THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD
He is the third person of the Trinity.
Christians believe in one God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. This teaching is known as the doctrine of the Trinity, a “mystery” because it has been revealed to us but can’t be fully understood. Many analogies have been used trying to explain the Trinity, but none are really adequate, so we won’t explore those here. But the doctrine of the Trinity tells us one very important truth about the nature of reality: God is an eternal communion of loving persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). So, as those made in His image, we yearn for a similar communion with God and our fellow image-bearers.
The Bible describes the Holy Spirit in terms that tell us He is God. For example:
The Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and Son – In Matthew 29:19, Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” In 2 Corinthians 13:14, the Apostle Paul referenced this three-in-one God when he wrote, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” Throughout church history, whenever this teaching came under attack, orthodox Christian churches have consistently reaffirmed the belief that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.
The Holy Spirit is the Creator – Several passages of Scripture reference the Holy Spirit as present and active during the act of creation including Genesis 1:2 (“the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”) and Job 26:13 (“By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens.”).
The Holy Spirit is everywhere at once – The Bible describes God as “omnipresent” which means He is everywhere at once. This same description is used when referring to the Holy Spirit such as in Psalm 139 where David asked, “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. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” This is possible because, unlike human or angelic beings, the Holy Spirit is not a spirit but the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus Christ – We read it every Christmas season, but we rarely consider the profound implications of the words found in Matthew 1:18: “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.” Jesus Christ is the Son of God because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit of God rather than by a human father.