Question: "Who is the Holy Spirit?"
Answer: Many Christians focus on knowing the Father and the Son, but knowing the Holy Spirit is sometimes given scant attention. As a result, there are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit: that He is a mystical force, an impersonal power, or a promoter of show-stopping signs. Is the Spirit an agent of chaos in the church, as some charismatic services imply? Is He “kind of blue,” as young Colton Burpo says in the book Heaven Is for Real (Burpo, T., and Vincent, L., Thomas Nelson, 2010, p. 103)? What does the Bible say about the identity and nature of the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead. He, equally with the Father and the Son, is God. As the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of AD 381 says, He is “the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.” He is Spirit, that is, He is immaterial. And He is Holy, that is, set apart and without sin. We also know the following about the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit Is Personal
Scripture presents the Holy Spirit as a divine person. He thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He intercedes (Romans 8:26–27), makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7–11), and comforts and counsels (John 14:16, 26; 15:26). The Spirit appoints specific people to specific tasks (see Acts 13:2; 20:28).
The Holy Spirit Is Divine
The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many passages of Scripture. In Acts 5:3–4, Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied just to human beings but to God.” So, lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God.
Further, the Holy Spirit possesses the characteristics of God. He is omnipresent: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7–8). He is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). And the Spirit does things that only God can do, such as create (Psalm 104:30), inspire Scripture (2 Peter 1:21), and reveal “the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).
The Holy Spirit is as much God as the Father and the Son, as seen in the Great Commission. Jesus said that believers are to be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”—all three Persons of the Godhead are equal and share one “name” (Matthew 28:19). As God, the Holy Spirit is to be obeyed, relied on, worshiped, and trusted.
The Holy Spirit Is Active
The Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of a believer is beyond consequential. He permanently indwells believers and seals them until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30)—a ministry He has had since the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26–27, AMP). The Holy Spirit regenerates and renews the believer (John 3:5–8; Titus 3:5). He baptizes believers into the Body of Christ (Romans 6:3). The Spirit fills believers with “all joy and peace” as they trust the Lord; the result is that believers “overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13).
The Holy Spirit is involved in the sanctification process of believers (1 Peter 1:2). The Spirit leads believers away from the desires of the flesh and into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18). He produces fruit that makes every believer more like Christ (Galatians 5:19–26). He “fills” those who yield themselves to His control (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts of a wide variety (1 Corinthians 12:4), each one “given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
The Holy Spirit is also active among unbelievers. The Spirit convicts “the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, ESV). The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26) and aids in evangelism. The Holy Spirit is also actively restraining sin and working against “the secret power of lawlessness” that seeks to control the world. Because of the influence of the Holy Spirt in the world, the revelation of the Antichrist is kept at bay (2 Thessalonians 2:6–10)
The Holy Spirit also gives believers wisdom by which to understand spiritual things. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). No amount of human knowledge can replace the Holy Spirit’s teaching (1 Corinthians 2:11–13).
Because the Holy Spirit is personal, we can know Him and fellowship with Him; because He is divine, we can worship and obey Him; because He is active, we can rely on His perfect work in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead. He, equally with the Father and the Son, is God. As the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of AD 381 says, He is “the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.” He is Spirit, that is, He is immaterial. And He is Holy, that is, set apart and without sin. We also know the following about the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit Is Personal
Scripture presents the Holy Spirit as a divine person. He thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He intercedes (Romans 8:26–27), makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7–11), and comforts and counsels (John 14:16, 26; 15:26). The Spirit appoints specific people to specific tasks (see Acts 13:2; 20:28).
The Holy Spirit Is Divine
The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many passages of Scripture. In Acts 5:3–4, Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied just to human beings but to God.” So, lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God.
Further, the Holy Spirit possesses the characteristics of God. He is omnipresent: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7–8). He is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). And the Spirit does things that only God can do, such as create (Psalm 104:30), inspire Scripture (2 Peter 1:21), and reveal “the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).
The Holy Spirit is as much God as the Father and the Son, as seen in the Great Commission. Jesus said that believers are to be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”—all three Persons of the Godhead are equal and share one “name” (Matthew 28:19). As God, the Holy Spirit is to be obeyed, relied on, worshiped, and trusted.
The Holy Spirit Is Active
The Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of a believer is beyond consequential. He permanently indwells believers and seals them until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30)—a ministry He has had since the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26–27, AMP). The Holy Spirit regenerates and renews the believer (John 3:5–8; Titus 3:5). He baptizes believers into the Body of Christ (Romans 6:3). The Spirit fills believers with “all joy and peace” as they trust the Lord; the result is that believers “overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13).
The Holy Spirit is involved in the sanctification process of believers (1 Peter 1:2). The Spirit leads believers away from the desires of the flesh and into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18). He produces fruit that makes every believer more like Christ (Galatians 5:19–26). He “fills” those who yield themselves to His control (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts of a wide variety (1 Corinthians 12:4), each one “given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
The Holy Spirit is also active among unbelievers. The Spirit convicts “the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, ESV). The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26) and aids in evangelism. The Holy Spirit is also actively restraining sin and working against “the secret power of lawlessness” that seeks to control the world. Because of the influence of the Holy Spirt in the world, the revelation of the Antichrist is kept at bay (2 Thessalonians 2:6–10)
The Holy Spirit also gives believers wisdom by which to understand spiritual things. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). No amount of human knowledge can replace the Holy Spirit’s teaching (1 Corinthians 2:11–13).
Because the Holy Spirit is personal, we can know Him and fellowship with Him; because He is divine, we can worship and obey Him; because He is active, we can rely on His perfect work in our lives.
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