The Force

While many Christian might enjoy Star Wars, the Force cannot relate to the personal God of the Bible. However, 59 percent of Americans view the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) as a divine force and not a person (Jeremy Weber, “Christian, What Do You Believe? Probably a Heresy About Jesus, Says Survey,” Christianity Today, October 16, 2018,). It’s very important to understand that we serve a living and personal God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all persons. To view the Holy Spirit as just an impersonal force lessens his deity and his place in the Trinity. Scripture uses personal pronouns to describe the person and work of the Holy Spirit. “Though the Greek term for spirit is neuter, Jesus in John 14:26 and 16:13f. used the masculine demonstrative pronoun ‘he’ (that one) of the Holy Spirit. He is called Helper (Comforter). This designation is applied both to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) and to Christ (John 14:16; 1 John 2:1), and since it expressed personality when applied to Christ, it must do so also when applied to the Spirit” (Henry Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology [Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans], 96).