Last week, we took a deep dive into the divinity of the Holy Spirit, affirming that he is fully God just as the Father and the Son are. This week calls for another exploration of the Spirit, focusing instead on his unique role within the Trinity. Studying such a topic will inevitably result in a broad discussion spanning many categories, as he does so much more than simply one thing.
However, it could be said that the Spirit, in all he does, works to uplift and glorify the Father and Jesus Christ. To this end, he appears to take a behind-the-scenes approach to his work.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the unique role of the Holy Spirit!
What is the Holy Spirit’s Role?
He Convicts the World:
Consider the words of Christ:
7 Nevertheless, 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, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”
John 16:7-8
Here we see the active part the Spirit plays in the realization of our desperate need for a savior. Without his conviction, we would not understand that we are unrighteous. The idea that a totally good and just God must judge us for what we have done would not give us any pause.
Basically, the Holy Spirit’s grace allows us to see how we have sinned against a sovereign God, of whose perfect standard of righteousness we fall short. Without this merciful act, we would not know we need to approach Christ and ask him to be our savior. Salvation could not take place.
If you have not been a Christian your whole life, then you remember the days before you believed. Think about the first time it dawned on you that, left to your own devices, you were woefully and hopelessly sinful. I remember vividly the shame I felt when this knowledge came over me—the knowledge that time and time again, I had sinned against a perfect and holy God who had only ever shown me love.
This was, of course, an unpleasant experience, but it’s what brought me to my knees before Christ, knowing I had no other hope but him. In this way, the conviction of the Holy Spirit informs us of our need to reconcile with a glorious God and brings us to see the miraculous wonder of salvation through Jesus.
He Is Our Advocate and Teacher:
What do you think of when you hear the word “advocate?” It’s a word that evokes strong imagery. If someone is your advocate, then they are always stepping up to the plate for you. They are always encouraging you, looking out for your best interest and promoting your strong traits to others. Personally, I think of a sports agent, who “advocates” for their clientele of players by telling the league executives about how great a player they are, asking around about new opportunities for their players, helping their players market themselves in their career, guiding them to new business opportunities, and so on.
When it comes to the Holy Spirit, though, he does not advocate for our monetary gain—he advocates for us spiritually. Romans 8:26 tells us that he intercedes for us, talking and pleading with God on our behalf using groanings too deep for words. He knows our deepest needs far better than we do, as we do not know what to pray for. That is why, through wordless groans, he speaks for us.
This advocating isn’t the only way the Spirit helps the helps the believer. He teaches us too. Think about it: how much better do you comprehend the wonders of the Bible now as opposed to when you first believed?
The Spirit guides us, helping us take the Word of God as more than just abstract knowledge and apply it in our lives. He treasures scripture in our heart so that we do not forget the promises of God, the salvation we have received, or the commands we must follow in order to make disciples.
All of this not only serves to grow us into closer relationship with God; it also equips us to proclaim his word to others. This equipping, part of which includes the Spirit’s gifts of ministry (we will discuss that soon), is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We are not alone in our mission to pass on an obedient relationship with Jesus to our community. The Holy Spirit is there to lead us in our disciplemaking and in our proclamation of Christ!
Look no further than Acts 2 for a concrete example of this. The Holy Spirit, who had just come upon Peter other believers, guided him to give a profound teaching that led to the salvation of thousands:
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:37-41
He Regenerates:
…he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
Titus 3:5
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”
John 3:5
Picture a pile of dried twigs and leaves. Not exactly the most beautiful sight to behold, is it? Then picture what happens when someone throws a lit match on the pile. Pretty soon, that pile looks very different—it erupts into burning, dancing flames.
This is a good word picture to describe the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Before placing our faith in Christ, we are dead in our sins: spiritually bankrupt through and through. We are not unlike the twigs and leaves from the previous paragraph, all dried out and devoid of warmth. But then, the instant we become believers, the Holy Spirit sparks a flame of spiritual life within us. It is now our honor to be a new creation in Christ. This happens as soon as we receive the Holy Spirit, an event which occurs the moment we accept Jesus as our savior.
I like the way The Gospel Coalition puts it:
The grace of regeneration is the power of God that grants humans the ability to exercise faith and new inclinations towards God.
The Gospel Coalition
Without regeneration, there is no pursuing a new life with the Father.
He Sanctifies Us:
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13
I’ll ask you one more question. How different are you now from when you first became a Christian? If your conduct has become more righteous, your will more aligned with Christ’s will, then this is attributable to the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification.
In layman’s terms, sanctification is the gradual, lifelong process the believer undergoes in which the Spirit leads them to be more like Jesus. Perhaps you have noticed this in your personal walk with the Lord. As time passed, you began to desire the things God desires, and your old life of sin became less and less appealing. Maybe you desire to make disciples and see God transform the lives of others more than you used to. Maybe you no longer lose patience for those who are less mature than you are, instead extending them grace just as God extended grace to you. It could be any number of situations like this. Through consistent sanctification, we better display the fruits of the spirit laid out in Galatians 5:22-23, making us more loving, joyful, patient, forbearing, kind, faithful, good, gentle, and self-controlled.
Sanctification does many things. It grows us internally, drawing us into deeper community with God and helping us glorify him on a whole new level. It also acts as a testimony to those around us. The Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification will not go unnoticed by others in your life, especially those who knew you before it took place.
This stark difference in your character will demonstrate to them that Jesus has made a real, tangible impact on your life. It will show them the hope you have through him, which in turn may lead them to desire God themselves. This is another way the Spirit elevates the Father and the Son.
He Equips:
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Finally, as if playing a pivotal role in our salvation, helping us understand and draw near to God through his Word, making us new, interceding for us before God, and transforming us to be more like Jesus were not amazing enough, the Holy Spirit is the one who distributes spiritual gifts to the Body of Christ.
It is he who gives proper equipping for making disciples of Jesus Christ and proclaiming the glory of God. He lovingly gives each person a distinct blend of gifting to fit how God fearfully and wonderfully made them and the situations he placed them in. Whatever your particular gifting in ministry is, it came from the Spirit so the Father and the Son Could be honored—so their kingdom could grow.
The Selfless Love of the Spirit
I hope reading this revealed to you new insights about the Spirit. I hope it helps you better appreciate all he does for us in our personal relationship with God and our ministries. Furthermore, I hope it made you appreciate the beautiful model of selfless love the Spirit provides us.
The reason his role is initially less obvious to Christians than the roles of God the Father and God the Son is because he willingly works from behind the curtain, letting the fruits of his labor result in an exaltation of the other two. This is a divine being—fully God and worthy of honor and worship and praise—who chooses to work for the honor of Jesus Christ and the Father.
This is not done because he is somehow lesser than they are. It is done out of love. The work of the Holy Spirit is a work of love.
Story of Grace 