The Godhead

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is God himself, the third person of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Son. Christians believe the Spirit is not an impersonal force but a personal presence who comforts, teaches, convicts, and gives life, dwelling within those who trust Jesus and forming the character of Christ in them. Jesus called the Spirit the Comforter whom the Father would send.

God present and at work

From the first page of the Bible, the Spirit of God is active in the world, and at Pentecost the risen Jesus poured out that same Spirit on his followers.

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
Genesis 1:2
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:4

The Comforter Jesus promised

On the night before he died, Jesus promised his friends they would not be left alone. God himself would come to be with them and in them.

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
John 14:26
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Romans 8:26

Known by the fruit

Christians say you recognise the Spirit less by dramatic signs than by the character he grows in a person over time.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23

Why this matters for you

Christianity is not, at heart, a set of rules to keep by willpower. Christians believe God comes to live within those who trust him and slowly makes them new from the inside. That is why the faith speaks of being helped, comforted, and changed, rather than only trying harder on your own.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Holy Spirit a person or a force?
Christians believe the Holy Spirit is a person, God himself, not an impersonal force. The Spirit teaches, comforts, can be grieved, and intercedes for believers (John 14:26; Romans 8:26), which are the acts of a person, not a power source.
Is the Holy Spirit God?
Yes. Christians confess the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity, fully God, one in being with the Father and the Son, sharing the one divine name in baptism (Matthew 28:19).
What does the Holy Spirit do?
The Spirit gives spiritual life, comforts and teaches believers, convicts of sin, helps in prayer, and grows the character of Christ, described as the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, and more (Galatians 5:22-23).
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Come and see

You do not have to take anyone’s word for it, ours least of all. The living Christ is not a fact to be filed away but a Person to be met, and he still draws near to everyone who comes to him with an open heart. Read his own words, watch what he does, and see for yourself. The Gospel of John is a gentle place to begin, and it costs you nothing but a little quiet and an honest look.

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Jesus Christ is Lord.

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