In my previous article, I gave the historical background of the Council of Nicea in 325AD where most of our Creed was formulated. But as the bishops left that council, they didn’t realize that there would be more work to be done in describing our Triune God. You see, the entireThird Article of the original Nicene Creed stated, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Because there was no debate about who the Spirit was, this simple sentence sufficed – but not for long.
Soon after Nicea, questions began to arise of whether the Holy Spirit was actually part of the Godhead. Arius (of whom we spoke last month), who had falsely taught that Jesus was created by the Father, also believed that the Spirit was less than divine. Not only he, but others began to question the Person of the Holy Spirit, even those who confessed the full divinity of Jesus. Some thought that He was merely one of the “ministering spirits” or angels used to do God’s bidding.
Although it took 50 years, another council was scheduled to settle the matter. In 381AD the bishops met in the city of Constantinople (today’s Istanbul, Turkey) to better explain what the Scriptures teach about the Spirit. Here is what they formulated:
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is together worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.”
Notice how these words confess what the Scriptures teach. The Holy Spirit is “Lord” (2 Cor. 3:17) and is the “Giver of Life” (John 6:63). While Jesus is eternally begotten of the Father, the Spirit “proceeds” from both (John 15:26, 1 Cor. 2:12). The Holy Spirit has always been active, working in the hearts of humankind by “speaking through the prophets” (2 Peter 1:21).
We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God and is worshiped together with the Father and the Son! He is the One who creates and sustains our faith, and connects us to Jesus. Indeed, “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3).
This confession couldn’t be more important for today. So many of our neighbors describe themselves as “spiritual” but have no idea what that means. A great influence on our culture has been the Eastern Religions, which invite us to look inside ourselves to discover spirituality. They would say that the secret to spiritual transformation lies within. In essence, being “spiritual” in our modern world can mean whatever you want it to mean, and it usually just ends up being a search for something that will make you feel better about yourself.
Against all such nonsense stands the age-old confession of the One who truly gives us life! When we search inside ourselves, all that we find is self-doubt, sin and death. Rather, we need a spirituality from outside ourselves, one whose origins resides not in the notions of men but in the Holy Spirit. Through Word and Sacrament the Spirit is at work in the heart of God’s people to forgive us and give us new life. This is true Spirituality (with a capital S).
On Easter, we celebrate not only that Jesus is risen from the dead, but that by the Holy Spirit, we too have new life! “We were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) In our Nicene Creed (which technically, because it took two church councils to formulate, is referred to as the “The Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed”) we believe, teach and confess that new and eternal life is given to us by the Holy Spirit, Who is our Lord.