Deep Dive into What is the Role of the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is confessed by historic Christianity as true and eternal God, the third person of the undivided Trinity, distinct in person yet one in essence with the Father and the Son. He is a living divine person, possessing intellect, will, and affections, who should never be reduced to an impersonal force. His central and governing mission is Christocentric: to glorify the Son by applying the redemption the Son accomplished, thus acting as the applier and perfecter of salvation.
The Spirit’s saving work is traced through the ordo salutis, beginning with effectual calling and leading to monergistic regeneration—the unilateral act of God alone that grants a heart of flesh. This leads to Spirit-enabled conversion and incorporation into Christ, followed by justification, adoption, and sanctification. Sanctification, in contrast to regeneration, involves Spirit-enabled synergy, requiring the believer to actively pursue holiness by the Spirit's power.
The Spirit's ordinary way of speaking today is by and through Scripture. While inspiration—the process that produced the authoritative and sufficient written Word—is closed, the Spirit’s ongoing ministry is illumination, which opens the minds of fallen readers to receive and rightly apply the truth. To hear the Spirit is to hear what Scripture says, and the church must reject subjective mysticism that treats inner impressions as rival revelations.
The Spirit ordinarily uses three appointed means of grace to build the church and effect holiness: the Word (preached and read), the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), and Prayer. These are Christ’s abiding provision for growth, and the Spirit exercises His freedom through these instruments, often clustering their efficacy in the Lord’s Day assembly.
The Spirit also operates in the wider world through common grace, His non-saving kindness extended to all people. This includes bestowing temporal blessings (like artistic and scientific gifts), maintaining societal order, and restraining wickedness through structures like government and conscience, ensuring a stage for the gospel to run. Common grace is precious but insufficient to save; only the Spirit’s special grace unites sinners to Christ.
Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian
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