Jackson on Article V: Of the Holy Ghost

His redeeming work. For the work of the Holy Ghost is to communicate to us the meaning and the power of Christ’s work for us (John vii., 39, and xvi., 14and 15). It is important to notice the following three points :—

(a) The Personality of the Holy Ghost. No special emphasis is laid upon this in the Article. But it is implied in the words “‘ very and eternal God.’’ In our own day, however, there is a ten- dency to think of the Holy Spirit only as an in- fluence. It is therefore important to notice that our Lord constantly uses the masculine pronoun in reference to the Holy Spirit (John xiv., 26, and xvi., 13 and 14), and ascribes to Him personal functions such as teaching (John xiv., 26), wit- nessing (xv., 26), convicting (xvi., 8), and guid- ing (xvi., 13). Note also the clear distinction between the gifts of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit the Giver in 1 Cor. xii., 4-11.

(b) The Godhead of the Holy Ghost. This was denied in the 4th century by Arius and Mace- donius ; and the tendency to ignore, if not to deny it, is ever with us. Here again therefore it is important to notice the clear teaching of Holy Scripture. In Acts v., 3 and 4, ‘‘lying to the Holy Ghost ’’ is identified with ‘* lying to God ”’; in 1 Cor. iii., 16 and 17, and vi., 19 and 20, our bodies are described as ‘‘ temples of the Holy Ghost ’’ and then as ‘‘ temples of God ’’; and in 2 Cor. iii,, 17 and 18, the Spirit is called ‘* Lord.”’ His Godhead is also implied in references to the Trinity; to His Work at Creation, at the In- carnation, and in the new birth of the soul; and to the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against Him (Mark iii., 29). Such Scripture passages and references fully justify the statement of the Article that ‘‘ the Holy Ghost… . is of one

substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.”’

(c) The Relationship of the Holy Spirit to God the Father and God the Son. This is described by the phrase ‘‘ proceeding from,’’ adopted by the Church in the fourth century on the authority of our Lord’s words in John xv., 26, and preserved in the Creed in our Communion Service. That Creed* is the old Creed of Jerusalem revised by. its Bishop Cyril about 362 a.p., and accepted as a Creed of the Church by the General Council of Constantinople 381. But it did not then con- tain the words ‘‘ and the Son ’’—only ‘‘ proceed- ing from the Father.’ The addition dates from the Council of Toledo 589, and has never been ac- cepted by the Eastern Church..’ In defence of our Western doctrine, it should be stated, Ist, that Jesus claims to send (John xv., 26) and to bestow (xx., 22) the Spirit; 2nd, that Scripture speaks of Him as the Spirit of Jesus and of Christ (Acts xvi., 7, and Rom. viii., 9). Com- pare also Matt. iii., 11, where John the Baptist speaks of our Lord as baptising with the Holy Ghost.

GROUP II. (ARTICLES VI.—VIII.).