4. The Holy Spirit is recognized us God. II. He is a person. Before it can be demonstrated that the Holy Spirit is God, it must first be established that he is a person, not a mere influence or divine power. This is done along the following lines: (1) Personal pronouns are used of him. Though the Greek term for spirit is neuter, Jesus in John 14:26 and 16:13f. used the masculine demonstrative pronoun “he” (that one) of the Holy Spirit. (2) He is called Helper (Comforter). This designation is applied both to the Holy Spirit (John
14:16,26;15:26;16:7) and to Christ(John 14:16;1 John 2:1), andsinceit expressed personality when applied to Christ, it must do so also when applied to the Spirit. (3) Personal characteristics are ascribed to him. He has the three essential elements of personality: intellect (1 Cor. 2:11), sensibilities (Rom. 8:27; 15:30), and will (1 Cor. 12:ll).
(4) Personal acts are performed by him. He regenerates (John 3:5), teaches (John 14:26), bears witness (John 15:26), convicts (John 16:8-ll), guides into truth (John 16:13), glorifies Christ (John 16:14), calls man into service (Acts 13 :2), speaks (Acts 13:2 ; Rev. 2: 7), directs men in service (Acts The Nature of God: Unity and Trinity 97
16:6f.), intercedes (Rom. 8:26), searches out (1 Cor. 2:10), and works (1 Cor. 12:ll). (5) He relates to the Father and the Son as a person. This is the case in the baptismal formula (Matt. 28:19), in the apostolic benediction (2 Cor. 13: 14), and in his office as administrator of the church (1 Cor. 12:4-6; cf. also 1 Pet. 1:lf.; Jude 20f.).
(6) He is susceptible of personal treatment. He can be tempted (Acts 5 : 9), lied to (Acts 5:3), grieved (Eph. 4:30; Isa. 63:10), resisted (Acts 7:51), insulted (Heb. 10:29), and blasphemed (Matt. 12:31f.). (7) He is distinguished from his own power (Acts 10:38; Rom. 15:13; 1 Cor. 2:4). All these things prove that the Holy Spirit is a person, not a mere influence.
b. He is deity. He is not, however, merely a person. He is a divine person. This can be shown in several ways: (1) Attributes of deity are affirmed of him. He is eternal (Heb. 9:14), omniscient (1 Cor. 2:lOf.; John 14:26; 16:12f.), omnipotent (Luke 1:35), and omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-10). (2) Works of deity are ascribed to him, such as creation (Gen. 1: 2 ; Job 33 : 4 ; Ps.
104:30), regeneration (John 3:5), inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Pet. 1:21; cf. Acts 1:16; 28:25), and raising of the dead (Rom. 8:ll). (3) The way in which he is associated with the Father and the Son proves not only his personality, but also his deity, as in the baptismal formula (Matt. 28: 19), the apostolic benediction (2 Cor. 13:14), and the administration of the church (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
(4) The words and works of the Holy Spirit are considered as the words and works of God (cf. Isa. 6:9f. with John 12:3941 and Acts 28:25-27; Exod.
16:7 with Ps. 95:8-11; Isa. 63:9f. with Heb. 3:7-9; Gen. 1:27 with Job 33:4. (5) Finally, he is expressly called God (Acts 5:3f. ; 2 Cor. 3: 17f.). Other divine names are also given to him (cf. Exod. 17: 7 with Heb. 3:7-9; and 2 Tim. 3: 16 with 2 Pet. 1:21). AI1 these references prove that the Holy Spirit, equally with the Father and the Son, is God. In church history some opposition to the doctrine of the deity of the Holy Spirit has arisen. Arius and his followers held that the Holy Spirit was created by the Son; Macedonius, Bishop of Constantinople from A.D. 341-360, and his followers held that the
Holy Spirit was a creature subordinate to the Son ; and later, Socinus propounded that he was the eternal manifestation of Gods power.
Orthodox Christianity has always held to the deity of the Holy Spirit. The
Council of Constantinople (381) affirmed this doctrine, just as the Council of Nicaea (325) clarified the doctrine of the deity of Christ. These are considered the first two general councils of the church.
As Jesus Christ is the Son of God, so the Spirit is the Spirit of God. An early controversy (Fihoque Controversy) in the church concerned the procession of the Holy Spirit. Did the Spirit proceed from the Father or from the Father and the Son? The Council of Toledo (589) acknowledged the Spirit’s procession from both the Father and the Son. This doctrine is established in
/ :..Theology
LWO ways: Jesus declared that he would send the Spirit (John 15: 26), and the Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9), of Jesus (Acts 16:7), and of his Son (Gal. 4:6).
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