The Bible recounts the vast and boundless ministry of God the Holy Spirit in a majestic way. Let us consider some momentous aspects of his ministry, especially those that refer to the new life of salvation:
a) He is the giver of life:
The book Job testifies how God’s Spirit created the universe: “His Spirit made the heavens beautiful...” (Job 26:13).
The first book of the Bible testifies that the Spirit of God started to ‘incubate’ the immeasurable variety of life on earth: “The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface” (Genesis 1:2).
The coming of Jesus Christ [the Messiah] into our world was a miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit: “The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you [the virgin Mary], and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'” (Luke 1:35).
Jesus himself explains that it is the Holy Spirit who gives a new and eternal life to all those who repent of their rebellion and wrongdoings and receive God’s forgiveness: “It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). (See meditations 26 and 27)
The apostle Paul exults about this new life in his letter to the followers of Jesus in Rome: “The power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:2).
The apostle John explains in his Gospel that God’s life-giving Spirit ‘rebirths’ us as children of God: “To all who believed him [Jesus] and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan - this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12-13).
The apostle Paul shows that the Holy Spirit awakens in the hearts of all those who are reborn, a deep desire to call God their Father: "You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave [of sin] again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’" (Romans 8:15).
b) He creates a new (messianic) community, consisting of all the followers of Jesus:
The apostle Paul shows the followers of Jesus in Corinth that as reborn children of God they belong to a new community, called the ‘Body of Christ’, or the ‘Body of the Messiah’. This messianic community is universal in being, and knows no discrimination of status, race, colour or nationality:
“Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles [non-Jews], some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Furthermore, the apostle Paul urges the followers of Jesus in Ephesus (modern Turkey) to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to strengthen this God-given community life among them: “Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
c) His presence in the lives of Jesus’ followers is God’s guarantee of the new heaven and earth to come:
The apostle Paul rejoices with the followers of Jesus in Corinth about the fact that the renewing presence of God’s Spirit in their hearts is like a first ‘instalment’ of the new creation to come: “[God] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
(2 Corinthians 1:22).
To the Christians in Rome, Paul even speaks about the new eternal body they will receive when the new creation has become a reality: “And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering.
We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us” (Romans 8:23).
To the followers of Jesus in Ephesus, Paul explains that the fact that they received God’s Spirit is the proof that God will keep his promises concerning the new heaven and new earth to come: “The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.”
(Ephesians 1:14)
In the same letter Paul summarises the basic facts of salvation: “And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.” (Ephesians 1:13)
Do you trust Jesus Christ [the Messiah] for salvation and did you receive the Holy Spirit once you believed? If so, then you are God’s own, beloved child.
The Bible verses Luke 1:35, Romans 8:15, 2 Corinthians 1:22 are quoted from the ‘New International Version’. All other texts are quotes of the ‘New Living Translation’.
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