The major controversies in church history concerning the person and deity of the

Holy Spirit, and doctrinal formulations did the church adopt as answers to those
controversies.

The controversy over the divinity of the Holy Spirit was one of the theological conflicts,
among several, that occurred in the fourth century (A.D.).

The controversies about the personality of the Holy Spirit in the Church began well in
the Creed of Nicaea, which culminated in the conciliacy of constatinopla because in the
apostolic creed (First Creed) there is no great emphasis on personality and on the
divinity of the Holy Spirit, because until then there was more talk about the action of the
Holy Spirit, but not of the Holy Spirit. We can see from the article of this creed that
there is not much emphasis on the personality of the Holy Spirit:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus
Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the
Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried; went
down to hell; on the third day rose from the dead; ascended into heaven, and sits at the
right hand of God the Father Almighty; and from there shall He come to judge the
living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, in the Holy Universal Church, in the
communion of saints, in the forgiveness of sins, in the resurrection of the body, and in
eternal life. Amen.

But from the Council of Nicaea we see the approaches of Arius who did not believe in
the divinity of Jesus nor in the Holy Spirit, but in this Creed nothing worrying has been
added about the person of the Holy Spirit. Arius taught that the Holy Spirit was the first
creature brought by the Son just as the Son was created by the father for this reason he
denied his divinity because they were created beings. The reflection on the divinity of
the Holy Spirit arose in the Christological celeuma movement, becoming more and
more the subject of enormous tensions within the Church. It is the Christology of Arius
that has the greatest involvement with our theme.

The doctrine of Arius considered Christ inferior to the Father. He ended up becoming
the object of great debates before, during and after Nicaea, extending to Constantinople
(381). In Constantinople (Council) the theme of the divinity of the Holy Spirit gave rise
to intense debate, since until the middle of the fourth century (350), the divinity of the
Holy Spirit had not been questioned. It was taken at most as a matter of devotion. There
was no formal discourse recognized by the Church about the personality of the Holy
Spirit.

While the conflicts over the divinity of Christ were dealt with in Nicaea (325) and there
found their solution, not yet their conclusion, the controversy over the divinity of the
Holy Spirit was only beginning. Nicaea had touched on the problem of the divinity of
Christ and the problem launched by Arius. But shortly after (360), doubts arose about
the divinity of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine had been spread in Asia Minor and part of
Africa (Egypt) and especially in Constantinople. In a first trend of the non-divinity of
the Holy Spirit, are the Tropics, who claimed not to find in the Scriptures the generation
of the Holy Spirit, as is clear the generation of the Son. The tropics were faithful
Christians of Serapion, bishop of Thmuis, in the Delta of the Nile, said that if the Holy
Spirit is divine, or is begotten by the Son, then brother of Jesus, or if he is begotten by
the Son, the Father is his grandfather. The Holy Spirit was also a creature of the Son,
therefore he was created in a time. Now if for Arius and his followers Christ was not
God, for the "adversaries" of the Holy Spirit, neither was the Holy Spirit God. The non-
divinity of the Holy Spirit had an impact on the Church.

The doctrine of Arius was condemned outright at the Council of Nicaea and ratified at
the Council of Constantinople in 381.

Macedonians and Pneumatomachs became groups that had the belief that the Holy
Spirit was a creation of the Son, a servant of the Father and the Son. Begun even in the
fourth century by the then Macedonian Bishop I of Constantinople (341-60 C.E.), they
professed an opinion similar to that of Arianism, but apparently denying the divinity of
the Holy Spirit. He taught that the Holy Spirit was inferior and subordinate to the Father
and the Son and spoke of Him as a messenger or minister. He said, in effect, that the
Spirit was on the level of the angels, who are the messengers of God. The spirit was
thus reduced to the status of a created being. They were regarded as a heretical sect by
the dominant Church. The members of the sect were also known as pneumatoms, the
"fighters of the spirit.

Spread over several regions, the controversy over the divinity of the Holy Spirit was the
subject of intense debate, giving rise to one of the main factors in the convening of
another Council, that of Constantinople (381). The Theodosius Emperor in the East,
based in Constantinople, was forced to summon him, precisely to dispel such heresy,
fearing the division in the empire and the constant escalation between West and East,
because of the theological conflicts and heated debates between heretics and defenders
of Nicaea.

During this time, there was also a certain willingness to reaffirm the conclusions of
Nicea. By the middle of the fourth century, it had not yet been fully elaborated in formal
and universal discourse (the whole Church) on the divinity of the Holy Spirit. More than
a reaction, the Church saw itself in the need to debate and reflect on the divinity of the
Third Person Trinitarian. About the divinity of Christ, certainly the Council of Nicaea
treated and, in its conclusions, considered it categorically as God, that is, Jesus Christ is
God as much as the Father, or in another language, Jesus Christ is consubstantial to the
Father. As for the Holy Spirit, it is at the Council of Constantinople that the debate on
his divinity takes place. On this point, the Council reached the conclusion of the divinity
of the Holy Spirit, reaffirming that Nicaea had already considered it, though less
elaborate. Present at the Council of Constantinople, "Macedonians and
Pneumatomachs", were vehemently anathematized. Besides reaffirming Niceia,
Constantinople declared that "the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one divinity,
power and Substance, affirming at the same time the reality of the 3 hypostasis or
person".

the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, clearly declared personality and divinity of the

Spirit in the following article:

"And [I believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of

Life, which proceeds from the Father, which with the Father

and the Son is adored and glorified together; who

spoke for the prophets. "

In 451 AD, at the Council of Chalcedon, 14 the Church in the western part of the
Roman Empire adopted this creed as well.

The Athanasius Creed

The origin of this creed is unknown, but the name of the father of the Augustine church
(354-430 C.E.) is associated with it. He appeared before the 5th century. It is so called
because it reflects the theology of another important father of the church, Athanasius (c.
293-373 AD), who successfully argued against Arius (c. 250-336 AD) at the Council of
Nicea. Although not composed of Athanasius, he further defines much of his argument
in favor of the doctrine of the Trinity. This creed affirms that there is a divinity
consisting of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and that the three are equal in
glory and equal in majesty. Some of the languages in the creed may seem unnecessarily
repetitive, but at a time when the heresy of Arianism threatened to displace the doctrine
of the Trinity, it was necessary to be explicit. The creed continues to make propositional
statements to reinforce the idea of the three members of God is equal in every respect. It
says that each of them is uncreated, unlimited, eternal, omnipotent, and God, but that
they are not three gods, but one God.

The Athanasius Creed was not an ecumenical creed, being adopted only by the Church
in the West.

THE FILIOUS CONTROVERSY

The Synod of Aachen 15 (809 C.E.) inserted the filioque into the Nicene Creed to make
it say that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

The controversy of Filioque, regarded by the Greeks as a reason for schism in 1054. In
fact, the Gospel affirms that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (cf. Jn 15:26); the
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (381) repeated this profession of faith. However, the
Latins added to the Creed the particle Filioque, professing that the Spirit proceeds from
the Father and the Son. This gave rise to heated controversy, for the Eastern Christians
were accusing Westerners of having changed the Symbol of Faith.
Next, we will examine the course of events from the beginning and the present position
of the Church.

1. The Linguistic Problem

The doctrine according to which the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father is in St.
John's Gospel: "...the Spirit of truth, who proceeds (ekporeúetai) from the Father"
(15:26).

Scripture also refers to the relationship of the Spirit with the Son, when Jesus says:
"You shall receive of what is mine and shall proclaim it" (Jn 16:14ff) or even: "When
the Paraclete comes, I will send you from the Father" (Jn 15:26).

These words led some Greek Fathers to affirm that the Holy Spirit is "of the Father and
of the Son". Thus St. Cyril of Alexandria (+444):

"The Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father and, at the same time, the Spirit of the Son,
coming out substantially from both simultaneously, that is, poured out by the Father
from the Son" (De adoratione, book I, PG 68,148)

Narrative description of the Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament (in bringing
about God’s plan of salvation in Israel); His role in the birth, life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus as the Messiah of Israel; and His role in establishing the
church as the community of witnesses to Jesus’ lordship on and following the day
of Pentecost in Acts 2.

In contrast to this work in the New Testament, the Old Testament dwelling was
selective and temporary. The Spirit " empowered" certain Old Testament people like
Joshua (Numbers 27:18), David (1 Samuel 16:12-13) and even Saul (1 Samuel 10:10).
In the book of Judges, we see the Spirit "seizing" the various judges that God had raised
to deliver Israel from their oppressors. The Holy Spirit came upon these individuals for
specific tasks.

In Old Testament times, he was ceaselessly active - in the creation and preservation of
the universe, in providence and revelation, in the regeneration of believers, and in the
training of special people for special tasks. Regeneration is impossible without the
action of the Holy Spirit, so if there were believers in the Old Testament, these people
needed to have the Spirit. We find in Psalm 51 an important statement by David about
this. Aware of his sin with Batesheba, David prays to God, "Do not cast me out of your
presence, nor take away your Holy Spirit from me" (Ps. 51:11). There was a man under
the old dispensation, a man before Pentecost, and he prayed that God would not take
His Spirit away from him.

If David had the Holy Spirit, we must also think that all other believers, such as
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc., had the Holy Spirit. But there is a difference in the
sense that the outpouring of the Spirit was more restricted. After Pentecost, we see a
widespread outpouring, especially including other peoples.

And we can see in Isaiah 11:1-2, a promise about the Messiah for the salvation of Israel,
and the same would be clothed by the Holy Spirit as the symbol of divine choice.

BIRTH

On the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus on earth, everything begins from
Mary's virginal conception of the Spirit in Mary at the time she conceived the Messiah.

The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will obscure you.

Matthew states that Mary "was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit" (Matthew
1:18) and that the angel said to Joseph, "What is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit"
(1:20).

The Holy Spirit was working in the man Jesus from the moment he was conceived. He
had no human father, a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy that "a virgin shall be with child
and bear a son, and shall call him" (Matthew 1:18).

Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). This miraculous event, according to the prophecy, was a sign
that the Lord would give to His people.

HIS BATISM

Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit at the time of His baptism by John. The Spirit
descended on Him in the bodily form of a dove (Luke 3:22). This recalls the activity of
the Spirit in creation (Genesis 1:2), where He is compared to a hovering bird. There is
an additional meaning in comparing the Holy Spirit to a dove. The dove was a symbol
of innocence and harmlessness (Matt. 10:16); that would be more

Suitable at the time of Jesus' baptism, because John the Baptist pointed him out as the
"Lamb of God 1: 29,36). The impeccable Lamb was visited by the innocent and
harmless Dove!

The angel had indicated that the Baby of Bethlehem was "Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11),
but not until His baptism Jesus could be properly called Christ. After that the Spirit
remained in Him (John 1:33) and, in addition, He experienced the Spirit in an
unrestricted measure (John 3:34).

Did the Son of God need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to fulfill His mission? Could
He not, by His own inherent divinity, perform all the works necessary to accomplish
His purpose? The eternal Son of God never renounced His divinity, even when He was
united with human nature. The apostle Paul helps to understand this problem when he
says that Christ Jesus, "being God of nature, did not consider equality with God
something to be apprehended, but nothing was done, assuming the very nature of a
servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-7).

The basic idea is that the Son of God voluntarily and deliberately chose to limit himself
while here on earth. He did not cease to be God, but chose to live as a man trusting in
the power of the Spirit to sustain him.

Immediately after His baptism, Jesus was led by the

Spirit in the wilderness of Judea (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). Mark saves more than the
Spirit "led him out into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12, NASB). Jesus was a man
completely dominated and guided by the Holy Spirit, even when it meant forty days of
hunger, loneliness and temptation. It was there that Jesus, "filled with the Holy Spirit"
(Luke 4:1). Jesus overcame Satan's temptations by quoting the Word of God. But it is
important to see that this had to be done in the power of the Spirit. Without a doubt, the
Spirit helped Jesus to remember the appropriate passages of Scripture to effectively
silence the tempter.

The Gospels record a succession of miracles performed by Jesus' healings, casting out
demons, resurrections from the dead. Although the writers of the gospel do not always
attribute these works directly to the power of the Spirit, we have seen how the isaic
prophecies and Jesus that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him enabled Him to do these
works.

HIS DEATH

It was through the power of the Spirit that Jesus performed all the phases of His
ministry

( (Heb. 9:14).) Now, His crowning work, His atoning death on the Cross, is also
associated with the enabling power of the Spirit.

HIS RESURRECTION

The Holy Spirit participated in the stupendous miracle of Jesus' resurrection from the
dead. Paul says that Jesus was "vindicated by the Spirit" (1 Tim. 3:16). Jesus' claims to
be the Son of God were vindicated, or justified, by the powerful operation of God's
Spirit in reasoning from the dead. If Jesus had remained in the grave, His claims to
divinity would have been denied. Moreover, Peter says that Christ "was killed in the
body, but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18). The Spirit not only vivified Jesus'
lifeless body;

He also transformed it from a natural physical body to a

Spiritual body (1 Cor. 15: 44-45).

ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST

During earthly life, Jesus' relationship with the Holy Spirit was one of dependence; to
fulfill His mission, He needed to be anointed by the Spirit. But after Jesus' resurrection,
there was a change in the roles of these two Persons of divinity. Like the risen Lord,
Jesus is the one who sends the Spirit to His disciples who are waiting.

Since the beginning of His public ministry, the Gospels indicate that this change should
occur. At His baptism, the Spirit came upon Jesus, empowering Him for His work. The
Father Himself told John the Baptist that the one upon whom the Spirit descended was
also the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-33).

There is a reversal of roles in the relationship of the Son of the Holy Spirit. The Son is
no longer passive to the promptings of the Spirit, but actively pours out the Spirit upon
the Church. John's gospel records Jesus' promises to send the Spirit. (John 16:7). The
coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost was evidence that Jesus had indeed
ascended to the Father. Peter, in defending his Lord, said of Him: "Exalted to the right
hand of God, he received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and poured out what
you now see and hear'" (Acts 2:33).

Jesus promised to send the Paraclete (John 15:26) to be His earthly representative. The
Holy Spirit is separated from the Lord Jesus Christ, but He always works together with
Him. He does nothing by His own authority (John 16:13-14).

And so the Holy Spirit established the church as the witness community of Jesus'
lordship on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

The purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit for the Christian in relationship to
the Holy Spirit’s work in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as you have
described in Part 1 above (mainly B)

Regarding the purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit for the Christian in relation to
the work of the Holy Spirit in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we can approach
that since the time of the conception of Jesus we have seen the action of the Holy Spirit
on Mary, thus also illustrating that every Christian is born by the Spirit (John 3.3-6) .

Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit in His baptism (Luke 3:22) and this marked the
beginning of His earthly ministry. It was His commission for public service.

The Spirit remained in Him (John 1:33), and in addition He experienced the Spirit in an
unrestricted measure (John 3:34).
And we have seen in the book of Acts the recommendation of Jesus that the disciples
could wait in Jerusalem for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit before they began the great
commission, so at the same time I saw the same events in the life of Christ before
beginning His ministry, as we have seen in the church and this is reflected to every
Christian, before working hard in the work of God must be equipped by the Holy Spirit
through the baptism.

And we can also see in the death and resurrection of Jesus the action of the Holy Spirit
resurrecting Jesus from the dead (1 Tim. 3:16).

Thus we are revived by the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:1-11)

Summarized the main aspects and purposes of the gifts of the Spirit in both the
church’s and the individual’s life. Especially explaineed how the spiritual gifts
given by the Holy Spirit serve as an extension and expression of the church’s
witness to Jesus’ lordship in the world today; that is, how do the Spirit’s gifts
provide the church’s witness to Jesus’ lordship and the individual’s power for
witness to Jesus’ lordship

The gifts are granted only within and finally, for the benefit of the body of Christ. (1
Cor. 12: 12-27)

The apostle Paul answers this question with the following statement: "As you also
desire spiritual gifts, LOOK FORWARD IN THEM, FOR THE BUILDING OF THE
CHURCH" (1 Cor.14:12). In this text above, we have revealed what is the purpose of
the Gifts: "THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH". This means that the gifts are
bestowed or manifested to us for the growth and maturity of the Body of Christ within
the Kingdom of God.

The apostle, speaking of the diversity in the accomplishments, says: "it is the same God
who works all in all" (I Cor.12:6). And here we can extract from this text this last word
"all" to show that the purpose of God with the gifts is the operation in all! The Holy
Spirit wants to act through all the members of the Body of Christ, the Church. It is of
utmost importance that all in the Church seek the gifts so that there may be a sharing of
gifts among the brethren, thus all will be fully edified.

Paul shows an ardent desire to go to the Church that was in Rome, with the following
objective: "...to share some spiritual gift, that you may be confirmed" (Rom.1:11). But
not only this: he hoped to be built up also by the brethren of that community "that in
your company we may be mutually comforted, through mutual faith, yours and mine"
(Rom.1:12). For the Church in Corinth, Paul warns of the desire for spiritual gifts. He
says: "...since you desire spiritual gifts, seek to progress, for the edification of the
Church" (1 Cor.14:12). In summary: The gifts are for the service of the Body.
This reciprocity of gifts, which Paul so emphasizes "speaking among yourselves," he
says "with psalms, intoning and praising the Lord with hymns and spiritual songs"
(Eph.5:19). Then the apostle asks, "What then, brethren? When you gather together [at
the Celebration], one has psalms [praise and singing], another doctrine [Ministry of the
Word], this brings revelation [Manifestation of the Gifts of Revelation], that other
language, and yet another interpretation [Manifestation of the Gifts of Inspiration]. Let
everything be done for edification" (1 Cor.14:26).

The Christian must be careful in using the gifts given by the Lord to provide spiritual
nourishment, aiming at the edification of the Body of Christ. "Let each one administer
to others the gift as he has received it, as good stewards of the multiform grace of God.
If anyone speaks, let him speak according to the words of God; if anyone administers,
let him administer according to the power that God gives, that in all things God may be
glorified by Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and the power forever and ever" (1
Peter 4:10,11).

EDIFYING HIMSELF AND OTHERS

Building himself.Paul says that he who "speaks in tongues, edifies himself" (1 Cor.
14:4). The apostle encouraged the believers in the church of Corinth to cultivate their
particular devotion to God through speaking in tongues granted by the Spirit for the
purpose of edifying themselves. This does not mean that the apostle Paul forbade
speaking in tongues publicly, but in doing so in a devotional manner the believer
baptized with the Holy Spirit edifies himself in his relationship with God.

POWER TO WITNESS

In Pentecostal circles, no aspect of the purpose has received more attention than it is to
the evangelization of the world.

It is firmly based on Acts 1: 8. "You will receive power ... and you will be my witness...
to the ends of the earth. '"The Book of Acts is a commentary on these two related
themes that disciples would receive power when the Spirit came upon them and that
they would be witnesses of Jesus to the whole world.

When Jesus told the disciples, they would be His "witnesses".

"the thought is not so much that they would be His representatives, although that is true,
for they would attest to His resurrection. Witness Thinking Occurs in the whole book
of Acts; it is generally applied to the disciples (1: 8:22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10: 39:41;
13:31) and mainly specifies Stephen (22:20) and Paul (22:15; 26:16).

Without the power from on high it is impossible to do God's Work successfully. Jesus
exhorted His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were clothed with the power of
God from on high.
The Holy Spirit worked signs and wonders through the early Christians. These signs
and wonders authenticated the message and ministry of the apostles. Through these
miracles the Spirit confirmed these men as messengers of God (Acts 4:31; 11:14-17).

And as they witnessed about Christ the gifts manifested to authenticate the preached
message the miracles recorded in Acts are certainly done by the power of the Holy
Spirit. The following is a list of unusual events in the book of Acts. Many are directly
taxed by the Holy Spirit; His power is implied as we can see in the following texts of
the book of Acts:

- General statements about healings / miracles - 2: 43, the shadow of Peter; 6: 8 , Philip;
14: 3 and 15:12, Barnabas and Paul; 19: 11-12 and 28: 9; the lame man at the temple
gate; 9: 33-35, Aeneas the paralytic; 14: 8-10,

The miracles recorded in Acts are certainly made by the power of the Holy Spirit

The role of the Holy Spirit in mission is indispensable. Since mission has its origin in
God, it can only be accomplished with divine help. Pentecost was a vital event in the
history of mission. The Holy Spirit constituted the Church and remained with the
Church to carry out the mission.He guides (Jn 16:13), produces fruit (Gal 5:22), and
empowers the Church with spiritual gifts (Rom 12:6-8). His work will continue until
the coming of Jesus Christ to His Church.

J. I. Packer says that "our exercise of spiritual gifts is nothing more and nothing less
than Christ Himself ministering through His body to His body, to the Father and to all
mankind. The biblical concept of the universal priesthood of believers applies here. It is
a priesthood "in which every believer offers himself and his gifts in personal ministry to
Christ and through Christ to others, in obedience to Christ as the head of the Church