5) What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world?

5)  What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world?

            In the realm of personal faith, the Articles of Religion maintain that the Holy Spirit calls us to Christ and “convinces the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.”  The Spirit works in different ways.  It first prepares us for salvation by “convincing the unbeliever of his sin in relation to the crucified Christ” (Dunning 435).  The Spirit is active also in drawing us to faith.  Wesley argued that the sufficient cause of faith was the “operation of the Holy Spirit” (Dunning 440).  After drawing to faith, the Holy Spirit confirms our salvation.  Wesley believed that “the Spirit of God directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child of God: that Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me; and that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God” (Dunning 442). 

            The Holy Spirit then works in conforming us to Christ’s image through the process of sanctification (1 Cor. 6:11).  The Articles of Religion state that sanctification is:

The work of God’s grace through the Word and the Spirit, by which those who have been born again are cleansed from the sin in their thoughts, words and acts, and are enabled to live in accordance with God’s will, and to strive for holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Discipline 69).

Sanctification involves the Spirit working in us to restore us to our original destiny (Dunning 478). 

            The community of believers is the church “which the Spirit has brought into existence for the healing of the nations” (Discipline 43).  The Spirit binds together all who believe in Christ.  Unity in the church, across denominations and geographical boundaries, comes through the Spirit (Eph. 4:23). 

            The Holy Spirit is a guide to responsible living in the world and guides us in all truth. (John 16:13).  This will involve personal holiness as well as social justice; including worship, prayer, spiritual growth, and “doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men” (Discipline 73).  These things are written on “awakened hearts” by the Spirit in order to spur us on to responsible living (Discipline 74).