I Believe in the Holy Spirit — The Apostles' Creed, Article of Faith 8
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Editor’s note: This is the seventh installment of a series on the Apostles’ Creed. Rev. Campbell Markham is a Presbyterian minister in Perth, Australia.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit.” (The Apostles’ Creed, Article 8)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.
On the night before Jesus went to the cross, his disciples were distraught that he was leaving them. But there’s no way he was leaving them. He promised to be with them forever:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18)
Far from leaving his disciples, Jesus would send them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. The Spirit is not a power but a divine person who brings the presence of Jesus to his people.
In the original Greek language Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Paraclete. Paraclete is a rich word that can be translated by at least four different English words: Advocate, Comforter, Counselor, and Helper. Each word teaches us something important about the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, someone who speaks on our behalf.
In fact, the Spirit of Jesus prays perfect prayers to God the Father on our behalf:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Rom. 8:26)
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter.
In our struggles and distress the Spirit opens our eyes to see the love of Jesus for us; and opens our hearts to own that love:
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:5-8)
The Holy Spirit is our Counselor.
Within the Old Testament temple, the seven-branched menorah represented the perfect light and truth of God (the number seven represented perfection). The Spirit opens our eyes to the truth of God’s Word, which is a lamp unto our feet:
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit is our Helper.
If we are going to survive our three great enemies, the godless world, our own sinful flesh, and a fierce and cunning devil, then we need all of God’s help. The Christian life is not just about knowing certain things. It is also about having the Holy Spirit living within us, giving us strength to resist these enemies, and inspiring us to love and trust Jesus more every day.
The Holy Spirit strengthens us in this way as we read and understand God’s Word. That is why the Scripture is called “The sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17). It is the weapon the Spirit uses to cut down the devil’s lies.
Before the world was made, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters,” and it was the Spirit who brought light, order, and life to this world (Gen. 1:2).
Every Christian has the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.
The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the truth about Jesus to make us Christians (2 Cor. 4:6). The Holy Spirit enlivens us day-by-day to live as Christians (Rom. 8:11). The Holy Spirit gives us gifts to serve our brothers and sisters in the church (1 Cor. 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit makes our spirits and souls stronger even as our bodies grow weaker:
Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self renewed day by day. (2 Cor. 4:16)
Every Christian has the Holy Spirit dwelling within them:
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Rom. 8:9)
Jesus has not left us as orphans. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, lives within his own.
