ARTICLE IX.
THE HOLY SPIRIT

§ 34. Unitarian Christians do not believe the Holy Spirit to be a separate person in the Godhead, but to be the influence of God on the human soul, to give strength, peace, light, love. It is said to be poured out, shed abroad, given, distributed, etc. (Acts 1:5; 2:16, 17; 10:45; Luke 11:13; Titus 3:6; Hebrews 2:4). People are said to be “filled” with it, as with wisdom, faith, or joy (Acts 6:3, 5; 13:52). These expressions apply to an influence, but not to a person. It often appears in the text without the definite article. To be sure, the holy spirit is occasionally personified in the New Testament, but so are other non-persons, such as wisdom, death, grace, and sin (Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:35; Rom. 5:14, 21; 6:12).

§ 35. Unitarian Christians believe this influence to be given by a constant operation, wherever the human heart is prepared and ready to receive it. It helps us to do good, clarifies the intellect, cleanses the heart, and strengthens the will, thus enlightening, calming, encouraging and making one happy. Therefore Christians are told to “live in the Spirit,” to “walk in the Spirit,” and the Spirit is said to “dwell in them” (Gal. 5:16, 25; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19). It is given not only to prophets and apostles, to saints and martyrs, but to all who desire help to lead better lives.

§ 36. The difference between the influence of the Spirit of God and other influences which come from the Deity is this: that whereas the others come to us from without, through nature, events, and our fellow humans, the influence of the Spirit is God speaking to us within our very being. We commune with God outwardly through God’s works and through the events of our earthly life. We commune inwardly when we are by ourselves and when, in the secret chamber of our hearts, we lift up our thoughts and wishes, our sorrows and sins, to our Heavenly Parent.