Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Triune God, Part 2

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. Thanks be to God. Calvin, sometimes called the theologian of the Spirit, encourages the church by his words. Here are some highlights of what he says.

1. After explaining the deity of Christ Calvin turns to the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of God; a Person, a subsistence of the Triune God. He is God of very God, Spirit of very Spirit.

2. Moses attributes to him the work of creation (Gen 1:2). Calvin writes, "The beauty of the universe owes its strength and preservation to the power of the Spirit but that before this adornment was added, even then the Spirit was occupied with tending that confused mass" (Pg., 138).

3. His divine glory is seen in that He accompanies and empowers the prophets. (Is 48:16)

4. By His own energy, the Holy Spirit is the Person who regenerates and seals forever sinners who fell in Adam. This only God can do, therefore the Holy Spirit is the same in essence as God the Father.

5. God the Holy Spirit possesses all the holy attributes of divinity for the simple reason that He is God. ( 1 Cor 2:10; Rom 11:34; 1 Cor 12:10-11; 1 Cor 6:11; 1 Cor 12:4 etc.)

6. Scripture does not hesitate to designate to the Holy Spirit the name "God". Notice the truth that believers are the temple of God and the Person inside this temple is the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16)

7. Augustine said, "If we are bidden to make a temple for the Spirit out of wood and stone, because this honor is due to God alone, such a command would be a clear proof of the Spirit=s divinity. Now, then, how much clearer is it that we ought not to make a temple for Him, but ought ourselves to be that temple." ( see Augustine, Letters clxx.2).

8. The words of the prophets are the words of God.....God the Holy Spirit. (Is 6:9 cf. Acts 28:25-26)

9. Godly minds securely rest in the Scriptures teaching of the Deity of the Holy Spirit.

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