Creed: Article Three

Exploring Article Three

Bible Text:

John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13

Lesson Focus:

The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.

Big Question:

The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?

Key Words:

HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH

The definitions of our key words:

HOLY SPIRIT:
the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.

COUNSELOR:
an advisor or teacher.

PENTECOST:
the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.

CHURCH:
The community of believers, or the "community of saints."

The Holy Spirit

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.

According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.

This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.

The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .

• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.