Holy Ghost, The

   The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. It is of faith to believe that God the Holy Ghost is a Person, not simply an influence as the vagueness of modern religionism seems to imply, but a Person so real that sin can be committed against Him, as in the case of Ananias who was accused of lying to the Holy Ghost (Acts 5:3); a Person so real that He is represented as engaged in such personal acts as teaching, testifying, guiding into all Truth, and as interceding. The Holy Ghost is to be believed in as very and eternal God, of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son. He, the Comforter, having been given we are now living under the Dispensation of the Holy Ghost. The third paragraph of the Creed (each article of which is to be attributed to or affirmed of, the Holy Ghost) brings out this truth and sets forth His Presence and work in the Church. This is illustrated by the following statement: "By being born again of water and the Holy Ghost we are made members of 'the Holy Catholic Church'; by keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, we enjoy the 'Communion of Saints'; through the Holy Ghost we receive the 'Remission of Sins,' first in our Baptism and afterwards in the Holy Communion and other ordinances; it is through the Holy Ghost that the Lord shall quicken our mortal bodies in the 'Resurrection,' and by His grace we shall be enabled to give a good answer at the Judgment Seat of Christ and so attain to the 'Life Everlasting.'"

   See Procession of the Holy Ghost.