ARTICLES OF FAITH & DOCTRINE


To be interpreted as expressed in and according to the natural and literal meaning of the respective passages of the Word of God referred to under each article.  Click on an article for more information.  Clicking on the Bible reference passage(s) will open a pop-up window showing the verse from the Literal Word.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

14 - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit


We believe that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church to glorify Christ in the building of His body. We believe that God, the Holy Spirit, is sovereign in the bestowing of His gifts for the perfecting of the saints for the work of their ministry, and that it is not God’s will that any one gift should be given to all believers, although all believers have at least one gift.


We believe that whenever spiritual gifts are exercised, they should always be within the limits expressly given in the Scriptures (e.g. I Corinthians 14:23-40). We believe that in the early church speaking in tongues (a human language unknown to the speaker), and the working of miracles were sign gifts demonstrated primarily to authenticate God’s revelation through the apostles and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We believe that today such signs are not necessary to give evidence of the baptism or of the filling of the Spirit, nor are they a mark of spiritual maturity. We believe that special divine revelation for authoritative Scripture ceased with the Apostolic Age.


Acts 2:1-13


Hebrews 2:3-4


I Corinthians 12-14


Ephesians 2:20


Romans 12:3-8


John 14:26


I Peter 4:7-11


Galatians 1:8-9


Ephesians 4:11-13


Revelation 22:17


II Corinthians 12:12