Day 25: The Spirit, Lord, and Giver of Life
The Doctrine of God: Days 2-28
Scripture
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV
“For the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV
“For the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV
Confessional Summary
Westminster confesses that the Holy Spirit is fully God, “of one substance, power, and eternity” with the Father and the Son (Westminster Confession of Faith 2.3). It also teaches that salvation becomes effective in us through the Spirit, because “Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit,” who convinces us of sin, enlightens our minds in the knowledge of Christ, renews our wills, and enables us to embrace Christ (Westminster Shorter Catechism 31).
The Heidelberg Catechism brings the doctrine into daily life, teaching that the Holy Spirit “makes me by a true faith partaker of Christ and all His benefits, comforts me, and shall abide with me forever” (Heidelberg Catechism 53).
The Nicene Creed gathers the church’s confession into one line, declaring belief in “the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life,” who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified.
The Reformed confessions insist on the Spirit’s full deity because salvation is not only planned by the Father and purchased by the Son. It must be applied to you by God Himself, the Holy Spirit.
Westminster confesses that the Holy Spirit is fully God, “of one substance, power, and eternity” with the Father and the Son (Westminster Confession of Faith 2.3). It also teaches that salvation becomes effective in us through the Spirit, because “Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit,” who convinces us of sin, enlightens our minds in the knowledge of Christ, renews our wills, and enables us to embrace Christ (Westminster Shorter Catechism 31).
The Heidelberg Catechism brings the doctrine into daily life, teaching that the Holy Spirit “makes me by a true faith partaker of Christ and all His benefits, comforts me, and shall abide with me forever” (Heidelberg Catechism 53).
The Nicene Creed gathers the church’s confession into one line, declaring belief in “the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life,” who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified.
The Reformed confessions insist on the Spirit’s full deity because salvation is not only planned by the Father and purchased by the Son. It must be applied to you by God Himself, the Holy Spirit.
Reflection
Paul purposely reaches for temple language. The Spirit does not merely visit you. He dwells. And where He dwells, God claims space as His own. That changes how you think about your body, your habits, your private life, and even your failures. A temple is not a place for casual religion. It is a place set apart.
That is why the Spirit’s presence does not only comfort. It consecrates. He trains the conscience and exposes what you excuse. He interrupts what you have normalized. He insists that sin is not a minor flaw to manage but an enemy to be put to death. And yet He is patient with you in the fight, while refusing to make peace with what defiles.
This is also why Paul ties the Spirit’s presence to freedom. Freedom is not the ability to do whatever you want. That is just another form of slavery - the strongest desire wins, and sinful desires always demand more. The Spirit’s freedom is the power to say no, and the strength to obey. He does not merely forgive your chains and the sin that so easily ensnares you. He breaks them and gives you a taste for what is good.
Remember that if the Spirit dwells in you, then the Christian life is not you trying to reach God. It is God refusing to leave you. He abides, He works, and He finishes what He begins.
Paul purposely reaches for temple language. The Spirit does not merely visit you. He dwells. And where He dwells, God claims space as His own. That changes how you think about your body, your habits, your private life, and even your failures. A temple is not a place for casual religion. It is a place set apart.
That is why the Spirit’s presence does not only comfort. It consecrates. He trains the conscience and exposes what you excuse. He interrupts what you have normalized. He insists that sin is not a minor flaw to manage but an enemy to be put to death. And yet He is patient with you in the fight, while refusing to make peace with what defiles.
This is also why Paul ties the Spirit’s presence to freedom. Freedom is not the ability to do whatever you want. That is just another form of slavery - the strongest desire wins, and sinful desires always demand more. The Spirit’s freedom is the power to say no, and the strength to obey. He does not merely forgive your chains and the sin that so easily ensnares you. He breaks them and gives you a taste for what is good.
Remember that if the Spirit dwells in you, then the Christian life is not you trying to reach God. It is God refusing to leave you. He abides, He works, and He finishes what He begins.
Application
Where are you still living as if God’s love is fickle and must be kept up by your performance? Stop. If you belong to Christ, God is not distant from you. His Spirit dwells in you. Stop trying to earn God’s love. Know that you already are loved.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, I confess how easily I treat Your indwelling as a comforting idea instead of a holy reality. Consecrate what I have left unguarded. Free me where I am still chained. Strengthen me for obedience, and make my life a fitting dwelling for Your presence. Make me truly free. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Where are you still living as if God’s love is fickle and must be kept up by your performance? Stop. If you belong to Christ, God is not distant from you. His Spirit dwells in you. Stop trying to earn God’s love. Know that you already are loved.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, I confess how easily I treat Your indwelling as a comforting idea instead of a holy reality. Consecrate what I have left unguarded. Free me where I am still chained. Strengthen me for obedience, and make my life a fitting dwelling for Your presence. Make me truly free. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Archive
2026
January
Day 1: Our Chief End, All of Life for God's GloryDay 2: The Doctrine of God, The God Who IsDay 3: God Is, The Living God Who Truly ExistsDay 4: God Speaks First, Knowing the Living GodDay 5: The Only True God, No RivalsDay 6: God is Spirit, Not Like UsDay 7: God Is Self-Existent, “I AM”Day 8: God Is Not Divided, His Perfections Do Not CompeteDay 9: God Is Holy, Not Safe, Not CommonDay 10: God Is Love, Not Indifferent, Not SentimentalDay 11: God Is Just, The Judge of All the EarthDay 12: God Is Merciful, He Delights to PardonDay 13: God Is Sovereign, None Can Stay His HandDay 14: God Is Wise, Never Confused, Never LateDay 15: God Is Good, He Does GoodDay 16: God Is True, He Cannot LieDay 17: God Is Eternal, Before All, After AllDay 18: God Is Unchanging, Your AnchorDay 19: God Is Omniscient, Fully Known by God, Fully Loved in ChristDay 20: God Is Omnipresent, Never AbsentDay 21: God Is Omnipotent, God Is AbleDay 22: The Trinity, One God in Three PersonsDay 23: The Father, Source, Sender, and AdopterDay 24: The Son Eternal God Redeeming LordDay 25: The Spirit, Lord, and Giver of LifeDay 26: God’s Grace and Decree: Salvation Begins with GodDay 27: Providence: The Fatherly Hand Over All ThingsDay 28: Worship, The Proper End of the Doctrine of GodDay 29: The Doctrine of Scripture, The God Who SpeaksDay 30: Revelation; General and SpecialDay 31: The Authority of Scripture
February
Day 32: Inspiration, God-Breathed and Given by the SpiritDay 33: The Authority of Scripture, The Line You Do Not CrossDay 34: Self-Authenticating Scripture, Recognizing the Word of GodDay 35: The Role of the Holy Spirit, Illumination Not InnovationDay 36: Inerrancy and Truthfulness, Truth Has a NameDay 37: The Sufficiency of Scripture, God’s Word is EnoughDay 38: The Clarity of Scripture, An Open DoorDay 39: The Canon of Scripture, A Settled WordDay 40: The Unity of Scripture, One Story, One SaviorDay 41: Preservation of Scripture, The Word Kept PureDay 42: Translation and Accessibility, The Word Made PlainDay 43: Scripture and Tradition, The Final Court of AppealDay 44: Scripture and the ChurchDay 45: Scripture and Worship, God Sets the Terms