Who is Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God! The Third Divine Person of the Holy Trinity

Published by Jacob P Varghese on

HOLY SPIRIT is third Person of the Holy Trinity. Orthodox Christians repeatedly confess, “And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified…” Our Church believes that the Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, equal to the other two Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son. He is eternal, uncreated, and divine; co-existing with the Father and the Son; worshipped and glorified in the oneness of the Holy Trinity. This belief of our Holy Church is based on both the Holy Scriptures and on Holy Tradition.

He is called the “promise of the Father” (Acts 1: 4), given through Christ as a gift to the Church, to empower the Church for service to God (Acts 1: 8), to place God’s love in our hearts (Rom. 5: 5), and to impart spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12: 7-13) and virtues (Gal. 5: 22, 23) for Christian life and witness. Orthodox Christians believe the biblical promise that the Holy Spirit is given through Holy Chrismation (anointing) at Baptism (Acts 2: 38). We are to grow in our experience of the Holy Spirit for the rest of our lives. God’s breath gave man life. “He formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils, man then became a living being.”  The Hebrew word, Ruach, means breath of God, or Spirit of God. God breathed His Spirit into Adam. Adam was the first man to be filled with the Spirit. As we can plainly see from the history of Adam, being filled does not take away our will. Turning our will over to Him takes a lifelong commitment. We worship the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity undivided, one in essence” One Triune God. Three persons, but one God, all of one essence.

Holy Spirit is a person, not a Ghost, a mystical force, a thing, or an impersonal energy. He is intelligent and has an intellect. 1 Cor. 2: 10-11 says, “No one knows the mind of God except the Spirit of God who searches all things.” The person of the Holy Spirit is also affirmed by His many works. He was personally involved in creation (Genesis 1: 2), empowers God’s people (Zech. 4: 6), guides (Romans 8: 14), speaks (Acts 13: 12), comforts (John 14: 26), convicts (John 16: 8), teaches (John 16: 13), restrains sin (Isaiah 59: 19), and gives commands (Acts 8: 29). Each of these works requires the involvement of a person rather than a mere force, thing, or idea.

Holy Spirit speaks, “He who has hear let him hear what the spirit has to say to the Churches…”  (Rev. 2: 7). The Holy Spirit said, “set apart for Me, Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13: 12). Prophet Isaiah talked with the Holy Spirit (Isaiah, 6: 1-10). This is confirmed when St. Paul says, “Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the Prophet to our Fathers” (Acts, 28:25). A similar passage is found in the Prophet Jeremiah. And again, we have the witness of St. Paul, who confirms that “the Holy Spirit” speaks (Heb. 10: 15-17). When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16: 13. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you Acts 10: 29).

Holy Spirit leads, The Bible says, “The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives” (Galatians 5:25). “and the Spirit said to Philip, Go and join this chariot” (Acts 8: 29). “For all who led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8: 14).  Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143: 10). Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4: 1). For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8: 14)

He guides,“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth…” (Jn. 16: 13). The Holy Spirit also takes on the role of Guide and Counselor, leading us in the way we should go and revealing God’s truth (Luke 12:12; 1 Cor. 2: 6–10). The Bible says that the Holy Spirit guides the believer in their personal lives. We are told that Philip the evangelist was guided by the Spirit of God to preach the good news to the Ethiopian eunuch. He guides us to the truth; He guides us away from sin. He guides us to our Purpose. He guides us to do the will of God.

He appoints, “Be on the guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church… (Acts 20: 28). The Personality of Holy Spirit, appoints and commissions. Come you near to me, hear you this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, has sent me. Isaiah 48:16; As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them (Acts 13: 2)

He intercedes, “And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness….. the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for pain (Rom. 8: 26).

He testifies, “When the helper comes……. He will bear witness of Me” (Jn. 15: 26). Each of these emotions and acts are that of a person. When we talk about the Trinity, we talk about 3 persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus never spoke of the Holy Spirit as ‘it’ but always spoke as ‘He’. (Jn. 14: 15-18; 16: 5-8). When Jesus talks about the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus refers to the Spirit as person. John 14: 16-17 (accept Him, see Him, know Him), John 15:26 (Who goes out from Father, He will testify), John 16:7-8 (send Him, He comes, He will convict). Holy Spirit is a person. Not only a Person but the third person of the Trinity, which means He is a divine person.

Holy Spirit is God. Holy Spirit explicitly and categorically called God, in the Holy Scriptures is as follows: “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit . . .? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts. 5: 3-4). What further proof does a Christian need to believe that the Holy Spirit is truly God? It is demonstrated in many verses of the Old and New Testament that the Holy Spirit has divine attributes. “The Spirit of God moved upon the waters” (Gen. 1: 2). This means that the Holy Spirit has divine attributes and authority to give form to and to perfect the creation. The Holy Spirit is the life-giving person of trinity. He is the Creator that created the Universe and continues to create it.

Holy Spirit as ‘Eternal Spirit’ (Heb. 9: 14). He is the Paraclete, one called alongside, Counselor, Comforter, Encourager, Helper or to put it another way He is just like Jesus. He is eternal. We see evidence of His existence if the opening pages of scripture, Genesis 1: 1-2. The “Spirit of God hovered over the waters and the Holy Spirit doesn’t have a beginning or end, the Holy Spirit didn’t just appear after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit was present before creation and has been at work throughout history and will continue to work through all time.

Holy Spirit is Omnipresent. God is present everywhere and so the Holy Spirit is present everywhere. “Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Where can we flee from the presence of God?” (Ps. 139: 7). Nowhere! To know that the Holy Spirit is everywhere also gives us the assurance and peace that no matter where we go in life, God will be with us.

The Holy Spirit is Omniscient – knows everything. (1 Cor. 2:10 -12). The Holy Spirit knows everything about God and the Holy Spirit knows everything about us too. He is all knowledge. He is all knowing. He has perfect knowledge of all things … That is God’s amazing grace and unconditional love at work. Jesus talked about when He sent the Holy Spirit, that He was coming to teach us and remind us of all things. He helps us understand the Word of God and in doing so we can find the Will of God for our lives. His knowledge and understanding cannot be diminished or increased, nor does He need the wisdom of men to direct Him. “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40: 13-14).

Holy Spirit is all Omnipotentall-powerful. Luke 1:35-37. Nothing is impossible for God. Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. I can do all things through the Holy Spirit who strengthens me. I can do all things through the Spirit who is strength in me. There is nothing that He cannot do. It is impossible for Him to decrease or increase in power … “Is the Spirit of the LORD straightened?” (Micah 2:7). The word ‘straightened’ means ‘restricted or limited.’ It is this power that He shares with those who truly commit their lives to Christ … “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1: 8). The power believers receive is of the same quality but not the same quantity! This is what we mean by being baptised in the Holy Spirit. His power is essential for Christian living.

When Christ was resurrected, He said to His Disciples, “Go you therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28: 19). Here the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and to the Son. There is no doubt that He is God. Saint Peter categorically calls the Holy Spirit, “God” (Acts, 5: 4). And St. Paul characteristically says, “Now the Lord is that Spirit” (2 Corinthians, 3: 17). St. Paul says, thus placing the Holy Spirit in the same order and position as the Father and the Son. “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor. 13: 14), In very many other places in the New Testament the Divinity of the Holy Spirit is revealed. It is not necessary, however, to mention them all here.

All Christians must know the Holy Spirit and believe in Him, Who is true God, equal with the Son and the Father, Who proceeds from the Father, through the Son, and holds together the institution of the Church and perfects everything. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of all; He is the spring of the prophecies; He perfects priests, teaches wisdom to the unlearned, elevates fishermen to theologians, and holds together the institution of the Church. He abides in the Church. He guides it in all truth. He works through the sacraments and sanctifies the faithful. The Holy Spirit continues Christ’s ministry in His physical absence.

Categories: Bible Study

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