Christian Beliefs about the Holy Spirit (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

What is the Holy Spirit?

• The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, along with God the Father and God the Son

• Christians believe that the Holy Spirit:

  • Is the spirit or “breath” of God

  • Gives life to all things (it is said in the creation story in Genesis 1 to be present at the first moment of creation)

  • Is equal in power and glory to God the Father and God the Son

  • Comes from the Father and the Son, uniting them in love

  • Is the presence of God working in the world today

  • Inspires people to let them know the will of God

• Christians express these beliefs in the Nicene Creed, the statement of Christian belief. It states the following regarding the Holy Spirit:

God's power given to believers

• Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is the unseen force of God at work in the world today, giving believers strength and power to remain faithful and spread the message of God 

• Christians believe that the Holy Spirit has been present in the world from the first moment of creation

• The events of Pentecost mark the moment when the Holy Spirit appeared and gave God’s power to the early Christians

  • After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus left earth and returned to heaven in the event known as the Ascension

  • Shortly afterwards, God sent the Holy Spirit in a special way to give Jesus’s apostles power and strength to continue the work of spreading the gospel message

• Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is with them to influence, guide and sustain them throughout their lives

• Some Christians, especially Catholic Christians, believe that the Holy Spirit’s presence is renewed in a special way through confirmation

  • Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church

  • It “confirms” the faith of a believer who was baptised as a baby, allowing them to make their own commitment to God

  • At this sacrament, the believer is anointed with a holy oil called chrism, and the words “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” are spoken

  • This symbolises the gifts of the Holy Spirit being given to the believer

  • God’s power is now at work in their lives in a special way, much as the first believers at Pentecost

The gifts of the Holy Spirit

• The gifts of the Holy Spirit are the qualities passed on by the Holy Spirit to Christian believers

• They are given in a special way at certain stages of life through the sacraments

• They are particularly associated with:

  • Baptism, when a person becomes a Christian and enters God’s family for the first time

  • Confirmation, when a person confirms their faith and becomes an “adult” Christian

  • Ordination, when a person becomes a priest

• The gifts of the Holy Spirit are first listed by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament (Isaiah 11:2–3)

• They are:

  • Wisdom: the ability to be wise in life, to see things as God would see them

  • Understanding: the ability to understand and appreciate God’s message

  • Counsel: also known as “right judgement”, the ability to judge how best to act in a situation and to both give and receive good advice

  • Fortitude: courage, moral strength and determination to stand up for your beliefs and for justice

  • Knowledge: the ability to study and learn about God and to put that learning to good use

  • Piety: personal holiness, the ability to remain devoted to God

  • Fear of the Lord: wonder and awe at the greatness of God

  IMAGE REQUIRED

  The gifts of the Holy Spirit

• St Paul explained the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the early Christians, saying that although they are given to all, they may be apparent in different people in different ways

  • This allows everyone to play their part in spreading the gospel message

The fruits of the Holy Spirit

• The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the attributes or characteristics that should be clear in the lives of those who have God’s Holy Spirit working in their lives

• They also reflect the qualities of God’s character

• The fruits of the Holy Spirit are mentioned by St Paul in his letter to the Galatians (5:22–23)

• They are:

  • Love

  • Joy

  • Peace, meaning both inner peace and a spirit of peace with others

  • Patience (sometimes referred to as “forbearance”)

  • Kindness

  • Goodness

  • Faithfulness to God

  • Gentleness, meaning acting with humility, being thoughtful and being considerate

  • Self-control over a person’s own actions and desires so that they always do what is best as a Christian