Is the Holy Spirit God?
‘Yes,’ the Holy Spirit is God, and this conforms to the Trinitarian belief of Christianity which claims that God is ONE in being revealed in THREE distinct persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The way in which theologians conclude that the Holy Spirit is God is by seeing how the Spirit shares in the same attributes as the Father and the Son regarding His omnipotence / omniscience / omnipresence (all-powerful / all-knowing / ever present).
These characteristics are evident in Jesus’ description of the Holy Spirit while on earth and by the Holy Spirit’s works after the resurrection of Jesus and during the time of establishing the early church through the believers.
The following are some divine attributes are ascribed to the Holy Spirit:
1. The Holy Spirit is eternal: He is not a created being. He always existed as part of the Triune God; He is coeternal with the Father and Son.
Hebrews 9:14 (NIV)
14. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
2. The Holy Spirit is omniscient. He knows all things.
John 14:26 (NIV)
26. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
The Holy Spirit is omnipresent. He is everywhere.
Psalm 139:7 (NIV)
7. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
4. The Holy Spirit is omnipotent. He is all-powerful.
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Romans 15:19 (NIV)
by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
5. The Holy Spirit is holy just as the Father and the Son.
Romans 1:3-4 (NIV)
regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
6. The Holy Spirit is foreknowing; He knows the future.
Acts 1:15-16 (NIV)
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus.
7. The Holy Spirit is love; He is loving by nature.
Romans 15:30 (NIV)
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
Since God is love, we expect to find love manifested in the acts of the Trinity.
8. The Holy Spirit is full of truth.
1 John 5:6 (NKJV)This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
9. The Holy Spirit has the power to give life.
Romans 8:2 (NKJV)For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Further there are also certain key passages from the bible that describes the significance of the Holy Spirit giving Him the same importance to that of God.
Lying to the Holy Spirit is equal to lying to God.
Acts 5:1-4 (NKJV)
1. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession.
2. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4. While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is considered the greatest sin of all.
Mark 3:29 (NKJV)
29. but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”
Jesus also acknowledged the significance of the Holy Spirit when he asked His disciples to go out and baptize people in the name of Father Son and Holy Spirit:
Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
19. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
In conclusion, the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity and worthy to be worshiped.
The scriptures and Jesus’ own words attest to the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you.
Romans 8:10-11 (NIV)
10. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.11. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
The scriptures and Jesus own words attest to the divinity of the Holy Spirit and if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead will live in you.
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