I Believe in the Holy Spirit

As we continue our study of the Apostle’s creed, we shift from a long section on the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, to look at the Holy Spirit. But do we really know the things we need to know?

We live in the information age. Since the rise of the internet, access to information is just a search away.

Today, since the rise of the internet, access to information is just a search away.

But one could argue that with all this information available to us, we’re poorly informed when it comes to knowing information. Perhaps it is because we’re used to accessing information on our phones, computers or tablets, that we’ve stopped acquiring information.

Creeds serve the church by reminding us of what we need to know, and why we need to know it. Creeds also help us to speak against non-Biblical worldviews. But we can only do that, if we know what a Biblical worldview is.

Let’s recite the creed together:

We believe in the Holy Spirit. A number of weeks ago we saw the Holy Spirit at work, when we studied the line in the creed where Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. We chose not to dig into who the Holy Spirit is then, so that we could learn about him today.

The Holy Spirit appears in many places in the Bible. He is happy to take a secondary role to the Father and the Son, indeed, he shines the spotlight on both. He works in the background. He is as important, as eternal, as powerful and as much a part of the Trinity as the Father and the Son are.

The Holy Spirit was present at creation, he hovered over the waters. He is the breath of life the Father breathed into Adam, and the breath that Jesus breathed on his disciples after his resurrection and before his ascension.

After Jesus ascension, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in power, at Pentecost. But, before he’d ascended, he told them what to expect. “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” ().

Jesus identifies the Holy Spirit as our helper. The Greek word is paracletos, paraclete. In technical form this word carries a legal dimension: an advocate, a lawyer. In the broader context, we can understand the word to mean comfort, protection, counsel and guidance.

In our passage, the translators used that broader context, translating parakletos as counselor. Identifying him as someone who will be with us forever, the Spirit of truth. This idea is picked up again in “But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will only speak what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from waht is mine and make it known to you.”

The Holy Spirit advocates, witnesses, exacts counsel, tells the truth about Jesus. No one can receive this truth apart from the Holy Spirit’s work.

The Holy Spirit is the one by whom, we all are born again. Little Nash DeHeer, one day, will, Lord willing, be made as alive in Christ, no even more alive in Christ than he is alive right now! That’s what we prayed for. That’s God’s promise that we’ve adopted by faith this morning. We need to be diligent in teaching Nash, in teaching all children, all of us, the truths of God by the Spirit of truth.

Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, identifies five truths about the Holy Spirit, in an article available on Ligonier.org.

First: The Holy Spirit is a unique person. You may have heard him referred to as a power, as an it. He is a person. He is the 3rd person of the Trinity, fully God. Like any person, he can be grieved (). He can be quenched (). On these two parts, the Holy Spirit feels grief when he is ignored, abused, when people refuse to respond to his presence. Likewise, the Holy Spirit can be resisted (). It is probably easier for most of us to think of the Father and the Son. But we need to be aware of the personhood and personness of the Holy Spirit.

Second: He is one with the Father and the Son. He is co-equal and co-eternal. Both the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit acts for both Father and Son. He never acts on his own. He only says and does what the Father and Son say and do. He cannot act contrary to nor outside of scripture. If you hear someone tell you something the the Spirit told them, and it is contrary to the Bible, it wasn’t the Holy Spirit talking to them.

Third: He is an agent of creation. He hovered over the waters in the beginning (). He is the breath (Hebrew ruach). He is the breath of the Almighty (ruach elohim), and as such he is an agent in creation, the breath of God. He demonstrates power and energy. We might picture God’s energy breathing out creation, speaking the Word through the Spirit, speaking things into existence, the world, the stars, everything visible and invisible. God asks in , “Who created these?” and then answers his own question, “The Spiriti, the irresisible power by which God accpomishes his purpose.” While individuals may resist the Holy Spirit’s influence on their life. God’s sovereign will is always, irresistibly done.

Fourth: Not only is He the agent of creation, he is the agent of the new creation in Christ. Jesus taught Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no on can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (). Thus the Holy Spirit is the author of new birth.

Fifth: The Holy Spirit is the author of the scriptures. The Greek word is theopneustos—God breathed. , “men spoke from God by the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit worked in and through real people, who had real DNA, who were writing in the real world, in real history, also while keeping their own personalities. God used Jeremiah’s personality, even as he gave him the words to speak.

The Holy Spirit is another counselor, a counselor in addition to Jesus. But do not think of him as though he is of another kind. No, he is of the same kind as Jesus, so that we may be certain, so that we may know, that Jesus is with us forever.

All these things we need to know. It is one thing to accumulate knowledge and keep it up here.

Do you know the Holy Spirit? Do you know the truth? Does he live with you and is he in you?

How can you be sure? Do you love Jesus more than you love anyone or anything else? Is your love for Jesus so great that in comparison your love, good, true, honest love for your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your children, your nieces and nephews look like hatred in comparison?

Does your love for Jesus manifest itself in daily taking up your cross, following him, and seeing his kingdom first? Are you willing to lay down your life for Jesus? For others? Do you keep Jesus’ commandments?

Examine your heart, your life. Invite the Holy Spirit to search you. Surrender your life to Christ, obey his commands in love. Amen.

Let’s pray.

Our Father in heaven and our Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, we acknowlege the truth about who you are. Thank you for loving the Father and the Son and for loving us. Forgive us for resisting you, for grieving you. Stir our hearts. Move in us. Be upon and in Nash DeHeer. Be upon and in all of us, so that we may truly love Jesus by keeping his commands. Amen.