THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

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He is a divine person. He is God! He is co-equal, co-eternal, co-existent with the Father and the Son. However, He is designated as the third person of the Trinity. In our own lives, there may be persons who are equal in station, but in position they are subordinate to others. It is the same with the Holy Spirit. As a Being, He is equal with the Father and the Son, but in position He is subordinate to the Father and gives precedence to the Son. Take note: there is no jealousy in the Godhead!

A. He Is Identified as the Old Testament Deity.

Jesus of the New Testament is Jehovah of the Old Testament; the Holy Spirit of the New Testament is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. “This shall be the covenant that I shall make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:33). “By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them” (Heb. 10:14, 15, 16).

B. He Is Called God.

1. In Acts 5:3, 4.

Acts 5:3, 4
“Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” Ananias and Sapphira died instantly for lying unto the Holy Spirit. They lied in the time of consecration. They were not struck dead because of withholding their money, but because they claimed to have given it all. They lied unto the Church, thus to the Holy Ghost.

2. In I Corinthians 3:16.

I Corinthians 3:16
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.” We are the temple of God because the Spirit dwells within.

3. In II Corinthians 3:17, R.V.

II Corinthians 3:17, R.V.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

C. He Possesses Divine Attributes.

1. Omnipotence.

“The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

2. Omniscience.

“The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (I Cor. 2:10). See also Luke 2:25-32.

3. Omnipresence.

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Ps. 139:7-10).

4. Everlastingness.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14).

5. Love.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me” (Rom. 15:30).

6. Holiness.

“Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).

D. He Performs the Works of God.

1. Creation.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:1,2). “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth” (Ps. 104:30). “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4).

2. Regeneration.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God . . . Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:3,5-8).

3. Resurrection.

“If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom. 8:11).

4. Transformation.

“If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10).

5. Salvation.

“Ye are washed . . . ye are sanctified ... ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (I Cor. 6:11).

E. He Exercises the Sovereignty of God.

“All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (I Cor. 12:11). See also Zechariah 4:6.

F. He Is to Be Recognized as God.

1. As Set Forth in the Great Commission.

“Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matt. 28:18-20).

2. As Set Forth in the Apostolic Benediction.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” (II Cor. 13:14).

3. As Set Forth by Scriptural Designation.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 3:22).

4. As Set Forth in the Church’s Administration.

“Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all” (I Cor. 12:4-6).

G. He Is to Be Depended Upon as God.

“When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost” (Mark 13:11). See also Romans 8:26.

H. He, God, Can Be Sinned Against.

“Peter said, Ananias, why hast Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” (Acts 5:3, 4).