The Basics — The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

Far too often we hear people speak of the Holy Spirit as an “it,” not a “who.” One reason why this might be the case is that the nature of the Holy Spirit’s work is to bring glory to Jesus Christ, not to himself. J. I. Packer once described the Holy Spirit as the “shy member of the Trinity.” But this self-effacing role of the Spirit does not mean that the Holy Spirit is impersonal (a mere “force” or God’s “power”) nor a distinct member of the Godhead. Even as we speak of the Father as God, the Son as God, so too we must speak of the Holy Spirit as God. As we will see, Scripture teaches us that he is the third person of the Holy Trinity.

While there is not as much biblical evidence for the deity of the Holy Spirit as there is for the deity of Jesus, it would be a mistake to conclude that the evidence is neither clear nor decisive. We start with the Bible’s direct assertion that the Holy Spirit is God. In Acts 5:3-4, we read of the story of Ananias and Saphirra, specifically of their deceit and the charge brought against them—“You have not lied to men but to God.” To lie to the Holy Spirit (as they did) is to lie to God. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul tells us that the Spirit who indwells us, is God’s Spirit. He makes the same point in 1 Corinthians 6:19. At the very least, both of Paul’s comments are indirect assertions of the deity of the Holy Spirit.

Then we should consider that there is significant evidence for the deity of the Holy Spirit also found in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 63:10, Isaiah speaks of “the Spirit of God,” as does the Psalmist (Psalm 95:9). In Hebrews 3:7-9, the author attributes the words spoken by God in Psalm 95 to the Holy Spirit. “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, `Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test . . . for forty years.’” What the Old Testament prophets attributed to God, the author of Hebrews attributes to the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, throughout the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is said to possess divine attributes, just as the Father and the Son. In Genesis 1:1-2 we read that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Even as John and Paul attribute the work of creation to the Son (who is true and eternal God), so too, Moses assigns the work of creation to the Holy Spirit. In Psalm 33:6, the Psalmist states that the Holy Spirit (the Ruach, “the breath of God”) creates all things. As the Son is eternal, so too, is the Holy Spirit, who was with God before all things were created.

In Job 33:4, we read, “the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” As the Father and the Son are said to give us life, so too does the Holy Spirit. But not only does the Holy Spirit grant us life and breath, he also gives the new birth, something only God can do (John 3:5). We cannot enter God’s kingdom until God’s Spirit gives us eternal life.

Next, we have a whole catalogue of divine attributes applied to the Spirit. He is omniscient (in Psalm 139:7-10, the Psalmist says that the Holy Spirit is everywhere present). In 1 Corinthians 2:11, Paul says the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. God is omnipresent. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is God. The Scriptures also teach that the Holy Spirit is omnipotent. In Isaiah 11:2, the Holy Spirit is described as possessing the power which God alone possesses. He is, in fact, all-powerful, because God is all-powerful.

The Scriptures mention other divine attributes of the Holy Spirit as well. The Holy Spirit is the author of our sanctification (1 Peter 1:2), he seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14), ensuring that the work God has begun in us will reach completion (Ephesians 4:30) with the resurrection and glorification of our bodies. It is through the Holy Spirit that the prophets and apostles spoke (1 Peter 1:11). And Peter proclaims “[that] prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:21).

Finally, there are those verses which speak of the work of the Spirit in uniting believers to Jesus Christ, enabling them to approach God without fear. The Holy Spirit is described by Paul as the “Spirit of prayer” (Romans 8:15-16). It is the Spirit who unites us to Christ and enables us to cry out to God. It is the Spirit’s work to ensure that the saving benefits of Christ become ours.

There is good reason then to conclude that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is true and eternal God. This is why we invoke his name, worship him, and serve the blessed Holy Spirit, even as we do the Father and the Son. After all, we are baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). The apostolic benediction is given to God’s people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). Therefore, we ascribe all glory, majesty, and honor to the Holy Spirit, even as we do so with the other members of the Godhead. We even pray to the Holy Spirit, we worship the Holy Spirit, and we invoke the blessed Holy Spirit. Why do we do these things? Because the Holy Spirit is the third person of the blessed Trinity.

Despite the great confusion of our age regarding the God of the Bible, biblical teaching is crystal clear—the Holy Spirit is God (with the Father and the Son), and is therefore, to be worshiped as such. There is indeed one God, who reveals himself in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.