What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity?
The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God eternally exists as one divine essence in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the third Person of the Trinity, not because He is lesser or subordinate in essence, but because of His role in the order of divine revelation and His distinct function within the economic Trinity.
The Holy Spirit as the Third Person of the Trinity
Equality in Essence and Nature
The Holy Spirit, like the Father and the Son, fully shares in the divine essence. He is not a lesser God or a created being but is fully God. This equality is evident in passages that attribute divine characteristics and actions to the Spirit:
Omniscience: "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10, NKJV).
Omnipresence: "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?" (Psalm 139:7, NKJV).
Omnipotence: The Spirit is described as the power behind creation: "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life" (Job 33:4, NKJV).
Scriptural Order and Revelation
The Holy Spirit is called the third Person of the Trinity because, in Trinitarian formulations, He is often mentioned last:
Matthew 28:19: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (NKJV).
2 Corinthians 13:14: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen" (NKJV).
This order does not reflect inferiority but the Spirit’s role in revealing and applying the work of the Father and the Son. Within the economic Trinity, the Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son to accomplish specific tasks in God’s redemptive plan.
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
The Spirit as God’s Power in Creation and Empowerment
In the Old Testament, the Spirit is revealed as active in creation and empowerment, though His personal identity is less explicitly developed:
Creation: "The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2, NKJV).
Empowerment: The Spirit empowered individuals for specific tasks, such as Samson: "And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol" (Judges 13:25, NKJV).
While the Spirit’s divine activity is evident, the full revelation of His Personhood awaits the New Testament.
The Holy Spirit in the New Testament
The Spirit as a Distinct Person
The New Testament explicitly reveals the Holy Spirit as a distinct Person within the Godhead. Jesus introduces the Spirit as a Helper who is sent by the Father and the Son:
John 14:16–17: "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you" (NKJV).
The Spirit is not an impersonal force but a Person who speaks, teaches, and guides:
John 16:13: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come" (NKJV).
The Spirit’s Role in the Life of Christ
The Spirit is active throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus, highlighting His integral role in God’s redemptive work:
Conception: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35, NKJV).
Baptism: "And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, 'You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased'" (Luke 3:22, NKJV).
Empowerment for Ministry: "Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness" (Luke 4:1, NKJV).
The Holy Spirit’s Role in the Economic Trinity
Sent by the Father and the Son
In the economic Trinity, the Spirit proceeds from the Father and is sent by both the Father and the Son to accomplish specific purposes:
John 15:26: "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (NKJV).
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 things that I said to you" (NKJV).
The Spirit as the Applier of Redemption
The Holy Spirit applies the redemptive work of Christ to believers, regenerating and sanctifying them:
Regeneration: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5, NKJV).
Sanctification: "But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11, NKJV).
Practical Implications of the Holy Spirit’s Role
The Spirit as Our Teacher and Guide
The Spirit’s role as the Helper ensures that believers are continually guided into truth and empowered to live holy lives:John 16:13: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (NKJV).
The Spirit as the Seal of Salvation
The Spirit serves as the guarantee of our inheritance in Christ:Ephesians 1:13–14: "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory" (NKJV).
The Spirit as the Source of Unity
The Spirit unites believers into one body, the church:1 Corinthians 12:13: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit" (NKJV).
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit, as the third Person of the Trinity, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. His designation as "third" reflects His role in the order of revelation and the divine economy, not a hierarchy of essence or significance. The Spirit’s work is essential to creation, redemption, and sanctification, and He continues to apply the benefits of Christ’s finished work to believers today. This understanding deepens our worship of the triune God and our reliance on the Spirit for guidance, empowerment, and unity.
The Holy Spirit’s Role in the Inspiration and Illumination of Scripture
Inspiration of Scripture
The Holy Spirit’s role in the composition of Scripture highlights His integral part in divine revelation. He inspired the human authors to write God’s Word without error:2 Peter 1:21: "For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (NKJV).
2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (NKJV).
This underscores the Spirit’s role in ensuring that the Bible is God-breathed and authoritative.
Illumination of Scripture
Beyond inspiration, the Spirit continues His work by illuminating Scripture for believers, enabling them to understand and apply God’s Word:1 Corinthians 2:12–13: "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (NKJV).
The Holy Spirit’s Role in Conviction and Conversion
Conviction of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment
The Spirit’s work begins before conversion by convicting the world of sin, pointing to the need for a Savior:John 16:8–11: "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged" (NKJV).
This conviction is essential in awakening sinners to their need for salvation.
Effectual Calling and Regeneration
The Holy Spirit regenerates believers, bringing them from spiritual death to life:John 3:5–6: "Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit'" (NKJV).
The Spirit’s role in effectual calling ensures that those whom God has chosen are drawn to Christ.
The Spirit’s Role in Empowering Believers
Empowering for Service
The Spirit equips believers for ministry through spiritual gifts and divine empowerment:Acts 1:8: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (NKJV).
1 Corinthians 12:7: "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (NKJV).
These gifts enable believers to build up the church and glorify God.
Sanctification and Fruitfulness
The Spirit actively sanctifies believers, conforming them to the image of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit demonstrates His transformative power:Galatians 5:22–23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (NKJV).
The Holy Spirit’s Eschatological Role
The Spirit as a Guarantee of Future Inheritance
The Holy Spirit serves as a seal and a guarantee of believers’ future inheritance in Christ:Ephesians 1:13–14: "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory" (NKJV).
The Spirit’s Role in Resurrection
The Holy Spirit will raise believers to eternal life, just as He raised Christ from the dead:Romans 8:11: "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (NKJV).
The Spirit’s Role in Worship
Guiding Believers in True Worship
The Holy Spirit enables believers to worship God in spirit and truth, as Jesus taught:John 4:23–24: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (NKJV).
Interceding for Believers
The Spirit intercedes on behalf of believers, especially in moments of weakness:Romans 8:26–27: "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (NKJV).
The Spirit as the Bond of Unity in the Church
Unifying Believers
The Spirit brings unity among believers, knitting them together as one body in Christ:Ephesians 4:3–4: "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling" (NKJV).
Dwelling Corporately and Individually
The Spirit indwells both the collective church and individual believers:1 Corinthians 3:16: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (NKJV).
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit, as the third Person of the Trinity, fulfills a vital role in the Godhead and the life of believers. From inspiring Scripture and convicting the world of sin to sanctifying and empowering the church, His work is indispensable. He ensures the believer’s growth, guarantees their eternal inheritance, and unites them into the body of Christ. These truths underscore the Spirit’s divine Personhood and emphasize His essential role in fulfilling God’s redemptive purposes.
