Should We Worship the Holy Spirit?

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Question: Should we worship and pray to the Holy Spirit?

Answer: Critical to the discussion regarding whether we should worship the Holy Spirit or not is whether it is a person and part of a Triune Godhead. The Trinity doctrine is considered one of the essential and foundational beliefs of modern Christianity. Based on what most denominations officially teach, it seems almost as a natural conclusion that if this spirit is God then it deserves worship.

Most church people, especially those who worship on Sunday, have been taught that the Holy Spirit is a co-equal third part (hence the term Trinity) of the Godhead. The basic teaching is that God is actually composed of three distinct persons or individuals (the Father, the Son, the Spirit).


Catholic recognition

The First Council of Nicaea, presided by Constantine the Great in 325 A.D., was a collection of early Catholic Church leaders. One of its many decisions was to endorse belief in the Trinity. This decision would ultimately lead to worshipping it.

Pentecost
Pentecost
Giotto di Bondone, 1304 - 06

It took only 56 years for the worship of this spirit to be officially endorsed and promoted by Christendom. The First Council of Constantinople, another collection of Catholic Church leaders, was held in 381. It expanded on the Nicean Creed of 325 that supported the Trinity to include the words, "And in the Holy Ghost (Spirit), the Lord and Giver of life . . . who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped . . ."

A Biblical teaching?

The Bible nowhere teaches this spirit is a person or co-equal part of the Godhead! This amazing fact is even recognized by the Roman Catholic Church and many theologians who promote the false doctrine of the Trinity.

"The New Testament begins the work, but does not finish it; for it contains no similar teaching (like John 1:1 - 18 concerning the divinity of Christ) with regard to the Holy Spirit. The unique nature and mission of Christ are traced to a ground in the being of God; but similar ground for the divineness of the Spirit (meaning it is part of the Godhead) is NOWHERE SHOWN" (An Outline of Christian Theology, W.N. Clark, page 168).

"In Scripture there is as yet no single term by which the Three Divine Persons are denoted together" (Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV, 1912).

The Bible also does not teach that this spirit is worthy of worship. Scripture does teach, however, that both the Father and Jesus Christ are in the Godhead. The most succinct statement of this relationship is found in John's gospel. He states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (the Father), and the Word was God" (John 1:1, HBFV).

In John's introduction to his gospel (John 1:1 - 18) NO mention is made of this spirit or its believed divinity. Such an omission would be blasphemous IF it was worthy of worship like the Father and Son!

What is the Spirit?

What, then, is the Holy Spirit? According to the Bible, it is the impersonal force or power God uses to fulfill his will. It emanates from both the Father and Son (Romans 8:6 - 11). It was the power used to raise Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).

This same power lives in true Christians and enables them to build righteous character and obey their Creator (verse 7). It is the power God will use to resurrect Christians from the dead and make them a part of his family (Romans 8:15 - 17, 28 - 29, see also 1Corinthians 15). We should never worship the Holy Spirit.

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