Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity — fully divine, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son — the personal agent of God’s presence and power in creation, revelation, and redemption. He is not an impersonal force: he has mind and will, apportioning gifts "as he wills" (1 Corinthians 12:11), and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30); to lie to the Spirit is to lie to God (Acts 5:3–4).

The Old Testament shows the Spirit of God (Ruach) hovering over creation (Genesis 1:2), empowering judges and kings (Judges 3:10; 1 Samuel 16:13), and inspiring the prophets, who "spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). The prophets foretold a coming age when God would give a new heart and put his Spirit within his people (Ezekiel 36:26–27) and pour out his Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28–29).

That age dawns in Christ, who is conceived by the Spirit (Luke 1:35), anointed at his baptism (Matthew 3:16), and ministers in the Spirit’s power (Luke 4:18). Jesus promises the Spirit as another Paraclete — Helper and Advocate — who indwells believers, teaches them, and convicts the world (John 14:16–17; John 16:7–15). At Pentecost the Spirit is poured out on the church (Acts 2:4), empowering its witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

In the believer the Spirit is the agent of the whole Christian life: he gives new birth (John 3:5–8; Titus 3:5), unites us to Christ and indwells us (Romans 8:9–11), produces his fruit (Galatians 5:22–23), distributes gifts to build the body (1 Corinthians 12:4–11), intercedes in our prayers (Romans 8:26–27), and seals us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13–14). The Nicene Creed confesses him as "the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified."