Probably every Christian has heard of the Holy Spirit, often known as the “third person of the Godhead.” But when it comes to who this Spirit is and what He actually does, opinions often differ largely. It is, therefore, worthwhile to check our Bible to examine who the Holy Spirit really is and what this special gift is all about.
The presence of the Holy Spirit on earth
Two essential features distinguish the present Christian time from any other time (dispensations). One characteristic is the presence of a man—Jesus Christ—in heaven. The other feature is the presence of God—the Holy Spirit—on earth. After Jesus returned to heaven victoriously, He sent the Holy Spirit down to earth.
A distinctive Christian truth
When we read the Old Testament, we find that the believers had only a vague idea of who or what the Holy Spirit was. They knew Him as an influence and a power that was visible in creation and people. Only in the New Testament do we learn that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person—and thus God Himself. He is a gift of both the Father and the Son to those who believe in the gospel of grace.
The New Testament confirms that the Holy Spirit is an effective influence that shows itself powerfully in believers (this becomes especially clear in the reading of the Acts of the Apostles). But the New Testament also makes it unmistakably clear that the Holy Spirit is more. He is God Himself, a divine person—distinct from the Father and the Son.
A divine Person
God is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons (we call this the ‘Trinity’): God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We can neither understand nor explain this great truth; it remains a mystery. We can only accept it in faith because it is far beyond human comprehension.
Several passages in the Bible confirm that the Spirit is a divine Person, just as the Son and the Father. We find one example in Acts 5, where Peter has to reproach Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit and thus to God (see verses 3 and 4). You can’t lie to a force or influence; you can only lie to a person. Furthermore, there are many passages where the New Testament teaches us that the Holy Spirit does things that only a person can do, e.g. He teaches and reminds (John 14:26), He testifies and convicts (John 15:26, 16:8), He speaks (Acts 13:2) and He has a will (1 Cor. 12:11). He can also be grieved and despised (Eph. 4:30; Heb. 10:29). We can’t possibly ascribe these attributes to an influence or power, but only to a person.
So, there is one God, and yet there are three persons of the Godhead. It is a “trinity in unity” and a “unity in trinity.” In this, we must get away from the false idea of a ‘hierarchy’ in the Godhead. If we say that the Spirit is the “third person of the Godhead,” it says nothing about His ‘rank’ but just serves to distinguish Him from the Son and the Father.
In the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), there is perfect harmony, both in nature and in action. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are light and love (God’s nature). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are also united in the work of the cross and the redemption of a sinner. This is particularly seen in the parables in Luke 15. The Son saves the sheep (verses 3–7), the Holy Spirit seeks the coin (verses 8–10), and the Father accepts the Son (verses 11–24).
Sent down to earth
The Lord Jesus Himself had announced to His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come down to earth. This happened on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were together. We find the historical account in Acts 2. What happened here was extraordinary and unique. God sent His Spirit down to earth. He filled the house, and He filled each believer. These two things are true to this day:
- The Spirit fills the house: this is the corporate aspect and indicates that the Holy Spirit dwells in the church, which is God’s house (1 Cor. 3:16). By the Spirit, all believers have been baptized into one body (1 Cor. 12:13). The Holy Spirit is the unifying ‘element’ of all those who form the church of God in the Christian era. He dwells and works in it.
- The Holy Spirit fills each believer: this is the personal aspect and indicates that the Holy Spirit personally takes possession of everyone who believes and accepts the gospel (Eph. 1:13). It is a great fact to possess the Holy Spirit. He dwells and works in us and wants to fill us with His power and guide us in daily life.
The possession of the Holy Spirit distinguishes us from the world. The unbeliever can’t receive the Holy Spirit. Only believers receive Him (John 7:39, 14:17). And we have received Him forever. The gift of the Spirit is not something temporary. He will be with us and in us forever (John 14:16).
Blessings of the Holy Spirit
The blessings we possess through the Holy Spirit are diverse. It is worth taking a closer look at these blessings. I would just like to mention four specifically:
- The Holy Spirit as our Comforter (John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7). As Comforter, the Holy Spirit stands by us to take up our cause, to help and comfort us.
- The Holy Spirit as a Seal (Eph. 1:13, 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:21–22). As a seal, the Holy Spirit confirms our acceptance of God as His children. He protects us and assures us of our salvation.
- The Holy Spirit as our Earnest (2 Cor. 1:22, 5:5; Eph. 1:13–14). As an earnest (down payment), the Holy Spirit guarantees, on the one hand, that we will receive our inheritance one day. On the other hand, He guarantees that our body will one day share in our salvation.
- The Holy Spirit as our anointing (2 Cor. 1:21; 1 John 2:20, 27). As an anointing, the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to understand the Word of God and find our joy in it. Unbelievers do not have this ability.
Conclusion
Two thoughts and two questions to close with:
- The gift of the Holy Spirit is great indeed. As with all of God’s gifts, we should be very thankful for this gift. Are we really thankful, and do we express our thankfulness for possessing the Holy Spirit?
- All gifts of God are linked to our responsibility. The Holy Spirit wants to work in our lives and our local churches. Do we give Him the freedom to do so?
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