Deity of the Holy Spirit

The Light Shines in the Darkness...

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

-The Gloria Patri (2^nd Century A.D.)

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Since the time of the Reformation, when the light of religious liberty spread throughout much of the world, many old heresies arose that challenged the modern Church. These heresies included Arianism (i.e. the denial of the full deity of Christ, a denial of the deity of the Holy Spirit, and thus, the denial of the Trinity) and Modalism (i.e. the denial of the distinction between persons of the Godhead, a denial of the Trinity).

This article will prove that the Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit is as much God as God the Father. In the words of the Nicene Creed:

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

All quotes are from the NASB (emphasis mine):

Psalm 139:7

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

Commentary:

David identifies the Spirit as the very presence of God, not just an impersonal force.

Matthew 12:31-32

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Commentary:

If you can blaspheme the Holy Spirit in the same way that you can blaspheme the Father or the Son, then the Holy Spirit must be Divine.

Matthew 28:19

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”

Commentary:

Does it make any sense to say, “…baptizing them in the name of the Almighty God and a created angelic being and an electric-like force?!” The three mentioned here, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are mentioned as equals in essence.

Acts 5:3-4

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heartto lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Commentary:

At first, Peter says that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit. He then says that Ananias lied to God.

Acts 28:25-27 à Isaiah 6:5, 8-10

Isaiah 6:5, 8-10

Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”…Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; keep on looking, but do not understand.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed.”

Acts 28:25-27

And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’ ”

Commentary:

In the vision Isaiah had, he said that he saw the LORD (i.e. Jehovah) and that Jehovah is the one Who said the things above. Then, Paul identifies the one Who spoke as the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:10

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Commentary:

Why would the Spirit search out God (i.e. the Father) if He was just a force that emanated from the Father? Robert Morey comments:

“What must be in order for what is to be what it is? While the Trinitarian expects to find passages such as this, the Arian does not. Indeed, what Arian would write such exalted language about the Spirit? Only a Trinitarian could or would write such things concerning the Spirit.”

-Robert Morey, The Trinity: Evidence and Issues (Iowa Falls, IA: World Bible Publishers, 1996), p.427.

2 Corinthians 3:15-18

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Commentary:

Paul identifies the Spirit as the Lord and as the one Whom we turn to for salvation.

Hebrews 10:15-17 à Jeremiah 31:31-34

Jeremiah 31:31-34

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 10:15-17

And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, “THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,” He then says, “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”

Commentary:

Clearly, it is YHWH (i.e. Jehovah) Who is speaking through the Prophet Jeremiah. Then, the author of Hebrews identifies the speaker as the Holy Spirit. According to the author of Hebrews, the Holy Spirit is not just a force being emanated by the Father, but rather, He speaks and testifies as if He were sentient.

The Holy Spirit is Given the Attributes of a Sentient Being

Not only do Arians believe that the Holy Spirit is not God, they also deny that He is sentient. Rather, they teach that He is a force (like radar or electricity) that emanates from God the Father. However, there are many passages that teach that denies this.

Isaiah 63:10

But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.

Commentary:

Obviously, if the Holy Spirit can be grieved (i.e. He has emotions), then He is a sentient being.

Micah 2:7

“Is it being said, O house of Jacob: ‘Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these His doings?’ Do not My words do good to the one walking uprightly?”

Commentary:

I didn’t think a force like electricity could be impatient.

1 Kings 22:24

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?”

John 15:26

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me…”

John 16:7

“But 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.”

John 16:13

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Acts 5:9

Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”

Commentary:

I didn’t think you could put a force like electricity to the test.

Acts 5:32

“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Commentary:

The Holy Spirit is a witness, just like a person.

Acts 8:29

Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”

Acts 10:19-20

While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”

Acts 13:2

While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 21:11

And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

Romans 15:30

Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

Commentary:

I didn’t think a force like electricity could love.

1 Corinthians 12:11

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Commentary:

The Holy Spirit “works…as He wills”. This is certainly a characteristic of a sentient Being.

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Commentary:

I didn’t think a force like electricity could fellowship with believers.

Ephesians 4:30

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Commentary:

Obviously, if the Holy Spirit can be grieved (i.e. He has emotions), then He is a sentient being.

Hebrews 10:29

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Commentary:

I didn’t think a force like electricity could be insulted.

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Some helpful online reading can be found here:

http://www.carm.org/witnesses.htm

http://aomin.org/Witnesses.html

http://www.ntrmin.org/apologetic-tools.htm