Historically, Christians have taught the coexistence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in perfect unity in the Godhead. This doctrine of the Trinity teaches that there are three distinct persons within the being of the one true God. One of the first indications of this truth is in the first chapter of the Bible where a singular God refers to Himself with a plural pronoun: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image’” (Gen. 1:26, emphasis mine).
Although the word trinity itself does not appear in the Scriptures, this “Trinitarian thinking” is shown in other various passages, including: “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” (Matt. 28:19), and “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Co. 13:14).
These two verses show the title of the Holy Spirit as equal to those of God the Father and God the Son. And although there is no verse that says, “The Holy Spirit is God,” there are indeed a number of passages that essentially equate Him with God. One of these verses is Acts 5:3-4, which says, “Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…? You have not lied to men but to God.’”
Another key passage is 1 Corinthians 3:16, which says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” This verse is teaching that God Himself inhabits His people, who are His temple, and says that His Spirit has been placed within them. The verse equates God with His Spirit and is seemingly confirmed by 1 Corinthians 6:19 which says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
One major piece of evidence of the Holy Spirit’s equality with God the Father and God the Son are the titles given to Him in the Bible. He is referred to as “the Spirit of the Lord” (Luke 4:18), “the Spirit of our God” (1 Co. 6:11), “the Spirit of the Living God” (2 Co. 3:3), and “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:19). And 1 Corinthians 12:3-6 shows this equality as well saying, “I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit. 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” (emphasis mine).
Other factors to consider are the Holy Spirit’s divine attributes. First John 5:11-12 says, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” This godly characteristic is then attributed to the Holy Spirit, for He is called “the Spirit of life” in Romans 8:2.
The Word of God also shows the Spirit to be omniscient, for Jesus said, “The Counselor, 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” (John 14:26), and “The Spirit of truth…will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
And, as God, the Holy Spirit is omnipresent. David writes, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).
The Holy Spirit not only has the attribute of life; He is also shown to be omnipotent in creating life itself. Consider Job 33:4 which says, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
God is the only being who is eternal, which means He has existed from eternity past and will live throughout eternity future. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit were not God, He would not be called “the eternal Spirit” in Hebrews 9:14.
Additionally, the Bible teaches, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love,” and “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:8, 16). Since these verses indicate that love comes only from God, the Holy Spirit must be God, because Romans 15:30 speaks of love as “the love of the Spirit.”
I realize that the doctrine of the Trinity is extremely difficult for even mature Christians to grasp, and I’m not convinced that anyone, at least on this side of heaven, can fully comprehend it. Nevertheless, the concept of the Trinity is taught in Scripture with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three distinct persons being the one true God. We, of course, are limited by our finite minds, but someday we will have full understanding of this and other amazing and unfathomable truths. “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Co. 13:12).
Three persons in one God is a truth that is indeed difficult to grasp, but the Bible teaches it. I do believe we should strive to understand these deep things of God, yet there comes a time when some things must be received by faith. Assuming we have accepted this profound truth of Scripture, should it then make a difference in how we live our lives? I think the words of Jesus will best serve to answer this question:
“The most important [commandment]…is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’” (Mark 12:29-30).