Podcast Summary: Renewing Your Mind – "The Holy Spirit and the Church"

Date: October 6, 2025
Host: Nathan W. Bingham (Ligonier Ministries)
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul

Overview

This episode explores the pivotal role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, focusing on how Christians confess belief in the Holy Spirit and the "Holy Catholic Church" as part of the Apostles’ Creed. Dr. R.C. Sproul unpacks the theological depth behind these creedal affirmations, emphasizing the personhood of the Holy Spirit, His work in believers, and the true nature of the Church and the communion of saints.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Holy Spirit in the Apostles' Creed

Timestamp: 01:21–05:00

• Dr. Sproul introduces the segment of the Creed:
  "I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints."
• Emphasizes the early Christian understanding of the Trinity, predating the Council of Nicaea.
• Stresses that, though the Creed gives only a brief mention—"Nothing more is said about the Holy Ghost"—Scripture is clear about the Spirit’s personhood and ongoing work.

"One of the most important things to understand...is to understand that the Holy Ghost is a person, not merely an impersonal force or a power." – Dr. Sproul (03:15)

• Warns against referring to the Spirit as an "it" and calls the Spirit the "Spirit of truth" who anoints prophets and inspires Scripture.

2. The Work of the Holy Spirit

Timestamp: 05:00–10:16

• The Spirit quickens believers’ hearts—regeneration is affected by the Spirit.
• Ongoing Christian experience (sanctification) also comes under the Spirit’s province.
• The ethical imperative for Christians to display the fruit of the Spirit is a direct result of the Holy Spirit indwelling and working in them.

"The power that dwells within us is not simply an impersonal force, but it is the Spirit dwelling in us, working in us, helping us to live out our Christian life." – Dr. Sproul (07:42)

• Details the New Testament portrayal (John 14-17) of the Spirit as the Paraclete, or "Comforter"/"Counselor."
  • Explains the Greek roots of the term "Paraclete" as one who is "called alongside."

3. The Paraclete: Comforter, Counselor, and Ally

Timestamp: 10:16–13:50

• Jesus promises "another Paraclete": not a replacement, but one who continues Christ’s presence and ministry.

"He's saying...I am going to send another paraclete to stand beside you when in the midst of the battle, in the midst of the struggle, in the midst of the crisis." – Dr. Sproul (12:00)

• Historical note: "Comforter" in older English meant "one who comes with strength" (from Latin roots); not just to sooth, but to empower and encourage.
• The Holy Spirit is promised as an ally and encourager for the church’s mission in the face of fear and opposition.

4. Fear, Courage, and Encouragement in the Church

Timestamp: 13:50–16:38

• Dr. Sproul observes that Jesus’ most repeated prohibition is "Fear not."
• Points out that courage requires the presence of fear and is the means by which Christians act in spite of it.

"Only the fearful can be courageous. But what courage does is give us the capacity to act in spite of our fear. That's what heroic courage is all about." – Dr. Sproul (15:48)

• Emphasizes the indispensable ministry of encouragement within the church, both from the Spirit and among believers.

5. The Holy Spirit and the Nature of the Church

Timestamp: 16:38–20:50

• The Spirit always guides individuals into community—a "fellowship of faith" known as the Church.
• "Holy" means set apart (“hagios” in Greek); The Saints are thus called not for their moral perfection, but because the Spirit dwells in them and sets them apart.
• Despite its failings, the Church is holy because of Christ—its founder and head—not due to the sinlessness of its members.

"The Church is the only institution I know of that requires you to be sinful to get in. ... It is a fellowship of sinners." – Dr. Sproul (19:40)

• The Church’s holiness flows from Christ's institution and the indwelling Spirit, not the inherent virtue of participants.

6. The "Holy Catholic Church"—Its Meaning and Universality

Timestamp: 20:50–25:00

• "Catholic" means "universal," not specifically Roman Catholic.
• Discusses historical debates about what constitutes the true Church—a matter of fellowship, leadership, sacraments, and more.
• Protestants, too, confess faith in the universal Church, a body broader than any single denomination.

7. The Visible and Invisible Church

Timestamp: 25:00–28:50

• Draws from Augustine: The Church is both visible (the outward community) and invisible (the true believers known only to God).
  • Within any congregation, there are both true believers and those who merely profess faith.

"The invisible church exists substantially where, in the visible church, because Christ has called us to make our communion and our fellowship and our worship and all of that visible, bearing witness to him with a visible church." – Dr. Sproul (27:25)

• The invisible Church cannot be separated from the visible—it is not a hidden organization, but a spiritual reality within the gathered community.

8. The Communion of Saints

Timestamp: 28:50–32:20

• Clarifies that "communion of saints" refers to the spiritual bond among all Christians—past, present, and future—not just the act of taking the Lord’s Supper.
• The unity of believers is both with one another and with Christ, transcending denominational, racial, and temporal boundaries.

"If we are Christians, we are in Christ and Christ is in us. ... We are experiencing a common union. There's a withness, a oneness that we participate in by virtue of our unification in Christ and by the Spirit." – Dr. Sproul (30:20)

• This includes a mystical fellowship with all believers across history, alive or deceased.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "The Spirit is not the author of confusion. The Spirit is the Spirit of truth." – Dr. Sproul (03:48)
• "A comforter is someone who comes with strength. And so Jesus promises the Holy Ghost as our ally to stand with us and, I might add, to encourage us." – Dr. Sproul (12:26)
• "If you ever find a perfect Church, don't join it. You'll ruin it." – Dr. Sproul (20:20)
• "The most important institution in the world is the Church of Jesus Christ and all of the forces of Hell understand that." – Dr. Sproul (20:55)
• "Not only was the church confessing belief in a unity that transcends denominational, geographic, ethnic and other boundaries, but it also transcends temporal boundaries...I am in fellowship with Martin Luther and with John Calvin and with St. Augustine and with every Christian who has ever lived." – Dr. Sproul (31:10)

Important Timestamps

• 01:21 – Introduction to the Holy Spirit in the Apostles’ Creed
• 07:42 – The indwelling Spirit enables Christian living
• 12:00 – The meaning of "another Paraclete"
• 15:48 – Courage, fear, and encouragement in the spiritual life
• 19:40 – The Church as a fellowship of sinners
• 27:25 – The visible and invisible church distinction
• 31:10 – Communion of saints across all time and space

Conclusion

Dr. Sproul compellingly connects the person and work of the Holy Spirit to the Church’s calling, the encouragement of believers, and the unity of Christians of all times and places. The Apostles’ Creed’s simple statements hold profound implications for how Christians understand their identity, community, and ongoing participation in God’s redemptive work through the Church.