Creed 23 Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit

“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3). “God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father’” (Gal 4:6). This knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit: to be in touch with Christ we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. He comes to meet us and kindles faith in us. By virtue of our baptism, the first sacrament of faith, the Holy Spirit in the church communicates to us, intimately and personally, the life that originates in the Father and is offered to us in the Son.

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit Baptism gives us the grace of new birth in God the Father, through His Son, in the Holy Spirit. For those who bear God’s Spirit are led to the Word, that is, to the Son, and the Son presents them to the Father, and the Father confers incorruptibility on them. And it is impossible to see God’s Son without the Spirit, and no one can approach the Father without the Son, for the knowledge of the Father is the Son and the knowledge of God’s Son is obtained through the Holy Spirit. – St. Irenaeus

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit There is progression in the revelation of the Persons of the Trinity through history, and also in the way believers are introduced to the Trinity The Old Testament proclaimed the Father clearly, but the Son more obscurely. The New Testament revealed the Son and gave us a glimpse of the divinity of the Spirit. Now the Spirit dwells among us and grants us a clearer vision of Himself. It was not prudent when the divinity of the Father had not yet been confessed, to proclaim the Son openly and, when the divinity of the Son was not yet admitted, to add the Holy Spirit as an extra burden, to speak somewhat daringly… By advancing and progressing “from glory to glory”, the light of the Trinity will shine in evermore brilliant rays. – St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life The Holy Spirit is called the Lord as He is co-equal with the Father and the Son and one in essence with Them. “The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water” (Gen 1:2). The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. He is co-equal with the Father, and is His coworker in making Heaven and Earth. Job 26:13 “by His Spirit He adorned the heavens” Psalm 104:30 “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created” (bara) Psalm 33:6 “by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth”

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life It belongs to the Holy Spirit to rule, sanctify, and animate creation, for He is God, consubstantial with the Father and the Son… power of life pertains to the Spirit, for being God He preserves creation in the Father through the Son. – Byzantine liturgy, Sundays of the second mode, troparion of morning prayer God fashioned man with His own hands (that is, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and impressed His own form on the flesh He had fashioned, in such a way that even what was visible might bear the divine form. – St. Irenaeus

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life The Spirit of the promise through the fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham by sending both the Son and the Spirit to the children of Abraham. The manifestations of God (theophanies) from the patriarchs to Moses and from Joshua to the visions of the great prophets. God’s Word allowed Himself to be seen and heard in these theophanies in which the cloud of the Holy Spirit both revealed Him and concealed Him in its shadow. The divine pedagogy appears especially in the gift of the Law (Deut 1:11). The law is powerless to save man deprived of the divine likeness, along with the growing awareness of sin that it imparts (Rom 3:20) enkindles a desire for the Holy Spirit. The lamentation of the psalms bear witness to this.

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life The Spirit worked on the virgin St. Mary for the incarnation of the Son. “Was incarnated of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary” He is called “The River of the Water of Life” (Rev 22:1; Ezek 47:1-12; Zak 14:8; John 8:12)

Who proceeds from the Father “filioque” the procession from the Son was gradually admitted to the Latin Liturgy between the 8 th and 11 th century leading to the great schism We receive the Spirit from the Father through the Son. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…” (John 14:25).

Who proceeds from the Father “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). With respect to God’s work of salvation in the world, the Son sends the Holy Spirit from the Father. With respect to the divine nature, the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father. In other words the Holy Spirit receives His eternal existence only from the Father, the source, the Fountainhead of both Persons, i.e. the Son and the Spirit, is the Father.

With the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified In the context of the Trinity speaking of the Holy Spirit is “theology.” In respect to the work of the Holy Spirit individually we speak of divine economy. The Holy Spirit is at work with the Father and the Son from the beginning to the completion of the plan for our salvation.

With the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified The Son ushered in the “end times” by His redeeming incarnation. Since the ascension, God’s plan has entered into fulfillment. We are already at “the last hour” (1 John 2:18; 1 Peter 4:7), meaning that the Spirit is revealed and given, recognized and welcomed as a Person. The divine plan, accomplished in Christ the First Born and head of the new creation, is now embodied in mankind by the outpouring of the Spirit: as the church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the everlasting life.

With the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified “No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:11). The Spirit reveals to us the thoughts of God. “He will not speak on His own” (John 16:13). Such properly divine self-effacement explains why “the world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him,” (John 14:17). While those who believe in Christ know the Spirit because He dwells with them (John 14:17). We do not hear the Spirit Himself. We know Him only in the movement by which He reveals the Word to us and disposes us to welcome Him in faith. “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3). We cannot experience Him with the senses, while we can experience the Son with the senses. He is agent that is at work in i.e. the Mysteries in the church.

The work of the Holy Spirit in the church 1.The Scriptures 2.Tradition 3.Holy Synod 4.The mysteries of the church (7) 5.The signs and miracles 6.Prayer 7.Charisms and ministries (7) 8.Saints by virtues (3) and personal gifts (6)

The work of the Holy Spirit in the church The church, a communion living in the faith of the apostles which she transmits, is the place where we know the Holy Spirit: 1.In the Scriptures He inspired 2.In the Tradition, to which the church fathers are always timely witnesses 3.In the church’s synods, which He assists 4.In the sacramental liturgy, through it’s words and symbols, in which the Holy Spirit puts us into communion with Christ 5.In prayer, wherein He intercedes for us

The work of the Holy Spirit in the church 6. In the charisms and ministries by which the church is built up. “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us let us use them: if prophecy let us prophecy in proportion to our faith; or ministry let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches in teaching; he who exhorts in exhortation; he who gives with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.” (Rom 12:6-8)

The work of the Holy Spirit in the church 7. In the signs of apostolic and missionary life 8. In the witness of the saints through whom He manifests His holiness and continues the work of salvation. This is done through the gift of 3 main virtues: faith, hope and love, and gifts: “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and godliness. The spirit of the fear of God shall fill him” (Isaiah 11:2). And through the fruits: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal 5:22)

The joint mission of the Son and the Spirit In their joint mission the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct but inseparable. Some of the church fathers have called Them “the two hands of God the Father whom He sent to take care of the world.” To be sure it is Christ who is seen, the visible image of the invisible God, but it is the Spirit who reveals Him. Without the Spirit no one can recognize the lordship and the divinity of Christ.

The joint mission of the Son and the Spirit Jesus is Christ, “anointed,” because the Spirit is His anointing and everything that occurs from the incarnation on derives from this fullness. When Christ is finally glorified (John 7:39), He can in turn send the Spirit from His place with the Father to those who believe in Him: He communicates to them His glory (John 17:22), that is, the Holy Spirit who glorifies Him. From that time on, this joint mission will be manifested in the children adopted by the Father in the body of His Son: the mission of the Spirit of adoption is to unite them to Christ and to make them live in Him.

The joint mission of the Son and the Spirit “The notion of anointing suggests… that there is no distance between the Son and the Spirit. Indeed, just as between the surface of the body and the anointing with oil neither reason nor sensation recognizes any intermediary, so the contact of the Son with the Spirit is immediate, so that anyone who would make contact with the Son by faith must first encounter the oil by contact. In fact there is no part that is not covered by the Holy Spirit. That is why the confession of the Son’s lordship is made in the Holy Spirit by those who receive Him, the Spirit coming from all sides to those who approach the Son in faith.” – St Gregory of Nyssa

The proper name of the Holy Spirit, and titles of the Holy Spirit The proper name is “Holy Spirit.” the church has received this name from the Lord and confessed it in the baptism of her new children. The term “Spirit” translates in Hebrew “ruah” which in its primary sense, means “breath,” “air,” “wind.” Jesus indeed uses the sensory image of the wind to suggest to Nicodemus the transcendental newness of Him who is God’s breathe, the Divine Spirit (John 3:5-8). On the other hand, “the Spirit” and “Holy” are divine attributes common to the 3 divine Persons. By joining the 2 terms, Scripture, liturgy, and theological language designate the inexpressible person of the Holy Spirit, without any other uses of the terms “spirit” and “holy”

Titles of the Holy Spirit Jesus calls Him the “Paraclete,” literally, “He who is called to one’s side,” advocate. “Paraclete” is commonly translated as “Consoler” and Jesus is the first Consoler (1 John 2:1). The Lord also called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth.” In the epistles of St. Paul we find titles: the Spirit of the promise (Gal 3:14), the Spirit of adoption (Rom 8:15), the Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9), the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor 3:17), and the Spirit of God (Rom 8:9, 14; 15:19). And in St. Peter, “the Spirit of glory” (1 Peter 4:14)

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 1.Water 2.Anointing 3.Fire 4.Cloud and Light 5.The Seal 6.The Hand 7.The Finger 8.The Dove

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 1.Water: signifies the Holy Spirit action in baptism. One’s first birth took place in water and the second birth is also in water. “Made to drink of one’s Spirit” (1 Cor 12:13). He is the living water welling up from Christ crucified (John 19:34). 2.Anointing: in initiation into Christian mystery it is the sacramental sign of the mystery of “chrismation” in the churches of the East and confirmation in the West. It’s full force can be grasped only in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that is of Jesus. Christ in Hebrew “Messiah” means the One anointed by God’s Spirit. From birth to ascension the work of the Spirit continued to be manifested in the humanity of our Lord. And that is what being transmitted to the believers in the mystery of the chrismation.

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 3. Fire: represents the transforming energy of the Spirit’s actions. The prayer of Elijah for fire to come from heaven on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:38,39; Sirach 48:1) is a figure of the fire of the Holy Spirit who transforms what He touches. When the Spirit comes on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with Himself as tongues of fire (Acts 2:3-4). The spiritual tradition has retained this symbol as one of the most expressive images of the Holy Spirit’s actions, “do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thes 5:19). The fire that came “from the Lord” and consumed the first sacrifice of the church in the wilderness (Lev 9:24), and consumed the 2 sons of Aaron when they brought a strange fire to offer to the Lord (in Lev 10:2). The fire that dedicated the first temple that Solomon built (2 Chron 7:1). The Holy Spirit also is “the fire” that came down from heaven to consecrate the new church through the sacrifice of Christ in the tomb by resurrecting Him from the dead so His life is now “in the Spirit” in the glory of God. The same fire will be transmitted on the day of His resurrection to his disciples (John 20:22) to fill them on Pentecost (Acts 2:3-4) as the new church.

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 4. Cloud and Light: these 2 images occur together in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In the theophanies of the OT the cloud, now obscure, now luminous, reveals the living and saving God, while veiling the transcendence of His glory. With Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:15-18), at the tent of meeting (Ex 33:1-10), and during the wandering in the desert (Ex 40:36-38), and with Solomon at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kgs 8:10-12), in the Holy Spirit, Christ fulfills these figures. The Spirit comes upon the virgin Mary and “overshadows” her, so that she might conceive and give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:35). On the mountain of transfiguration the Spirit in the “cloud came and overshadowed” Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter James and John, and “a Voice came out of the cloud saying, ‘this is My Son, My chosen; listen to Him’” (Luke 9:34-35). Finally the cloud took Jesus out of the sight of the disciples on the day of His ascension and will reveal Him as Son of Man in glory on the day of His final coming (Acts 1:9).

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 5. The Seal: this symbol is close to the anointing “the Father has set His seal” on Christ and also seals us in Him (John 6:27; 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13). Because this seal indicates the indelible (impossible to remove) effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the mysteries of baptism, chrismation, and the priesthood, the image of the seal, “sphragis,” has been used to express unrepeatable mysteries.

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 6. The Hand: Jesus heals the sick and blesses little children by laying hands on them (Mark 6:5, 8:23, 10:16). In His name the apostles will do the same (Acts 5:12). Even more pointedly, is by the apostles laying of hands that the Holy Spirit is given (Acts 8:17-19, 13:3; 19:6). The letter to the Hebrews lists the laying of hands among “fundamental elements of its teaching” (Hebrews 6:2). The church has kept this sign in the prayer of the priest over the believers in the mystery of confession, in the request of prayer, and over the sick, in the marriage mystery, etc.

Symbol of the Holy Spirit 7. The Finger: “it is by the finger of God that Jesus casts out demons” (Luke 11:20). If God’s law was written on tablets of stone “by the finger of God” (Ex 31:18) then the “letter from Christ” entrusted to the care of the apostles is written “with the Spirit of the living God not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” In the same manner our Lord “stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger” (John 8:6) showing Himself to be the Writer of the Law and the only One who has the authority to judge according to the Law, eventually the One who would send the Spirit from the Father to write the law on the hearts (Jer 31:31).

Symbols of the Holy Spirit 8. The Dove: “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water” (Gen 1:2). The first image of the Spirit given in Genesis as “hovering.” The next image at the end of the flood we see the dove of Noah hovers over the water of cleansing as a symbol of baptism. The next time the dove was released by Noah returns with a fresh olive tree branch as a sign that the earth was again habitable (Gen 8:8-12). When Christ comes up from the water of His baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes down upon Him and remains with Him (Matt 3:16). The Spirit comes down and remains in the purified hearts of the baptized. Christian iconography traditionally uses a dove to suggest the Spirit. In this image the Spirit is represented as meek, gentle, and a herald of peace.