The TrinityLesson 5

The Holy Spirit is God

While Jesus is fully divine and equal with the Father, He is also fully human

and distinct from God the Father.Ephesians 1:3

Gnosticism

Modalism

The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and

equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature,with all the

essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct

natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person,

without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the

only Mediator between God and man.(WC VIII-2)

Question: How is it possible for Christ to be fully obedient to the Father and

yet be equal with the Father?

Phil. 2:5-8

John 17:1-5

The Divinity of the Holy Spirit“Belief in the divinity of the Holy Spirit was not officially enunciated by the church until relatively late. The Council of Nicea, for example, after spelling out rather clearly the full deity of Jesus, concludes by saying simply, ‘We believe in the Holy Spirit’, without specifying the content of that belief. By the Council of Constantinople in 381, however, this had been elaborated to the point where the church also committed itself to the deity of the Holy Spirit.” (Erickson, p. 26)

The deity of the Holy Spirit is even less directly taught in scripture than either

the deity of the Father or the Son.Categories of Proofs:

1) The Spirit’s name used interchangeably with that of God’s

2) Attributes of God credited to the Holy Spirit

3) Continuity of the Spirit from OT to NT

The Spirit’s name used interchangeably with that of God’s

Acts 5: 3 – 4

1 Cor. 3: 16-17 & 1 Cor. 6: 19 - 20

So, to Paul, to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit equates to the same thing as to

be inhabited by God.

“Lying to the Spirit” and “Lying to God” used interchangeably

Attributes of God credited to the Holy Spirit

1 Cor. 2: 10 – 11 (Omniscience)

John 16:13 (Omniscience & Separateness)

Luke 1:35 (Omnipotence/Power)

Hebrews 9:14 (Eternality)

Genesis 1:2 & Job 26: 12 – 14

(Power in Creation)

Titus 3:5 & Rom. 8:11

(Spiritual Regeneration – Physical Resurrection)

John 16:13 (Omniscience & Separateness)

1 Cor. 2: 10 – 11 (Omniscience)

Luke 1:35 (Omnipotence/Power)

Hebrews 9:14 (Eternality)

Genesis 1:2 & Job 26: 12 – 14

(Power in Creation)

Titus 3:5 & Rom. 8:11

(Spiritual Regeneration – Physical Resurrection)

Attributes of God credited to the Holy Spirit

Continuity of Holy Spirit between OT and NT

Acts 2: 13 – 18

The “Spirit of God” or “Spirit of the Lord” of the Old Testament is directly linked to and identified with the Holy Spirit of the New

Testament.

Modalism taught that there is one God who manifests Himself separately in

three modes of existence: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (One Person, Three

Modes) This denies the simultaneous co-existence of full deity and full

humanity in the single person of Jesus Christ.

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Gnostics denied the deity of Christ since, as they believed, deity cannot

unite itself with anything material such as a body. They believed that He was a type of super-angel, greater than man,

but inferior to the Father in nature. Gnostics believed that there is one God

who dwells alone, and a number of lesser beings who do His work.

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These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come;

glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you: As you have given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him. And this is life eternal, that they

might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have glorified you on the earth: I have finished the work which you

gave me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had

with you before the world was.(John17:1-5)

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Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not a thing to be grasped to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient

unto death, even the death of the cross.

(Phil. 2: 5-8)Return

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

(Col 2:9)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,

justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,

received up into glory. (1Tim. 3:16)

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For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was

in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

(Heb. 4:15) Return

1 Cor. 3: 16-17

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is

holy, and ye are that temple.”Return

Acts 5: 3-4

“But 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.’”

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1 Cor. 6: 19 - 20“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you and which ye have from God, and that ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”

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1 Corinthians 2:10-11“But God hath revealed them unto us by

His Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so no man knoweth the things of

God, but the Spirit of God.”Return

John 16:13

“However when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you

into all truth; for He shall not speak from Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come.”

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Luke 1:35

“And 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 Being who shall be born of thee shall be called

the Son of God.’”Return

Hebrews 9:14

“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?”

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Genesis 1:2

“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.”Return

Job 26: 12 - 14“He divideth the sea with His power, and by His understanding He smiteth through the proud. By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of His ways, but how little a portion is heard of Him! But the thunder of His power, who can understand?"

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Titus 3:5“He saved us not by works of

righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost.”

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Romans 8:11

“But 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.”Return

2 Peter 1:21

“For the prophecy came not in olden times by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy

Ghost.”

Acts 2: 13 - 18Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine.” But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them, "Ye men of Judea and all ye who dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words. For these are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day; but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: `And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. (Return)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

(Eph. 1:1-3)Return

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made

under the law. (Gal 4:4)

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