I Believe in the Holy Spirit — The Apostles' Creed, Article of Faith 8
BY CAMPBELL MARKHAM | The Apostles’ Creed states: “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Who is the Holy Spirit and what does he do?
Editor’s note: This is the seventh installment of a series on the Apostles’ Creed. Rev. Campbell Markham is a Presbyterian minister in Perth, Australia.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit.” (The Apostles’ Creed, Article 8)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.
On the night before Jesus went to the cross, his disciples were distraught that he was leaving them. But there’s no way he was leaving them. He promised to be with them forever:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18)
Far from leaving his disciples, Jesus would send them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. The Spirit is not a power but a divine person who brings the presence of Jesus to his people.
In the original Greek language Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Paraclete. Paraclete is a rich word that can be translated by at least four different English words: Advocate, Comforter, Counselor, and Helper. Each word teaches us something important about the Spirit…
Who composed the apostles Creed? Is a portion of the bible?