We Believe: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
In our previous message in this series, we spoke about the doctrine of salvation and all that Jesus accomplished for us in his redemptive ministry.
This week we will speak about the person of the Holy Spirit, who is God presently with us to continue his work in and through us.
Doctrinal Statement: We believe in God the Holy Spirit, giver and renewer of life, sent to guarantee our promised future. The Spirit convicts concerning sin, enlightens to the truth, awakens to repentance and faith, regenerates sinners, and unites believers to Christ, making them partakers of the divine nature. By the Spirit’s indwelling, Christians enjoy God’s presence and fellowship. By being filled with the Holy Spirit, Christians are divinely empowered for witness and ministry. As they bear the fruit of the Spirit and exercise spiritual gifts, believers edify the Church and bear witness to God’s kingdom.
The Holy Spirit is fully God.
The Holy Spirit dwells in all believers.
The Holy Spirit works salvation in those being saved.
The Holy Spirit manifests God’s presence and power.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers for service.
The Holy Spirit is Fully God
2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Paul repeatedly wrote about the Holy Spirit in his letters to the Corinthians.
He ascribed divine attributes to him, pointing to the Spirit’s coequality with the Father and the Son.
*In the verse above, Paul blessed the Corinthians with a prayerful benediction, affirming the personhood of Jesus, the Father (whom he customarily referred to as God), and the Holy Spirit.
This indicated that the believers in Corinth (and believers everywhere) could know and experience each person of the Triune God.
*Paul wanted them to enjoy “fellowship” with the Holy Spirit, which meant a close relationship.
The Holy Spirit is described in Scripture as eternal (Hebrews 9:14), all-powerful, all-knowing (I Corinthians 2:10,11), and everywhere present (Psalm 139:7-12), just as the Father and Son are.
Psalm 139:7-12 ESV
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”
The biblical authors call him the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Father, the Spirit of God’s Son, the Spirit of Jesus, and the Spirit of Christ.
This reveals his essential union with the Father and the Son.
His numerous titles, such as the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), the Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4), the Spirit of life (John 6:63), the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29), and the Spirit of glory (I Peter 4:14), also affirm his divine identity.
John 6:63 ESV
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Hebrews 10:26-31 ESV
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
When Jesus called him “another helper” like himself who would be with the disciples and aid them as Jesus had, Jesus ascribed divine honor to the Holy Spirit.
John 14:25-26 ESV
“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
John 16:7-15 ESV
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 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. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
When various authors revealed the Spirit’s role in bringing forth and sustaining the creation (Psalm 104:30), they declared that he is fully divine in every way.
Genesis 1:1-2 ESV
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
The First Council in Constantinople in 381 AD built upon the Nicene Creed, affirming the Holy Spirit’s divinity and role within the Trinity.
They affirmed this with the statement:
”And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.”
*And so we know that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or power.
He is a divine person, just as the Father and the Son are divine persons, and we should honor him in that way.
We should respond to the invitation to grow in our relationship with each person of the Trinity and genuinely experience Jesus’ grace, the Father’s love, and the Spirit’s fellowship.
*In what ways are you aware of the Holy Spirit’s involvement in your life?
John 14:15-17 ESV
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”
The Holy Spirit Dwells in All Believers
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 ESV
“And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
The context of this passage is Paul’s affirmation that the father has made all his promises available to those who trust in Jesus.
And the guarantee of those promises was the “seal” of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
*Using “seals” in ancient times was a common practice to indicate ownership and completion.
*The seals were often made of wax and stamped by the personal imprint of their guarantor.
All of the believers in Corinth would have understood Paul’s practice.
Paul’s metaphor has two meanings.
*First, it highlights that we are God’s possession.
He has put his imprint on us and claimed us as his own family.
*The Holy Spirit now assures us that we are God’s children and stirs our longing to draw near to him.
He produces the cry, “Abba, Father,” within us.
*Second, it highlights that the Father will complete what he began in us.
An ancient merchant would open one sack of grain and weigh the contents for the buyer.
He would then seal the grain sack, pledging that all the other sacks contained the full weight.
This metaphor means that the Spirit’s continual presence within us reminds us that God will bring about the fullness of our salvation.
We will surely inherit everything God had planned and promised.
What a wonderful gift God has given us in the Holy Spirit!
We are not only forgiven and reconciled to a distant Father, but God has come to us in the person of his Spirit.
We are never alone; he dwells in us and will be with us forever.
*Christ has secured our union with God, and the Holy Spirit has sealed it.
Whatever we may face in our journey through this present life, we can take comfort in knowing God’s Spirit is in us and with us.
*If we turn our hearts and minds toward him, we will find him willing and able to guide us through all life’s challenges.
John 14:23-24 ESV
“Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.”
The Holy Spirit Works Salvation in Those Being Saved
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 ESV
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
In this part of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he compares the glory of the old covenant with the greater glory of the new covenant.
He uses the veil that Moses covered his face with as a metaphor for the transforming power of the presence of God.
Under the old covenant, God’s glory transformed Moses’ outer man and caused his face to shine.
Because of this, he needed a veil to protect Israel from the intense light.
*But in the new covenant, the veil has been lifted, and God’s glory now transforms our inner man, causing us to reflect his character.
And the executor of that transformation is the Holy Spirit.
*The Holy Spirit liberates us and progressively transforms us into the image of Christ.
He imparts God’s life to us, reveals truth to us, guides us, comforts us, encourages us, and emboldens us.
*Without him, we are spiritually helpless.
Romans 8:9-11 ESV
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
We must take to heart Paul’s admonition to the Galatian believers (Galatians 3:1-6) - in essence DON’T TRY TO LIVE LIFE OR SERVE GOD WITHOUT RELYING ON ONGOING INTERACTIONS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT BY FAITH!
How can you better honor the Holy Spirit in your life?
Is there anything the Holy Spirit has been addressing in your life that requires your greater attention?
The Holy Spirit Manifests God’s Presence and Power
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 ESV
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
The gospel had come to the Corinthians through Paul’s preaching, accompanied by the Holy Spirit’s presence and power.
The Spirit was working miracles and healings among them and revealing revelational knowledge, wisdom and prophecies.
*Paul urged the Corinthian believers to yearn for this to continue but not for selfish or pseudo-spiritual reasons.
1 Corinthians 12:1 ESV
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.”
1 Corinthians 14:1 ESV
“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”
*The Spirit’s goal in manifesting his presence and power was to draw them to Christ.
Even though the Corinthian church was riddled with problems and sins: divisions, drunkenness, lawsuits, immorality, compromise with the culture, disrespect towards leadership, and more, God continued to grace them with spiritual gifts.
Thus, you can clearly see two things:
Spiritual gifts are no clear indicator of Christian maturity or the pleasure of God
God wants his gifts operational within his church, even amongst maturing believers
*Spiritual gifts are manifestations and ministries of the Holy Spirit given to every believer for edification and evangelism until the return of Christ.
*The word gifts in the original language of the New Testament is the same word translated as grace.
*So, the gifts are works of God’s grace in and through the believer.
***They are literally outpourings of God’s grace manifested in various ways to reveal God’s power and love to the world!
Matthew 8:1-3 ESV
“When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
God desires to manifest his presence and power amongst us.
***He responds to our faith and spiritual hunger, visiting us though we are as imperfect as the Corinthians.
Mark 10:46-52 ESV
“And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
We are not qualified to participate in the Spirit’s manifestation in our midst, but Jesus is.
In Christ, we may boldly come before God and call upon him to receive his presence and gifts.
The book of Acts is a wonderful account of believers operating in the power of God after Christ’s death, burial and resurrection from the dead.
*After Jesus’ ascension, the early church was left and empowered with the same Holy Spirit that we have today.
God does not want us to be satisfied with a non-experiential relationship with him.
Christ died and rose again so that God’s presence through the Holy Spirit might dwell among us.
Long ago, the prophet Habbakuk was crying out for God to move in the midst of terrible times in his land.
Habakkuk 3:2 ESV
“O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Habakkuk 3:2 NIV
“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Like Habbakuk, may we believe for the Holy Spirit to move in miraculous ways in our day!
Why is it important to fully embrace the Holy Spirit as a person and not a divine force or power?
The Holy Spirit Empowers Believers for Service
Acts 1:8 ESV
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
For nearly three years, Jesus trained his disciples to bring the message of repentance and faith to the world.
Yet before he left, he commanded them to wait until they had received the Father’s promised Holy Spirit and were clothed with power.
Once the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost, they were then to go to their city, region, and all the nations as his witnesses.
As the Holy Spirit was intimately involved in the Church’s missionary activity from the beginning, he still is - energizing us to do the work of the ministry.
God desires to manifest his power among the nations, and this manifestation comes from the Holy Spirit.
We can do everything God has called us to do with the Holy Spirit’s help.
Without his help, we can engage in religious activity but fail to advance God’s kingdom.
God wants to repeatedly fill each of us with his Spirit, empowering and emboldening us for his service.
God’s Spirit works healings and miracles through us.
He reveals knowledge, wisdom, and prophecies through us.
God urges us to earnestly desire the Spirit’s empowerment to serve others and draw them to Christ.
We should keep seeking God and remain hungry and thirsty for his empowering presence.
Ephesians 5:15-18 ESV
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”
