There are many things attributed to the Holy Spirit, some true things and some false things. People will talk about being moved by the Holy Spirit or slain in the Spirit or worshipping in the Spirit. The trouble with these things is that they are either very subjective or entirely unbiblical.

But the Apostle’s Creed gives us a helpful starting point:

I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy catholic church; the communion of saints;

In his excellent book on the Holy Spirit called… The Holy Spirit, Robert Letham says this:

Because of the Holy Spirit’s invisibility and anonymity, his presence is not always noted, even though it may be known that he is present. His presence is known by what he does.

(Letham, R. (2023) The Holy Spirit. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, p. 121.)

This fact is well-attested by Jesus’ own teaching in John 3:8.

What we can know for certain is the the Holy Spirit makes what we think of as the church. At Pentecost (Acts 2), the church is founded as the Spirit is poured out by the risen Christ. The church founded by the Spirit is a holy, catholic church. It is a church which is universal, unhindered by human boundaries like sex, race, language, or social standing (Galatians 3:28-29).

And most notably, the Spirit-founded church is one in which the members are growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

May the Holy Spirit indeed cause this fruit to be found growing in us. May we seek daily to be living in the Spirit, depending on Christ, and honouring God as Father.

Notices

Join us for Tuesday Night Prayer at 7:30pm. We’re continuing our series looking at the Sermon on the Mount and praying for the needs and work of the church.

Stage N Slam will run from 22-26 June. It’s entirely free, supported by various churches here in Greenock, and is a great opportunity for young people to meet Jesus in a fun and welcoming environment. To register your child, please follow the link in the image above.