The Real Winners of the Argument Concerning The Divinity of the Holy Spirit

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Have you encountered a debate about the doctrine of the Trinity or Godhead? This is one of the hottest topics in the Christian world today. It is so hot that people change their spiritual standing based on their acceptance or rejection of the same. I don’t want to question your position because I foresee another debate in the comment section. I don’t fear debates; you can share your thoughts in the comment section. Come, let’s reason together…,

As part of their doctrinal foundation, most Christians have the concept of a triune God: three co-eternal persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Most non-Christian debaters often misapply the concept by making it appear like the talk of three co-eternal persons means that Christianity is polytheistic, an argument inconsistent with the Bible. Polytheism exists when many supreme beings act independently of each other, unlike the subtle Monotheism in Christianity, where God is one in Divinity and Eternity yet three in personality. Worshipping the son means worshipping the Father; when you reject the son, you equally reject the Father. The lack of mutual exclusivity in the Christian Concept of God is the most potent argument against the misapplication by people who don’t understand it. 

There is no debate at all concerning the divinity of the Father. No one can reject the Father and retain sufficient comfort in practising religiosity. Yet Christ, the begotten Son of God, has received more attacks that have been quelled by the realisation that there is no possibility of being saved if Christ is not divine. Maybe you are still in doubt concerning the divinity—the only reason could be less study or being non-christian–this verse should give your doubtings a fatal blow: 

 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

 And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels, he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. [Hebrews 1:1-8]

There are enough scriptures to silence every argument about the divinity of Christ, and it is imperative to remember that the virtue of His atonement is acceptable to God because of His divine nature. If you need more scriptures, you can also state them in the comment section for your study. I give you a bonus of the gospel according to John ( Most New testament theologians agree that He wrought to prove that Christ is God).

The issue that remains up to this day and which raises emotive brows in Christian discourses is the Divinity of the Holy Spirit. The popular opinions concerning this include:

• The Holy Spirit is divine, just like the Father and the Son.
• The Holy Spirit is not a Being but the Power of God.
• That the Holy Spirit is not a being but the Spirit of Christ.

Where do you stand?

My Position

I believe God is one: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are divine. Here are some of the reasons why I am fully persuaded concerning the divinity of the Holy Spirit:

1. He prayers For Us

Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession [g]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26

2. He can Be Grieved

 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

3. He Can Be Blasphemed

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:31-32

4. The Bible Unequivocally Calls Him God

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?  While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:3-4

5. He Is A Comforter

And I will pray for the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. John 14:16

6. He Stands on the Same Ground With The Father and The Son

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:19-20

It beats logic that all these attributes can be given to a power like electric power, not a personality. 

But Who are the Real Winners of the Argument?

After labouring right and giving powerful and unquestionable evidence from the Scriptures, we are always tempted to rest easy in the confidence that all is well. It feels good to silence the other side and raise the standard of the Scriptures. However, there remains a question: who really is the winner? Could the one who has won the argument be the winner? What do you think?

I received a powerful impression that has changed my perspective on all spiritual debates and apologetic discourses. An average looks at the one who wins the debate as the winner and the one who loses the debate as the loser. However, there are more groups in all these debates:

1. The One who Wins the Argument and Obeys

Here the people who embrace the admonition of Elder peter, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” [1 Peter 3:15] They can defend the pillars of their faith. Still, above the powerful arguments, they live the talk. They can come clean when the Divinity of The Holy Spirit is questioned, but above the argument, they keep their vessels clean so that the Spirit of God may dwell in them richly. They are Spirit-filled Christians who walk in the Lord and work daily to abide by all revealed will of God. Like the Apostles, they can, with a clear conscience, say, “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” [Acts 5:32]. Are you a Christian? Do you have the Spirit of God?

2. The One Who Wins the Argument and Does NOT Obey

This group is where the majority of Christians are. They have studied and can show themselves approved, workmen not ashamed, rightly dividing the word. They are mighty in scriptures and eloquent in presenting and defending Christian doctrinal pillars, but they stop at the arguments. Once they silence unsound doctrines, they are satisfied and assured that they have done it all. They have cast devils and rebuked demons using the power of the word, but they don’t go the extra mile to seek the power of God in their lives. Expressions of carnal nature and elements of unsanctified hearts characterise their lives. What exactly is this lot doing? Are they preparing to hear, “Well, done, Thou faithful servant?” Here is what they are preparing for:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. [Matthew 7:21-23]

I know you can defend the Sabbath, but do you keep it? What about the Ten Commandments and the perpetuity of the law of God? But after putting the records straight, do you obey them?

3. The One Who Loses the Argument

The final group are the people who cannot defend their faith. They are not ready to give those who ask them a reason for the hope in them. They could be doing the wrong or right thing, but they will simply say, “this is how we do it here, and you can choose what you want to do.”  While many things can influence this group, some are reasonable–like when someone is a novice in the faith—it is dangerous to be here too long. You risk being swayed out of the way if you cannot justify your position.  While you will never find any reliable arguments for unbiblical doctrines in the Bible, it is essential you be able to explain to some who care to listen why you practice whatever you practice.

So who really is the Winner?

• The winner is not the best debater or the most eloquent in argument but the one who can defend and practice his doctrine. 

• The loser is the one who cannot defend his doctrine.

• But the worst loser is the one who can defend but does not practise. He has zero excuses and will be the saddest case in hell…