Third person of Trinity; Spirit sanctifies believers and empowers the church
The Holy Spirit occupies a central role in Nazarene theology as the divine agent of sanctification. The Articles of Faith describe the Spirit as 'the third person of the Triune Godhead' who convicts of sin, regenerates the believer, and fully sanctifies those who seek entire sanctification with faith. The Spirit is the one who imparts the 'perfect love' that defines the Wesleyan-Holiness experience.
Unlike classical Pentecostalism, the Nazarene tradition does not teach that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of Spirit baptism. Entire sanctification — the fullness of the Spirit — is evidenced not by tongues but by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The Nazarene tradition emerged partly in deliberate contrast to the Pentecostal insistence on tongues, emphasizing instead moral transformation as the evidence of the Spirit's fullness.
The Church of the Nazarene affirms the present work of the Holy Spirit in guiding, comforting, and empowering the church and individual believers. The denomination does not take a hard cessationist line but is cautious about charismatic manifestations and evaluates spiritual experience by its fruit rather than by dramatic phenomena.
Key Distinctions
- Personhood:
- third divine person, coequal with Father and Son
- Spiritual gifts view:
- entire sanctification as the defining second work of the Spirit; gifts active
- Spirit baptism:
- baptism of the Holy Spirit = entire sanctification (second definite work of grace); not tongues
Scripture References
Sources
- Church of the Nazarene Manual, Articles of Faith, §III: The Holy Spirit; §X: Entire Sanctification