Pastor Terrie Beede's "Studies in Theology" series, grounded in the anchor text of 1 Timothy 4:16, continued its exploration of "The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Part 5: Operations of the Spirit in the Believer's Life". The session opened by reiterating the solemn charge to ministers to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" to save both themselves and their hearers, emphasizing the practical, living nature of doctrine.
The discussion reviewed the three articles of faith concerning the Holy Spirit: His role in convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; His work of regeneration, sanctification, and empowerment for ministry; His indwelling every believer as an abiding helper, teacher, and guide; and the belief in His present ministry and the exercise of all biblical gifts.
The main focus of the session was an examination of spiritual gifts, or charismata. These were defined as special bestowals or endowments by the Holy Spirit, given for the purpose of carrying out the will of the Father and the Son. Pastor Beede presented various biblical lists of gifts from 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28, Romans 12:6-8, and Ephesians 4:11, noting that these listings are not exhaustive but rather representative samples. He cautioned against developing rigid doctrines around gifts that are not explicitly defined in scripture, such as the "word of wisdom" or "word of knowledge".
Key principles for understanding spiritual gifts were emphasized:
• Purpose for the Body: Gifts are given for the profit of the whole body and for the equipping and edification of the church, not for personal enjoyment or advancement. They are tools for ministry, not merit badges or indicators of spiritual maturity or rank.
• Distribution: No one person possesses all gifts, nor is any single gift given to every person. The Spirit distributes gifts as He wills and as the need arises. Gifts can operate in varying degrees of strength within individuals, and many are present in some measure in every believer.
• Cessationism: The teaching affirmed that the gifts have not ceased and will remain until "that which is perfect has come," referring to the return of Jesus Christ, not the closure of the biblical canon.
• Testing Gifts: Gifts must be tested by their accuracy, the fruit they produce, what they point to (always God the Father and the Son), and their submission to the Word of God.
Specific gifts were discussed in more detail:
• Prophecy: This involves both foretelling (predicting future events) and forth-telling (speaking forth God's word). Its primary purposes are edification, exhortation, and comfort for the church, but it can also serve for the judgment of unbelievers by revealing the secrets of their hearts. All believers are encouraged to seek and prefer prophecy. New Testament prophecy is controllable, as "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets," meaning believers can choose when and how to speak.
• Discernment of Spirits: Though not explicitly defined, examples like Paul discerning a spirit of divination in Acts 16:16-18 provide insight.
• Tongues and Interpretation: Speaking in tongues is understood as speaking mysteries to God in the spirit, allowing for deep prayer and praise. However, uninterpreted tongues are presented as a sign of judgment (citing Isaiah 28:11-12 and Matthew 13:13-14), indicating God's unwillingness to communicate plainly when His clear counsel is rejected. Paul's emphasis in 1 Corinthians 14 on intelligible language in the assembly underscores the importance of an understandable message, especially for unbelievers. Tongues are not to be despised or forbidden, but their use in the assembly should be ordered, limited to two or three, and accompanied by interpretation for the edification of the body. Interpretation should typically be a praise or glorification of the Lord, not a "thus says the Lord" prophecy.
The session concluded by highlighting that the overarching context for all spiritual gifts is Christian unity. The church is one body in Christ, and members fit together to form a perfect whole. This comprehensive study of the Holy Spirit was set to transition into the "Doctrine of Man" in subsequent sessions.