When we say the Creed, we can easily understand God as an almighty father, maker of heaven and earth, even if we can't go into precise details. We can easily see God in Jesus, born, crucified and risen again as our saviour and our future judge, even though, again, the what and the how are not always clear. But what about God the Holy Spirit?
The so-called Apostles' Creed mentions the Spirit very briefly, before passing quickly on to a list of things: the holy and catholic church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and everlasting life. These do not seem directly related to the Spirit (not more than to Jesus, anyway). And the version of the Nicene Creed written at Nicaea in 325 said no more.
Even the longer version of the Nicene Creed which we now use says little extra. The Spirit is "the giver of life" - echoing Job 33:4, John 6:63, Rom. 8:11 and 2 Cor. 3:6. The Spirit is not "begotten", like the Son, but "proceeds" - and exactly how has been a topic of debate among theologians for centuries. The Spirit is to be worshipped as our Lord, just as the Son and the Father are to be worshipped. And the Spirit "spoke through the prophets."
The Bible tells us more. As the mighty wind above the deep abyss, the Spirit assisted in the Creation story. The Spirit not only inspired the prophets, but also inspired the "artistic designs" used in worship (Exodus 35:31) gave strength to Samson (Judges 14:6), and was the source of understanding and wisdom.
But in particular, Jesus promised his disciples that, after he had gone, he would send the Spirit as someone to stand alongside us - strengthening, consoling, interceding, pleading our cause, telling us what to think, to do and to say: all of these meanings are rolled up in the Greek word paraklitos used in John's Gospel (14:16 and 26, for example).
It seems rather as if the Spirit does the odd jobs - which is appropriate for a Spirit, who, like air, penetrates into every corner. While the Father is the Creator, and the Son is the Redeemer, the Spirit is the Sanctifier. But in fact this is an equally important task. It is the Spirit who, since Jesus finished his earthly life, makes God real for us.
For we are not on our own. And we cannot "do it ourselves" - we cannot know God, or know Jesus by ourselves.
The Bible writers are quite clear about this. Paul writes to the Romans, "All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.... When we cry 'Abba, Father', it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God." (Rom. 8:14-16) We only know God as Father through the Spirit.
And Paul tells the Corinthians that "no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:3) - the Spirit is the source of our faith, whether we admit it or not.
Elsewhere in the New Testament, we see the Spirit giving rise to unusual phenomena - as the Apostles on the first Pentecost after Jesus' death and resurrection saw tongues of fire and spoke in other languages. But we should never forget that the overriding task of the Spirit is to give us the strength for our Christian life: our power to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, and above all the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
HD