This article speaks about the third Person in the Divine Being, God the Holy Ghost. We have seen that there were many doubts through all ages about the Godhead of Christ, but this is also true of the Holy Ghost. Many do not believe that the Holy Ghost is one of the three Persons of the Trinity because they do not believe in the Trinity. What is the reason that there are so many objections against the Person of the Holy Spirit, so that He is not believed to be God?

We have a darkened mind which, under the influence of Satan, is always trying to com­prehend, but it is impossible for us to comprehend God. That is one reason, but there are also other reasons. The Person of the Holy Spirit is not as objective for our conscience as the Father and the Son, and the Name of the Holy Spirit is not such a clear testimony for us (or so it seems) as the Name of the Father and the Son. Neither is the work of the Holy Spirit as clear for many; the works of creation and deli­verance are more visible. These are a few of the many reasons given by men in denying the Godhead of the Holy Ghost.

In previous articles we have stated that in the personal works of the Divine Persons the other Persons may not be excluded, but in each instance one of these three Persons is most in the foreground – the Father in the work of creation, the Son in deliverance and the Spirit in sanctification. This doctrine of the Trinity, which includes the Godhead of the Holy Ghost, is of the greatest importance for us. With the confession or the denial of the Holy Spirit as the third Person in the Divine Being stands or falls the salvation of the church. God's Word says it so very clearly that the Holy Ghost is the Author of faith. Without Him faith could not be given in the life of a child of God, which means that we cannot be conver­ted, but will remain in our state of death and cannot have communion with God. Also when we believe that the Holy Spirit is a common creature, a power or a gift, then it is impossible to become partaker of the grace of God, as only God can bring this gift into our life. If the Holy Spirit were not God, then there would be no way to be saved. The link of application would be missing in the work of salvation, and the work of Christ would have been in vain. What a blessing that the Holy Ghost is very God! Our Confession stands firm in this doctrine, and according to God's Word it defends the Godhead of the Spirit.

There are many places in the Bible where the Holy Spirit is called a Person and an indepen­dent Being. To Him are ascribed might and will, as we can read in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, "the Spirit searcheth all things," and "the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." There is also spoken of the Holy Spirit as a Person Who lives, speaks, testi­fies, helps in weakness, Who can be resisted, grieved and blasphemed. This cannot be said of a power or an attribute, but only of a Person. It is the same Spirit that separates people to work in the vineyard of the Lord, that blesses and leads in all ways and in the Truth. All these reasons make it clear that the Holy Spirit is a Person!

The Lord Himself reveals in His Word that the Holy Spirit is on the same level of honor as the Father and the Son. When the apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel, they were also to baptize in the Name of a Triune God. How can there be any doubt about the Person and the Divini­ty of the Holy Spirit? But there is more evidence in God's Word.

The Lord Jesus speaks in John 14:6 of another Comforter. The Mediator asked His Father that after His ascension the Spirit be given in His stead. It makes it unsupportable to think of a power, but must cause us to think of a Person. Especially 1 John 5:7 makes it very clear – "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." Thus there is abundance of evidence that the Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Divine Being.

However, each heretic thinks that he has evidence that he is right, and for this they often take a text out of context and then interpret it according to their own view. For example, they misuse the text related to the birth of the Lord Jesus, as found in Luke 1:35, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." Here is spoken of this mystery in a delicate way, so that none can take offence at the words, as is always the case in the Bible. There is a great difference when we hear the coarse language of our days.

When we read Acts 1:8 and view the Holy Spirit as a power, we arrive at a strange conclusion. In the Greek is written "The power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you." This would then become – The power of the power coming upon you, which has no meaning. Therefore the text must always be seen in the context, which will keep us from many errors. It must be seen in the light of the whole Word of God. Christ is also called the power of God and the wisdom of God. We may not deny the Godhead of Christ, and likewise we may not deny the Godhead of the Holy Spirit.

Among the many who deny the Holy Spirit as the third Person in the Divine Being, we must mention again the name of that well-known dangerous sect of our days, the Jehovah Witnesses. They don't acknowledge Him to be God, but God's working power, using Judges 14:6, "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him," and he rent the lion as he would have rent a kid. This text speaks of Samson. We cannot deny that the Holy Spirit reveals Himself in this power, but it is the power of a Person. God the Father has shown His power in creation, but we don't dare to say that He is only a power.

In Acts 2:4 we read, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit game them utterance." Also in the same chapter, verse 33, Christ, "being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." It is true, it is a revelation of power, but this does not mean that the Holy Spirit is a power; no, not at all. God's Word says that it is the third Person in the Divine Being. It is this Spirit which begins the good work in our heart. He reproves of sin, righteousness and judgment. May we learn that work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

As we study this article, we read, "We believe and confess also, that the Holy Ghost, from eternity, proceeds from the Fa­ther and Son; and therefore neither is made, created, nor begotten, but only proceedeth from both." This has been a difference between the Eastern and Western churches, whereas the Eastern church has said that the Holy Ghost only proceeds from the Father but not from the Son, and the Western church says that the Holy Ghost proceeds from both the Father and the Son. This has caused a division in the churches. But how could the work of Christ be applied if the Holy Spirit did not proceed from Christ also? The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Christ, which agrees with the confession of our fathers.

In continuing with this article, we read, "Who (the Holy Spirit) in order is the third person of the Holy Trinity; of one and the same essence, majesty and glory with the Father, and the Son: and therefore, is the true and eternal God, as the Holy Scriptures teach us." From this we know that the Holy Spirit is not only a person, a distinct person from the Father and the Son, but is also a divine person, that is, truly and properly God. This has been and is denied by many, as we have seen before. In general, those who deny the divinity of Christ also deny the divinity of the Holy Ghost. The deity of the Spirit is to be proved by the same mediums and arguments, which are derived from the same sour­ces as the deity of the Son, that is His Names, perfections, works, and honor.

We will discuss these briefly; first, then, the Names which are given unto the Holy Spirit. We think first of the greatest Name of God, Jehovah. Yes, this Name is also used for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost moved the pro­phets of old, Acts 1:16, "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus." Likewise we read in 2 Samuel 23:2 & 3a, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His Word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me." It was Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel, that spake, which is the Holy Ghost. Isaiah 63:10, Psalm 95:9, and Hebrews 3:7-11 are also applied to the Holy Ghost.

In Isaiah 6 we read that the Lord sent the prophet, and His message was, "Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." According to the apostle Paul, it was the Holy Ghost speaking, (Acts 28:25-26) "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers." Moreover the Holy Spirit is very plainly called 'God' in Scripture; when Ananias lied to the Holy Ghost, it is lying unto God. (Acts 5:3-4). In Corinthians the saints are called the temple of God, but it is also said that their bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost. Out of these names given to the Holy Spirit as Lord and God, it is already evident that the Holy Ghost is God, as is stated in this article.

But there is more proof. Se­condly, the Deity of the Spirit may be proved by His perfec­tions:

1. His eternity. He is called the eternal Spirit. (Hebrews 9:14). He was present at the creation of the heavens and the earth, as we can read in Genesis 1. Therefore He was before any creature, before there was time, and thus from eternity.
2. His omnipresence. In Psalm 139 David says, "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? In heaven and hell, Thou art there." If He is every­where, then He must be the omnipresent God.
3. His omniscience. He knows all things, the thoughts, even the deep things of God. This is only possible when He is the omni­scient God. In the Old Testament He testified, through the prophets and servants of God, re­garding the sufferings of Christ, but also of His victory.
4. His Almighty power. In 1 Corinthians 12:11 we read, "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will." He is called the power of the Highest, and the finger of God. When we observe the works of creation and the miracles wrought by His power, then they proclaim His omnipotence, which belongs only to God.

All these perfections belong to the Triune God, but also to each of the Persons.

Our third proof is that the Divine works ascribed to Him in nature and grace are also a clear evidence of His Divinity.

There is the work of creation, of which Job says in Chapter 33, "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." We know that creation is a Divine work, and it is also attributed to Him. Already in the first verses of the Bible which tell of the creation we can read this, as also in the six days wherein He brought the unformed chaos into a beautiful order.

There is also the work of providence. Of this there is spoken in Psalm 104:30, "Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are created; and Thou renewest the face of the earth."

We may not forget that also the Scriptures are written under the leading of the Holy Spirit, where we read, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16), and "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1 :21).

And to conclude, there is the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men. This is of the greatest importance for all of us, which we cannot miss. John 16:13 says, "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." In the same chapter there is written that he will reprove of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. It is the Holy Spirit that begins that good work in the hearts of men, showing us our misery, which makes us so unhappy that we begin to realize that only the Lord can help us. There we begin to cry to Him. I hope that it may be given you, young people, to seek help from the Lord for the most important matter in your life – that is, how can I be conver­ted. Most people get their first impressions in their youth. When we become old, it is still possible, but it is only seldom that it happens.

The worship which is due to the Spirit of God proves Him to be God. The Lord Himself has said that He does not give His honor to another, which means that God only may receive this honor. Baptism is a solemn act of religious worship which, according to Matthew 28:19, is done in the Name of a Triune God, and therein is also mentioned the Name of the Holy Spirit. Likewise in 1 Corinthians 13:14 we find the following blessing: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."

In Romans 8:26 the Holy Spirit is called the Author of prayer: "We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us." In Matthew 9:38 He is called the Lord of the harvest, and in Acts 13:2 we read, "The Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." In the Holy Spirit the church has a Teacher Whom they can trust, a Leader with Whom they can go through life and a Comforter Who can comfort better than a father or a mother. Without Him there is no salvation, the most important thing in our life.

When we have examined all these things, then we must say that they prove Him to be truly and properly God, just as it is written in this article of our confession. Therefore we should be careful to give Him the honor and glory due unto Him, as also unto the Father and the Son. As we trust the Son with the whole affair of our salvation, and trust in Him for it, so we should trust the Spirit of God with the work of grace upon our souls. We can be confident that He that has begun it will perform it, since it is God that works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

How necessary is that administration of the Holy Spirit in our life and midst. I fear that the great problem of our days is that much is spoken about the Lord Jesus, but it is forgotten that we cannot miss the leading of the Holy Spirit in the mystery of salvation. What a blessing it would be if once again were fulfilled that which is written in Acts 9:31 – walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, the churches were multiplied. A blessed time this has been for the church, and at moments it is the longing of God's people that the Lord might return unto us as in the days of old and the churches be multiplied. It is a wonder when the churches increase in number, but above all we need the living members to God's glory and the welfare of the church.

There is something which I would like to add to this subject: it is the opposite of our wish and prayer. The Holy Spirit works so little, or so little is heard and seen of it in our days. Yes, it is even possible that the Holy Spirit cannot work in us anymore. Frequently you hear in the sermons the warning against the sin or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, for which there is no salvation possible anymore. We will try to write a few words about it.

In many places in God's Word we read that there is forgiveness of all sins, but not of the above-mentioned sin. What kind of sin is this? How can a person commit such a sin will no doubt be your question. When we sin, we sin against a Triune God, and this can be forgiven for Christ's sake. We can also grieve the holy Spirit, and this also can be forgiven. But when we speak about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, we think of Matthew 12:31 and 32, where this sin is mentioned. There the Lord Jesus had healed a man possessed with a devil, which caused the people to be astonished. The Pharisees, afraid they would lose their influence over the people, said that the Lord did it by the power of Satan, or by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. The Lord answered that if this were true, the kingdom of Satan would be divided against itself and therefore would not continue to exist. He showed plainly that He did it not by Satan, but by the Spirit of God. Then He warned them, saying, "He that is not with Me is against Me." He spoke of the danger of coming more and more under the influence of Satan, and at the end being conformed to Satan. This is the sin against the Holy Spirit, for which there is no forgiveness.

According to Hebrews 6 there must be some universal enlight­ening by the Holy Spirit in our life, some knowledge of God's Word, even impressions of it. Think of the example of the sower, where part of his seed fell among stony places. The Word was received with gladness and they were changed, living close to God's people. This does not point to the renewal of the heart, but only a change in their life. They are not really converted by the Lord, but they are as the man that cleansed and garnished his house, but the end was terrible. And so it is here. After some time a change for the worse comes into their life, they leave the truth more and more, and they become enemies of the truth, of God and of His work. Calvin says that this is not one sin, but the end of a continual, wilful resistance against the work of the Holy Spirit.

Why is it that they cannot be converted anymore? Because it is the Holy Spirit Who convinces of sin, but by the continual resistance He no longer has entrance into the heart; it is locked from the inside by the hardening of that person. Thus when the Holy Spirit cannot come into our hearts, it is impossible to be converted, because He is the first to work in the hearts of men. Young people, there is a great danger when we become lax in our church attendance; this can be the first step on the path of this terrible sin which cannot be forgiven. Ananias and Sapphira are examples of this in God's Word.

God's children are often full of fear regarding this sin; Satan often uses it to attack them, that they have committed this sin, and that they may come to despair. Not by a common sin, how terrible it might be, do we commit this sin, but it is a continual hardening which leads to this sin. God's people cannot commit this sin because the Lord keeps them from it. Blessed are the people which are for His reckoning.