Christians always make mention of the Trinity, which is theologically made up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity and is often regarded as the power of God at work. Due to the dynamic nature of the Holy Spirit, He plays a decisive role in the life of every believer. Over the years, the Holy Spirit has been called various names. One such name is the giver of life.
The Holy Spirit is called the giver of life because He is the source of life for every believer. Contrary to popular thought, the Holy Spirit is not a divine agent that acts or stands alone; He works with God the Father and the Son. He has been with God from creation as the life-providing spirit of the Trinity. To this end, the Holy Spirit’s life-giving work is seen in the creation, redemption, and even in the everyday life of Christians.
Who is The Holy Spirit?
When mentioning the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is often the third person to be called out. The Holy Spirit is a distinct person who completes the Godhead. Most Christians are usually confused about the personhood of the Holy Spirit, with some viewing Him as a mere force or an impersonal being. Our Lord Jesus Christ, however, clarifies the person of the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-17 which states,
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
Here Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as ‘Him’ and another helper, thus showing that He is a person who lives and functions in the lives of Christians.
Also, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, supreme and omniscient while possessing other divine attributes. We see His omniscient nature in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 where the Bible reveals,
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
Amazingly, the Holy Spirit doesn’t just stop at searching all things; He also reveals the hidden things of God to men, as it is only the Spirit that can know the thoughts and heart of God.
Finally, the Holy Spirit is the teacher and revealer of truth to every believer. This Spirit points you as a Christian to the right path and the will of the Father. He also establishes the word of God in our hearts. We see this in John 14:26, which states,
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
From this passage, we can observe the teaching and guiding role which the Holy Spirit plays in a believer’s life.
Why Is the Holy Spirit Called the Giver of Life?
The Holy Spirit has been called the giver of life in various parts of the Bible for certain reasons. One such reason is His vital role in the creation of the world. The first two chapters of Genesis contain the account of creation. In Genesis 1:1-2, the Bible says,
“In the beginning God created heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
These verses paint a picture of the Holy Spirit as a life-producing force that hovers over a void and formless earth in readiness to give life.
If you notice, the next verse says that God spoke light into existence right after the Holy Spirit moved upon the waters. Thus, light and life came into the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Also, there are several portions of the Bible where the Holy Spirit has been accorded life-giving abilities. One such verse is Job 33:4, which says,
“The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.”
David the Psalmist also attests to this in Psalms 104:30, where he says,
“Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: And thou renewest the face of the earth.”
From here, we can see that the Spirit of God is responsible for life-giving and the renewing of the land.
Moving on, the Holy Spirit is called the giver of life because His life-giving duty transcends the physical world and things that we can see. The redemption work of Christ remains incomplete without the presence of the Holy Spirit. This was when Jesus in John 3:5-6 told Nicodemus,
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Of course, Nicodemus was confused as to how someone could be born the second time, but the birth that Jesus was referring to here was not physical but rather spiritual birth. Spiritual birth here gives us access to the eternal life promised by Jesus Christ, which is only possible through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in our lives, therefore, gives us a new life spiritually, makes us new creations and allows us to partake in the eternal promise of the Father.
We can also call the Holy Spirit the giver of life due to His role in the resurrection of Christ. Jesus returned to life by the Spirit of God three days after He was crucified. So we see in Romans 8:11, which says,
“But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Through that same Spirit, believers can receive life and live victoriously above sin and death. The Holy Spirit also empowers Christians for life and service in God’s kingdom. He is the source of energy and power for the Great Commission, which every believer was called to do. It is through the Holy Spirit that we become ambassadors and witnesses of Christ on earth.
Final Thoughts
The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity and is often regarded as God’s power in action. Over the years, He has been called various names, including the giver of life. He is the source of all physical life, as seen in the creation story. He is also the spirit responsible for our spiritual rebirth as Christians, and His presence in our lives allows us to be partakers of the eternal life promised by God. Also, the Holy Spirit, which resurrected Jesus, gives us a life of victory over sin and death while empowering us to do God’s will on earth.
