Globally, Christians usually have an interest in providing clear doctrinal presentation of the Holy Spirit in accordance to His purpose. It is clear that this is the time of understanding of the Holy Spirit dispensation and regarded as pneumotology. This is through clear illumination of the bible scriptures with the aim of revealing and glorifying the mighty Christ. The Holy Spirit mighty power is believed to transform Christians into victorious individuals as He transforms their powerless, dry, and fruitless church ministries into mighty, precious and conquerors entities.
The initial aspect that all Christians need to understand is that the Holy Spirit is a person with distinct personality as illustrated by Baylis in his teachings. His personality has three primary elements, intellect, emotional and volition (Romans 8: 27: Isaiah 63: 10 and Ephesians 4: 30). This is supported by doctrine of divine trinity that portrays God manifested in tri-persons. Therefore, a notion that the Holy Spirit is only Gods attributes and only operates in special circumstances when called is vague and demystifies the trinity nature of the three personalities. 12
Gifts of the Spirit as documented by Devine and Christine in their work are special attributes that Holy Spirit provides us with power to accomplish the mission of the church. In 1Cor. 12: 12-27; Eph. 4: 7 and 1 Pet. 4: 10 He provides the church power to perform miracles, the other He gives the ability to discern genuine Gods message from invalid ones while others He give the power to prophesy. Still other are provided opportunity to speak in tongues. All these gifts needs love in order for the individual to understand the Lords secrete plan of provision. 24
Apostle Paul, in his teachings emphasizes that it is quite important for all Christians to distinguish the fundamental boundaries of the Holy Spirit Gifts and His fruits. Spiritual Gifts represents manifestations of the Holy Spirit presence in our lives (1 Corinthians 12: 7, Acts 2: 17-19) usually divided into tongues, its interpretation and prophecy. Fruits of the Holy Spirit on the other hand are results of the inner being brought forward because of Christian constant growth and development with an aim of perfection. Baylis states that Fruits are gradual manifestations while gifts are spontaneous and usually occur once. The gifts are usually provided to a mature believer by grace after they have counted worth (1 Corinthians 12: 31). This maturity is manifested in an individual who resembles Christ in patience, love, and Faith in Christ. 6
Hodge expands that one of the sovereign gifts provided by the Holy Spirit, Speaking in tongue is regarded as ecstatic utterances that are unknown in any section of the earth (Acts 2: 6; Mark 16: 17 and 1 Corinthians 14: 2, 4, 13, 14, 19). These words are not intended to be arbitrary and strange but rather should provide a base for interpretation of the scripture (1 Corinthians 14: 9). The purpose of this gift was to communicate the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 14: 22) and to confirm the gospel through this revelation (2 Corinthians 12: 12). 15
According to Baylis in his studies “ Christian Theology I”, Baptism by the Holy Spirit is experienced at the time of salvation. It usually refers to the indwelling of the Christian believer by Holy Spirit and gives him a new nature (Matt, 3: 2, 11; John, 1: 33-34 and Acts, 11: 16). John the Baptist and Roman Centurion (Cornelius) confirms this in their encounter with the Holy Spirit. The bible accounts that the Holy Spirit baptized these believers. 2
He continues to illustrate that in 1 Corinthians 12, speaking in tongues do not qualify as assign of Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this verse, it is clear that the Holy Spirit baptized Corinthians but this did not qualify to speak in tongues. Apostle Paul in his teachings shows that all the Christians are into the body of Christ through baptism by the Holy Spirit and this does not qualify all of them to speak in tongues. Therefore, it is important for Christians to realize baptism with Holy Spirit does not subsequent speaking in tongues at any level. 45
Modern tongues have spread in churches like wildfire to an extent of confusing the church. It is true that that the Lord had a good plan for us, in the book of 1 Corinthians 13: 8-10, Paul points out the importance of love in perfection of these gifts. The term perfect used is same as complete. God intention was to revive the church completely through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Tongues were only for the transition from the old to the new covenant period and once this was fulfilled, these gifts have ceased, and the modern tongues used are completely different from the ones supported by the bible. Certainly, it is weighty evidence that these modern tongues are not gifts from the Lord. Therefore, they should be rejected for the growth of the church to continue. 13
The endowment of the Holy Spirit to Christians is for service in the entire church. Without Him, Christian work is imperfect, immature, and powerless. He represents Christ and needs to have a mandate to manifest Himself through His extreme positive polarity in the Church and to bring clear doctrinal understanding.
Bibliography
Baylis, Albert. Unpublished class notes: TH 507, Christian Theology I. Multnomah Biblical
Seminary, fall 2003.
De Vinne, Christine. ” Religion under Revolution in Ourika.” In Approaches to Teaching Duras’s
Ourika, edited by Mary Ellen Birkett and Christopher Rivers, 37-44. New York, NY:
Modern Language Association of America, 2009.
Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology. Originally published 1872 Oak Harbor WA:
Log Research Systems, 1997.
.
