Why the disagreements and even the hesitation to identify “the Spirit of God” in Genesis 1:2 as a person of the Godhead? Part of the resistance comes from the thinking that the interpreter must give due recognition to the ANE setting for the writing of Genesis and its Creation account.12 Is that how we must read Genesis? Must we limit ourselves to the way that pagan, unbelieving, idolatrous ANE cultures viewed God (or, gods)? To yield to this hermeneutic requires one to degrade and even destroy the significant difference between genuine believers in the true God and those who ridicule them for their faith. Their worldviews are (and were) very different. Their value systems are opposed. A rough equivalent in our own day would be to insist that future readers of evangelical books should read them as though evangelicals have adopted the prevailing worldview or Zeitgeist—that our theology and morality actually coincide with non-Christian philosophy and (im)morality in the twenty-first century. If we would scream, “Foul!,” so would the OT writers. Many who write as Hildenbrandt does only intend that we recognize that the OT writers are reacting to and interacting with the unbelieving
culture of their day, not adopting the beliefs expressed by pagan myths. However, it
doesn’t always come out sounding or smelling that way, especially when someone insists
that there is no way that “the Spirit of God” in Genesis 1:2 could be a person of the
Godhead, because such a concept was totally foreign to the ANE cultures among whom
the Hebrew writers dwelt.
One must also look at Genesis 6:3 where God refers to “My Spirit.” Hildebrandt’s
treatment of this text detours into later revelation before reaching a conclusion. He seeks
to place the reference in a context of divine judgment as expressed throughout the OT. He
still comes to a result identifying the Spirit as a personal being, but not as independently
as the decision he made in 1:2.
William D. Barrick, Divine Persons in Genesis: Theological Implications, p. 3-4
Good article Jesse. Truly the 3rd person of the trinity blows like the wind where and how He wills. He proceeds from the Father and the Son. He lives in believers and convicts men of sin and leads them in righteousness. Pneumonology is the most understudied subject in true religion. The Roman Catholic church has usurped the Holy Spirit with its special priesthood. We are incorporated into the body of Christ thru the Spirit. He regenerates men and leads them in the truth and understanding of the Word. Paul is clear Christ into the hope of glory. He is in us thru the Spirit as Paul says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. God doesnt dwell in buildings anymore but in the hearts of his people leading them and guiding them. 1John 2:27.
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There has never been a time in history in which temples could contain God in the fullness of His power and glory. There is no transition between the Old and New Testaments as to the dwelling place of God in relation to creation, since He is already present everywhere. That which is finite cannot hold the infinite. There does seem to be an added dimension to the work of the Holy Spirit not found in the Old Testament, which is to lead the people of God to truth.