Who Is the Holy Spirit? (Acts 5:1-4)

Before we can answer the question, "Who is the Holy Spirit?" we must understand biblical monotheism. Monotheism is the belief in one God, in contrast to polytheism or numerous gods. Do the Scriptures teach monotheism? Deuteronomy 6:4 says, "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one." James says, "You believe that God is one, You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder" (James 2:19). The word "God" is the name of a nature, a quality of being. When it's said, therefore, that there is but one God, the meaning is there is but one divine nature! There is a unified set of traits that distinguishes a personality as God. The Bible also describes God as Triune. This means that the one divine nature exists in three distinct Persons known as the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit! The word Triune means, "Three in one." The Bible teaches there's one and only one God, eternally existing and fully expressed in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each member of the one divine nature is equally God, each is eternally God, and each is fully God. They are not three gods, but three Persons of the one divine nature! Each Person is equal in essence as each possesses fully the identically same, eternal divine nature, yet each is also an eternal and distinct personal expression of the one undivided divine nature. The Holy Spirit, then, is fully God! He is not one-third God, but fully God. Let's examine the passage found in Acts 5:1-4. In verse three, Peter said," Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?" In verse four, Peter said to Ananias, "You have not lied to men but to God." What is Peter saying about the Holy Spirit? In verse three, Peter said that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit. In verse four, Peter said that Ananias lied to God! Was Peter confused? No, Peter was not confused! He's saying that the Holy Spirit is God! So the answer to the question, is, the Holy Spirit is God!