The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

Outline

1. The Person of the Holy Spirit

2. The Work of the Holy Spirit

3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

4. Contemporary Movement of the Holy Spirit

(i) The Christian Church was born with the Coming of the Holy Spirit, i.e., the Pentecost. Therefore, the belief in and communion with the Holy Spirit was strong in the early Church. But, there appeared various misunderstandings of the Holy Spirit: “a name for grace”(Paul of Samosata), “an attribute of God”(Irenaeus), “the highest and first of the creations”(Origen), “third rank” of divinity(Eusebius of Caesarea), “the highest in the rank of the angels”(Tropici), or simply “a force”. Pneumatomachians radically opposed the full divinity of the Holy Spirit. Montanism and Novatianism are the representative movements of the Holy Spirit in the early churches.

(ii) However, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit was a by-product of Christology, as the established formulas of Christology was simply applied to the understanding of the Holy Spirit in the Trinitarian controversy, which was finalized in the Nicene Council. The Holy Spirit was confessed to be homoousios with the Father and the Son, i.e., the fully God.

(iii) In the medieval period, the most debated issue in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit was the word of Filioque, meaning “also from the Son”. Originally, the Nicene Creed stated Credo in Spiritum Sanctum qui a Patre procedit, i.e., “We believe that the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father”, but the Roman Church independently added Filioque in 589. This addition contributed for the separation of the Eastern and Western Churches.

(iv) In the Reformation, Martin Luther emphasized the practical help of the Holy Spirit like “infusion of love” or struggle against the old sinful nature. John Calvin’s distinctive discussion on the Holy Spirit is related with the Scripture. The ultimate proof of the Scripture as the Word of God originates from testimonium internum Spiritus Sancti, i.e., the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. Also, he limited the work of the Holy Spirit cum verbo, i.e., with the Word.

(v) Due to the intellectualism of the Protestant orthodoxy, the dynamic and creative work of the Holy Spirit was denied. The Enlightenment affected to deny the transcendental personhood of the Holy Spirit and made immanent in the human spirit and the world. Hegel identified the Holy Spirit with the human spirit or rationality, i.e., Geist. Schleiermacher romanticized the Holy Spirit as the spirit of religious affection and unity.

(vi) John Wesley emphasized the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit not only in the immediate conversion but also in the second grace of the Holy Spirit baptism for the entire sanctification. His revival movement initiated the resurgence of the contemporary Holy Spirit movements. Pentecostalism arose in the beginning of the 20^th century with the emphasis of the tongue speaking by the Holy Spirit baptism. And, the interdenominational charismatic movements in the 1960s radically changed the directions of church and theology for the rediscovery of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the conciliatory movement with the Eastern Church and the rapid growth of the Pentecostal churches in the Third World, together with the postmodern search for spirituality, contributed to this direction.

(vii) Veli-Matti Katkkainen listed five contemporary Pneumatologies in his Pneumatology: John Zizioulas’ Communion Pneumatology, Karl Rahner’s Transcendental Pneumatology, Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Universal Pneumatology, Jurgen Moltmann’s Holistic Pneumatology, and Michael Welker’s Realistic Pneumatology.

(i) The doctrine of the Holy Spirit was a by-product of Christology, as the established formulars of ecumenical Christology in the Trinitarian controversy was simply applied to the Third Person of the Trinity.

(ii) The Nicene Creed confesses about the Holy Spirit as follows: Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et Vivificantem, qui a Patre [Filoque] , qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per prophetas, i.e., “And [I believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, and who spoke by the prophets.

(iii) The Athanasian Creed clarified the full divinity and personhood of the Holy Spirit: “There is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit… the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal… the Holy Spirit uncreated… incomprehensible… eternal… Almighty… the Holy Spirit is God… Lord… The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten but proceeding… in this Trinity, none is afore or after another, none is greater or less than another, but the all three Persons are coeternal and coequal.”

(iv) The eternal procession of the Holy Spirit was confessed by the Nicene Creed, but the Western addition of the word Filoque is not biblically and theologically proven. The Roman Church based this addition on Jn 15.26: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.” However, it describes about the the sending of the Holy Spirit to the world, not the eternal procession. It is only “by analogy” that this sending reflects the immanent relationship in eternity. Though Karl Rahner insisted that “The economic Trinity is the immanent Trinity, and the immanent Trinity is the economic Trinity”, it could mean that the Holy Spirit conception of Jesus reflects the eternal generation of the Son. The designation of the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Christ” may be regarded to prove this understanding, but it is usually understood functionally, not ontologically. As a matter of fact, the Scripture does not clarify what happened to the triune God in eternity except mysterious and abstract ideas of generation and procession.

(i) The Holy Spirit is called God by the interchangeable use of the title: “Then Peter said, "Ananias… you have lied to the Holy Spirit… You have not lied to men but to God.”(Ac 5.3-4) Also, 1Cor 3.16 and 6.19-20 identify God’s temple with the temple of the Holy Spirit. The inspiration of God in 2Tim 3.16 means that of the Holy Spirit(2Pet 1.21).

(ii) The Holy Spirit possesses the divine attributes such as omniscience(1Cor 2.10-11, Jn 16.13), omnipresence(Ps 139.7-10), omnipotence(Lk 1.35, Rom 15.19, Mt 19.26), and eternity(Heb 9.14).

(iii) Divine works are performed by the Holy Spirit, such as creation and renewal(Gen 1.2, Job 26.13, Ps 104.30), effective application of redemption(Jn 3.5-8, Tit 3.5), resurrection of the dead(Rom 8.11) and inspiration of the Holy Scripture(2Tim 3.16, 2Pet 1.21).

(iv) Divine honor is also paid to the Holy Spirit, together with the Father and the Son, in the Trinitarian formulas, such as baptismal formula: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit bapti,zontej auvtou.j eivj to. o;noma tou/ Patro.j kai. tou/ Ui`ou/ kai. tou/ ~Agi,ou Pneu,matoj”, and benediction formula: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, Amen. ~H ca,rij tou/ Kuri,ou VIhsou/ Cristou/ kai. h` avga,ph tou/ Qeou/( kai. h` koinwni,a tou/ ~Agi,ou Pneu,matoj meta. pa,ntwn u`mw/n) avmh,n)”(2Cor 13.14)

(i) The Holy Spirit has three essential elements of personhood, i.e., intelligence, emotion and will: “the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”(Jn 14.26); “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God”(Eph 4.30); “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he wills”(1Cor 12.11).

(ii) Even though God is Spirit, the Holy Spirit is differentiated from God the Father or God the Son and placed equally together with them. If He is not a personal being, such a juxtaposition is senseless. Not only in baptismal and benediction formulas, there are many such occurrences(1Pet 1.2, Jd 20-21, Ac 2.33, 38, Gal 4.6, 2Cor 1.21-22, Rom 15.16, 1Cor 12.4-6, Eph 3.14-17, 2Thess 2.13-14). Contemporary idea of Spirit Christology identifies the Holy Spirit as the resurrected Son with misunderstanding that Pentecost happened in the midst of several resurrection appearances(James Dunn) and that of 2Cor 3.17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit.”

(iii) The Holy Spirit is a distinct personal agent sent by both the Father and the Son as “another Helper alloj Paraklhtoj” instead of Christ, for “a replacement for Jesus”. For He was sent and performed various personal activities in distinction from the Father and the Son, who are in heaven, the Holy Spirit is the Subject of activities, not simply some influence or power of the Father or the Son. Moreover, while the Spirit x;Wr to. Pneu/ma is neuter, John 16.13-14 and Eph 1.14 uses masculine pronouns implying His personhood.

(i) The Holy Spirit is relatively more exposed than the Son in the Old Testament period, but still He is not fully revealed, so ambiguous and even confusing with God the Father or angels.

(ii) The works of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament period may be categorized into six kinds of work: creation(Gen 1.2, 2.7, Job 26.13, Ps 104.30, Is 32.15), inspiration(Am 7.14, Jer 31.33, Ezek 2.2, Hos 9.7, Num 11.29, 1Sam 10.6, 10, Is 63.10-11, 2Pet 1.21, Ac 1.16, 4.25, 2Tim 3.16), equipping for service(Ex 31.3-5, Judg 3.10, 6.34, 14.6, 19, 1Sam 10.10, 16.13, Gen 41.38, Zech 4.6), sanctification(Ps 51, 139 esp. vv. 7, 23-24, Is 11.2-5, 32.15-20, 44.3-5, Ezek 36.26-28), and prophecy of Messiah(Is 11.1-9, 42.1-4, 61.1-3, Lk 4.18-21, Ezek 36.26-27, Joel 2.28-29).

(i) For the incarnation and redemption of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit assisted Him in many ways. The Holy Spirit prepared Israel for the coming of the Messiah, and He made the incarnation possible by the holy conception and successful birth as a human being. Filled by the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist prepared His way and introduced Him to the people of Israel. Also, He led Jesus to start the public ministry by the baptism and subjection of Satan in temptation. Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit”(Lk 4.1). The Holy Spirit empowered the incarnated Son for powerful teaching, miracles, exorcism and etc. and assisted Jesus to successfully accomplish His mission of redemption in suffering as well as resurrection.

(ii) After the ascension of Christ, finishing the work of redemption, at the Pentecost the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to the world for the effective application of redemption and the building of the Kingdom of God. Now, the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete of the Church by the indwelling in the souls of believers and leading the community of saints until the Parousia of Christ for the consummation of redemption.

(iii) The works of the Trinity opera Trinitas are divided into two categories, i.e., ad intra and ad extra. Opera ad extra is again divided into general work and special work for redemption. The general works of the Holy Spirit are mainly the generation of life and the general inspiration and qualification of men. His special works for redemption are primarily the preparation and qualification of Christ for His mediatorial work, the inspiration of Scripture, the formation and augmentation of the Church, and the teaching and guiding the Church. The Holy Spirit is working together in cooperation with the other persons of the Trinity, i.e., the Father and the Son, for opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. However, due to the operatio personalis, some works are attributed to the particular Person of the Trinity.

(iv) The Holy Spirit has several titles which reflect His work respectively: (a) the Spirit of Life, for He creates and gives life, therefore conception, birth, multiplication and health, (b) the Spirit of Truth, for He inspires, teaches, reminds and persuades the Word of God, therefore prophecy, Scripture, witness, knowledge, (c) the Spirit of Power, for He empowers and changes to be capable for the various services of the Kingdom, (d) the Spirit of Christ, for He effectively applies the redemptive achievement of Christ and fulfills it, (e) the Spirit of Holiness, for He washes sin, purifies and sanctifies, and works for the bearing of holy fruits in soul and life, spiritual renewal and regeneration, seal and anointment, liberation and freedom, and enables to confess Christ as one’s personal Lord and call God as Abba, (f) the Spirit of Communication, for He works for the koinonia of the church and the unity of spirit to pursue the Kingdom works in one mind, and (g) the Spirit of Help, i.e., the Paraclete, for He indwells in believers and helps them in every need for the growth and fulfillment of their salvation by encouraging, guiding, assisting, and intercession, as well as self-denying full commitment for the Kingdom of God in word and deed.

(i) Since Wesley’s teaching of second grace for entire sanctification and the Pentecostal understanding of the Holy Spirit baptism as a post-conversion experience, there arose some confusions and controversies, because it was regarded as a conversion experience in the traditional Christianity.

(ii) The Holy Spirit was prophesied by John the Baptist as the baptism of Jesus Christ(Mt 3.11, Mk 1.8, Lk 3.16, Jn 1.33), but the Scripture records no such activity, while Jesus predicted the Holy Spirit baptism after resurrection that it will take when the Holy Spirit comes: “John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”(Ac 1.5) It happened at the Pentecost, but it is not mentioned except as being filled with the Holy Spirit. Later, it is mentioned only in Act 11.16, where Peter remembers the prediction of Christ at the reception of the Holy Spirit, so baptizing with the Holy Spirit is identified with receiving the Holy Spirit: “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ” The gift of the Holy Spirit happened before water baptism(Ac 10.47-48, 11.15-17), but sometimes after it(Ac 2.38), but two are inseparably related.

(iii) To understand the Holy Spirit baptism, a long history of development for the perfect baptism has to be recognized. In the Old Testament, God required two ceremonies of purification(taj'x; a`gnismoj) and circumcision(hl'Wm peritomh) to symbolize the holiness of God’s people, but these pre-figured ceremonies are abrogated in the New Testament because Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the Law. The circumcision was internalized by introducing the concept of the circumcision of heart(peritomh kardiaj). Now, it is expressed by the circumcision of Christ(th peritomh tou Cristou). Instead of circumcision, the believers of the New Covenant are required to receive baptism(baptisma) which has two kinds, i.e., water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism. Even though water baptism was introduced by John the Baptist for preparation, so “baptism of repentance”(Ac 19.4), the water baptism required to all Christians is the baptism of forgiveness and salvation. But it is not effective without the real washing of sins in the soul, i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for water baptism symbolized the real baptism of forgiveness and salvation which is performed only by the power of the Holy Spirit(1Pet 3.21). It happened when one is filled with the Holy Spirit or received the Holy Spirit. Here, it is crucial to conceive that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism, though the perfect baptism, which is an act of washing sins either symbolically or really.

(iv) As the unifying Spirit, He establishes and maintains the unity of the Church also by the unity of baptism(Eph 4.5): “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”(1Cor 12.13) Therefore, it is wrong to divide baptism into several classes, whether it is water baptism or Holy Spirit baptism.

(i) The Holy Spirit is the Gift of God the Father and the Son for His people. Upon the accomplishment of redemption and reconciliation, He was sent and came to the world at the Pentecost and moved His abode from heaven to the world in order to personally and permanently indwell in the souls of believers and the Church until the consummation of redemption.

(ii) Joel 2 prophecy was fulfilled at the Pentecost when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is given and filled in the human soul, it make a powerful impact as seen in Acts 2. However, the gentle Holy Spirit might be resisted(Ac 7.51), quenched(1Thess 5.19, grieved(Eph 4.30) or offended(Mt 12.31-32). Often, the believers ignore and disobey Him. Therefore, the fullness of the Holy Spirit should be maintained and if weakened, recovered, as it is not a one-time event like the gift and baptism of the Holy Spirit but “an event that can occur over and over again”(Wayne Grudem)

(iii) The Gift of the Holy Spirit results in the various wonderful gifts of the Holy Spirit initiated from the regeneration of the spiritually dead to the fulfillment of salvation and resurrection. And, they include some abilities to serve the Church, i.e., the gifts carismata. The list of such gifts are various in Rom 12.6-8, 1Cor 12.4-11, Eph 4.11 and 1Pet 4.11. The principles regarding the proper understanding and uses of the gifts are clearly stated in 1Cor 12.4-13: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good pro.j to. sumfe,ron … All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.”

(iv) The inner presence and operation of the Holy Spirit results in the transformation of humanity and it is listed in Gal 5.22-25: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit makes believer’s spiritual capacity for the Kingdom grow and sanctified.