by Amanda Demers

Created on: December 19, 2007

The Holy Ghost/Spirit is not a "ghost" in the paranormal sense, but is God revealed as the Sanctifier of the faithful. Originally, the word "ghost" meant spirit or soul. In later times, it's become associated with disembodied spirits.

The Holy Ghost usage comes from the King James Version of the Bible, and groups that use the KJV tend to use the term Holy Ghost more than groups that use a different translation. In Hebrew, the Holy Spirit is known as Ruach HaKodesh and translates to "spirit of the Holy", "breath" or "wind". In Greek, the Holy Spirit is known as the Paraclete, or Helper that guides Christians into the way of truth.

For more on the Holy Spirit, please see John 14:15-20, Acts 2:17, and Peter 1:10-11 These passages give a good overall view of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of Christians.

In popular culture, ghosts are typically depicted as disembodied spirits that don't realize that they're dead. Spiritualists promote belief in attempting to contact what they believe are the spirits of the dead. Many, from pop culture, believe that the departed automatically become ghosts. Many paranormal experts believe that ghosts are residual energy left behind by a dead person, but are not their actual spirits or souls. None of these describe the Holy Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit inspired the Word of God, leads believers into all truth, comforts us with God's presence, and helps us to discern when we've fallen into sin.

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