Designation By The Spirit Of Holiness The Divine Essence
DESIGNATION BY THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS
THE DIVINE ESSENCE
Why, in Romans 1:4, does Paul speak of the Spirit of holiness and not of the Holy Spirit? There is a distinction between the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of holiness. Holiness is the divine essence, the substance of God. Hence, the Spirit of holi ness is the Spirit of the divine substance, whereas the Holy Spirit is the Person of the Spirit. As fallen ones, we are constituted with sinfulness. But as the Son of God, Christ is constituted with holi ness. Holiness is His very element. Here holiness does not mean sinless perfection or positional separation; it denotes the divine essence, the very substance of God's being. It was according to the Spirit of holiness that Christ was designated the Son of God.
We may use the plant life as an illustra tion. When a carnation and a lily have just sprouted, they may look very much alike. But as these plants grow, they are gradually designated according to the life-essence within them. In the