Chapter II: The Deity of the Holy Spirit

By the Deity of the Holy Spirit is meant that the Holy Spirit is God. This fact is clearly set forth in the Scriptures, in a five-fold way:

1. DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

In Acts 5:4, the Spirit is called _God_. And this in opposition to man, to whom, alone, Ananias thought he was talking. Can any statement allege deity more clearly? In 2 Cor. 3:18--"We .... are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (R. V.). Here the Spirit is called the _Lord_. For the meaning of "Lord" see under the Deity of Christ, p. 60.

2. THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESSES DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.

He is _eternal_ in his nature (Heb. 9:14, R. V.); _omnipresent_ (Psa. 139:7-10); _omnipotent_ (Luke 1:35); _omniscient_ (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). For the meaning of these attributes, see under the Doctrine of God and Jesus Christ, pp. 28 and 63.

3. DIVINE WORKS ARE ASCRIBED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

_Creation_ (Gen. 1:2; Psa. 104:30, R. V.); Job 33:4--"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." _Regeneration_ (John 3:5-8); _Resurrection_ (Rom. 8:11).

4. THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON.

See under Personality of the Spirit, p. 107. The same arguments which there prove the Personality of the Spirit may be used here to prove the Deity of the Spirit. It would be just as absurd to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of _Moses_"--thus putting Moses on an equality with the Father and the Son--as it would be to say, "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the _wind_"--thus making the wind as personal as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is on an equality with the Father and the Son in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6).

5. PASSAGES WHICH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFER TO GOD ARE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE TO REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Compare Isa. 6:8-10 with Acts 28:25-27; and Exod. 16:7 with Heb. 3:7-9.