We’ve just learned about the Deity of Christ, which could be the most important of all Christian doctrines. We’ve also learned that when established by conclusive proofs, the doctrine of the Trinity is usually accepted without hesitation. The personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit has been established in part already in learning these things. Because of that, this is a shorter chapter. But even though it is short in length, this doctrine is still very important. We can divide this teaching into two parts: The personality of the Holy Spirit, and the deity (divinity) of the Holy Spirit.
When we talk about the personality of the Holy Spirit, we are acknowledging that the Holy Spirit is a person; not a mere energy or influence like some heretical religions believe, but an intelligent person. We can back this up by considering what Jesus says.
John 14:16, 26.
The comforter being promised is the Holy Spirit. Being described as one who administers comfort, this clearly suggests the existence of a personality. The Holy Spirit is said to teach. The office of teacher also clearly suggests personality. When it is said “He will teach you all things”, it is virtually declared that the Holy Spirit is a person.
Consider the Baptismal commission: Churches are given authority to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit. “In the name” usually means “by authority of”. If this is the meaning here, the authority of the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father’s & the Son’s. In this case, the Holy Spirit must be a person. But alas, this is not the meaning here of “In the name” in this commission. Baptism is administered by authority of the Son, but “into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This declares an avowal of allegiance, and consecration to the three persons of the Godhead. There is a profession of fellowship with God in his threefold unity. The personality of the Holy Spirit is clearly implied.
Certain religions claim that the Holy Spirit is simply God’s "active force". It would be absurd to mention an energy or an influence along with the names ‘Father & Son’ in the ordinance of Baptism. Simply saying “in the name of the Father and Son” implies that an ‘active force’ is invoked. If there were no force or power necessary for the task at hand (baptism), their names would not be invoked. The Holy Spirit is mentioned as well as the Father and the Son. Why is this? It is because the Holy Spirit has equal personality with the Father & Son.
To confirm the personality of the Holy Spirit, one must simply acknowledge that the Holy Spirit does only what one with a personality can do. Study the following verses:
John 15:26, 16:14
Romans 8:28
1 Corinthians 12:11
Ephesians 4:30
It is learned from these verses that the Holy Spirit: testifies of Christ, glorifies Christ, makes intercession for the saints, distributes gifts as he will, and seals unto the day of redemption. These acts are all personal acts. It requires the place of a person to testify, to glorify, to intercede, to will, and to seal arrangements. We can be morally certain that the Holy Spirit is a person.
The personality of the Holy Spirit is no more obvious than the divinity of the Holy Spirit. We have some facts to prove the claim: He is called God, He is divinely perfect, He performs divine operations, and there is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Let’s look closer at each one of these truths, and how they each prove the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
First, the Holy Spirit is called God.
Acts 5:3-4
It is plainly taught here that to lie to the Holy Spirit is to lie to God. Why is this? Because the Holy Spirit is God! The charge which Peter interrogatively makes is that Ananias has lied to the Holy Spirit. To show the greatness of his sin, he says he is lying to God.
1 Corinthians 3:16
The temple at Jerusalem was God’s House, and he was said to dwell there. Availing himself of this form of speech, Paul told the members of the Corinthian Church that they themselves, the members of the Church, were the temple of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19
We now have the expressions “Temple of God” and “Temple of the Holy Ghost” applied to the same church. If a church or an individual is the temple of God & the temple of the Holy Spirit, it must only be because the HS is God.
Second, the Holy Spirit is divinely perfect. This was first discussed when we learned about the being of God. If these perfections, when ascribed to Christ, prove Christ’s deity, then when ascribed to the Holy Spirit, they prove the Holy Spirit’s deity. Divine perfections can only belong to the divine. The Holy Spirit is represented as eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Consider the following scriptures:
Hebrews 9:14
1 Corinthians 2:10
Psalm 139:7
1 Peter 3:18
Romans 8:11
As these attributes belong inalienably to God, and as they are here ascribed to the Holy Spirit, the conclusion is irresistible that the Holy Spirit is God.
Third, divine operations are attributed to the Holy Spirit. The most prominent of these operations are connected with creation, and the working of miracles.
Genesis 1:2
Order and beauty were brought out of chaotic darkness by the Holy Spirit.
Job 26:13
These two passages sufficiently show the Holy Spirit’s connection to creation and, by consequence, prove his deity. As to miracles, consider the following scriptures:
Matthew 12:28
1 Corinthians 12:8-10
A miracle is a supernatural work. They are a work which no created being can perform. The laws of nature have been established by God, and God alone can suspend them. They are outside of man’s sphere of influence, but within only God’s. As a miracle is a suspension of the laws of nature, the Holy Spirit in working miracles justifies his claim to divinity.
Lastly, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit gives conclusive proof of his deity.
Mark 3:28-30
Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is denying the tugging of the heart by the Holy Spirit letting you know of your conviction. By becoming ‘stiff-necked’ and ‘hard-hearted’ against the conviction, you are denying that you are lost, and have no chance for salvation. It is the Holy Spirit which convicts, and denying the conviction is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. It is only common sense that this would be the only unforgivable sin. We all commit this sin up to a certain point, but at the point where we listen to and acknowledge the conviction of the Holy Spirit, all the ‘lesser’ sins (which is ALL other sins) will be forgiven when we’re saved! In simple terms: you can’t get saved if you don’t believe in the Holy Spirit. It is the only unforgivable sin, because if you don’t believe in the Holy Spirit, then the rest of your sins cant be forgiven either. But if you do believe in the Holy Spirit, then you can get saved. All your sins will be cast into the “Sea of Forgetfulness”. It is only plain here that this conclusively proves the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Those of us who are saved know it. If the Holy Spirit is not divine, then we cannot explain why a sin committed against him cannot be forgiven. The uniqueness of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is inseparable from the deity of the Holy Spirit.
In conclusion, we will consider His name, the ‘Holy Spirit’. He is also called the comforter, but only when in reference to one of his traits. Some people who like to vainly scrutinize will ask “Why is he called the ‘Holy’ Spirit, while God isn’t the ‘Holy’ Father and Jesus isn’t the ‘Holy’ Son?” To correct this misunderstanding, we may answer thus: As in the Godhead there is an equality of nature, there must also be an equality in holiness. The holiness is infinite. Infinity has no degrees. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equally and perfectly holy. Furthermore, The Holy Spirit is called the ‘Holy’ Spirit because it is his office to make holy. It is his work to deposit the germ of holiness in the sinful heart of mankind. There is no holiness in any human heart until the Holy Spirit produces it. That germ of holiness implanted in regeneration is developed and edified in sanctification, which is, equally with regeneration, also the work of the HS. The third person in the Godhead is called the ‘Holy Spirit’ because he renovates the soul, purifies it, and prepares it for heaven.
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