Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

THE GENDER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Often, reference to the Holy Spirit of God is framed in the gender neutral pronoun “It.” Now and then such reference gives rise to oppositional thoughts by others who seem offended. They insist that the only proper pronoun applicable to the Holy Spirit is “He.” A struggle then ensues to find scriptures or failing that, reasonable logic to use such a gender specific pronoun. In the Hebrew language, the word for Spirit is “Ruach.” Grammatically, it is a feminine term. But words have gender classification which do not denote sex. Thus some words may be masculine or feminine or neuter without reference to sex or even to animation of any sort. Some have sought to capitalize on the gender classification of words, and have postulated that the Father is Masculine, and He has an only begotten Son; therefore, the Holy Spirit would answer to the feminine third of the Godhead. This is rejected out of hand as neither scriptural nor logical.

Sex is earthbound, and exists for pro-creation. Jesus explained that people do not have the dimension of sex in heaven, but are as the angels in that regard, Matt. 22:30. Accordingly, this writer has never envisioned the Father or the Holy Spirit as possessing the unique sexual anatomy by which gender is determined. Jesus, however, was a man in every respect in order to be tempted in all points like as we are, but without sin, Heb. 4:15. It is Biblically logical that Jesus in heaven is no longer a sexual person as people and angels are not.

Certainly, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are persons. As persons, each one possess intelligence, will, and emotions. These are requisites of personhood, but there are many others. In the New Testament, the word for Spirit is “Pneuma.” It is a neuter term in much of its usage. Therefore, it is neither a disrespect or a technical error to refer to the marvelous Holy Spirit of God as “It.” Rather that is more correct both grammatically and in gender so long as proper understanding accompanies the reference. Folks should not fall out with one who insists on using the pronoun “He” in reference to the Holy Spirit, but neither should one be inhibited by the lack of knowledge in others who would consider it an error to refer to the Spirit worshipfully as “It.” I just wish more people would be sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and yield in discipleship to Jesus and His Word which is what the Holy Spirit is all about! John 16:13,14 tells us, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you

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