The Apostles' Creed - Pt. 21

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2 ESV).

 

Today we move to the next general declaration in the Apostles’ Creed. After stating that we believe in God the Father and in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, we now follow up with a declaration about the third person of the Trinity: “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” It is interesting that the Apostles’ Creed doesn’t elaborate on the person or work of the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t mean He’s somehow less important than the Father or the Son. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament teach that the Holy Spirit is God. In our reading today, the Bible’s opening verses, picture the Holy Spirit hovering over the chaos of unformed matter before creation. So the Spirit, together with the Father and the Son, was there in the beginning, giving shape to the cosmos.

 

Belief in the Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity is at the heart of Christian faith although many people see the Holy Spirit as an abstract concept which they find difficult both to understand and to relate to. Because of this many names and symbols have come to be used to help Christians grasp the dynamism of the Trinity who is Father, Son, and Spirit.

 

The Holy Spirit is active in every aspect of our lives. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and rebellion against God. The Spirit breathes life into our hearts and removes our spiritual blindness, giving us eyes of faith. The Spirit is the one who helps us see and understand that Jesus is the Savior who has shown us the grace and love of the Father. And throughout our lives the Spirit continues to work in our hearts, gradually making us more like Jesus and prompting us to serve him in the world.

 

We will explore some of these as the days unfold; however, that which is central to our understanding today is found in the declaration of Jesus when He instructs the early disciples that “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, l will send him to you.” (John 17:7 ESV). The key word is “Helper.” He is comforter, the one who strengthens, and sustainer in our lives. He is the eternal, almighty God who indwells us!