|
We believe that the Holy Spirit is an eternal and fully divine Person of the Trinity, equal with the Father and the Son. He is not merely a power, influence, or feeling. He possesses the attributes of God, acts with personal will and purpose, and is worthy of the same honor and obedience as the Father and the Son.
The Holy Spirit has always been active in God’s work. He was active in creation, spoke through the prophets, and guided the writers of Scripture. At Pentecost, the promised Spirit was poured out upon Christ’s followers, inaugurating a new stage in God’s unfolding plan: His indwelling and empowering ministry in and through the Church. This was not the beginning of His existence or activity.
The Holy Spirit gives new spiritual life—the new birth. He indwells every believer from the time of salvation, joins every believer to the body of Christ, and seals each one for the day of redemption. His presence does not depend upon a believer’s maturity, strength, or emotional experience.
The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ rather than drawing attention to Himself. He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Within believers, He illuminates Scripture, gives assurance of adoption, produces spiritual fruit, distributes gifts for service, assists in prayer, and progressively makes them more like Christ.
Believers are commanded to walk by the Spirit and to be continually filled with the Spirit. We can grieve Him and hinder His work in our lives through disobedience, but we do not earn His presence through our performance. Christian worship, spiritual growth, witness, and service depend upon His continuing work within us.
Supporting Scriptures
The Person and Deity of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; I Corinthians 2:10-12; II Corinthians 13:14
His Work Before and at Pentecost
Genesis 1:2; II Peter 1:20-21; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:4-8; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:16-18; Acts 2:32-33
His Work in Salvation
John 3:5-8; Romans 8:9-16; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:4-7
His Continuing Work in Believers
John 16:7-15; Romans 8:26-27; I Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 5:18
Layman's Terms
The Holy Spirit is God—not an impersonal force or a spiritual feeling. He has always been active in carrying out God’s purposes. He was present at creation, worked through people throughout the Old Testament, and guided the writers of Scripture.
At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit began working in and through the Church in a new and distinctive way. Everyone who trusts in Christ is given new spiritual life and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s presence is not reserved for unusually mature or spiritual Christians. He lives within every believer.
The Holy Spirit directs our attention to Jesus. He helps us understand God’s Word, reassures us that we belong to God, helps us pray, develops godly character within us, and equips us to serve others. Our growth may include advances, failures, correction, and restoration, but He patiently continues His sanctifying work.
Being filled with the Spirit does not mean receiving a greater portion of the Spirit. It means that we increasingly yield our thinking, choices, and conduct to His direction. We remain responsible to obey God, but we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength.
Further Study
The Holy Spirit Is a Person and Fully God
Scripture describes the Holy Spirit as speaking, teaching, willing, guiding, and being grieved. These are personal actions, not the effects of an impersonal power. Scripture also identifies Him with God and places Him alongside the Father and the Son.
The Holy Spirit Before and After Pentecost
The Holy Spirit was active long before Pentecost. Pentecost therefore did not mark His first arrival or His first work among humanity. It marked a new stage in God’s plan: the promised outpouring of the Spirit and His distinctive ministry in and through the Church.
Indwelling, Baptism, and Filling
Every believer is indwelt by the Spirit and joined by Him to the body of Christ. The command to be filled with the Spirit concerns the believer’s continuing dependence and submission. These truths should not be confused with emotional intensity or used to divide believers into higher and lower spiritual classes.
The Spirit Glorifies Christ
The Holy Spirit does not seek to make Himself the center of attention. He reveals the truth about Christ, applies Christ’s saving work, and forms Christlike character in believers. A ministry claiming to emphasize the Spirit should therefore produce greater faithfulness to Scripture, greater love for Christ, and increasing holiness.
Memory Passage
John 14:16-17
|
