4 Well, we all know that an idol
is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There
may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually
worship many gods and many lords. 6 But we know that there is
only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for Him. And
there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and
through whom we have been given life. 1
Corinthians 8:4-6 (NLT)
The God of the Holy Bible is the one
and only true God of the universe (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; see also Deuteronomy
4:35, 39; Psalm 86:8-10; John 17:3; Acts 17:24-31; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; Ephesians
4:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5). He is living and exists eternally as one God in three
Persons, known as the Trinity or the Godhead – God the Father, God the Son
(Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Scriptures reference the
Trinity at various locations (see e.g., Genesis 1:1-3; 26-27; Matthew 28:19-20;
John 14:16, 26; John 16:13-15; John 20:21-22; Romans 15:16, 30; 2 Corinthians
1:21-22; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 4:4-6; 2 Thessalonians
2:13-15; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 John 4:2, 13-14; Jude 20-21). The clearest image of
the Trinity was revealed with Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist where Jesus, God
the Son, was anointed for His public ministry by God the Spirit, descending as
a dove, with God the Father’s declaration from heaven, “This is My beloved Son,
which whom I am well pleased” (see Matthew 3:13-17; Mark
1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). Jesus, also known as the Word of God and the Christ
(Messiah), is the most definitive revelation of the Godhead because the
fullness of God lived in Jesus (see e.g., John 1:1-5, 14; John 20:28, 31; Acts
2:36; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 1:15-20; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:1-4). Moreover,
the Apostle John and Apostle Paul have provided the church good teaching on the
Trinity at John chapters 14 through 16 and Romans chapter 8.
God the Father, God the Son (Jesus),
and God the Holy Spirit (also known as the Holy Ghost) are equal in nature but different
in role, duties, and relationship. The Holy Spirit receives direction and
instructions from both God the Father and God the Son and the Holy Spirit
carries out the unified will of both the Father and the Son. The distinctive
roles typically have God the Father willing, Jesus the Son completing, and the
Holy Spirit applying the work of the Son (see e.g., Genesis 1:1-3, 9-10; Roman
8). Yet, there is a Oneness with Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit (see e.g.,
Deuteronomy 6:4; Nehemiah 9:6). Even more, God is a God of truth. In the Holy
Scriptures, all three Persons of the Trinity are related to truth (see e.g.,
Exodus 34:6; Deuteronomy 32:4; John 1:14; John 14:6; John 15:26; John 16:13).
The Holy Spirit is a fully and
completely divine Person who possesses all of the divine features and powers of
God (see e.g., John 4:24; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1
Peter 1:2; Revelation 1:4-5). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is not a New
Testament concept with His coming at Pentecost (see Acts 2). In the beginning
of creation, the Spirit of God was “hovering over the face of the waters” (see
Genesis 1:2) and the Holy Spirit runs throughout the entire Holy Scriptures
(see e.g., 2 Samuel 23:2; Psalm 104:30; Job 33:4; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Acts 1:16).
The Holy Spirit was God’s power in the Old Testament that empowered prophecy to
proclaim God’s word and carried out God’s mighty deed (see e.g., Numbers 11:17;
Judges 14:6-20; 1 Samuel 11:6; Ezekiel 2:2; Micah 3:8). The Holy Spirit is the
living water, the breath, and Giver of new life (see e.g., Genesis 2:7; Psalm
51:11; Isaiah 63-10-11, 14; John 4:10-14; John 7:38-39; John 6:63; John 20:22; 2
Corinthians 3:6; Romans 8:2, 10). The Greek word pneuma and the Hebrew word ruah
are similar for Holy Spirit, stemming from association with breath and wind (see
Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 1:4; John 3:8; Acts 2:1-2).
The personal and comforting nature of
the Holy Spirit is evident in His title “Comforter,” “Advocate,” or “Helper” (see
John 14:16, 26; John 15:26; John 16:7). The Holy Spirit is advises, teaches, encourages,
convicts, comforts, strengthens, and intercedes for God’s faithful people (see John
14:16-17, 26; John 15:26; John 16:7-11; John 16:13-15). Before His sacrificial
death on Calvary’s Cross, Jesus promised He would send the Holy Spirit to His
disciples (John 14:15-18; John 16:7; see also Luke 24:49; John 20:22; Acts
1:4-5, 8) and Jesus’ promise was fulfilled at Pentecost with the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2).
The Holy Spirit is clearly at work in
key events throughout God’s redemptive history:
·
Creation (see Genesis 1:1-3)
·
Jesus’ miraculous birth (incarnation)
(see Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35)
·
Jesus’ baptism (see Matthew
3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21-22;
John
1:32-33)
·
Jesus’ public ministry of good
(see Luke 4:14, 18-19; Acts 10:38)
·
Jesus’ resurrection (see Romans
8:11; 1 Peter 3:18)
·
Human regeneration (rebirth,
salvation) (see John 3:5-8)
·
Teaches all truth (see John
14:17, 26; John 16:13)
·
Tells believers we are loved by
God (see Romans 5:5)
·
Convicts of sin and
righteousness (John 16:8)
·
Divine Author of the Holy
Scriptures through inspiration and understanding (illumination) of (see 2
Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
·
Believer’s sanctification (see Galatians
5:16-18; 22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2)
·
Jesus’ empowerment against evil
(see Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)
·
Searches the deep things of God
and knows God’s thoughts (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-16)
·
Distributes spiritual gifts for
the churches’ good and encouragement (see 1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
·
Interprets and brings human
prayer before the Throne of the Father (see Romans 8:26-27; Jude 20-21)
·
Assures believers of adoption
into God’s family (see Romans 8:14-16)
·
Bears witness to and glorify
Jesus (see John 15:26; John 16:14).
·
Seals and confirms believers’
salvation in Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians
1:13-14
·
Giver of life (see John 3:5-8,
16, 36; John 6:63; Romans 8:2, 10; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 5:7)
·
Eternal (see Psalm 90:2;
Hebrews 9:14)
·
Omnipresent (see Psalm
139:7-10)
·
Omniscient – all knowing (see 1
Corinthians 2:10-11; 1 John 3:20)
·
Omnipotent – all powerful (see
Luke 1:35-37)
·
Holy (see Romans 1:4)
The acts of the Holy Spirit through Jesus’
first apostles are the focal point of the New Testament Book of Acts. The Holy
Spirit empowered and enabled the early apostles of Jesus to spread the Gospel message
of repentance and the forgiveness of sins everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout
Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (see Luke 24:45-49; John
20:21-22; Acts 1:4-5, 8). Even today, the Holy Spirit works to advance the work
God the Father and His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit empowers and anoints God’s
faithful people to continue the work of God the Father and His Son Jesus for
God’s glory (see e.g., Luke 24:27, 44-48; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).
When
the Holy Spirit works, God’s people can boldly proclaim the Gospel message and
God’s Kingdom.
Moreover, the power of the Holy Spirit
is the power of spiritual transformation at work, saving everyone who repents
and believes in Jesus and His Gospel message (see Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians
1:18; Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit is the One who works within God’s faithful
people to transform, sanctify, and give believers greater holiness and “good
fruit” in life (see Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). Through
the Holy Spirit, God empowers our Bible reading and mediation, prayer life,
church attendance, worship, witnessing, Christian fellowship, and moral living.
The Holy Spirit guarantees believers that they have passed from death into eternal
life as the Holy Spirit’s work transforms our whole life and seals the life and
character of believers in a definitive way (see 2 Corinthians 1:21-22;
Ephesians 1:13). In other words, the Holy Spirit enables and empowers God’s
people to live like and imitate the true and living God as we faithfully obey
God (see Exodus 34:6-7; Galatians 5:16-18, 22-23; Ephesians 5:1-2).
The true and living God is pleased
when His people walk in the Holy Spirit and imitate His ways (see Exodus 34:5-7;
Galatians 5:22-25). To walk and live according to the Holy Spirit is to live
and imitate the true and living God (see Exodus 34:5-7; Galatians 5:22-25). In
fact, a God honoring, unified Christian community is possible only when
believers walk and follow the Holy Spirit (see e.g., Ephesians 4:1-3). The Holy
Spirit glorifies God and His Son Jesus and transforms people into the likeness
and image of Jesus for God’s glory (see John 16:13-14; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2
Corinthians 3:8).
The ultimate goal of all of life is to
know and love God, make Him known, and thereby glorify Him (see e.g.,
Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matthew 22:37 1 Corinthians 10:31). This goal is
accomplished primarily through the work of the Holy
Spirit. Reading the Bible, going to
church, Christian fellowship, spiritual disciplines, service, and worship are
merely playing at religion if all of these activities are not empowered,
guided, and filled by the Holy Spirit (see Zechariah 4:6). If the Holy Spirit
is not present, even these good things are fleshly, empty, offensive, and
unacceptable to God. A life pleasing to God involves daily dependence on the
precious Holy Spirit. Jesus often drew on the same Holy Spirit during His
public ministry that is also available to all believers (see e.g., Luke 4:18).
How can one receive the Holy Spirit?
The Apostle Peter repeats to the listeners the same teaching of Jesus on how
anyone can receive the Holy Spirit (see John 7:39). To receive the Holy Spirit,
the Apostle Peter declared:
38 “Each of you must repent of
your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus
Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you
will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you,
and to your children, and even to the Gentiles (non-Jews)—all who have been
called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a
long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this
crooked generation!” Acts
2:38-40 (NLT)
None of these wonderful benefits of
the Holy Spirit can come into a person’s life without true salvation. True
salvation (rebirth) comes when we genuinely turn from our sins, believe in
God’s Son (Jesus), and commit ourselves wholeheartedly to God by seeking,
believing, and obeying God’s ways (see Mark 1:14-15; John 14:15; Acts 20:21). Once
a person repents and believes in the Name of Jesus Christ, a believer becomes
one with God and the Holy Spirit comes to live within that believer as God’s
child (see John 1:12-13; John 17:21-23; Romans 8:14-16; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1
Corinthians 6:17, 19; Galatians 3:26; Colossians 2:6). God the Father and His
Son Jesus send the Holy Spirit to be with His faithful people and bring about a
spiritual change in a believer’s heart (see Jeremiah 24:7; Ezekiel 36:26-27; John
14:16; John 16:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
This change, also known as
sanctification, results in a transformed heart that leads to a transformed
character that produces a transformed life. Jesus taught that regeneration
(rebirth, revival, and restoration) is the work of Holy Spirit:
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without
being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only
human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So
do not be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind
blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but cannot tell where it
comes from or where it is going, so you cannot explain how people are born of
the Spirit.” John
3:5-8 (NLT)
REPENT, BELIEVE, AND RECEIVE THE HOLY
SPIRIT!
References
ESV
Study Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton,
IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Zondervan NIV
Study Bible
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).
Grudem, Wayne. Christian Beliefs:
Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005).
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