¶ … Susanna Wesley appealed to the idea of vocation in defending her practice of holding Sunday evening gatherings. Samuel Wesley spoke of the "inner witness" during his final witness. Describe a Wesleyan understanding of the Holy Spirit in conversation with one of these influences. John Wesley's view of the Holy Spirit was a being that enabled the believer to love others as he loved himself and to enable the believer to participate in a universal spirit of divine love and grace (Wesley, 1980, p. 109). The Holy Spirit is a vehicle of grace that brings human beings to God by virtue of working upon their inner spirit. The fact that the Trinity has a component which is so mysterious underlines the notion that believers have a personal relationship with God that is manifest through faith alone. The Holy Spirit, like faith itself, is inwardly rather than outwardly visible. But it is the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers human beings to believe in Christ. Just as Christ enables human beings to be saved by virtue of his sacrifice,...
Susanna Wesley, like her sons, believed that she has been the recipient of God's divine grace and held meetings in her house outside of an official church setting, even though she was not an ordained minister. Once again, this was contingent upon a belief in the need for believers to reach out to God within their hearts themselves, rather than rely upon an intermediary such as the church to facilitate such a relationship. In his own writings, John Wesley uses as an example the idea of two clergymen who were sick in body although not in spirit who tried to preach the gospel and when they were unable to do so because of their health, their parishioners were "providentially led" as they had accepted God in their hearts (Wesley, 1980, p. 110). Rather than relying upon human-created, human-generated authority, the reliance of the believer must always be upon the Holy Spirit and his or her own personal relationship with God. The Church has a role to lead people to Christ but the individual believer must actively engage in that relationship through inward, spiritual…
The reader is told that a leader is chosen who is "fully of the Spirit and wisdom" and "full of faith" (Acts 6:3,5). The first book of Acts shows the disciples looking at external qualities for a good leader and are thus unable to come to a decision; they end up asking God to make the decision for them. It is only after the disciples are filled with the
These is no other evidence in the Gospels or in other areas of the epistles out side of Corinthians. Certainly, Acts is the foundation stone for all of the talk of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without Acts, there would be no other firm evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (ibid.). Obviously, the speaking in tongues is still valid today because it is still happening. As it
Holy Spirit in Acts The book of Acts in the Holy Bible refers to the Acts of the Apostles and how these acts contributed to the formation of the early church. The importance of the Holy Spirit in the early days of the church cannot be underestimated. Paul told the Ephesians it was necessary to believe in the "one coming after him, this is, in Jesus" (New International Version Acts 19:4).
When we are feeling low, we can take comfort in the words of Paul: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). When we are pleased with how we are faring in the world, we must still proceed with humility, knowing that whatever we win in the body, it is of
Pneumatology: The Doctrine of the Holy SpiritTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION 3Nature of the Issue 3Purpose of the Study 6Procedure of the Study 6CHAPTER 1�THE CREATION 8In the Beginning 9Christ Revealed in Genesis 12CHAPTER 2�THE REDEMPTION 16The Incarnation 16The Baptism 20The Ministry 22The Sacrifice 26CHAPTER 3�REGENERATION AND RENEWAL 28The Spirit and the Mission 28The Personality of the Spirit 31CHAPTER 4�FOLLOWING CHRIST IN THE SPIRIT 34The Power of the Spirit 34The Dark Night
" (Gen. 1:2.) The Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit is seen as the original creative force that creates all life. However, the reference to the Spirit in Gnesis also refers to its distance and potential separation from mankind. In times of sin and wickedness God warns that "...my Spirit will not always strive with man." (Gen. 6:3) the passage also implies that the"... Spirit's very presence and ministry could
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