The Third Person in the Trinity: Scriptural Data

I was contacted by someone in close proximity of the leadership of a group that I tagged as a group to stay away from (here). I was very appreciative for the e-mail - both for its humility and desire to explain the position of Pastor John’s House group. I don’t carry on ongoing one-on-on correspondence with females who are not my wife. And I thought it best to respond to this person’s questions by addressing my readers so they are able to understand the third person of the Trinity better. The e-mailer said: “For some reason, I have been thinking about the Trinity a lot this week... just how it seems to me to have such clearly pagan roots.  And I was thinking about Paul's letters.  I just recently noticed for the first time that all of them start off with something like, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."  It seems like if the Spirit was a person equal to Jesus and the Father that Paul wouldn't have dared to leave Him out.  What do you think?” (original emphasis). As regards pagan roots, the same has been said of the Christians’ claim that Jesus is divine. Christians, however, submit to the Scriptures. So what do the Scriptures say about the Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Here are some scriptural attestations to the Holy Spirit’s person and equivalency to the Father and Son with some thoughts by your truly: Acts 5.3 - Ananias & Sapphira lie to the Holy Spirit (who is God). Note that Peter tells them that they have lied to God in v.4, while in v.3 he tells them they lied to the Holy Spirit Mt 28.18-20 - The Name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Just as this Trinitarian formula has been one of the texts used to explain Jesus’ divinity, so it is used for the 3rd person of the Trinity. Note the use of the singular word “Name” of God...not names (highlighting their unity as God) Jn 14.16 - A Helper of the same kind. The Greek word used here is ἄλλος , which means “another of the same kind” whereas the Greek word ἕτερος means “another of a different kind” (see Mt 6.24) More to come...