The Trinity
…. I believe in the Holy Spirit …..
Why start with the Trinity when we are talking about The Holy Spirit? It is not mentioned in the Apostles’ Creed. Well, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church defines the Holy Spirit as The Third Person of the Trinity, distinct from, but consubstantial, coequal, and coeternal with, the Father and the Son, and in the fullest sense God. So, we will start there.
The Trinity Revealed
Neither the Bible nor the Apostle’s Creed makes any mention of the Trinity. There is no attempt to reveal the Trinity as three persons in one Godhead. It was only after various heresies were repudiated at the Council of Constantinople in 381 that the doctrine of the Trinity was formulated and became accepted in the Church.
The Old Testament
Leaving aside the Trinity for the moment and looking at the Old Testament, we meet the Spirit in the opening words, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1.2). Isaiah writes about present desolation and future glory (32.14-15). A re-creation is needed. The Spirit gives men the gift of leadership e.g. Joseph, Joshua, etc. The Spirit is especially connected with the Prophets. Then as foretold in Joel 2.28, It will come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. This prophecy was to be come abundantly true in the New Testament.
New Testament
The Spirit is evident throughout the New Testament, but two books give us more information about the Spirit than the others do. The Book of Acts gives us the picture of The Spirit in the Church, while John gives us the picture of the Spirit in the individual life. Acts tells us the disciples were to await the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. After this event the supreme work of the Spirit was the guidance of the Christian Church. No decision was taken without the guidance of the Spirit. Whereas in the Gospel of John we see the operation of the Spirit within the individual life. In John 14.26 Jesus is virtually saying the Spirit is to take his place.
A Difficulty
Many have trouble with the idea of three persons in one Godhead. If we note that the word persona in Latin means a mask worn by actors on the stage, we can get the helpful picture that the three persons (persona) in the Trinity represent three parts that God plays in the drama of creation and of redemption and of the life we have to live it. God in the divine drama plays the part of Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer: as God the Father he is Creator: as God the Son he is Redeemer; as God the Holy Spirit he is Sustainer.
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