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THE HOLY SPIRIT IS DEITY
"The great trinitarian strife is usually called the Arian controversy,
because it was occasioned by the anti-trinitarian views of Arius, a presbyter
of Alexandria, a rather skilful disputant, though not a profound spirit.
His dominant idea was the monotheistic principle of the Monarchians, that
there is only one unbegotten God, one unoriginated Being, without any beginning
of existence. He distinguished between the Logos that is immanent in God,
which is simply a divine energy, and the Son or Logos that finally became
incarnate. The latter had a beginning: He was generated by the Father,
which is the parlance of Arius was simply equivalent to saying that He
was created. he was created out of nothing before the world was called
into being, and for that very reason was not eternal nor of the divine
essence. The greatest and first of all created beings, He was brought into
being that through Him the world might be created. He is therefore also
mutable, but is chosen of God on account of his foreseen merits, and is
called the Son of God in view of His future glory. And in virtue of His
adoption as Son He is entitled to the veneration of men." (Berkhof, Louis;
"THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES"; Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1937,
p 84, 90-91, p 84)
Arius held that the Holy Spirit was the first created being produced
by the Son, an opinion very much in harmony with that of Origen." (Berkhof,
p 90)
". . .in AD 381 the general Council of Constantinople met, it declared
its approval of the Nicene Creed and under the guidance of Gregory of Nazianzus
accepted the following formula respecting the Holy Spirit: 'And we believe
in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-giving, who proceeds from the Father,
who is to be glorified with the Father and the Son, and who speaks through
the prophets.'" (Berkhof, p 90-91)
I would refer you to Pache's book on the Spirit for a very good study
of the deity of the Spirit.
Some disputed the deity of the Spirit in the early days of the church.
We will see this more in another study, let it suffice to mention Arius.
He taught that God created Christ and that Christ created the Spirit. This
was refuted by the Nicene Creed in A.D. 325.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS DEITY
1. HIS DEITY IS SEEN IN HIS ATTRIBUTES:
He is eternal, Heb. 9:14 "...eternal Spirit....". Since, only God is
eternal, we might safely assume that the Holy Spirit is Deity.
He is omniscient, I Cor. 2:10-12, we won't read the whole text but vs
10 mentions, "...for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things
of God." and vs 11 tells us, "For what man knoweth the things of a man,
except the spirit of man which is in Him? Even so the things of God knoweth
no man, but the Spirit of God." Also Lu. 2:25-32; Jo 14:26; 16:12,13. Again,
only God has the attribute of omniscience, thus the Spirit must be God.
He is Omnipresent, Ps. 139:7-10. Vs 7 mentions, "Whither shall I go
from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" He indwells
all believers at once. Jo. 14:17 shows this when Christ promises the Spirits
coming to the disciples. He, being omnipresent, must be God.
He is omnipotent, Zech. 4:6, "...Not by might, nor by power, but by
my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." The context speaks of a mountain becoming
a plain. This is the Spirit of God, the one that was the instrument of
creation. The Father declared the creation, the Son spoke, and the Spirit
made it so.
Luke 1:35 mentions the conception of Jesus. This would certainly take
a tremendous power of deity. Also in Job 33:4, Elihu declared that the
Spirit had made him.
He is truth, I Jo. 5:6, "...And it is the Spirit that beareth witness,
because the Spirit is truth." Only God "is truth," thus the Spirit must
be God.
He demonstrates sovereign acts. We are told that He gives spiritual
gifts as He wills in I Cor. 12:11.
He is involved in our salvation. I Cor. 6:11, "And such were some of
you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Only God can
be involved in our salvation.
Some misc. texts that show other ideas along this line. Isa. 40:13;
Rom 3:2; II Tim. 1:7; II Tim. 1:7; Rom. 16:27.
2. HIS DEITY IS SEEN IN HIS NAMES:
He is called the Spirit of God: Gen. 1:2, "...And the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters." (I Cor. 2:11 also.) This would indicate
that the Spirit is an integrated part of God, thus we must assume that
He is deity.
He is called eternal Spirit: Heb. 9:14, "How much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot
to God...." Only God is eternal.
There are several names that I will just list with a reference for you
further study.
He is called the Spirit of Jehovah, Is. 11:2
He is called the Spirit of the Living God, II Cor. 3:3
He is called the Spirit of the Lord Jehovah, Is. 61:1
He is called the Spirit of Christ, Rom. 8:9
He is called the Spirit of Jesus, Acts 16:6,7
3. HIS DEITY IS SEEN IN HIS ACTIVITIES:
His deity is seen in His work in creation. Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:30; Job.
26:13, "By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed
the crooked serpent." The Spirit's part in creation demands omnipotence,
which in turn demands deity.
His deity is seen in revelation. Acts 28:25, "...Well spoke the Holy
Spirit by Isaiah, the prophet, unto our fathers," Only God has revealed
His message to mankind. The New Testament declares the Spirit to be the
instrument of revelation. (II Pet. 1:21 mentions also that the prophets
spoke as they were moved by the Spirit. II Sam. 23:2,3 mentions, "The Spirit
of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue.")
His deity is seen in Christ's birth. Lu. 1:35, "And the angel answered,
and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power
of the Highest shall overshadow thee...." Another indication of power,
or omnipotence.
His deity is seen in His work of conviction. Jo. 16:7-11, The text speaks
of the Spirit convicting the world. Only God could undertake such a task.
The conviction of one person would require God, much less conviction of
the entire human race as it has walked the earth through the ages.
His deity is seen in His work of regeneration. Jo. 3:3-6. These verses
tell us that rebirth comes only by being born of the Spirit. Christ was
speaking to Nicodemus.
His deity is seen in His work of resurrection. Rom. 8:11, "But if the
Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Only deity has power over death.
His deity is seen in his activity with the church. He is involved with
the church. I Cor. 12:4-6; Rev. 3:22.
4. HIS DEITY IS SEEN IN HIS ASSOCIATIONS WITH GOD:
Acts 28:25 mentions that the Holy Spirit spoke through Isaiah, and in
Isaiah we find it is mentioned that God was communicating with Isaiah (Is.
6). Another set of verses which indicate the same idea are Jer. 31:31-34
and Heb. 10:15-17
The lie of Ananias and Sapphira was linked to the Holy Spirit in Acts
5:3, and to God in vs 4.
The Baptismal formula of Matt. 28:19 and the benediction of II Cor.
13:14 both show the Spirit with the Son and The Father. II Cor. 13:14,
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen."
He is identified as the temple of the believer, while we are also called
the temple of God (I Cor. 6:19 cf. I Cor. 3:16, indeed, 3:16 mentions both
God and the Spirit. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?." Col. 1:27 mentions that Christ is
in us as well).
The phrase "another comforter" indicates that the Spirit is of an identical
nature with Christ. Christ Himself identifies the Spirit as of the same
status, or nature as Himself.
He is also linked to God in the administration of the church. I Cor.
12:4-6
The above proofs should give only one conclusion, and that conclusion
would be that The Holy Spirit is God. He is person three within the trinity
from eternity past.
APPLICATION:
1. We know His leading is sure and guaranteed as correct. He is truth,
and He would not lead us counter to His nature, or the Word.
2. He sealed us - we know we are eternally secure. He is our guarantee!
He can not all of a sudden not guarantee! Our surety is based in The Eternal
Almighty God.
3. His deity should show us His love, grace and longsuffering in the
fact that He is within us and we step willfully into sin. He could strike
us dead, yet He awaits our repentance and correct living.
4. It should curb our wrong doing. HE IS WITHIN. He is witness of all
that we do.
Surely, realizing these things should correct some of our wrong living,
and wrong thinking.