Three Powerful Reasons to Believe the Holy Spirit is God
Who is the Holy Spirit? In my last blog I wrote that the Holy Spirit is not merely a power or force, but He is a Person. In this blog, we turn to three powerful reasons why the Holy Spirit is deity, or that He is a Divine Person, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead.
The Holy Spirit as presented in the Bible as the same essential deity as God the Father and the Son. Therefore, we ought to worship, adore, love, and obey Him as God. The Holy Spirit is God! Men deny this truth as often as they deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. While there are many reasons for us to believe in the Holy Spirit as God, here are three powerful proofs.
1. The Holy Spirit possesses attributes that only God possesses.
God Himself alone is all knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. The Holy Spirit fully possesses these attributes. Isaiah 40:13 says, “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being His counsellor hath taught Him?” That is, because the Holy Spirit has perfect and complete knowledge, He did not need any counsel in creating and preserving the material world. Zechariah 14:6 declares that God’s work is, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” This underscores that the Holy Spirit is omnipotent. Psalm 139:7 the writer declares, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” Yes, the Holy Spirit is omnipresent who leads us and holds us up throughout our days. The Holy Spirit is also eternal (Hebrews 9:14) and absolute truth (John 14:17). The truly amazing reality is that the very Person of God, the Holy Spirit, dwells in us. He is our power who is ever present with us. God challenges us always to depend upon His power. This is truly wonderful!
2. The Holy Spirit is given Names and Titles only to given God.
He is called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ (1 Cor. 3:16; Romans 8:9). The reason He is the Holy Spirit is His pure holiness (Acts 1:5). He is the Spirit of truth for He is absolute truth (John 16:13). He is the Spirit of promise because every promise of God is breathed out by Him (Ephesians 1:13). He is the Spirit of the Lord for He is One in essence with the Father and Son (2 Cor .3:18). The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of grace and glory, of life and holiness. We can praise our great God and His Spirit for who He is!
3. The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Son
The Scripture reveals the Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Son. Many Scriptures teach us this. For example, at Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit like a dove descended upon Jesus in the waters of His baptism, and the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16, 17). They are one in demonstrating full approval of the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Son in our access to God in prayer. Ephesians 2:18 says, “For through Him (the Son) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Every time we seek access to God in prayer, which should be continually, all three Persons of the Godhead are intimately involved. God attends every prayer we make because the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together as one.
We also see their oneness is in their glorious attributes. Paul’s benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” What is truly fascinating is that one could switch these attributes around between any of the Persons of the Godhead and not be in theological error. The grace of the Holy Spirit and Father is equal to the grace of the Son. The love of the Father is equal to the love of the Son and the Holy Spirit. The communion of the Father and Son is equal to the communion we experience with the Holy Spirit. They are one!
Finally, the Great Commission powerfully demonstrates their oneness. The Great Commission to the church commands that every soul is baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). Being baptized in the name of the three persons of the Godhead show that they are co-equal and co-powerful. The phrase “in the name” also speaks of disciples submitting equally to the authority of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Baptizing disciples is at the heart of the Great Commission and shows that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in seeking and saving the lost.
We must daily walk in fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our Great God!
Matt Recker is the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in New York City.