Today we’ll continue our study of “Great Doctrines of the Bible” by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) by looking at chapter 2 (vol. II), “The Deity of the Holy Spirit.”
In the previous chapter, MLJ argued for the personality of the Holy Spirit. Next, he will demonstrate the biblical teaching of the Spirit’s deity. This, MLJ teaches, is a unique Christian teaching:
This is still a vital part of the doctrine of the Trinity, of course, and, indeed, we cannot emphasize too often that in many ways that doctrine is the first and the great doctrine of the Christian faith. It is only Christians who believe this doctrine; all other religions fail to do so, as do all errors and heresies. The Trinity is the key which unlocks all truth (15).
One must see this doctrine of the three persons of the Trinity from Scripture and affirm the deity of each member of the Godhead. The deity of the Spirit is taught in Scripture in many places. For example, in Acts 5, Peter tells Ananias and Sapphire that they have lied to the Holy Spirit. Then he says, “You have not lied to men, but to God” (5:3-4).
Furthermore, Scripture ascribes attributes to the Holy Spirit that are reserved for deity, such as “eternal” (Heb 9:14). Psalm 139:7 shows that the Spirit is omnipresent, and 1 Corinthians 2:10 teaches that the Spirit is omniscient. Jesus said that the Spirit will “teach you all things” (John 14:26). Many of the works of the Spirit are divine as well. The Spirit is present at creation (Gen 1) and Job says, “The Spirit of God has made me…” (Job 33:4). The Spirit is the one that quickens (John 6:63), and a believer is someone who has been “born of the water and of the Spirit (John 3). The Spirit’s inspiration of Scripture also shows his deity: “So we have our doctrine of the infallibility of the Scriptures, and it is proof positive to us that He is God. It is God alone who can give the truth and inspire men in their record of the truth” (17).
For Lloyd-Jones, it is absolutely vital that one understands the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Holy Trinity.
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