Since the Holy Spirit is God, should He be singled out for worship? The Bible says that the Holy Spirits job is not glorify Himself but rather to glorify Christ. Jesus made this clear:
No Worship?
Does this mean we should not worship the Holy Spirit at all? Though some would say we should not, the fact is that we do worship the Holy Spirit. To deny worship to the Holy Spirit is to deny His deity. According to the dictionary, worship is "the reverent love accorded to a deity, idol, or sacred object . . . to honor or love as deity." The famous preacher R. A. Torrey wrote:
Worship is a definite act of the creature in relation to God. Worship is bowing to God in adoring acknowledgment and contemplation of Himself and the perfection of His being (R. A. Torrey, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, p. 133).
Shouldnt the Holy Spirit, therefore, be accorded worship? The historic church thought so and even preserved prayers to the Holy Spirit from the fourth century until today. The Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and most mainline Protestant denominations still use hymns and prayers to the Holy Spirit.
One possible translation of Philippians 3:3 says that we do worship the Holy Spirit. "For we are the circumcision, who worship the Spirit of God." Though there may be no direct commandments to single out the Holy Spirit for worship, we do worship Him when we worship God because the Holy Spirit is God.
But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me (John 15:26).Thus, the Holy Spirit should not be singled out for worship.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is of Mine and declare it to you (John 16:13,14).
No Worship?
Does this mean we should not worship the Holy Spirit at all? Though some would say we should not, the fact is that we do worship the Holy Spirit. To deny worship to the Holy Spirit is to deny His deity. According to the dictionary, worship is "the reverent love accorded to a deity, idol, or sacred object . . . to honor or love as deity." The famous preacher R. A. Torrey wrote:
Worship is a definite act of the creature in relation to God. Worship is bowing to God in adoring acknowledgment and contemplation of Himself and the perfection of His being (R. A. Torrey, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, p. 133).
Shouldnt the Holy Spirit, therefore, be accorded worship? The historic church thought so and even preserved prayers to the Holy Spirit from the fourth century until today. The Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and most mainline Protestant denominations still use hymns and prayers to the Holy Spirit.
One possible translation of Philippians 3:3 says that we do worship the Holy Spirit. "For we are the circumcision, who worship the Spirit of God." Though there may be no direct commandments to single out the Holy Spirit for worship, we do worship Him when we worship God because the Holy Spirit is God.
