Islam Muslims Objection to the Trinity

[Kutte]

I would follow this with three questions:

1) How are you arriving at that definition of "spirit"?
2) In light of your definition of "spirit" here how would you address John 4:24?
3) And finally how would you address passages such as Acts 5:1-4, wherein the Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit, which was lying to God? If the Holy Spirit isn't a discrete "person" but a kind of impersonal emanating principle or force, how does one lie to a principle or a force?

-CryptoLutheran

Hi ViaCrucis

I appreciate your response. How did I arrive at the definition of spirit the way I presented?

After analyzing the nature of spirit, spiritual, inspiration, spirited, for example, I concluded that spirit as such cannot be considered a being by itself but a quality, a part of a spiritual being. I looked up Webster’s NewWorld Dictionary and found my conclusion acknowledged. In short, Webster’s defines ‘spirit’ as separate from matter, as soul, will, thought. This would include ghosts, or angels in the religious domain.

How do I look at John 4:24? I have no problem with this scripture reference. When it quotes Jesus saying: “Do we have the Holy Spirit’s help? For God is spirit, and we must have his help…” Combining God and spirit clearly shows God as a spiritual being.

The same combination can be recognized in Acts. It claims Peter by saying: “…you were lying to the Holy Spirit… …to God.” There is no indication, as I see it, that the Holy Spirit is a separate entity, such as a person but part of a spiritual being such as God.

Best wishes