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The doctrine of the holy spirit
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The doctrine of the Holy Spirt is perhaps one of the most debated doctrines in the Christian Church. Also known as Pneumatology, the doctrinal views of the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit are very different between many mainstream denominations. Many argue that the gifts of the Spirit died out with the first century church much like the calling of Apostles and Prophets. However, other denominations particular those of the charismatic churches argue that these gifts are still relevant and vital in our modern era. Relying on 1st Corinthians chapter 12 as their standard, these church practice these gifts similar to the early church. The theological question that must be asked is, are the gifts of the Holy Spirit still vital for our modern
I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done. And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified. The Holy Spirit guides the believer into all greater maturity because he already had written our story. Isaiah 46 tells us that God knew the end from the beginning. Therefor every joy and pain the believer goes through was put in place by the Holy Spirit for their growth. Beck argues the “Holy Spirit is an agent in transformative suffering” While pain is certainly a part of life, its importance in spiritual growth cannot be understated. “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” There for God sometimes uses the Spirit to punish those who he
These gifts are used by the Holy Spirit for the edification and glorification of Christ and the Father. While many denominations agree with the Holy Spirit as a teacher, they do not agree on the doctrine of the gifts of the Spirit. Many denominations argue that the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 are no longer available to the modern church and died out with the first century believers. However, the text does not say that these gifts would only be available to the current generation. Many argue that the spiritual gifts create disunity. However, without diversity can their truly be unity.
Paul launches upon his claim of "variety in unity and unity in variety" in that ideal Christian worship which is truly spiritual and as a result "decent and in order" (14:40). He states in 12:4 that there are various charismata and goes on to enumerate the nine so-called "gifts of the Spirit" as "manifestations of the Spirit for the common good" (vss. 7-10).
The gifts of the spirit are there to create unity by addressing the needs of the church body. If everyone had the same gifts, there would be no need for unity. Therefore no one has all of the spiritual gifts but every believer has at least one and they use these gifts in cooperation to glorify
The Spirit helps us implore (Romans 8:26-27). He gives us new life (John 3:3-6). He is our consoler, and he helps us comprehend God's statement (John 14:26). He lifts up Christ (John 15:26). He convicts us of wrongdoing (John 16:7-11). He helps us to live holy lives (Romans 15:16). He gives us love, happiness, peace, tolerance, thoughtfulness, goodness, faithfulness, tenderness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). He helps us share our confidence (Acts 1:8). What's more, he lives inside us (Romans
The Charismatic debate on whether the gifts of the Spirit have ceased or continue to be used in modern times divides the Christian church. There have been some extremes on both sides of the fence. One view believes that, if a person speaks tongues, the person is under some demonic control and the other says that, if a person does not speaks tongues as evidence of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he or she is not saved. Both views use Scripture to defend their positions. The Scripture was not written to divide, but to bring us closer to God.
Chapter four addresses the divisions within the Corinthian church, such as jealousy, quarrelling and their defective view of the church. The apostle Paul links their view of the church to church leadership stating “If they had a true view of the church, they would have a true view of the leaders of the church” (p79). The situation was that their view was lower for the church and higher for the leaders thus they were boasting about the leaders. Paul’s view was that the Corinthian church was spoon feed Christians not maturing as they should. Paul’s reference to addressing the church as worldly did not mean they were unregenerate because they did possess the Spirit but they were not being spiritual, not being controlled by the Holy Spirit. He goes on to say “They have experienced new birth by the Spirit but have remained babies in Christ; they have not yet become mature in Christ” (p80) The Apostle most likely would express the same opinion about many Church congregations today. Many churches are elated with their church growth, but it is often superficial. If the church does not offer a real growth opportunity the journey is short lived. The church fills up with Christians not participating in the sanctification process. As with many churches today the Corinthians had a self-serving attitude about themselves and their church. The Corinthians would have never behaved the way they did if they had a higher view of the church and what it stood for and a lesser view of the leaders. Paul outlines three visions of the church “each of which has important implications” (p82). The first metaphor is agricultural: God’s field (v9) 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God...
This Revival occurred as an expression of social and theological discontent among the nation’s lower and middle-class groups. Advocates for holiness disapproved of the impiety in forefront denominations and were alienated by the growing wealth and grandiosity of their churches. With dissatisfaction in these principal churches, they formed new religious communities devoted to the theological doctrine of perfectionism. These previous Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists believed they were experiencing a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit which bore a resemblance to the early church experience as described in the book of Acts in the Bible. The Holiness Revival produced zeal for "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" (a heavenly enablement for believers) and for other gifts of the Holy Spirit such as healing and prophecy (Dieter, 1996). Holiness leaders such as John Alexander Dowie, Charles Cullis, and Albert B. Simpson set up healing missions across the U.S. They, like other holiness advocates, believed a new, miraculous era of the spirit was taking place which would end in the second coming of Christ (Dieter,
The Church as a whole debates many concepts that are in the Bible, in both theology and in practice. One of these debates surrounds the gifts that are spoken of in the Bible. In one corner are those who believe that charismatic gifts are alive and well in the church today. The Continuationist view believes that the gifts have continued on through Biblical times and are still relevant for today. In the other corner are those who believe that particular gifts have ceased to be used in the modern church and that they were only given for a particular reason in Biblical times. This view is called the Cessationist. Today each view, and other views in between, and the practice of the gifts in the current culture will be examined for truth, validity, and application by searching through each view and holding fast to the scripture as the final word of authority.
Pneumatology is the doctrine that focuses on the personhood of the Holy Spirit. Through out the New Testament the Holy Spirit is granted specific characteristics and duties. Following the resurrection, Jesus said “another” is coming in my place. In John Jesus says, “Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever.” During the ministry of Christ, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the encourager, comforter and enabler. This paper will discuss the multidimensional portrayals of the work of the Holy Spirit as it applies to global missions. In the Old Testament the Spirit of God is described in terms of God’s efficacious authority and in the New Testament Jesus refers to the spirit of God as another advocate who was sent from the Father. While the Holy Spirit does not pose a physical body it contains the characteristics of a person. “In accordance with Scripture the “personality” of the Holy Spirit is confessed and defined in the Creeds and in all the Church’s doctrinal judgments concerning the divine Trinity.” The Hoy Spirit embodies the essence of both the Father and the Son.
Several contemporary theologians have defined spiritual gifts. Through studying all the different Greek words that translators translate into spiritual gifts, Towns has describes, “a spiritual gift is spiritual in character (pneumatikon), sovereignly given by God in the Holy Spirit (charismata), to minister to others (diakonia), in the power of God (energema), with an evident manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the Christian as he serves God
In the book, The Gifts and Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Sumrall states the meaning of spiritual gift comes from the Greek word called “charisma”. Charisma
The doctrine of the church is ecclesiology, which comes from the greek word church - human beings who are like Christ. This doctrine is a doctrine for the universal church. We sometimes enter a singular way of talking about our culture when the bible speaks in plurality. Ecclesiology gives us the basis of our belief and marks of the church which gives us clarity of what it means to be “one holy catholic and apostolic.” The church bears four marks: Unity, Holiness, Catholicity, and Apostolicity. These four marks are the truth about the church. We must act in Unity because the church is one, 1 Corinthians 12:12 say “Just as the body is one and as many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” The Holiness is a inheritance given to us by Christ. However we can not achieve that alone. As we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, He actualizes that for us. Catholicity is the universality and wholeness the church, making room for people to enter the body of Christ. Lastly is apostolicity which is about the authority and truth, and the authority of the apostles is in their eyewitness testimony of Jesus (2 Peter 1:16). The church teaches about the apostles truth that is true to the gospel of Jesus
The Holy Spirit gives us power to make things possible. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The power enabled the apostles to heal the sick (3:1-10, 5:15-16, 9:32-35) and raise people from the dead (9:36-43). The power also enabled them to speak the truth boldly (4:1-14, 7:1-53,
This scripture assist in justifying the existence of God as a Trinity of persons because it reveals God’s divers and peculiar ways of his being. On the other hand, he still remains one God and the only God that exist and will ever exist. When we think of gifts what comes to mind is a dispensation that can only be given by the Holy Spirit. As Christians we obtain these spiritual gifts through supernatural grace and is given from a supernatural God so that each Christian is able to accomplish their God given mission. So, in connection of comprehending what gifts the scripture may be describing there is an understanding that through God being the trinity there is an awareness that although there are different parts that make up of God which is in relations with how the church contains different gifts that makes up a church which like God consist of
The Gift of Tongues: A Doctrinal Review The gift of tongues was a divinely imparted supernatural gift that granted the recipient the ability to speak an earthly language that they could not speak beforehand. Contrary to the espousing of some circles the gift of tongues was not given to serve as some form of private prayer language between the recipient and God, rather like all spiritual gifts, its purpose was to edify the body of Christ; the church. Many modern charismatic circles hold and teach the belief that the gift of tongues has continued to this day and age; this paper will examine, primarily, the biblical support for the reality that the gift of tongues, among other gifts, ceased after the apostolic age.
In a fast growing and changing world, leaders need spiritual gifts to formulate godly and wise decisions for their organizations. Spiritual gifts are received “by the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, the connection between social and personal holiness…such as speaking in tongues, the validity of ecstatic demonstrations and experiences, the role of public exhortation and testimony, the nature of spiritual warfare and miracles of divine healing. The Holy Spirit gives these gifts, as He wills, to surrendered believers” (Gyerston, 2009, pg.1&3). “Through the Holy Spirit, Christian leaders are commissioned to cooperate in the divine-human synergies of conviction-confession, conversion- repentance, consecration-obedience, and confirmation-perseverance”
5.1 Types of Spiritual Gifts There are spirit gifts that when certain people are filled with the Spirit, they are able to have spiritual gifts such speaking in tongues, gift of prophecy and demonstration of power such as physical healing, exorcism, and even raising the dead. There are saving action towards the healing of interpersonal relationship. According to Mark 9:38, those that are truly with God and filled with the Spirit can perform the task of casting out demons and healing other. 5.2 Spiritual Gift of Healing
Paul then lines out the Spiritual Gifts, …to one is given a message of wisdom… a message of knowledge… faith by the same Spirit… gifts of healing… the performing of miracles… prophecy… distinguishing between spirits… different kinds of languages… interpretation of languages. But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills (1Cor 12:7-11). In Greek, wisdom is σοφία, which, as Albert Barns states, is one who is “distinguished for wise, and prudent, and comprehensive views of the scheme of redemption, and with a faculty of clearly explaining it to the apprehension of people.” The Gift of Wisdom is the Spiritual Guidance to Guide.