| When reciting the Apostles’ Creed, we make the statement, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” But who is the Holy Spirit? Some of the cults say that the Holy Spirit is not a person, but is a thing. So when they refer to the Holy Spirit, they use the pronoun “it” instead of “Him” or “He.”
As Trinitarians, we believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. By “person,” we mean the Holy Spirit possesses a distinct personality from the Father and Son. This is proven by the various Scripture passages that attribute personal characteristics, such as emotions and volition, to the Holy Spirit.
In terms of His role within the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is responsible for applying the atoning work of Jesus to the lives of all that the Father has elect. He accomplishes this work by taking up residency in within us. This is communicated to us in John 14:16-17, which is our sermon text for this Lord’s Day. Having the Holy Spirit dwell within us comes with immense benefits; but at the same time, there are personal duties that we must be aware of, as well. |
