The Nature of the Holy Spirit

A. The Spirit's Equality with the Trinity

The Holy Spirit is equal in His divine nature to the Father and the Son. In His Great
Commission, Jesus calls on His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit (Matthew 28:19), thereby putting the Spirit on the same level as the Father and Son
within the Trinity. When in the Upper Room Discourse Jesus promises the disciples to send
“another” helper (John 14:16-17), He is speaking of someone of the same essence as He,
thus affirming the equality of the Spirit with himself.

The New Testament writers assume the Holy Spirit is divine. In Acts 28:25-27, Paul quotes
Isaiah 6:9, stating that it was the Holy Spirit who spoke to Isaiah. When we refer to the
original text of Isaiah, however, we see that Isaiah attributes these words to Yahweh.
Therefore, Paul clearly sees the Holy Spirit to be the same as Yahweh himself. The writer of
Hebrews does the same in Hebrews 10:15ff, when quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34.

While He is equal, the Spirit, in His humility, does nothing of His own initiative (John 16:13).
He does not move on His own, but is sent from the Father at the request of the Son (John
15:26). Furthermore, the Spirit does not seek to glorify Himself, but only to glorify the Son
(John 16:14).

B. The Spirit as the Executive of the Trinity

Equality, however, does not mean that the Holy Spirit has the same roles. Indeed, the Holy
Spirit's role within the Trinity is to be the “mover and shaker” of the Trinity. He is the power
and executing force within the Godhead. Charles Hodge states:

The Spirit is the executive of the Godhead. Whatever God does, He does by the Spirit.

This is seen in the Holy Spirit's was involvement in creation (Genesis 1:2, Psalm 104:30).
The Spirit was also involved in the immaculate conception of Christ in Mary (Matthew 1:18).

C. The Spirit's Ministry to Christ

The Spirit's role as executive is most tangibly seen in the Spirit's ministry to Christ. Jesus
entire ministry is conducted in the power of the Spirit and in response to the leading of the
Holy Spirit. Jesus' earthly ministry does not take place until His baptism, at which the Spirit
descends upon Him like a dove (Luke 3:16). Immediately following His baptism, Jesus, full
of the Holy Spirit, is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to face temptation (Luke 4:1).
Jesus teaching and healing ministry throughout Galilee was done in the power of the Spirit
(Luke 4:14). Jesus also affirms that his ability to cast out demons comes not from the devil,
but through the power of the Spirit (Matthew 12:28).

III. The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

A. The Spirit's Proclaiming Ministry
One of the Spirit's primary ministries is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Spirit is
the one who testifies about Christ (1 John 5:6-8), for it is the role of the Spirit to glorify the
Son (John 16:14).

However, the Spirit accomplishes this ministry by moving and directing humans. Jesus
alludes to this ministry when quoting a Psalm of David to the Pharisees in Matthew 24:43,
stating that David was “in the Spirit” when he wrote the Psalm. Peter indicates the Spirit
was the one who revealed to the prophets the things of Christ in the Old Testament (1 Peter
1:10-12), and that this was accomplished by the initiative of the Holy Spirit as he “moved”
men (2 Peter 1:21).

Jesus tells the disciples that they can expect the Spirit to “move” them as they testify and
proclaim Him. Jesus tells his disciples that they will stand before earthly authorities and that
the Holy spirit will teach them “on-the-fly” what to say (Luke 12:11-12). Furthermore, after
He is gone, the Holy Spirit will remind the disciples of all He said to them (John 14:26) as
He guides them into all truth (John 16:13).

In addition, the Spirit's testimony will come through gifts given to humans, either as signs
and wonders or through prophecy (Hebrews 2:4).

B. The Spirit's Convicting Ministry

As the Spirit proclaims the gospel of Christ to the world, part of that message results in
conviction of sin. The Spirit's message convicts the world regarding sin, righteousness and
judgment (John 16:8-11). This message to the world is not readily accepted, as the natural
man does not accept the things of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:14).

When the world rejects the proclaiming and convicting ministry of the Spirit, it insults the
Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:29). The Holy Spirit guides us into the truth. Those who reject this
ministry of the Holy Spirit are rejecting the truth and are said to blaspheme the Spirit (Luke
12:10). Those who blaspheme the Spirit are condemned for committing the one
unforgivable sin.

C. The Indwelling (Baptism) of the Spirit

1. Indwelling of the Spirit Pre-Pentecost

Throughout the Old Testament we see that the Spirit comes upon only certain people for the
accomplishment of certain tasks. Most of the judges (Judges 3:10, 15:14, 16:20), the
prophets and even some of the kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10:6, 16:13) receive the Spirit at
least for a time. The power that came to those who were indwelled is a stark contrast to
those who lost the Spirit or never had the Spirit in the first place.

However, the Spirit would also be removed from people when their ministry was completed
or when they were removed from ministry for cause. King Saul had been anointed by the
Spirit, but due to His sin, the Spirit departed (1 Samuel 16:14). For that reason as well,
after David was caught in the sin of adultery with Bathsheba, David pleads with the Lord not
to take the Holy Spirit from him (Psalm 51:11).
In his gospel, Luke records other examples of the indwelling of the Spirit prior to Pentecost.
John the Baptist receives the Holy Spirit will still in his mother's womb (Luke 1:15, 41).
John's father, Zecharias, receives the Spirit and begins to prophesy (Luke 1:67). When Mary
and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple as an infant, Simeon, full of the Holy Spirit, proclaims
that this baby is the Messiah.

2. Indwelling of the Spirit Post-Pentecost

Luke's record of the indwelling of these individuals is a foreshadowing of events leading up

to the climax in Acts 2. Luke records that John the Baptist predicted that Jesus would
baptize his followers not with water, but with the Spirit (Luke 3:16). After His resurrection,
Jesus had told his disciples that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). He
even illustrated this by breathing on His disciples (John 20:22).

This baptism takes place initially in Acts 2:4, where forty days after His ascension, during
the feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples. This baptism is made
evident through their supernatural ability to speak in foreign languages.

After Pentecost, the reception of the Holy Spirit follows no consistent pattern in the book of
Acts. Peter proclaims that people who believe and are baptized will receive the Holy Spirit
(Acts 2:38). Sometimes the Spirit comes when an apostle lays hands upon a believer (Acts
8:17). Other times, the Holy Spirit comes upon individuals as soon as they believe but
before they are baptized and without the laying on of hands by an apostle (Acts 10:44-47).
Acts does not provide us with a normative pattern from which we can ascertain the timing
of the filling of the Holy Spirit. Belief is the only constant between these examples.

Nonetheless, the reception of the Holy Spirit is normally accompanied by a demonstration of

power, often the ability to speak in other languages.

3. The Indwelling of the Spirit as a Guarantee of Salvation

While Acts does not give us a normative pattern, Jesus makes it clear that one must have
the Spirit in order to be saved. In John 3:5-8, Jesus states that one must be born of the
Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God. Paul reiterates this, stating that if one does not
have the Spirit in order to be in Christ (Romans 8:9).

In fact, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is our assurance that we are indeed in Christ and
that we have been saved (1 John 3:24, 4:13). It is the Spirit who testifies that we are
children of God and that one day our salvation will be completed in our glorification
(Romans 8:16). The Holy Spirit serves as the “first fruits” of our coming glorification
(Romans 8:23), and serves as the down payment or guarantee of our future glory
(Ephesians 1:13-14). The Spirit's indwelling is God's seal that nothing will happen to the
believer until finally we receive the fullness of our salvation (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

C. The Spirit's Ministry to Believers

1. The Nature of the Spirit's Ministry

The believer's indwelling of the Spirit is the mechanism by which the Spirit actively
ministers to the believer. The Holy Spirit is actively involved in the sanctification of the
believer (1 Peter 1:2), and is part of the ongoing regeneration and renewing of believers
(Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit teaches believers, showing us and helping us to understand
spiritual truths and the very nature and mind of God himself (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

The Holy Spirit also serves as an intercessor between believer and the Father. Because the
Spirit indwells us, He can understand our deepest emotions and thoughts and can translate
that in “groanings” too deep for words (Romans 8:26-27).

2. The Role of the Spirit in Church Unity

The Spirit also manifests Himself in the life of the believer through supernatural gifting (1
Corinthians 12:7). The Spirit is the one who decides, according to His will, who receives
what gift (1 Corinthians 12:11). When a believer exercises their gifting, it is the Spirit who
is working within them.

The purpose of these gifts is to build-up the body of Christ and bring further unity to the
body. For while there are many varieties of gifting through the Spirit, they are all
manifestations of the same Spirit, thereby affirming the unity of the body through the Spirit
(1 Corinthians 12:13).

If our ministries and the exercise of our gifts are merely manifestations of the Spirit, we
have nothing to brag about. We are only agents of the Spirit. Therefore, because all
believers share in the indwelling (or baptism) of the Spirit, all believers are found to be
equal before God. The universal indwelling of the Spirit is the basis for Christian unity
(Ephesians 4:3-4, Philippians 2:1-2).

3. Walking in the Spirit

While all believers are indwelled by the Spirit, believers are called to “walk by the Spirit”
(Galatians 5:25), and to be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). These are commands,
suggesting that it is left to the will of the believer whether or not to walk or be filled with
the Spirit.

Being filled is clearly something distinct from being baptized or being indwelled by the
Spirit. First, the baptism of the Spirit is not something that can be accomplished by human
will, but only through the Spirit's will. Secondly, the command to be filled is given to people
who have already been sealed by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Likewise, walking by the
Spirit in Galatians is only an option to one who is already alive by the Spirit.

To be filled with the Spirit is likened to being drunk with wine. It is to give yourself over to
the influence of the Spirit that already exists within. It is to voluntarily listen to the
conviction, teaching and guiding of the Spirit. It is to allow oneself to be sanctified by the
Spirit.

If one is being filled by the Spirit, it will manifest itself through speaking and singing to one
another in thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:19) and in an attitude of submission (Ephesians
5:21). If one is walking by the Spirit, it will manifest itself in the fruits of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22-23).
One does not appropriate the Spirit by doing the fruits of the Spirit, for that would be
walking according to the flesh. Instead, the fruits of the Spirit come as a result of walking
according to the Spirit (Romans 8:5).

As believers in Christ, the Spirit of God dwells in us. The same Spirit who raised Christ from
the dead indwells us and empowers us to live sanctified lives and to submit to one another
as we exercise the gifts manifest in us. We do not need to fear the Spirit will be taken from
us, as David did. Instead, we can rest assure in the seal of the Spirit which serves as a
guarantee of our future glory with God. Let us therefore, not squander the Spirit, but let us
be filled with the Spirit and walk with the Spirit.