Holy Spirit is the Active Agent

In chemistry, there are catalysts. They are defined as “any substance that increases the rate of a reaction without itself being consumed” (Britannica, s.v. “catalyst,” updated October 30, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/science/catalyst). The desired powerful results in many reactions are not achieved without the presence of a catalyst, the thing that propels a reaction to the desired degree. In this same way, salvation is limited in power in our lives without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the active agent in salvation, drawing us to God and transforming us in a way that, in the case of Peter, even being in the presence of Jesus himself doesn’t seem to occur.