First of all the Holy Spirit is NOT a “Who” it’s an “It”

A broad definition of the words “Spirit of God,” or “Holy Spirit,” would be—the divine WILL, INFLUENCE, or POWER, exercised anywhere and everywhere, and for any purpose in harmony with the divine will, which, being a holy will implies that the steps and operations of the Holy Spirit will be in harmony with holiness. God exercises his Spirit or energy in many ways, using various agencies in accomplishing various results. Whatever the Lord through either mechanical or intelligent agencies accomplishes, it is still as truly his work as though he were the direct actor, since all those agencies are of his creation.

Just as, amongst men, the building contractor may not be actually working on any part of the construction, nevertheless every workman is his representative and under his control: the work, as a whole, is the contractor’s work, though he may never have lifted a tool upon it. The work is still accomplished with his materials and through his representatives and agents.

Thus, for instance, when we read, “Jehovah God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 2:4), we are not to suppose that he personally handled the elements. He used various agencies–“He spoke and it was done [he gave orders and they were promptly executed]; he commanded, and it stood fast.” (Psa 33:6, 9) Creation did not spring instantly into order; for we read that time was used–six days or epochs. And while we are distinctly informed that “All things are of the Father“–by his energy, his will; his Spirit; yet that energy, as we have previously seen (1 Cor 8:4-6), was exercised through his Son, the Logos, the living (Word) of God.

The transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit, as it operates during this Gospel dispensation, to bring his people into full atonement (at-one-ment) with himself, is a more obscure or less easily understood operation, than the exercise of his power mentioned in Gen 1:2. It deals with a higher subject– with mind and free will instead of senseless matter.

In the light of the Scriptures we may understand the Holy Spirit to mean:

(A) God’s power exercised in any manner, but always according to lines of justice and love, and hence always a holy power.

(B) This power may be energy of life, a physically creative power, or a power of thought, creating and inspiring thoughts and words, or a quickening or life-giving power, as it was manifested in the resurrection of our Lord, and will again be manifested in the resurrection of the Church, his body.

(C) The begetting or transforming power or influence of the knowledge of the Truth. In this aspect it is designated “The Spirit of Truth.” God rules his own course according to truth and righteousness; hence, God’s Word, the revelation of his course, is called Truth–“Thy word is Truth.” Similarly, all who come under the influence of God’s plan of Truth and righteousness are properly said to be under the influence of the Spirit or disposition of the Truth: they are properly described as begotten of the Truth to newness of life.

The Father draws sinners to Christ through a general enlightenment of the mind, a conviction of sin and of their need of a Redeemer. Those who accept Christ as their Savior and Advocate, AND (a step not taken by the majority of Christians) come to the point of full consecration to God, through Christ, are said to be begotten of God, “begotten by the word of truth,” begotten by the Spirit of God to a newness of life.

That is to say, having come into harmony with divine conditions and regulations, God accepts this consecrated attitude as the proper one, and passing by or covering the weakness of the flesh with the robe of Christ’s righteousness–justification by faith, he accepts such as “new creatures in Christ Jesus,” whose desire is to be guided by (HIS) Spirit into all truth, and to be led by that holy disposition or Spirit into full obedience to the extent of self-sacrifice, even unto death. Such are said to have received “the Spirit of adoption,” because from thenceforth God, through Christ, enters into a special covenant with these as sons. And the Father, through the Captain of their Salvation (Christ Jesus our Lord), guarantees to such that if they abide in the spirit of truth he will cause that all the affairs and incidents of life shall work together for good to them–to the development in them of more and more of the spirit of righteousness, truth, peace, joy; they shall have more and more of the Holy Spirit, (the Holy Disposition) as they progress in obedience to the Spirit of Truth.

Hence the exhortation to such is, “Be ye filled with the Spirit,” “walk in the Spirit,” “let the Spirit of Christ dwell in you richly and abound, and it shall make you to be neither barren nor unfruitful.” This Holy Spirit operating in the believer from the time of his full consecration to the Lord, is the same Holy Spirit or disposition of the Father which operated in our Lord Jesus Christ, and hence it is also styled “the Spirit of Christ,” and we are assured, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.” Rom 8:9

The word “spirit,” in the Old Testament, is the translation of the Hebrew word “ruach”, the primary significance or root meaning of which is WIND.

The word “spirit” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word “pneuma”, whose primary significance or root-meaning likewise is WIND.

But let no one hastily conclude that we are attempting to prove that the Holy Spirit is a holy wind, for nothing could be farther from our thought. But we desire to present this obscure subject in such a manner as will be helpful both to the learned and the unlearned: hence we begin with the acknowledged root-meaning of these words, that we may ascertain how and why it was used in this connection.

Because the wind is both INVISIBLE and POWERFUL, these words, “ruach” and “pneuma”, gradually took on much wider meanings, and came to represent any invisible power or influence, good or bad. And since divine power is exercised through channels and by agencies beyond human sight, therefore this word “spirit” came more and more to be applied to all of the Lord’s dealings.

Naturally also it came into common use in connection with such human influences as are invisible; for instance, to represent the breath of life, the power by which the man lives, which is invisible, designated the “spirit,” or “breath of life“; also for the power of the mind, which is invisible, called “the spirit of the mind.” Life itself is a power and is invisible, and hence it also was called spirit by the ancients. A few illustrations of these various uses of the Hebrew word “ruach” and the Greek word “pneuma” may be helpful.

“Ruach” in the Old Testament is translated “blast” 4 times, “breath” 28 times, “mind” 6 times, “smell” 8 times, “wind” and “windy” 91 times. In every instance the thought behind the word is an invisible power or influence.

Some samples of these translations of “ruach” are as follows:

“With the BLAST of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together.” Exod 15:8

“All flesh wherein is the BREATH of life.” Gen 6:17; 7:15

“They have all one BREATH: so that a man hath no preeminence.” Eccl 3:19

“Which was a grief of MIND unto Isaac.” Gen 26:35

“Jehovah SMELLED a sweet savor.” Gen 8:21

“Noses have they but they SMELL not.” Psa 115:6

“God made a WIND to pass over the earth.” Gen 8:1

“Thou didst blow with thy WIND.” Exod 15:10

“The trees of the wood are moved with the WIND.” Isa 7:2

“Pneuma” in the New Testament is translated (besides “ghost” and “spirit“) “life,” “spiritual,” and “wind,” as follows:

“To give LIFE to the image of the beast.” Rev 13:15

“Forasmuch as ye are zealous of SPIRITUAL gifts.” 1 Cor 14:12

“The WIND blows where it wishes and ye hear the sound thereof.” John 3:8

Let us not forget that all of these various translations were made by Trinitarians. We do not object to these translations –they are quite proper: but we call attention to them as proofs that the words “ruach” and “pneuma”, rendered “spirit,” DO NOT SIGNIFY PERSONALITY, but do signify an invisible power or influence.

It is urged by some that our Lord’s reference to the Holy Spirit, recorded in (John 14:26), proves that the Spirit is a person, because our Common Version (KJ) reads this passage thus:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

But a glance at the original Greek text of this passage shows that the translators were influenced by their prejudices on the subject, for there is no ground for the use of the words “WHOM” and “HE.” The true rendering of this verse is thus:

“But the helper, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things and remind you of those things which I said to you.”

The same criticism is applicable to the John 14:17, which, in our Common Version (KJ), reads:

“The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him, but ye know him, for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.”

Here the expression, “Spirit of truth,” is evidently used in contrast with the “spirit of error.” The passage has no reference whatever to a person, but to the influence of the truth, and the effect of the same upon the Lord’s people.

The Greek translation of this verse reads:

“The Spirit of truth, WHICH the world cannot receive, because it beholds it not, nor knows it; but ye know it; because it operates with you and will be in you.”

Or if you prefer the original word for word translation:

“the spirit of the truth which the world not is able to receive because not it beholds it nor knows it you but know it because with you it abides and in you it will be.”

Rotherham’s (The Empathized Bible) one of the most accurate translations available renders it thus:

“The Spirit of truth, which, the world, cannot receive, because it beholdeth it not, nor getteth to know it. But, ye, are getting to know it; because, with you, it abideth, and, in you, it is.”

Hence, if it were not for the general misconception on the subject, and the prevalent thought that the Holy Spirit is a person (and not merely the divine will, spirit, influence or power–the spirit of the Father), there could be no criticism made of the use of the MASCULINE PRONOUNS (“Him” or “He”) in respect to the Holy Spirit; because God is recognized as masculine, as the Author and source of life and blessing. So, then, let us not overlook the fact that the use of the personal pronouns does not prove the Holy Spirit of God to be another person from the Father and the Son–another God. The Holy Spirit or influence is the Father’s spirit or influence, and the Son’s also, for these are one in purpose and influence.