As we continue to deepen our exploration and understanding of the Nicene Creed we come to the statement “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life . . .” The first part of the creed established foundational and unifying clarity on such core beliefs as the divinity of Christ, along with a fuller understanding of his life and atoning work. The Council of Nicea, which convened in 325 A.D, established in response to the Arian Controversy that Christ shared the same essence with the Father (“homoousios”). We have delightfully been guided by this creed ever since to worship our Lord and Savior in spirit and in truth, “the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.”
In the years that followed Nicea, similar disputes evolved and developed concerning the nature of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Just as the Arian Controversy wrongly claimed Christ was a created being and therefore “lesser” or subordinate in essence to the Father, these “pneumatic” (pneuma = spirit) heresies similarly claimed the Holy Spirit was a created being and thus inferior to the Father and The Son. In response to these false teachings about the Holy Spirit, another council was convened at Constantinople in 381 A.D. to settle these matters.It was through their work that a fuller description of the divinity and work of the Holy Spirit was added to the Nicene Creed.
In calling the Holy Spirit “Lord” (Kyrios) the creed establishes that the Holy Spirit is equal in Divinity to the Father and the Son, and His essential work in transforming us through sanctification. The Apostle Paul affirms in 2 Cor. 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit…And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” The Old Testament also attests to the Divinity of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 40:13-14
“Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” Here the Word attests that The Holy Spirit manifests divine attribute of omniscience in the same way it is ascribed to the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit did not need to be taught or instructed in the same way a created being must be. He possesses the full knowledge and understanding of God by nature of His essence (aseity). Similarly, Psalm 139 speaks of the Spirit’s omnipresence in vv 7-8 “Psalm 139:7–8 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” What a comfort to know that the Holy Spirit abides with us wherever we are, in whatever circumstance we are in, providing us with God’s comfort (Jn 14:26), guidance (Jn 16:13), wisdom (Eph. 1:17), and power (Lk 24:29, Eph. 3:16)
In saying the Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life, the Creed affirms that the Holy Spirit was involved in God’s work of creation from the very beginning of time, “hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2) and continues the work of creation of mankind and renewal of the earth (Ps. 104:30). The Wordaffirms that God created and gave life to mankind to bear Hisimage (Gen. 1:26).
But beyond creation and our physical life, The Spirit is the Giverof Life in every step of our renewed life in Christ. He first convicts us of our sin, God’s righteousness, and His Judgment (Jn 16:8-11). And in our state of spiritual death because of the penalty of sin (Eph 2:1-3), it is the work of the Spirit to give us life and be born again of Him by His renewing work and power(Jn 3:5-6) through faith. The Spirit further gives life by changing our status from enemies of God (Rom 5:10) to being beloved of the Father by adopting us as his children (Rom. 8:15-16) ,making us co-heirs with our Savior, Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:17, Gal. 4:4-7).
The Spirit continues to give life to his children after their new birth through His work in conforming us to the image of the Son through our sanctification (1 Cor 6:11). He also protects us by His abiding presence which serves as a seal and guarantee of our eternal inheritance (Eph 1:13-14), which we will receive after he accomplishes our bodily resurrection.
Let us Give praise to our Lord Jesus Christ who comforted us with these words, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you . . . When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”(John 16:7,13-14). Truly He is the Lord and Giver of Life!
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