THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit has unique personhood[1] and is co-equal[2], co-powerful[3], and co-eternal[4] with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgement[5]. When a believer receives salvation, the Holy Spirit regenerates[6], seals[7], and baptizes[8] the believer into the body of Christ and indwells[9] them permanently. The Holy Spirit, teaches[10], gives wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, might, and fear of the Lord[11], and guides[12] believers in all truth[13].
The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts[14] for the glory of God, for the edification of the church, for the common good, and to serve[15] one another as stewards of God’s varied[16] grace. No particular gift is required for, or acts as evidence of, salvation.
Scripture References
[1] John 14:16: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.”
[2] 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you…”
– 1 Corinthians 3:16: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
[3] 1 Corinthians 2:10b: “…For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”
[4] Genesis 1:2: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
– Hebrews 9:14: “…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
[5] John 16:8: “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”
[6] Romans 8:11: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
– John 3:5: “…unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
[7] Ephesians 1:13: “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”
[8] 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
[9] Romans 8:11: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
[10] John 14:26: “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 have said to you.”
[11] Isaiah 11:2: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”
[12] Acts 8:29: “And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
– Acts 10:19-20: “And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”
[13] John 16:13: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, an he will declare to you the things that are to come.” .
[14] 1 Corinthians 12:11: “All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”
[15] 1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
[16] 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.”