3.5 God, the Holy Spirit

Holy Scripture provides abundant testimony of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. It testifies that understanding God is only possible through the Spirit of God: "Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2: 11). Apostle Paul unconditionally links the knowledge that Jesus is Lord with the Holy Spirit: "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12: 3).

The Third Article of Faith attests: "I believe in the Holy Spirit." This corresponds to the wording of the Apostolicum (see 2.2.1). In the Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople this content is formulated even more comprehensively: "And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets."

The Holy Spirit is true God. He emanates from the Father and the Son, and lives eternally in fellowship with Them. He is also active in the creation (see 3.3.1) and in the history of salvation. The Holy Spirit is a divine person (see 3.1.1) who, together with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified as Lord.

In Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit is also designated as the "Spirit of God" (Genesis 1: 2; Romans 15: 19), the "Spirit of the Lord" (1 Samuel 16: 13; 2 Corinthians 3: 17), the "Spirit of truth" (John 16: 13), the "Spirit of [Jesus] Christ" (Romans 8: 9; Philippians 1: 19), the "Spirit of His Son" (Galatians 4: 6), and the "Spirit of glory" (1 Peter 4: 14).

The New Testament also speaks of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter and Helper (John 14: 16), as well as a "power" and "gift of God" (Acts 1: 8; 2: 38). This power of God has been promised and sent by the Father and the Son. As a power and gift, the Holy Spirit is imparted at Holy Sealing, which, together with Holy Baptism with water, constitutes the rebirth out of water and the Spirit, whereby the believer becomes a child of God.