What’s So Important About the Holy Spirit?

BEVERLY QUINN BESSADA

I pondered my friend’s question as I chatted with a group of old schoolmates who were still Adventists: does anyone here believe in the Holy Spirit? Her question needed an answer. In fact, the Holy Spirit is at the heart of a believer’s new life!

Prayerfully I opened my Bible, and I share with you my answer to her.

My dear friend,

You asked whether any of us who were talking believe in the Holy Spirit—but it really does not matter what any of us believe. What matters is what the Bible says and that we believe the Bible. 

The Bible has a lot to say about the Holy Spirit. Since you asked, I did a little study and want to share what I found with you because you are on my heart, and knowing the truth is vital to this life and the next.

 The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity—three in one. God is Spirit (see John 4:24). Jesus is Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Spirit. They are three distinct persons with the same essence of being.

The Holy Spirit was present at and participated in creation with God the Father and God the Son. We learn this fact in Genesis 1:2:

Genesis 1:2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

John 1 confirms that Jesus is God (who is spirit) and that He was with God at creation. Further, John confirms that Jesus did not have flesh, or a physical body, before becoming incarnate. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being (John. 1:1–3). 

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Scripture also tells us that the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture. Importantly, He inspired the original words of Scripture, not merely the authors. In other words, the “thought inspiration” we learned as Adventists is not what the Bible teaches about itself. Look at these verses:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness (1 Timothy 3:16).

For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21).

In other words, God gave the writers of Scripture His words. Scripture itself, Timothy tells us, is inspired, and Peter affirms that men did not decide to prophesy, but the Holy Spirit moved those whom God appointed to speak for Him, and they “spoke from God”. These verses do not teach “thought inspiration” that left the message up to the writer’s perception of the ideas he had. Rather, these verses teach that the Holy Spirit gave the writers the words God wanted humanity to know. 

The Holy Spirit Is God

The Holy Spirit is referred to throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament, and God’s word teaches us His identity by referring to His Deity. The inspired Word uses emblems of His Deity to confirm His identity as God (ex: water, fire, wind, oil, dove, seal). Scripture confirms He is a gift of the Father. It reveals His role as Teacher and Inspiration (Author of Scripture), and it identifies offenses against Him (see Acts 5:1–11; Matthew 12:30–32). Further, the Bible reveals the Holy Spirit’s work, His titles, and His witness of Christ. 

So, if you ask whether I believe in the Holy Spirit, I would say, “YES” because the Bible has a lot to say about the Holy Spirit—not as a force but as a person. My question to you would be, What do you know about the Holy Spirit? Do you want to know about the Holy Spirit? 

The Holy Spirit and Salvation

Because you asked, I am choosing to share with you some Scripture about the Holy Spirit in regards to salvation because it is mandatory to be born again by the Holy Spirit. Without being born of the Spirit, no one can even SEE the Kingdom of God much less enter there. I am using Scripture in context from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), 1995 edition, because it is a word-for-word literal translation from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek text rather than a paraphrase. I pray you will be blessed.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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” (John 3:5).

Ever since the Fall of Adam we are all born into sin and death (see 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22; Ephesians 2:1–3). Sin is “missing the mark,” a “word, deed or desire in opposition to God’s eternal law”, and Scripture equates sin with death. God told Adam that if he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die that day:

but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2: 17).

Did Adam and Eve die physically the day that they ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? No. God was merciful—He did not immediately give them what they deserved. But something in them died that day—their innocence, their peace with God. They died a spiritual death that all who are born thereafter inherit. We are born physically alive and spiritually dead. Look at the words of Isaiah and David:

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him (Isaiah 56:3).

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5).

We are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners, born into sin and receiving the wages of that sin—death. We are born totally depraved, meaning every part of us—our mind, will, emotions and flesh—has been corrupted by sin. In other words, sin affects all areas of our being including who we are and what we do. It penetrates to the very core of our being so that everything is tainted by sin. Look at these passages that tell us the truth about who we are by nature:

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away (Isaiah 64:6).

The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9).

All have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is NONE who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:12).

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest (Ephesians 2:1–3). 

The natural man in the flesh is a sinner. He cannot perceive spiritual things because he is dead spiritually. The word of God tells us:

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:7).

In other words, the natural man, in his sinful state, can neither accept or understand the things of the Spirit. The natural man is dead spiritually and is under the wrath of God. It’s important to know that God’s wrath is not the selfish, self-centered, uncontrolled, bitter, vengeful anger we understand it to be in human terms. Rather, it is “the Holiness of God stirred into activity against sin.” In fact, look at the way Scripture describes God’s wrath as it responds to human sin right now:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18),

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:13).

The fact that we all are born spiritually dead, “by nature children of wrath”, is why we must be BORN AGAIN of the Spirit (John 3:3-6). “Spirit gives birth to spirit”, Jesus said. In fact, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sin which leads us to confession and repentance. It is also the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes to the LOVE and GLORY of the cross.

The Cross and being born again

Being born again, however, depends upon our response to Jesus and His completed work of propitiation and atonement. Christ lived His life in perfect obedience to the perfect will of the Father, but contrary to the way most of us were taught, we are incapable of imitating His obedience. We are incapable of avoiding sin.

Christ came and put on a human body in order to die the human death I deserve because of my sin. He bore my sins on the cross. His death paid the price for my sins, redeeming me from the wrath of God. Because I believe in Him, I no longer come under judgment. My judgment was at the cross. Because I believe in Him, I have been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit who now lives in me. I had nothing to do with it. Consider these amazing texts:

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Romans 5:9).

Being born again means to be “in Christ.” We are sealed by the Holy Spirit and given the Holy Spirit as a pledge to our salvation. God is faithful. He fulfills His promises. In fact, look at these unconditional promises God makes to those who believe:

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation –having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13).

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).

The difference in being “a sinner condemned” and a “sinner saved by grace” is that the saved sinner is “born again by the power of the Holy Spirit within.” A sinner condemned receives justice from God; he gets what he deserves. God’s mercy, however, provided a way for condemned sinners NOT to get what they deserve. He sent His Son to be the perfect Substitute who took our curse, and when we who are condemned trust the Son, God gives us what we do not deserve: His grace. He doesn’t merely forgive us and wipe the slate clean; He reconciles us to Himself and gives us eternal life.

Our belief in the Son is faith and trust in Jesus’ finished work of atonement. He has done everything necessary for our redemption. When we believe and trust Him because we have faith in Him alone, we receive restored peace with God. We are no longer condemned!

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

This is the Good News—the gospel of Jesus Christ!

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15: 3).

And then . . .

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16).

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).

Because . . .

For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23 23).

May the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth. †