First, we must have an appreciation for who the Holy Spirit is and how He functions within the Godhead. In the Great Commission, Christ affirms the deity of the Person of the Holy Spirit by stating the one singular Name of the triune God: “…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Here, and elsewhere, the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is equal with the other two Persons of the Godhead. Paul cites all members of the Trinity as intrinsic to God’s redemption plan, co-equal, co-existent, and cooperating in securing the believer’s salvation (Rom. 8:8-11). Just two verses later, the Spirit of God is making believers “sons of God” (Rom. 8:13-14). How can He do such unless He is God?
Having briefly established His identity, it behooves us to measure His function within the Godhead. The Spirit of God has several roles pertinent to the believer’s relationship to Jesus Christ. First, He immerses or fashions us into the Body of Christ and He does so without a discriminatory agenda (1 Cor 12:13). Second, He performed a remembrance and illumination of Christ’s words to the disciples who authored the New Testament, even as the Lord prophesied in His Upper Room discourse (John 14:26). Third, the Spirit then taught and continues to teach post-apostolic believers all things (1 John 2:20, 27).
One of the more relevant observations is how the Lord Jesus explains the Spirit’s function in relation to Himself. For example, the Lord declares that the future work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify and testify of Him (John 15:26; 16:14). In fact, what He communicates will not be an independent ideology based upon His own authority, but truth that is given to Him from the Father (John 16:13). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will serve to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ by giving this truth to His listeners (John 16:14). The concept of “glorify” carries this idea: “To influence one’s opinion about another so as to enhance the latter’s reputation, praise, honor, extol.”¹ Thus, if the Spirit is operating to elevate and enhance the presentation of Christ, then the Spirit is pointing worship to Him and not to Himself.
Perhaps the most graphic demonstration of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit is in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 4:5, we have a statement that describes the fullness of all the unique dimensions of the Spirit within the heavenly throne room. Then, a series of worshipful expressions are pronounced. The first is from the four living creatures which, at a minimum, would represent some measure of angelic expression depicting facets of God’s unique character (4:6–8; cf. Eze. 10; Isa. 6). They worship the Father by declaring His pristine holiness. Then, the twenty-four elders enter the scene who reflect pre-tribulation saints who are giving their crowns to God. They also worship the Father (4:10-11).²
Notice, however, when the record moves to chapter five, the Lord Jesus becomes the central focus of attention (5:6a), while the Holy Spirit and all His fullness is still present (5:6b). The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures now express their worship directly to the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ (5:8-10). The Father is sanctioning the hour. Yet, the Holy Spirit in all His abundance is also present. No worship is given to the Spirit nor does He redirect the attention of the worshippers to Himself. Focus and adoration is only upon Christ. It seems that if we were to worship the Holy Spirit, this would be a significant occasion to establish that paradigm. Worship of Christ is further confirmed by innumerable angelic hosts joining to praise the Lamb. Then all creatures of the cosmos join in, both heavenward and earthward. Within this exponential explosion of worship, it is only the Father and Christ who are the objects of adoration (5:11-14).
Should we worship the Holy Spirit? Scripture does not support such worship. Rather, the Spirit would have us glorify the Son and the Father. May we do the same and follow the Spirit’s direction.
1 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2000), p.258.
2 John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), p.944.