The Holy Spirit: Ultimate Truth and Vital Power
The Nicene Creed, formulated in 325 A.D. under the auspices of Emperor Constantine, is a cornerstone of Christianity, containing the familiar phrase: “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” However, the truth about the Holy Spirit is much deeper and broader than was originally understood, and it is a truth of the utmost importance, on par with the truth about God the Father and Jesus Christ.
- The Holy Spirit: The Seven Spirits of Increase
In 325 A.D., the book of Revelation was not yet recognized as part of the New Testament canon. This explains why the Nicene Creed and many modern theologies often ignore the truth about the Seven Spirits of God revealed in Revelation. The Spirit is one, but He has a sevenfold power to respond to the spiritual decline of the churches from the time of the Apostle John (c. 100 A.D.) to the present day.
The Bible illustrates the Seven Spirits through imagery:
The lampstand with seven lamps (Exodus 25:31-37): Represents the Spirit’s increased illumination.
The stone with seven eyes (Zechariah 3:9; 4:2, 10): These are the seven eyes of God, overseeing His post-exilic building work.
The Lamb with seven eyes (Revelation 5:6): This Redeemer gazes upon us, not only to observe but also to impart Himself to us.
The Seven Lamps of Fire (Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5): The Seven Spirits, symbolizing His universal, divine government.
- God Is Spirit: Oneness in Presence
In his translation of the Bible, John Nelson Darby cleverly linked 2 Corinthians 3:6 (“the letter kills, the Spirit quickens”) with verse 17 (“the Lord is Spirit”). This implies that God is Spirit.
Theologian W.H. Griffith Thomas explained: “Christ and the Spirit are distinct, yet the same, the same, yet distinct. Perhaps the best expression we can give is that while their Persons are never identical, their presence is identical.”
This means that the Spirit in verse 6 is the same as Jesus in verse 17. God is Spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45 also affirms: “The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.” This truth reveals that Jesus, after his resurrection, became the life-giving Spirit, the Spirit-incarnate Christ.
- The Composite Spirit: The Spirit of Jesus Christ
Andrew Murray, a pioneer in the restoration of the truth that “God is the Spirit,” in his work “The Spirit of Christ,” pointed out that the Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost was something entirely new. He came as the Spirit of the glorified Jesus—the Spirit of God incarnate, crucified, and exalted. He brought and imparted to us not only the life of God but also the life that was “woven” into human nature in the person of Jesus Christ.
Exodus 30 describes the holy anointing oil, a symbol of the composite Spirit:
Olive oil: Represents the Spirit of God.
Myrrh: Represents the death of Christ.
Cinnamon: Refers to the efficacy of Christ’s death.
Cauliflower: Symbolizes Christ’s resurrection.
Cinnamon: Represents the power of His resurrection.
This holy anointing oil is a foreshadowing of the composite Spirit, which the Apostle Paul calls “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” in Philippians 1:19.
- The Spirit Given After Jesus’ Glorification
In John 7:37-39, Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, out of him will flow rivers of living water… He spoke of the Spirit whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
This means that after Jesus was glorified in resurrection, He became the Spirit to infuse Himself into the saints. No one can literally eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Lord, but can receive the Spirit of Jesus Christ after His resurrection. The Spirit is the final form, the essence of the Triune God after His incarnation, death, and resurrection. The New Testament saints receive the Spirit of Jesus Christ, not the original and pure Spirit of Jehovah directly.
- The Five Aspects of the Spiritual Christ (Romans 8:2, 9-11)
Romans 8:2, 9-11 mentions five different titles for the Spirit:
“The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (v. 2)
“The Spirit of God” (v. 9)
“The Spirit of Christ” (v. 9)
“Christ himself” (v. 10)
“His Spirit [the indwelling Spirit]” (v. 11)
These five titles do not refer to five different Persons, but to five aspects of one Person: the spiritual Christ, that is, the Spirit who dwells in each saint. He is the Spirit of life, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, Christ himself, and the indwelling Spirit, all working together in us.
A Call to Restore Truth
In short, many of God’s people today are being held back by theological and spiritual deficiencies that