it was accomplished by the exercise of God's spirit, or power. First the vegetable, then the animal kingdom was created, each with the ability to reproduce itself: 'Be fruitful', said God, 'and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth ... let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind . . .' (Genesis 1.22,24). It was a wonderful and glorious work, and it caused the Psalmist to exclaim: 'O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches . . . Thou sendest forth thy spirit they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth' (Psalm 104.24,30).

The Creation of Man
The crowning act of God's creative work was the formation of man from the dust of the ground. The record states: 'And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul' (Genesis 2.7). It has already been pointed out that the basic meaning of 'spirit' is 'breath'. When the breath of life was breathed into Adam's lifeless body, it was another example of the 'spirit' or 'power' of God at work. This is confirmed by what we read in Genesis 7. The chapter records the effect of the Flood that overswept the world in the days of Moan, when 'all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died' (Genesis 7.22).

The margin of the Authorised Version gives as a stricter translation, 'the breath of the spirit' (ruach) 'of life'. When God breathed the 'breath of life' into Adam, He breathed his spirit into him and the body then commenced its vital functions. It must be evident that if this spirit or power is withdrawn, the result is-death. Two more verses make this quite clear. First the Psalmist:'. . . thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust' (Psalm 104.29). Then Solomon, in describing the day of death: Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit (i.e. man's breath) 'shall return unto God who gave it' (Ecclesiastes 12.7). (We note in passing that these verses give no support to the false notion that an 'immortal soul' was breathed into man at his creation, and that this continues living after the death of the body. Man was merely given 'spirit' or 'breath' which endowed him with life; withdrawal of it meant that he reverted to his original lifeless state.)

Having created the Universe, the earth and all upon it, God maintains it in an organised state by means of His spirit. It follows therefore that there is no place where its influence does not exist. David emphasised this in the Psalms:

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off... there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell' (Hebrew sheol-the grave), 'behold, thou art there' (Psalm 139.2,4,7-8).

The Holy Spirit
So far we have considered the spirit of God in its 'natural' or general manifestation, i.e. as we witness it in nature all around us. Its presence, though essential for our continued existence, does not intrude into our lives. Its work continues whether we as individuals recognise it or not. But there is another, more dramatic, more specific way in which the power of God has manifested itself through the ages. We refer to the 'Holy Spirit'. The word 'holy' means 'separate', 'sanctified' or 'set apart'. 'Holy Spirit' therefore denotes God's spirit or power, specially sanctified or set apart for a particular work. It was employed when miraculous results were required by God for the furtherance of His predetermined purpose with this earth and its inhabitants, and it produced results which were outside man's natural experience. It also took the form of certain powers given to men which enabled them to do or say things which were outside their natural capabilities.

The distinction between the 'spirit' and 'Holy Spirit' is conveniently illustrated by a reference to Psalm 51. David prays: 'Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit' (Psalm 51.12). This is an allusion to the power of God by which all live and move and have their being. But in verse 11 David asks: 'Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me'. The Psalmist recognised that God had given him a power additional to man's normal attributes and leaves us in no doubt as to how the Holy Spirit manifested itself in his case. He wrote: The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue' (2 Samuel 23.2).

It was the possession of the Holy Spirit which enabled David to speak infallibly concerning his illustrious descendant who was to be born a thousand years ahead, namely Jesus Christ. So he continued:

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure .. .' (2 Samuel 23.3-5).

The writings of David abound with references to this 'covenant' which was to have its fulfilment in Christ. In Psalm 16, for example, he was able, by the infallible guidance of the Holy Spirit, to foretell not only the death of Christ, but also his resurrection; and further, to set down the very words which Christ himself was to use:

'I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore' (Psalm 16.8-11).

On the day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter quoted this very passage to convince his hearers that the death and resurrection of Christ should not be thought incredible-David had foretold these events long before:

Therefore' (David) 'being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption' (Acts 2.30-31).