A Philosophical Reflection on the Importance of the Decent Of the Holy Spirit

 


By: Abonyi, Hyginus Ebuka 

The spirit which in the philosophical arena is interchangeably called the soul in the philosophical conception; particularly in the Bantu philosophy is regarded as the force vitae (The vital force). Philosophically, the human person is regarded as a composite being made up of the corporeal and the incorporeal that is the body and the soul. In Plato’s conception, the spirit is the fundamental principle of life for any existing entity; hence, it is the principle of life that animates the body which in Plato’s conception is contingent meaning it can die. If the spirit leaves the body, it becomes dead; lifeless and useless. For life to exist therefore, implies that the spirit must be joined with the body. The spirit does not die because it does not belong to the objective world. It comes from the world of form.

Recognizing the importance of the spirit, God in the book of Genesis after molding man out of dust, breathed in him the spirit in form of breath which gave man life. The spirit is not a tangible thing which can be seen but taking form, it can be seen through its action in the matter. To keep the spirit active and alive, one must do what the spirit wants. The spirit therefore because it came from the world of form, is pure for it is the conception of God the father, joined in the Holy Trinity according to Nicholas Berdyaev a Christian existentialist.  In as much as the spirit is pure, any impure substance repels it.

Adam and Eve sinned against the spirit which after their disobedience made the spirit which is the power and glory of God to leave them. Man then though living was left lifeless for the spirit has departed from them. Without the spirit, one cannot communicate with the world of form; the spirit is power of imagination, reflection, creativity, etc. God who conceived man and gave him the force vital through the art of words does not want to leave his creatures lifeless and without hope or purpose has to come in the form of a son, a man but also God, to redeem man through act of continued creation. For this, to recreate man becomes very necessary.

God came for a purpose which in the Christian conception is the redemption of man. This redemption is simply to give man back the spirit which made him not in communication with the world of form. After his redeeming mission, he recognized that the recreation is never complete without the spirit. He therefore, promised them not to lose hope but to wait patiently until he sends them the spirit. The spirit comes with power, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and the fear of God.

However, this is just an analysis of want the spirit does. If you are with the spirit, there is nothing you cannot accomplish because the spirit when united with the body can do many things. It renews, and makes all things well. Find the spirit that comes from God and he will make you to live again. 


 

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